Behold some of my most favorite links about travel:
Budget Travel Online: I absolutely love this magazine! It has some great resources on its website (not to mention some great travel deals).
Rick Steves: What can I say? I love Rick Steves, because his travel philosophy is to get off the beaten path a little and discover the REAL Europe, not the Europe made for tourists. Great "Graffiti Wall" with tips from fellow Rick Steves-aficiandos.
Transitions Abroad: Hands down my favorite travel related website out there. Has an impressive collection of articles about meaningful travel, as well as thorough sections on living and studying abroad.
Which Budget?: Europe is famous for their really cheap intercontinental flights.Can you believe that I once flew from Rome to London for 5 euros? Okay, so that wasn't including taxes, but the entire deal ended up costing me only like 20 euros. Go to this website and discover some of the bargain-basement fares out there.
Brave New Traveler: A great website I just recently discovered with some informative and inspiring travel articles.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
A great flamenco song
This is one of my favorite songs at the moment by an Andalucian flamenco singer named Estrella Morente. This song is called "Pepico de Tango". Marion and I often sing this song at the top of our lungs in her apartment. Enjoy!
Random Things I love about Spain
So last time I shared a few of my pet peeves, and now I would like to share with you some completely random things that I love about Spain:
- I absolutely love flamenco music and the influence it has all over the city, at any time of day. Its not uncommon to see people in a plaza break out into a little impromptu flamenco session, singing, clapping out a rhythm or strumming on their guitar. There are flamenco bars all around town that have concerts a few times a week. a notable place is the labrinto, a bar hidden behind Plaza Encarnacion that has a different act every Tuesday. Its full of students and a really fun atmosphere in general. I plan on going tomorrow! :)
- I have found that I tend to bond with the older generation here. I mean really old generation. In Spain the elderly are called "ancianos" which means "the ancients", and that kinda makes me giggle. but i always find myself talking to a random anciano in a park or on the street. i remember when i first arrived the first sevillian i ever met was an old, wrinkly woman who lives on my street. she was so tiny and shriveled...she came up to about my knees. and she had absolutely no teeth. she was so friendly but i couldn't understand a word she said as her speech was so gummy.
today i helped out an anciano at the train station and he promptly came down and sat right next to me on the train and just started talking and talking and talking about the times when franco was the dictator (for some reason they all want to tell me about franco times) and I just listened to him. i feel like i have a lot to learn from them and enjoy their storytelling and heartfelt advice. the more i grow older, the more i realize how much the older generation has to say, and they want to share their story with anyone and everyone who will listen. its a good thing i like a good story! plus, its good practice for me to try and understand the really gummy, toothless Spanish that's out there.
-I love the feeling of sitting in a plaza full of palm trees on a warm sevillian evening with my friends, drinking a tinto de verano (wine mixed with fanta). there is always background music with all the street musicians playing the guitar or accordian. in that moment, i feel like i am in paradise.
-I love, LOVE the fact that old Spanish men walk with their hands clasped behind their back. i don't know why, but i love it SO MUCH. it makes me feel so happy inside when i see it. I finally got a photo of it one day in Extremadura, which i posted a week or so ago on this website.
- I LOVE it when a Spaniard asks me for directions (which happens a lot). And I love it even more when I know what street they're looking for (as that's not always the case).
-I love the fact that there are times when i'm walking down the street and a horse and carriage passes right next to me. except for when the horse shits all over the place.
- I love that in Spain, a tip isn't required. If I go out to a bar with my friends, we never have to give a tip. If i take a taxi, I MAYBE give 50 cents. Of course, if the service was outstanding, it deserves a tip, but not more than a euro or two!
thats all for now........
