Hola from Salamanca...

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Hola everyone!
Sorry it took me so long to send an e-mail, but I just found an internet connection, so here goes...
Madrid was a lot of fun once I found things that I enjoyed doing there - going to the parks and plaza, visiting museums, the API excursions to Toledo and El Escorial. The food was a little different there (ex. whole fish and boiled broccoli yuck!) I was worried that all Spanish food would be like that but it turns out Aurea is a very good cook and prepares meals that I really like. Today for lunch we had green soup (she said it was calabaza which translates to calabash but I've never heard of that veggie in English, have you?) which was excellent (I thought it was broccoli while I was eating it). She also made us mini hamburgers (cooked on the stove - a little wierd but still tasty). Every morning for breakfast she prepares us each (Lauren and I)a huge mug of cafe con leche (we must seem a little tired) plus cookies, muffins or fried sugared bread. Its like eating dessert for breakfast. Actually we have a dessert with every meal, so its a good thing that I have to walk everywhere or else I'd really be "porking up" as Ed would say.
I started classes yesterday. I take two hours of grammar beginning at nine in the morning, then an hour each of oration/composition, culture, and Spanish art history. Its only the second day of classes and the amount I understand in class has already improved. It also helps that I only speak spanish with the other students in the classes (German, English, Japanese, etc.) and try to speak only Spanish with my API classmates, but a little English slips in there sometimes. After classes I go "home" and eat, then take a siesta, although I can never actually fall asleep in the middle of the day. After the siesta I browse the shops, explore the city or hang out with others from the group in the Plaza Mayor. Yesterday I saw the Puente Romano which crosses the Rio Tormes and there was a man renting Kayaks on the river bank, so a group of us may go kayaking this weekend.
The Festival of Salamanca starts next week and lasts for 14 days. They have set up mini tapas bars in the streets and there's supposed to be entertainment every day, all day. There will even be bull fights! I'm really looking forward to the festival, they call it the Ferias de Salamanca.
I think this week has taught me how much I love living close to family and getting to talk to you all everyday becuase I'm missing home a lot!
Please e'mail me back with news from home!
Come visit me - I'm looking into hotels now!

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Photos

Living Paella
The paella was excellent but the seafood was a little tough to get to.

Yes, I really ate it
Here I am at an outdoor cafe in Madird's Plaza Mayor eating a whole fish and boiled broccoli

Independance Plaza
Not sure what this is other than a great picture spot!

Plaza Mayor Madrid
Believe it or not everyone gathers here at some point during the day!

Puerta del Sol
Similar to NYs Times Square.

The Prado Museum
Again, very impressive art museum but no photos allowed! We took a tour of all the Spanish masterpieces in the museum.

Parque del Buen Retiro
I loved this park - it had tons of gardens, statues, and fountains - its a must see when you come to Madrid!

Parque II
This is the lake in the park where people rent row boats and listen to the entertainers in the Plaza (behind the lake)

Entertainment everywhere
This is the group of African drummers that were playing for free in the park that day.

Madrid
People dressed up in weird costumes and sat for hours in the Plaza Mayor.
Notice the woman of sand on the right and Yoda in the back left.

El Escorial
The is a view of the outside of the Monaster(still in use)/College(still offers classes)/past royal residence. The inside once beautiful but we couldn't take pictures. It houses the second most important library in the world - according to Spaniards. (First is the Vatican)

View of Toldeo
Notice the wall surrounding the city and the Alcazar (palace) at the highest point of the city.

Next Stop
Salamanca photos to come!

Comments

[Eduardo y McCusker]

hORA FROM iSLE OF fLEMING
tHANKS FOR SHARING YOUR BLOG; APPEARS YOU ARED DRINKING IN MUCH OF THE NATIVE CHARM AND BEAUTY.gREAT THAT YOU CAN FIT IN SOME SCHOOLING WITH SUCH A WONDERFUL VISIT; vIV AND eD ARE CHOMPING TO CROSS THE POND TO SEE YOU. lUV eD AND bETTY