Monday (February 25)
Mom and I made clam chowder for lunch; I accidentally used bean flour so it turned the chowder a brown color instead of white, but it thickened up really quickly so I'd call it a successful mistake! Everyone loved the soup, obviously!
After my classes, Beatriz took Mom and I out shopping; we basically just walked around looking at everything. Beatriz had to go to class, so Mom and I continued to walk around on our own; we bought Chris a bunch of tea and looked around in a bunch of other stores. There was a free tango show at the Centro de Lenguas (my school) so Mom and I ventured over to watch it. There were some technical difficulties so it got delayed, but it finally started. Unfortunately, between each dance number the host talked forever about the history of the dance, which was interesting at first, but hard to follow in Spanish after a while. We stayed for two dances then left to get food.
We went to Bracelitos, a bar that Javier always recommends for its huevos rotos con papas fritas y jamon (eggs with french fries and ham, my favorite!), so we ordered that and hung out for a while. It was Mom's first tapa, and man was it yummy! When then ventured to Cafe Futbol for crapes and tea; it was a lovely relaxing night just Mommy and me.
We got back to the house kind of late, and more full than ever. However, Javier had just finished preparing dinner so we had to eat again to be polite. We both passed out after dinner since we were so full.
Tuesday (February 26)
Tuesday was the last full day my host family could spend with Mom, which was very sad. Mom ventured to the Alhambra on her own while Nicole and I went to class. Of course, her camera died when she was there (just like mine did!) but she still got plenty of pictures. However, she came back exhausted from walking all morning. Of course, the one day she was super tired, Beatriz wanted to take us out for tapas for lunch, so we went to Javier's favorite tapas restaurant, Diamantes. It is a restaurant that serves only fish, which caught and sent there each day, and is sold until they run out (which they always do). Javier met us there and we enjoyed a few plates of delicious fried seafood, it didn't even need ketchup!! I got wine without alcohol to drink, which tasted like juice, it was yummy.
We then ventured to Bracelitos for more tapas. The owner recognized Mom and I from the night before and was happy to see us again. We ate lots more tapas, and I drank water. Javier yelled at me and Nicole for drinking water in a bar and wouldn't let us toast with the adults because it is bad luck if you do it with water. I didn't care. I also learned that if something falls on the floor, you are not suppose to pick it up, that is the job of the workers. I felt rude and picked up my dropped napkin anyway, and Beatriz yelled at Javier saying I did it because only the "more educated" people do that.
As if we weren't full and tired enough, Javier wanted tea, so we went to a cafe for some tea and coffee. We then went to Ana's school to pick her up from basketball practice, and bought a pastry along the way. Finally, we walked back to the house and relaxed for the night. I slept like an angel, my body was so exhausted.
Wednesday (February 27)
Wednesday was Mom's last full day in Granada which was really sad. Thursday was the Dia de Andalucia so no one had work/school, so my host family left for Saragossa for the weekend because Javier had to meet a client for work. Everyone was running around trying to do last minute packing, and Nicole and I said goodbye and went off to class. When we got back, the family was gone. Mom said her and Beatriz cried a little together, and Javier gave her the two longest hugs of her life. She finally had to shoo them out the door to prevent more emotional distress. Nevertheless, they didn't leave without giving her two bottles of their family wine, and special olive oil from the factory next to Javier's work. She was very very thankful for the gifts, and was sad to see them go.
 |
| Nicole and I with our matching Granada sweatshirts in front of the Prado in Madrid! |
We went to Corte Ingles on our way home for last minute foods and things, and stayed till they kicked up out past closing (oops). It was such a great last night in Granada! We came home and packed, me for the weekend, and Mom for good. It took some time to get Mom's bags packed with all her new things, but it worked out. Only downfall was we were up super late packing lunches for Thursday and getting everything ready.