- I absolutely love flamenco music and the influence it has all over the city, at any time of day. Its not uncommon to see people in a plaza break out into a little impromptu flamenco session, singing, clapping out a rhythm or strumming on their guitar. There are flamenco bars all around town that have concerts a few times a week. a notable place is the labrinto, a bar hidden behind Plaza Encarnacion that has a different act every Tuesday. Its full of students and a really fun atmosphere in general. I plan on going tomorrow! :)
- I have found that I tend to bond with the older generation here. I mean really old generation. In Spain the elderly are called "ancianos" which means "the ancients", and that kinda makes me giggle. but i always find myself talking to a random anciano in a park or on the street. i remember when i first arrived the first sevillian i ever met was an old, wrinkly woman who lives on my street. she was so tiny and shriveled...she came up to about my knees. and she had absolutely no teeth. she was so friendly but i couldn't understand a word she said as her speech was so gummy.
today i helped out an anciano at the train station and he promptly came down and sat right next to me on the train and just started talking and talking and talking about the times when franco was the dictator (for some reason they all want to tell me about franco times) and I just listened to him. i feel like i have a lot to learn from them and enjoy their storytelling and heartfelt advice. the more i grow older, the more i realize how much the older generation has to say, and they want to share their story with anyone and everyone who will listen. its a good thing i like a good story! plus, its good practice for me to try and understand the really gummy, toothless Spanish that's out there.
-I love the feeling of sitting in a plaza full of palm trees on a warm sevillian evening with my friends, drinking a tinto de verano (wine mixed with fanta). there is always background music with all the street musicians playing the guitar or accordian. in that moment, i feel like i am in paradise.
-I love, LOVE the fact that old Spanish men walk with their hands clasped behind their back. i don't know why, but i love it SO MUCH. it makes me feel so happy inside when i see it. I finally got a photo of it one day in Extremadura, which i posted a week or so ago on this website.
- I LOVE it when a Spaniard asks me for directions (which happens a lot). And I love it even more when I know what street they're looking for (as that's not always the case).
-I love the fact that there are times when i'm walking down the street and a horse and carriage passes right next to me. except for when the horse shits all over the place.
- I love that in Spain, a tip isn't required. If I go out to a bar with my friends, we never have to give a tip. If i take a taxi, I MAYBE give 50 cents. Of course, if the service was outstanding, it deserves a tip, but not more than a euro or two!
thats all for now........
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
5 Things that Annoy me Today
Maybe its because its raining outside, or maybe its because i'm starting to get the sniffles, but I am not in the best mood today. and there are a few things that i have been slightly annoyed with but patiently tolerated about daily life here. Today, however, I am a bit more frustrated about it. Let me share with you my gripes:
1. Due to the construction work that takes place next door (and the absence of a port-a-potty), my street smells like a toliet. all the time. its like playing hopscotch to avoid all the puddles, which may or may not be urine (or rain....whatever).
2. Speaking of construction work....do you know how tiring it is to be awoken by the sound of a drill hammering through cement less than 50 feet away from you? That sound is worse than crinkling plastic, which, as some of you may know, I REALLY hate. Oh, and by the way, I asked the workers how long they will be working on the project. Their answer? "No more than a few years."
3. Where is the man that brings us our gas for cooking and such? We ran out of gas more than a week ago, have called the company 3 times, and no one has come yet. WHERE ARE THEY? My brazilian roommate and I both agreed that this probably wouldn´t have happened in our respective countries. And if it did happen, it would warrant an apology and maybe a discount. What do you think are the chances of that happening here? Slim to none.
4. Why won't my clothes washer actually wash my clothes? Yes, I AM using detergent this time. It seems that almost no stain has come out, and many a-shirt have been ruined as a result. heck, it almost seems as if my clothes are dirtier when i take them out!
5. WHY DOESN'T ANYONE PICK UP AFTER THEIR DOG? when walking through the city, you always have to keep one eye on the ground, because the streets of seville are like dog shit landmines. at first it would make me sick at times to see so much poop, but now i just look at it only to know not to step on it and immediately change my thought to something else. It's still disgusting, though. That being said, I HAVE been able to avoid stepping in it for almost 7 months straight......knock on wood ;)
In all serious, though. Yeah, these things are really annoying. But they are a part of Spain, and hey, I LOVE Spain.
Peace.
5.
1. Due to the construction work that takes place next door (and the absence of a port-a-potty), my street smells like a toliet. all the time. its like playing hopscotch to avoid all the puddles, which may or may not be urine (or rain....whatever).
