WOW! Today and yesterday has been awesome and at the same time, really emotional. We said goodbye to our family and it was really hard. I cried a little in the taxi to the airport, but I know I'll be back soon to see them! But I already miss them, it's crazy. Saying goodbye to Encarna might have been the hardest because she's really been like a mom to us while we were adjusting to our new home. Hasta pronto a mi familia!
The flight yesterday was really easy--I slept most of the way but I was definitely still feeling the 3 hours of sleep I got the night before. We had a party with our program on the roof of the office building (Thursday the 24th) with an INCREDBILE view of the Catherdral, the Alhambra and the city. It was bittersweet to be all together with everyone for the last time in Granada and Profesor Lamas and Begona made it ever more sentimental but having us trek up the Albacin to see the Alhambra lit up in night. Up there, we said hasta luego to Lamas and Begona, and then hung out up there for a few hours, just reminiscing about our time there and talking about getting together back in NY. After that, we hung out at Hannigan's for one last time and chatted until it was finally time to go home. Of course, I wasn't done packing so I had to stay up until 4:30am to finish and was PETRIFIED that I wouldn't wake up in time for our flight, so I barely slept and when my alarm went off at 7:15am, I jumped out of bed. Then the fateful taxi ride to the airport, where Vueling messed me up AGAIN! I had to pay extra for my luggage even though I had said I was bringing two with me--it was a disaster and not the best way to leave Spain, but I digress! The flights went well and before I knew it, we were in Munich!
We were picked up by Claudine's mom's aunt Margit, her uncle Edwin, and their son Philipp. It was a beautiful ride back to their house--Germany is VERY green! Well, Bavaria anyway is. We went to dinner at a Greek restaurant, it was awesome!!! Claudine and I both had Spezi, Coca-Cola and orange Fanta mixes soda, and then split two platters. Mine had the most delicious and garlicky tzatiki sauce, lamb gyros, slovaki, and rice and Claudine's was the same except with 2 souvaki too. YUM! Kristen and Margaret, it might have been even better that the Greek Kitchen in NY! There was also ouzo on the house, so how could we go wrong? Then it was back to the house (walking distance which is very nice) for bed!
Today was great today too. We woke up late and then had a big Bavarian breakfast--and everyone knows how important breakfast is. There was breads (white rolls, whole wheat rolls, and pretzels!), cheeses (babybel, an onion flavored spreadable one. and French cheese), jams (gooseberry, strawberry, banana, apricot, and something called johannisberren, a berry that doesn't grow in the US), meats (hams, bacon, spicy sausage, sweet sausage and more). It was so delicious but so hard to choose what to have! Nutella or sausage? Cream cheese with jam or honey? I made it work though and tried them all on my roll. AND COFFEE! It was so nice to have a mug of coffee with breakfast.
After that, we went for a walk and I stocked up on a few essentials for the month, and then when we got back ot the house, we drove to Steven's (Margit and Edwin's younger son) go-karting practice. It is a big sport here and we go to watch the kids race for their best times. Claudine even got to race in one, and she did a really good job! It was a lot of fun. Then, Claudine, Philipp and I drove to Wolfratshausen to do a little shopping and walk around in the beautiful weather. It was a really cute town, and for about the millionth time since arriving, I pointed out to Claudine how similar Bavaria is to her hometown, Kinderhook, NY. It has the same small town feel and even this town we were in reminded me of Hudson. I joked that her mom Sabine somehow managed to find the most German town in NY to stay connected to her home. Claudine's mind was blown though because she started seeing it too. It was really funny to realize all the connections though.
Then, we went to Claudine's favorite ice cream parlor, L'Arena, an Italian gelateria. It was insane. There are elaborate sundaes and these great ice coffees that come with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Claudine and I couldn't choose so we split an ice coffee and an Amaretto sundae. It was the perfect afternoon treat!