Thursday (February 28)
We woke up very early to head to Madrid for the weekend, only to see massive thunderstorms turn into snow! By the time we got all our stuff together to walk to the meeting spot to catch the bus with my group from UNH, the snow had gotten really bad and made the streets extremely slippery. The sidewalks are tile, so the slightest bit of water makes them dangerous. I have seen numerous people wipe out on bikes while taking a turn in the rain. Of course, Mom had her two very large suitcases AND two bags with her since she was leaving straight from Madrid, so Nicole and I both took one and slipped everywhere trying to get them through the street. What should have been a 5 minute walk turned into a 20 minute walk through hell. Im surprised no one fell, although we certainly came close. When we finally got to the meeting spot, our professor was deciding to postpone the departure till after the snow stopped and the roads cleared up. Thankfully, the bus was there and we were able to put all of Mom's things in it so we didn't have to lug them back and forth again! Everyone was cold and miserable and had far walks back to their apartments, so we let some people come back to our apartment to warm up and rest while we waited for the storm to pass. We all listened to music, ate snacks and drank tea in the living room, while all our shoes and coats and bags dried in the hallway. Nicole's hair drier became the most wanted item in the house. Finally at 2 we got the call that we could leave, so we got on the bus (which barely fit all of us...it was a minibus) and prepared for the 6 hour ride to Madrid.
I hadn't slept much the night before, so I sat with Mom and took a nap for a while. We made a couple bathroom stops to break up the time, and we hit traffic a couple times which slowed us down. It also started to snow again at one point, so we drove very slow. Finally around 8:30 we got to Madrid and checked into our hotel, a Best Western. We ate dinner and went to bed shortly after, we were exhausted.
Friday (March 1)
Originally, we were suppose to spend a day in Toledo, Madrid, and Segovia, but due to the snow delay, plans changed. So, we went to the Palacio Real in Madrid Friday morning before heading to Toledo. The palace was absolutely gorgeous. Mari Carmen (our tour guide) talked forever, but I drowned her out while looking at all the detail in the palace. In one room (used for the king to get dressed) had walls that were covered in stitched designs. It's hard to explain, but literally there were flowers and vines sewn all over the walls
creating an amazing design, I don't know how it was even possible, it must've taken forever. Another room had ceramic designs that were mounted onto the walls, which was really fascinating. And, there was a room with a gigantic dinning table! I told Mom we needed that for the holidays! The palace had a lot of other cool things, and I was so bummed that we weren't allowed to take pictures. But, if you go online and google Palacio Real in Madrid (interior), pictures will come up so you can see it! It's worth a look. The palace also had an old pharmacy that you could walk though; it was huge and had lots of old bottles along the walls that the chemists would use to create the medicines back in the day. Mom said she felt as though she were in lab again.
creating an amazing design, I don't know how it was even possible, it must've taken forever. Another room had ceramic designs that were mounted onto the walls, which was really fascinating. And, there was a room with a gigantic dinning table! I told Mom we needed that for the holidays! The palace had a lot of other cool things, and I was so bummed that we weren't allowed to take pictures. But, if you go online and google Palacio Real in Madrid (interior), pictures will come up so you can see it! It's worth a look. The palace also had an old pharmacy that you could walk though; it was huge and had lots of old bottles along the walls that the chemists would use to create the medicines back in the day. Mom said she felt as though she were in lab again.
We then headed to Toledo, Spain. It is a smaller, historic town south of Madrid. Everything there was beautiful, and we spent most of our time just walking through the streets. We ate lunch and shopped a little during our free time (only 30 min...) and then headed to the Jewish neighborhood to see the synagogue. The neighborhood was beautiful and indescribable, all I can say is I wanted to transfer schools from Granada to Toledo. There was so much history in the buildings, it was peaceful, AND there was greenery! We went to a jewelry shop where they make Damasquinado de Oro, or Damascene, a design that originates from the artisan work done in Damascus, Syria. The craft was perfected by the Arabs and brought with them to Spain where it has been continued and unchanged over the years. Toldedo is the world's largest center of production of Damascene. There are two common patterns: the Arabic geometric designs, and the Resiassance motifs with birds and flowers. Both are obtained by engraving deep cuts into steel and then placing gold foil into the lines. The foil is hammered until the gold had fully entered the cuts. This craft is done by masters and their students; the shop we went to had two men working on plates, which was very fascinating to watch. I could have spent all day there looking at the various items they had for sale, it is such a beautiful art.