2. Speaking of construction work....do you know how tiring it is to be awoken by the sound of a drill hammering through cement less than 50 feet away from you? That sound is worse than crinkling plastic, which, as some of you may know, I REALLY hate. Oh, and by the way, I asked the workers how long they will be working on the project. Their answer? "No more than a few years."
3. Where is the man that brings us our gas for cooking and such? We ran out of gas more than a week ago, have called the company 3 times, and no one has come yet. WHERE ARE THEY? My brazilian roommate and I both agreed that this probably wouldn´t have happened in our respective countries. And if it did happen, it would warrant an apology and maybe a discount. What do you think are the chances of that happening here? Slim to none.
4. Why won't my clothes washer actually wash my clothes? Yes, I AM using detergent this time. It seems that almost no stain has come out, and many a-shirt have been ruined as a result. heck, it almost seems as if my clothes are dirtier when i take them out!
5. WHY DOESN'T ANYONE PICK UP AFTER THEIR DOG? when walking through the city, you always have to keep one eye on the ground, because the streets of seville are like dog shit landmines. at first it would make me sick at times to see so much poop, but now i just look at it only to know not to step on it and immediately change my thought to something else. It's still disgusting, though. That being said, I HAVE been able to avoid stepping in it for almost 7 months straight......knock on wood ;)
In all serious, though. Yeah, these things are really annoying. But they are a part of Spain, and hey, I LOVE Spain.
Peace.
5.
It´s raining today.....again. It´s supposed to rain all this week. Its a shame, too, because this week is the Feria de Abril in Seville (the April Fair). This big celebration, which happens two weeks after Semana Santa, is a big deal to the city of Seville. It is basically an entire week of dancing sevillianas (similar to flamenco dancing), sherry, flamenco dresses and horses. The festivities take place on the Seville fairgrounds, which are located across the river from the old part of the city. The fairgrounds are covered with tents (called casetas ) and each tent is owned by a business, a family or prominent people in Seville. Inside the tents there is drinking and dancing and eating all night. Most tents are ¨invite-only¨, meaning that if you don´t know the party, you are not able to enter. There are, however, a few public tents where anyone can enter (i.e. tourists). I, thankfully, have made some contacts in the past 6 months that I´ve been here and have been invited to some private parties. Due to the horrible weather, I think I will probably go to the fair only one day (on Thursday) when all of my coworkers from Brenes go. I´ve heard that in years past it has gotten pretty crazy, and if it was anything like the Christmas party....well....its gonna be an entertaining evening!!!!
I personally am doing good. As most of you know, I am coming back next year for another year of work in Spain. I am so excited to be able to spend another year in this amazing part of the world, and I look forward to the good times to come. That being said, now that I know I will be back in September, I am getting a little antsy to come home. I can´t wait to see my long lost friends and family and have an enjoyable summer. I leave for Iowa on June 14th, and I´ll be in IC until September 26, so if you´ll be around, look me up!!!!
BUT BEFORE I COME HOME, my parents are coming to visit me!!!!!!! They are coming for a week and I cannot wait! It will be so great to show them where I have been living the past year....I know they will love Spain. Btw, it´s their first time crossing the pond!!!!!!
Ah! the bell ring I must go.
Hasta la próxima.......
I personally am doing good. As most of you know, I am coming back next year for another year of work in Spain. I am so excited to be able to spend another year in this amazing part of the world, and I look forward to the good times to come. That being said, now that I know I will be back in September, I am getting a little antsy to come home. I can´t wait to see my long lost friends and family and have an enjoyable summer. I leave for Iowa on June 14th, and I´ll be in IC until September 26, so if you´ll be around, look me up!!!!
BUT BEFORE I COME HOME, my parents are coming to visit me!!!!!!! They are coming for a week and I cannot wait! It will be so great to show them where I have been living the past year....I know they will love Spain. Btw, it´s their first time crossing the pond!!!!!!
Ah! the bell ring I must go.
Hasta la próxima.......
Friday, April 4, 2008
More photos
1. A flower in Extremadura
2. Taken in Extremadura
3. My room
4. Plaza San Lorenzo at night
5. One of the many narrow and winding streets in my neighborhood
2. Taken in Extremadura
3. My room
4. Plaza San Lorenzo at night
5. One of the many narrow and winding streets in my neighborhood
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