We went back to the house and played Clue but IN GERMAN! So it was Cluedo, and very interesting! Some of the rooms and weapons are different, but the rules are the same so I got by. Just as we finished the game, dinner was ready. So we went downstairs and sat outside in the fresh air for our barbeque. IT WAS AWESOME! Appetizers were Italian specialties like sliced mozzarella and tomatoes in balsamic vinegar, sardines and anchovies, black olives, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts and sweet peppers in olive oil, sliced parmesan cheese and sweet sausage and Italian bread. I was very happy, haha and I'm sure my mom and Margaret would have been too! After this feast came actual dinner!! It was a grilled potato, steak and sausages, but on top of all these was garlic butter, something Claudine had told me about, but I had never had. WOW. One of my new favorites and it was perfect on the meat and the potato, along with chive sour cream. We also had a great salad with walnuts, craisins, and goat cheese in a sweet dressing. It was an amazing meal, only made better with our glass of Prosecco.
So now, we are watching the Eurovision competition and I have to say, the Russian grandmas are my favorite! But I think the whole room is rooting for Germany. Vamos a ver :)
Hasta luego
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
No quiero ir
Ah, this is a bittersweet post. I still haven't finished (or started) 8 other posts about my travels here because honestly, I've been having too much fun to sit down and type them up! But I have all my thoughts and travel details written down, so I plan on eventually getting to it. But this post is about my last weeks in Granada. I am VERY sad but at the same time, so excited to go to Germany, then go home to see my family and get back to Fordham. But life here isn't real--school work doesn't really exist, although I did study this week for my finals, but it's more than that. It's hanging out with friends in new places or exploring the Granada together, and learning more about myself every day. I can't imagine leaving because it has been a surreal experience and I don't want the dream to end.
One thing I know about myself is I hate goodbyes and this is going to be a really difficult one. To say goodbye to my Spanish family, Encarna, Cristina, Tono, Tono, and especially to little Cristi and Dani because played for hours together and I've learned so much Spanish from them. Encarna, she's been a wonderful host mom to me and Claudine and it has been a lot of fun getting to know her. She is hilarious...my favorite quotes have been "Estoy en la gloria!" and "ME VOY" but in her funny high-pitched voice when she's imitating someone. And to say goodbye to my professors, my classes, and the other wonderful students I've met here. Ah I might even miss the walk to class in the morning...wait, no I won't, I had an 8:30. But I will miss the freedom to just go out for tapas with friends and not worry about work or anything. And just leaving the house to go for a walk. That's just simple thing about the way of life here that I will definitely miss. And lastly, my friends here. I've made so many close friends during these 4 months that I am so grateful for because they were the ones who helped make this experience so amazing. Some of them I will see soon back in NY, but others like my Spanish friend Cecilia (mi gemela española) I won't see for a while, so it is hard to say goodbye.
I miss my family and friends at home, so going home is very exciting! But life is just so relaxed here, it's been wonderful. It's like a dream with no responsibilities, so it will hard to let go of this care-free life. But I plan on bringing some Spanish attitude, like "no pasa nada" back to NY with me!I will update the other travels soon so I can have it recorded because they are all part of the reason this trip has been incredible.
This has truly been the best experience of my life and I'm so happy I was able to share it on this blog and through my pictures too.
Hasta pronto!
One thing I know about myself is I hate goodbyes and this is going to be a really difficult one. To say goodbye to my Spanish family, Encarna, Cristina, Tono, Tono, and especially to little Cristi and Dani because played for hours together and I've learned so much Spanish from them. Encarna, she's been a wonderful host mom to me and Claudine and it has been a lot of fun getting to know her. She is hilarious...my favorite quotes have been "Estoy en la gloria!" and "ME VOY" but in her funny high-pitched voice when she's imitating someone. And to say goodbye to my professors, my classes, and the other wonderful students I've met here. Ah I might even miss the walk to class in the morning...wait, no I won't, I had an 8:30. But I will miss the freedom to just go out for tapas with friends and not worry about work or anything. And just leaving the house to go for a walk. That's just simple thing about the way of life here that I will definitely miss. And lastly, my friends here. I've made so many close friends during these 4 months that I am so grateful for because they were the ones who helped make this experience so amazing. Some of them I will see soon back in NY, but others like my Spanish friend Cecilia (mi gemela española) I won't see for a while, so it is hard to say goodbye.
