Advertisement
Published: February 6th 2008
Edit Blog Post
Madrid
Plaza Mayor Hola todos,
I’m sorry I haven’t been able to send an email yet, it’s been really crazy with touring different places and finally getting settled in Malaga. I am hoping to find a place where I can journal/blog online and post pictures for everyone to see. Once I find a good website, I will definitely let everyone know! Life in Spain has been good! Things are very different, but the more I adjust to new things to more fun they are (like the fact that the nightlife really does not start until almost midnight and goes till 3,4,5 even after dawn, in the morning). We spent almost a week in Madrid and Toledo, and finally came to Malaga last Thursday. Madrid and Toledo were both very cool. Madrid has so many people and there is so much to do! A group of us would get on the metro and take it to the big stop in the center of Madrid and from there we would just wander. We have done quite a bit of shopping since we’ve been here. All of Spain has two major sales a year, one in July/August and one that is going on right now. It
Madrid
A Cathedral in Madrid right by the Palacio Real lasts from January 7th, and I believe it continues until the end of February. All of the stores have big REBAJAS signs, which mean there are sales. In Madrid, we got to visit the Royal Palace, the Escorial, and the Valley of the Fallen. Then, as a group, we travelled to Toledo. I like Toledo a bit more than Madrid. It was smaller and there were all these winding cobblestone streets. Cars drive pretty much wherever they want here; it is a little hard to get used to. We had a walking tour of Toledo, which was very long but very fun. We got to see some great sights. After Toledo we got to come to Malaga, and finally get unpacked an settled in!
Its definitely taken some time to get settled in. I am with another girl, Carly from Washington State University, and we live with a single woman. Her name is Teresa or Tere for short. We have not seen that much of her. It seems like either she is gone or we are gone, but there is plenty of time over the next three months to get to know each other better We live in
El Escorial
A street shot from near el escorial this cute little apartment that you can see the Mediterranean Sea from. We have yet to start classes, but have walked to the University and ISA office a couple of times. It’s about a 30-40 minute walk to the University one way, but it’s a really pretty walk. Monday we have a placement test, and then Tuesday classes start for us. I have a language class, a culture class, and a history class with the other students from ISA. There are less than 10 students in each of my classes. I’m excited to actually start going to class, even though we have to leave our house by like 7:15 each morning in order to get there on time.
Even though our Senora hasn’t been around much, Carly and I have started to settle into a routine. For breakfast we always have toast (pan) and cola cao (hot milk with nestle chocolate powder, its delicious!) Then the meals vary from then on out. The first night we got here we have an bocadillo de huevos (a scrambled egg sandwich) and cauliflower. Anyone who knows me knows I don’t really like vegetables but I managed to eat the whole plate lol. Some of my favorite food so far are the Churros con Chocolate (fried dough dipped in chocolate), Croquetas (they look like huge hash browns that are stuffed with cheese and/or potatoes in the inside), and the helado (icecream) here is amazing!
The first weekend here in Malaga has been especially fun. Since lent is about to start Malaga has been having Carnival the last couple of nights. Basically this is a huge party in the streets. The main street in Malaga, Calle de Ladios, had about three stages set up where groups of singers got dressed up in costumes to sing satirical songs. Then throughout the streets, there were other groups singing as well. My favorite was the group dressed up as mailmen On Friday night, after wandering the streets and listening to the singers, we went to the drag show that was set up in one of the plazas, at the end of Calle Ladios. Imagine, a drag show in the streets!! It was really fun though! Last night, Saturday, we went out again for carnival since it’s the last night. We also found some clubs to go dancing in. We left the clubs about 2 am, and there were still people singing and dancing in the streets! People aren’t kidding when they say the nightlife goes ALL night! On our way back home we saw our first botalleón. I´m not sure if that is how you spell it, but basically teenagers, people in their twenties, go out and buy alcohol and drink in a park before you go out to the bars and clubs. There had to be over a hundred people in the park. They were all separated into their little groups and had their drinks with them.
Also, yesterday morning/afternoon we went to a town called Ronda, which is about an hour away from Malaga. This town was so pretty, probably the prettiest town I have seen so far. Almost all the buildings are white, and like most European towns, there were all these winding cobblestone streets. Here we also took a walking tour around the city, and got to visit the Arab baths, a plaza de torros (bull fighting ring) and a natural gorge that the city is built around. Words really can’t do justice to what the scenery looked like from this mountain town.
Once again, I’m sorry it took so long to get an email out to everyone. I hope everyone is doing good and I miss you all!!! I have a number that you can call me on, its (616) 723-0529. Its like calling a number in Grand Rapids, but it will ring through to Skype on my computer. I will try my best to keep the emails coming and keep everyone updated with pictures and news!
Love,
Amanda
Advertisement
Tot: 0.064s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 12; qc: 52; dbt: 0.0355s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb