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Published: September 12th 2011
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Jerica, Meghan and I
Enjoying the air show Hello!
Before I begin, another announcement about sending me PACKAGES. If you are sending a package, be sure you say that it is USED clothing or something of that nature. If you don’t declare it as used, or personal items on the customs for I have to PAY taxes to receive it because they will assume that it is new and therefore it is importation, and the taxes are EXPENSIVE, like 40 euros or so just to receive it! On that note, Mom, your package arrived at the post office today and I can go pick it up tomorrow!
Yesterday was a very full, very long, but fun day. Càdiz had its third annual airshow at La Playa de La Victoria, which runs alongside New Càdiz The show didn’t start till 12, but we all met up at 9:30 and walked into New Càdiz which should only take about 20 minutes, but we took the long way…on purpose of course. Along the beach artists had even made sand sculptures of planes which were really neat. When we got there, we really had no idea where to stop and sit, so we just picked a section of a ledge along
the beach and sat down. Turns out the show was right in front of us! We had picked really good spots!
The show started with a demonstration by the coast guard, a few helicopters and small planes and some of those motorized parachute guys. They saved the good stuff for last with the big planes (sorry I don’t know the technical names for them) that would spray ocean water on all of the people on the beach, a really neat demonstration by 5 helicopters that had coordinated a type of routine, and the fighter planes. Jerica had the quote of the day while the helicopters were doing their part of the show: “I feel like I’m at Sea World watching Shamoo…and another Shamoo.” It was really hot out and we had been in the sun for a while. Haha! I get what she was saying though; I guess a helicopter is kinda shaped like a whale. 😊
While it wasn’t always the most exciting show, we all felt it was an appropriate way to spend at least part of the day. We all felt a bit odd and out of place being in another country on September 11th.
A Day of Remembrance
This one even had the date on it. Our minds were definitely on our families back home, and wondering if anything was going on. The airshow took place during the early morning back in New York, the same time the towers were hit. While they didn’t mention anything about the events that had occurred 10 years ago (and I really didn’t expect them to), and we knew the airshow had nothing to do with the anniversary, we all just pretended that it was a sort of memorial to them and to those who have been fighting in Iraq since the towers were hit.
The Càdiz futbol team, Càdiz C.F. (C.F. =Club de Futbol), had a game last night at 8. Their stadium is in New Càdiz and since we were already there we decided to just spend the day on the other side of the land bridge and explore the newer part of the city. Key word “newer” not necessarily “nicer.” There are a lot of taller apartment buildings, but they don’t have the charm the buildings in Old Càdiz do. They look a little more run down and not as nice.
We got our tickets for the game and then decided to find lunch, but
Coast Guard
They dropped a guy in the sea and then demonstrated how they do a save. "The Guardian" anyone? I guess we were a little late, everyplace was full! We walked, and walked and walked. Nothing. We finally found a little place with a table big enough for our group near the beach. Since we had like five hours until we needed to be at the game we took our time, and the servers certainly weren’t rushing us out of the restaurant. If the restaurants here were Olive Gardens, I would have earned a free meal for slow service every single time I’ve gone out to eat. It’s not even rude though, they just aren’t in a rush here. Very seldom do you see places where you can take it to go and the only fast food places on the peninsula are a single McDonalds and two Burger Kings. It’s really quite nice, except when you are starving and it takes a while just to get them to come to your table to take your order.
After lunch we decided to walk to the “mall” which is called El Cortes Ingles. It’s a really big department store here in Spain, certainly that wouldn’t be closed on a Sunday right? Uhg. Closed. Since it was a half-hour walk back
Spanish Fashion
These Aladdin pants are all the RAGE here! to the stadium from El Cortes we found benches and took a sit down for a while. I took the opportunity to call my family and see what was going on with them.
“Hello?”
“Dad?”
“Nope, this is Conor.”
Whoops. Not the first time I have done that. It was really nice to talk to Conor for a bit, I haven’t actually gotten to talk to him since I got here. He has been really busy getting settled into Kansas City. It’s a big adjustment time for both of us and we have a lot of similar feelings about being in a new, strange place so he is a good person to be able to talk to. We didn’t even really get a lot of time to hang out together over the summer. Once he got his job at his end of May with Sisco, we had almost exact opposite schedules. He worked afternoons and nights, I worked mornings and afternoons. So it was really tough to not get to spend very much time with him. So far, it sounds like KC is treating him well though. Mom and Dad and Gus are also hanging in there it sounds like,
Air Show!
The planes were hard to get photos of, but I got a few good ones! just life as usual.
The Càdiz game was really fun. Their stadium is under construction, but it will be ready by the time the bicentennial comes around. The fans are just as you would expect: Loud and passionate about their team. While Càdiz C.F. is not the greatest team in the world, you can tell that the fans they have are diehard and loyal. It got pretty cold though, and I have been just exhausted that last two days. I and two other girls left half-way through the second half.
After Jerica and I split off from our friend Danielle, we happened to pass by a restaurant with the word “Burgers” in front of it. Jerica stops. “Oh my gosh. Burgers.” We decided to split one and walked into the restaurant. Only two Euros for a hamburger the size of my face, although it was a pretty thin patty. Jerica was so happy to just eat a hamburger and sit and talk for a while. Sometimes you just need a piece of normalcy I guess, and for her normalcy is a hamburger. When we left we made sure to check what the name of this hamburger joint. “Menoc
Top Gun!
The planes are inverted, likes mirrors of each other! Donald.” Say that 3 times fast. Sounds a bit like another hamburger place you may have heard of. Have we found the Frolex to McDonald’s Rolex here in Càdiz? No. No, Menoc Donald is far better than a cheap imitation. 😊
Upon returning home, I got ready for bed and just as I was lying down Natalie got home. Càdiz won the game 2 to 1, their first win of the season. Great, now I could sleep peacefully since it was almost midnight. Chomp, chomp, chomp. Natalie eating chips in our room. Chomp, crunch, chomp. Natalie eating more chips. Devin takes two Benadryl, and problem solved, except for that I was too groggy to get up for my run this morning. Aw well, try again tomorrow I guess!
Love and miss all of you 😊
Love always,
Devin 😊
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