I miss my family and friends at home, so going home is very exciting! But life is just so relaxed here, it's been wonderful. It's like a dream with no responsibilities, so it will hard to let go of this care-free life. But I plan on bringing some Spanish attitude, like "no pasa nada" back to NY with me!I will update the other travels soon so I can have it recorded because they are all part of the reason this trip has been incredible.
This has truly been the best experience of my life and I'm so happy I was able to share it on this blog and through my pictures too.
Hasta pronto!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Semana Santa en Granada
Claudine and I planned to be able to see two days of processions of Semana Santa before we left for our trip to Vienna and Prague. On Palm Sunday, the city was in full swing. For weeks, the city was preparing for the influx of tourists, setting up risers in the streets for people to pay to watch the processions and repairing roads that the pasos (or floats) were going to be going down. Semana Santa is a HUGE deal in Spain and every city had their own traditions. For example, Granada has a student procession, a gitano (gypsy) procession from the Albacin and Sacramonte area and an Alhambra procession that is supposedly incredible to see because the path to the Alhambra is very steep.
The procession is something that I've never experienced before. There is a ton of people waiting in the streets for the people and pasos to pass by so they can touch the pasos or yell guapa! (beautiful) at the Virgin Mary statues. Each procession (there is about 5 each day) leaves from a church and is guided by women in black mantillas wearing rosary beads. Then little kids walk, some dressed as Nazarenes, and other in the penitentes costume. If you look at the pictures, it is the costume that looks like the Ku Klux Klan. Traditionally, this head piece was worn during Semana Santa to ask for penitence for sins, but the KKK stole it and twisted it into a horrific image. Honestly, even knowing the true meaning behind it, it was still hard to watch because of the tragic history that that head piece has in the US. After the nazarenos (another name for the penitentes), there were people holding the cruz de guia (the cross that guides the procession), and banners from the religious order that the church belongs to (each statue is kept in a church and leaves from that same one). Then, there are people carrying long candles that are continuously dripping wax (the women in black mantillas also carry the white candles) and children try to create a wax ball by collecting the dripping wax. There are also altar boys and girls who have the thuribles which hold the incense and they guide the way before the statue arrives. Finally, it is time for the actual paso to pass by. Each one weighs A LOT and in the South of Spain, they don't use wheels to move them, but instead, people actually are underneath, carrying the paso on their shoulders. It's quite impressive!
When we were standing in the street, waiting for them to pass, it is truly sensation. There are distinct smells, sounds and sights to be seen. The first thing you notice is the smell of wax. There are tons of candles, and not just long ones either, but intricate wax flowers that adorn the floats. They are all lit, so it is beautiful to see when the sun sets because it gives it a really solemn and mystical feeling. The women in the mantillas are all carrying candles as well, and there is a bit of a game that all the kids play where they try to build the biggest wax balls so they stand on the edge and when the procession stops, the kids run out and collect the dripping wax from the candles. There are also flowers on all the pasos that give off a strong aroma--I saw mostly lilies and roses, which we learned about in one of my classes as the traditional Semana Santa flowers. After each paso, there was a band following them and the music is meant to sound like a military band to mimic the Roman military. So after the beautiful paso, there were trumpets and drums.
The whole thing was wonderful to watch and it was really cool to hear the people yeling guapa! (beautiful!) to the Virgin Mary floats and trying to reach out to touch them as they passed. I'm glad I was able to see a few of the processions even though the rain ruined the second day of the week! Only one float actually left the church because the rain can ruin the statues and the whole experience. But overall all, I'm very glad I was able to see one of Spain's most famous traditions.
The procession is something that I've never experienced before. There is a ton of people waiting in the streets for the people and pasos to pass by so they can touch the pasos or yell guapa! (beautiful) at the Virgin Mary statues. Each procession (there is about 5 each day) leaves from a church and is guided by women in black mantillas wearing rosary beads. Then little kids walk, some dressed as Nazarenes, and other in the penitentes costume. If you look at the pictures, it is the costume that looks like the Ku Klux Klan. Traditionally, this head piece was worn during Semana Santa to ask for penitence for sins, but the KKK stole it and twisted it into a horrific image. Honestly, even knowing the true meaning behind it, it was still hard to watch because of the tragic history that that head piece has in the US. After the nazarenos (another name for the penitentes), there were people holding the cruz de guia (the cross that guides the procession), and banners from the religious order that the church belongs to (each statue is kept in a church and leaves from that same one). Then, there are people carrying long candles that are continuously dripping wax (the women in black mantillas also carry the white candles) and children try to create a wax ball by collecting the dripping wax. There are also altar boys and girls who have the thuribles which hold the incense and they guide the way before the statue arrives. Finally, it is time for the actual paso to pass by. Each one weighs A LOT and in the South of Spain, they don't use wheels to move them, but instead, people actually are underneath, carrying the paso on their shoulders. It's quite impressive!
When we were standing in the street, waiting for them to pass, it is truly sensation. There are distinct smells, sounds and sights to be seen. The first thing you notice is the smell of wax. There are tons of candles, and not just long ones either, but intricate wax flowers that adorn the floats. They are all lit, so it is beautiful to see when the sun sets because it gives it a really solemn and mystical feeling. The women in the mantillas are all carrying candles as well, and there is a bit of a game that all the kids play where they try to build the biggest wax balls so they stand on the edge and when the procession stops, the kids run out and collect the dripping wax from the candles. There are also flowers on all the pasos that give off a strong aroma--I saw mostly lilies and roses, which we learned about in one of my classes as the traditional Semana Santa flowers. After each paso, there was a band following them and the music is meant to sound like a military band to mimic the Roman military. So after the beautiful paso, there were trumpets and drums.
The whole thing was wonderful to watch and it was really cool to hear the people yeling guapa! (beautiful!) to the Virgin Mary floats and trying to reach out to touch them as they passed. I'm glad I was able to see a few of the processions even though the rain ruined the second day of the week! Only one float actually left the church because the rain can ruin the statues and the whole experience. But overall all, I'm very glad I was able to see one of Spain's most famous traditions.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
La vida cotidiana
I have to stay studying abroad is pretty a sweet deal. On March 27th, I had class then came back to my house and took a nap! We planned our Semana Santa plans--booking hostels and tickets, but more on that later. For lunch we had these amazing meatballs in read sauce, with fried potatoes and fresh bread. Also, there was two types of sliced dried sausage- one sweet and one slightly spicy and fresh manchego cheese for the bread. We learned about the Mediterranean diet in my Spanish Culture and Civilization class, and how the trilogy for Spain is olive oil, wine and bread. Being Italian, this is like a dream come true! I can't lie though, I am very excited to taste food in Italy especially since many of my friends have gone already and have been telling me about the amazing dishes. I also tried mint chocolate chip gelato this week, and was reminded of why it is my favorite! It was refreshing to have it on a warm day.
I've been able to spend time with some friends during the week, just walking and exploring Granada. I went with my friend Argelia to a few places and then, I met up with my intercambio, Cecelia! She is studying at the University of Granada and is from Cadiz. I practiced my Spanish with her and another girl Ariel who I was with when we met Cecilia at the University's main campus for a tango performance. I loved learning colloquial phrases and next time we meet, we are going to speak in English so she can practice her English and then just continue switching off. I'd say it's been a good few weeks!
I've been able to spend time with some friends during the week, just walking and exploring Granada. I went with my friend Argelia to a few places and then, I met up with my intercambio, Cecelia! She is studying at the University of Granada and is from Cadiz. I practiced my Spanish with her and another girl Ariel who I was with when we met Cecilia at the University's main campus for a tango performance. I loved learning colloquial phrases and next time we meet, we are going to speak in English so she can practice her English and then just continue switching off. I'd say it's been a good few weeks!