 |
| "The view is better down here!" - said Mom as she sat on the ground to take a picture |
After a long day in Toledo we made our way back to Madrid for dinner. My friend Lauren has a friend in Madrid (who had studied and lived with her in the US years ago), so Mom, Nicole and I went with her to meet him and his friends. I was very tired and antisocial, but it was still a fun night. It was cool to be able to go to a bar with Mom, even though we were both so paranoid about getting lost on the way back that we didn't drink anything. Cheers to being responsible!
Saturday (March 2)
We went to Segovia, a city north of Madrid. It is most famous for it's aqueduct and is a quaint little historic town. Again, I considered transferring there for its beauty. The day was very rushed, I don't think I have run so much in my life. Mom was funny, her camera had died, so she walked around taking pictures with her iPad. She too was running sooooo much to keep up, considering she takes more pictures than the stereotypical Chinese person. Our first attraction was the castle of Alcazar in which Walt Disney used to base Disney World off of. The castle was cool, but I could have walked through and seen everything in an hour or so. Unfortunately, Mari Carmen was on a talking spree as usually, and spent forever in each room talking about anything and everything. I stopped listening and spaced out, as did the rest of the group. After a while it got very frustrating because everyone wanted to leave and se more things, and we were cooped up in the same room. We made the best of it, but still.
 |
| Alcazar Castle |
 |
| How we felt during Mari Carmen's talking sprees...can't you sense the excitement! |
 |
| Aqueduct in Segovia |
We got a couple hours of free time that we used to get lunch. Segovia is famous for cochinillo, or baby pig, so as sad as it was, we obviously had to try it. A group of us went to the adorable restaurant that had some great daily specials, which turned out the be a wonderful treat. The atmosphere was awesome and kind of fancy yet cozy, and we got wine and water as part of the meal package. Most people got cochinillo, which is literally a roasted baby pig that they use ceramic plates to cut up and serve whole. Mom got a piece with a little bit of fur, and Nicole got a hind leg. One of the boys in my group got a leg and an ear. It sounds disgusting, but it was very tasty, similar to a turkey leg you would get at the fair or in an amusement park, only of better quality. I got a three course meal of pasta (the sauce was amazing), sword fish, and rice with milk for dessert. Mom got a lemon mouse for dessert which was delicious as well! I think it was the best, and most cost efficient meal I have ever had here in Spain! No one could move after eating since we had eaten so much, it was great!
 |
| Having dead batteries in her camera didn't stop her from taking pictures... |
Once we got back to Madrid, we went to Plaza Mayor and Plaza del Sol. Madrid had hosted the Barcelona vs. Madrid soccer game earlier in the day, so the streets were packed with people! It was crazy. The sky looked wicked pretty, the clouds were very fluffy and had a cool light in the background. Finally, we were left on our own to do what we pleased, so Mom Nicole and I took a picture at the Plaza del Sol, which is the center of all of Spain. We then walked around and went to a soccer store and a bunch of little gift shops, and walked through the city seeing random statues and monuments. We finally made our way to the Hard Rock Cafe Madrid, where we waited an hour and a half just to have an American meal. We didn't eat until 11PM, but it was well worth it! I got a pulled pork sandwich and mac n cheese, Mom got ribs, and Nicole got mac n cheese. It was delicious. It was also a wonderful way to spend the last night with Mom. I'm really going to miss her, it's been so nice having her here. We took a taxi back to the hotel after dinner, and I helped Mom print out her boarding pass for the next afternoon. By the time we finished, I went up to my room and knocked on the door, only to find Nicole passed out on her bed. Since we were only given one room key, I had to have the desk service let me into the room knowing Nicole was fast asleep. I said goodnight to Mom, gave her the biggest hug, and went to sleep.