Barcelona 3
On Saturday, we woke up late and had a really relaxed morning. We went to a different coffee shop (which had soy milk, yes!) and got cafes con leche and chocolate croissants. We then walked to the Sagrada Familia, with Claudine and Sean leading the way. The Sagrada Familia is also Gaudi's design, and it is this ENORMOUS project that started being built in 1882 but was interrupted by the Spanish Civil War and has just been under construction since the day they began building. It is a combination of the Art Nouveau and Gothic styles and had been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site even though it is not yet completed! They are trying to finish the building by 2026 which is the centennial of Gaudi's death. It is something that I would definitely return to Spain to see!
After taking a ton of photos from the outside, we navigated the subway back to the Arc de Triomf, and took pictures there. It was a beautiful day so the contrast between the blue sky and the stone was striking. We were all starving after these long walks, so we headed to...Bo de B! We had to get it again before we left. I had the same sandwich but this time with half a slice of a fresh avocado. It was incredible again and had the added creamy texture from the avocado. I honestly think this trip has developed my taste buds because I have begun liking things that I have never eaten before!
We went walking towards the beach after lunch, and there were a few shopping stands and I was able to buy two beautiful rings there. We all got gelato, and I had banana even though there was also coconut and coffee at the stand--decisions, decisions! We got to the beach and immediately threw off our shoes and made our way onto the sand. We had a mini-photo shoot there, and I took one of the funniest pictures ever of my friends --try to find in the album! After wiping the sand off our feet, we went back to the room where we shared stories and had some great laughs. It was like being in summer camp! As a side note, our friend Sean's Kristen Wiig impersonation is SPOT ON so if we were all cracking up. Our dinner that night was the things that we had bought at the supermarket and it was tuna and avocado on whole wheat bread.
We left the next day around 10am and arrived back in Granada in time for dinner. It was a really nice weekend trip, especially with Ashley as our tour guide because she was great! Also, a special thanks to Rebecca for giving my some tips of places to see since she studied abroad in Barca last semester.
After taking a ton of photos from the outside, we navigated the subway back to the Arc de Triomf, and took pictures there. It was a beautiful day so the contrast between the blue sky and the stone was striking. We were all starving after these long walks, so we headed to...Bo de B! We had to get it again before we left. I had the same sandwich but this time with half a slice of a fresh avocado. It was incredible again and had the added creamy texture from the avocado. I honestly think this trip has developed my taste buds because I have begun liking things that I have never eaten before!
We went walking towards the beach after lunch, and there were a few shopping stands and I was able to buy two beautiful rings there. We all got gelato, and I had banana even though there was also coconut and coffee at the stand--decisions, decisions! We got to the beach and immediately threw off our shoes and made our way onto the sand. We had a mini-photo shoot there, and I took one of the funniest pictures ever of my friends --try to find in the album! After wiping the sand off our feet, we went back to the room where we shared stories and had some great laughs. It was like being in summer camp! As a side note, our friend Sean's Kristen Wiig impersonation is SPOT ON so if we were all cracking up. Our dinner that night was the things that we had bought at the supermarket and it was tuna and avocado on whole wheat bread.
We left the next day around 10am and arrived back in Granada in time for dinner. It was a really nice weekend trip, especially with Ashley as our tour guide because she was great! Also, a special thanks to Rebecca for giving my some tips of places to see since she studied abroad in Barca last semester.
Barcelona 2
The next day started early and our first stop was of course, a Starbucks. Caffeine was definitely needed for our full day! After our breakfast, we met up with Ashley and Gretchen at their dorm and then we walked to Parc Güell, which is the outdoor park that was designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. It is absolutely beautiful and is the style of Art Nouveau, so all the architecture imitates nature. For example, there aren't any hard lines, but instead, curves to mimic the natural movement of the world. Another great example is the wave tunnel, which literally looks like a crashing wave. There are also mosaics all throughout the park, which I think are gorgeous! Take a look at some the photos to see them!
We had lunch in a picnic part of the park (whoa, alliteration), which was really nice because the weather was really nice. We bought lunch supplies the night before after settling into the hostel, so it was mortadella and salami sandwiches on whole wheat bread with cheese and guacamole. Yum! After this nice break, we left the park and went to the Picasso Museum. Now, I don't like Picasso, but I went anyway because we were there. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be because the exhibits were focused on his early works and inspirations for cubism, so most of the paintings were realist. The Blue Period was cool to see too, but my favorite work was the Woman in a Mantilla because it was reminiscent of Seurat's pointillism.
After the Museum, we went to La Rambla, the famous mile long street with shops, restaurants, and so much more. We visited Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria or La Boqueria, which is a famous outdoor market (that has been covered so it can be open during rain). It has everything there--eggs, meat, fruit, and sweets to name a few, and we all tried a fruit smoothie. I had the blackberry-banana one and it was great and I also tried the "Catalunya on a Stick" which was a kebab of different dried meats.
For dinner we went to La Fonda for paella mixta, which is paella with meat and seafood. It was interesting because they gave us the whole shrimp (head and all) so it was difficult to eat. But the rice itself have a rich flavor and had an almost risotto-like creamy texture. We went back to the room and got ready for a fun night on the town! The dance club was on the beach, so after we left, we walked along the water, but then hurried home because we knew we still had a full day ahead of us.
We had lunch in a picnic part of the park (whoa, alliteration), which was really nice because the weather was really nice. We bought lunch supplies the night before after settling into the hostel, so it was mortadella and salami sandwiches on whole wheat bread with cheese and guacamole. Yum! After this nice break, we left the park and went to the Picasso Museum. Now, I don't like Picasso, but I went anyway because we were there. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be because the exhibits were focused on his early works and inspirations for cubism, so most of the paintings were realist. The Blue Period was cool to see too, but my favorite work was the Woman in a Mantilla because it was reminiscent of Seurat's pointillism.
After the Museum, we went to La Rambla, the famous mile long street with shops, restaurants, and so much more. We visited Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria or La Boqueria, which is a famous outdoor market (that has been covered so it can be open during rain). It has everything there--eggs, meat, fruit, and sweets to name a few, and we all tried a fruit smoothie. I had the blackberry-banana one and it was great and I also tried the "Catalunya on a Stick" which was a kebab of different dried meats.
For dinner we went to La Fonda for paella mixta, which is paella with meat and seafood. It was interesting because they gave us the whole shrimp (head and all) so it was difficult to eat. But the rice itself have a rich flavor and had an almost risotto-like creamy texture. We went back to the room and got ready for a fun night on the town! The dance club was on the beach, so after we left, we walked along the water, but then hurried home because we knew we still had a full day ahead of us.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Barcelona 1
On March 22nd, Claudine and our friends Argelia, Sean, Danielle, Caitlin and I went to Barcelona for the weekend. It was a great trip, especially since our Fordham friend Ashley was able to be our tour guide since she is studying abroad there. Claudine, Sean, Argelia and I took an earlier flight than Danielle and Caitlin, so we arrived at the hostel in the afternoon. Getting from the airport to our hostel was really easy because there is a shuttle bus to one of the main plazas, Plaza Catalunya that leaves every 10 minutes. We checked into the hostel, but I think we might have been scammed out of 20 euros because after we paid, the woman at the front desk came up to our room and said we were missing 20 euros from the full amount. But we are positive that we paid her the correct amount--it wasn't worth fighting over though because we didn't want to have any problems, although we did try to explain several times that we were not 20 euros short. But after this little debacle, I'd say the rest of the trip was pretty problem-free!