 |
| Plaza Mayor |
 |
| We stood in the middle of Spain! |
 |
| Exploring Madrid at night! |
 |
| An American Dinner! |
Sunday morning was sad because I had to say goodbye to Mommy. I had grown so used to having her around the past two weeks that I couldn't believe she was actually leaving. I said goodbye with little watery eyes and left her to sleep in while my group checked out of the hotel to go to the Prado. Everyone in the group was sad to see her leave, they all treated her like family as if it were their own mom. My friends kept saying that she made them feel less homesick and wished she didn't have to go because she was a bright and comical addition to our trip, especially when we all had to strategize walking slow so she could take all her pictures without getting yelled at by Mari Carmen. Everyone was so respectful of her, and it's a shame she had to leave. I miss her already!
 |
| El Prado |
After hours of walking around the museum my feet were ready to fall off, so I got lunch and relaxed before the long bus ride home. When we left the Prado there was a man dressed as Johnny Depp's version of the mad hatter from Alice in Wonderland, and many people went up to have a cup of tea with him. He resembled the mad hatter so much, it was really cool. We finally departed Madrid, the bus ride was long and boring. We stopped at Los Molinos del Viento, or windmills that are along the path of Don Quijote, which were pretty cool. Otherwise, the trip was long and tiresome. We finally got back to Granada around 8:30 and the family greeted Nicole and I with big hugs. It was nice to be "home."
There were also a few surprises in the house upon our return. First, Javier had purchased a new jamon serrano leg for the kitchen while in Saragossa. Secondly, little Beatriz had decided that after a miserable 8 hour car ride with Ana, she wanted her own room, so she took over Nicole and my skype room/late night homework room which was very sad. Now we have no privacy which is pretty sucky, but I don't blame her for wanting the get away from Ana.
Overall, I had a great experience in Madrid and I'm glad Mom was able to come enjoy it with me. I definitely liked the city of Madrid the least because of its size and loud, busy atmosphere, but overall it was fun.
Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday (March 4-7)
Yikes! What a miserably busy week! I have gotten soooo much school work this week it's crazy! I have projects and numerous essays due within the next few days that just got assigned this week, so I'm keeping busy for sure! Nicole and I come home from class and do work until we go to bed. It's been very tiresome and miserable and I cannot wait for the weekend so I can relax again. I have had absolutely no down time, hence the lack of blog posts. Ana has been quite the pain in the bum lately, and makes it very difficult to get work done. But Nicole and I have been shutting our door in hopes of keeping her out. It works for the most part, thankfully.
Javier and Beatriz keep asking when Mom is home from work, they are anxious to Skype her! Like seriously, they ask several times a day when they can talk to her again, it's really cute.
Well, I think I'm all caught up! The only other semi-interesting tidbit is that is has been raining all week, like severe downpours. Of course, only when I need to walk to class, but whatever. For a city that supposedly never gets rain, I think I'm going to disagree. I can't imagine if it actually "did" rain in the eyes of the city folk.
Oh, and in my grammar class we watched a video that has gone viral in Granada, called Granaino Style (a spin-off of the ever-so-famous Gangnam Style) which is really cool for me since I recognize a lot of the places it was shot, and I can relate to a lot of the words sung in the song. We also listened to the song "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang, and then learned how it is similar to the song "Asereje" by Las Ketchup, which can be found on Just Dance 4. I laughed when the song was played.
Today was also my first day having conversations in the High School. Thursday and Fridays from 5-6 at night, Nicole and I get paid to have conversations with kids in English so they can practice speaking. Today only two girls showed up, but we talked about random things and had a good time. Hopefully more kids show up next time, but it was still fun getting to help the kids one-on-on.
Tonight Javier and Ana decided they were going to talk in Mexican accents, it was hilarious. Not to mention, I could understand them so much better. Nicole and I were dying of laughter at the dinner table listening to them yell at each other back and forth in these ridiculous accents!
Lastly, and most importantly: Shout out to the best brother in the world, Happy 17th Birthday Chris! I love you!!
No comments:
Post a Comment