We met up with Ashley soon after, and her friend Gretchen and they took us to one of their favorite places to eat in Barça, a small sandwich shop called Bo de B. It is an affordable place so it is a student favorite and the line is usually out the door, but luckily, we were able to get a seat inside. We all ordered chicken sandwiches, and then, one by one we went up to the counter and chose our toppings. The bread was incredibly fresh and the chicken was perfectly seasoned, as well as very tender. There was a lot topping to choose from, and on my sandwich, I had an ajo (garlic) and aguacate (avocado) sauce, lettuce, lentils, tomatoes, and raw onions. It was INCREDIBLE! The ingredients were so fresh and the bread was soft but with a crispy exterior. It was the perfect introduction to Barcelona. We went back to the hostel for a nap and to just relax because we had to wait for Danielle and Caitlin's plane to get in.
We met up with Ashley soon after, and her friend Gretchen and they took us to one of their favorite places to eat in Barça, a small sandwich shop called Bo de B. It is an affordable place so it is a student favorite and the line is usually out the door, but luckily, we were able to get a seat inside. We all ordered chicken sandwiches, and then, one by one we went up to the counter and chose our toppings. The bread was incredibly fresh and the chicken was perfectly seasoned, as well as very tender. There was a lot topping to choose from, and on my sandwich, I had an ajo (garlic) and aguacate (avocado) sauce, lettuce, lentils, tomatoes, and raw onions. It was INCREDIBLE! The ingredients were so fresh and the bread was soft but with a crispy exterior. It was the perfect introduction to Barcelona. We went back to the hostel for a nap and to just relax because we had to wait for Danielle and Caitlin's plane to get in.
Friday, March 30, 2012
La Alhambra, Sevilla y Córdoba
A few Sundays ago, we finally went to La Alhmabra, the famous Islamic palace that was converted into a Christian palace when Los Reyes Catolicos, Ferdinand and Isabella conquered the city. Interesting fact, the name of the palace comes from the Arabic "red" because the building was built with red stone. It was a beautiful day to visit, and set against the blue sky, the buildings were gorgeous. We saw the Palace of Carlos V, which he built to show his power and influence as the king. We learned about his Palace in my art history class, so I knew that the palace has never actually been used as a residence, (nor a bull ring, which many people think because the center is a circle). Actually, the construction of a circle within a square is supposed to represent the universe (circle) and the four corners of the square represent the four cardinal directions of the earth, demonstrating Carlos V's immense reign.
We got to see the old baths, but only the top parts that were above ground because the inside is too unstable. But if you look at the pictures, it looks like the pods from the movie Cocoon! My favorite parts were definitely the architecture, the mosaics and the gardens. I love seeing the ornate and detailed wall carvings, all with different elements of nature and Qur'an quotes. The mosaics...oh, they are breathtaking. After this trip, I've decided I want to have a patio in my backyard with mosaics like the ones I've seen in Spain because they are absolutely beautiful. I hope I'm able to go back to the La Alhambra before we leave because I'm sure the gardens will be even more beautiful in the Spring when everything starts blooming.
A few weekends after La Alhambra, our program took us to Sevilla and Córdoba, two cities in Andalusia which are very close to Granada. We first went to Sevilla, which wasn't too long of a bus ride. We stopped at Plaza España, a famous plaza that has beautiful mosaics for every city in Spain. After a few pictures, we went to our hotel and dropped off our things. Then, we walked to the Cathedral, which was across this beautiful bridge. Oh, how could I forget? Before we actually got to the Cathedral, we went to Starbucks. Still isn't good, even in Spain, but it got the caffeine job done! The Cathedral is very impressive in size, but the inside is much to dark for me. It is a Gothic design, so all the art work is very dark and scary, and there didn't seem like there were enough windows. I was disappointed that we didn't get to see the famous altarpiece because it was under construction. But, we did get to see Christopher Columbus's tomb (well, of his body, his head is somewhere in Latin America). That was pretty cool.
My favorite part was climbing up el torre Giralda, a tower that was originally a minaret of the Mosque that the Cathedral was built upon. One really cool thing about the tower was that it's matching twin is the one at the Mausoleum of King Muhammad V in Rabat, which we saw during our trip to Morocco! There are a series of 34 ramps to the top, and the view is incredible! It was such a hot day and from the top, we could see rooftop pools and all of us were like "LET'S GO!"
After seeing the view, we came back down and then it was time for lunch. We sat in the patio of the Cathedral and soaked up some sun while eating. After lunch, we went to get ice cream and I had turron and dark chocolate, which was delicious! We then met up with the rest of the group and went to the Palacio Real, which is no longer sued by the royal family, but more of a park now. There are beautiful gardens and decorative Arabic influenced patios. We walked through and took a lot of photos because the whole place was really picturesque. We also got to see some great art work, even one painting that we later talked about in my art history class!
We had free time after, so Claudine, Caitlin, Sam and I went to 5pm mass in the Cathedral. After mass, we went back to the hotel for a nap. (Siesta is crucial!) We got ready, then went out for dinner with our friends Jackie and Ellen at this cute restaurant. There was great sangria, and I had some pasta as an appetizer, which was alright, nothing compared to my mom's though! Then I had a paella mixta as the main meal which is paella with both seafood and meat. We also had a dessert, which was basically whipped cream in a cup with cocoa powder on top, so it was very light. After dinner, it was back to the hotel for our early morning wake-up.
The next morning we stopped in Itálica, an ancient roman town, for breakfast to see some Roman ruins. Breakfast was a shot of espresso and a tostada with tomate, olive oil, and some jamón. The ruins were cool to see, but after a while, we were ready to leave. It was a short bus ride to Córdoba, and there, we saw the Mezquita, the famous Islamic mosque that was converted into a Catholic Church. It has the beautiful red and white striped arches and it was amazing to see the fusion of an Arabesque arch with the iconography of Catholicism. In Córdoba, we ate lunch at a cafe outside in the sun, and I had some awesome gazpacho that was perfect for the hot day. I also had a "panini" with ham and cheese, but it was really an open tostada that was grilled on top. The restaurant had a large variety of gelatos, so I tried the banana one, it was good, but not the best I've ever had. After our fun and busy weekend, we were all ready to go back to Granada, which thankfully was only a few hours away!
We got to see the old baths, but only the top parts that were above ground because the inside is too unstable. But if you look at the pictures, it looks like the pods from the movie Cocoon! My favorite parts were definitely the architecture, the mosaics and the gardens. I love seeing the ornate and detailed wall carvings, all with different elements of nature and Qur'an quotes. The mosaics...oh, they are breathtaking. After this trip, I've decided I want to have a patio in my backyard with mosaics like the ones I've seen in Spain because they are absolutely beautiful. I hope I'm able to go back to the La Alhambra before we leave because I'm sure the gardens will be even more beautiful in the Spring when everything starts blooming.
A few weekends after La Alhambra, our program took us to Sevilla and Córdoba, two cities in Andalusia which are very close to Granada. We first went to Sevilla, which wasn't too long of a bus ride. We stopped at Plaza España, a famous plaza that has beautiful mosaics for every city in Spain. After a few pictures, we went to our hotel and dropped off our things. Then, we walked to the Cathedral, which was across this beautiful bridge. Oh, how could I forget? Before we actually got to the Cathedral, we went to Starbucks. Still isn't good, even in Spain, but it got the caffeine job done! The Cathedral is very impressive in size, but the inside is much to dark for me. It is a Gothic design, so all the art work is very dark and scary, and there didn't seem like there were enough windows. I was disappointed that we didn't get to see the famous altarpiece because it was under construction. But, we did get to see Christopher Columbus's tomb (well, of his body, his head is somewhere in Latin America). That was pretty cool.
My favorite part was climbing up el torre Giralda, a tower that was originally a minaret of the Mosque that the Cathedral was built upon. One really cool thing about the tower was that it's matching twin is the one at the Mausoleum of King Muhammad V in Rabat, which we saw during our trip to Morocco! There are a series of 34 ramps to the top, and the view is incredible! It was such a hot day and from the top, we could see rooftop pools and all of us were like "LET'S GO!"
After seeing the view, we came back down and then it was time for lunch. We sat in the patio of the Cathedral and soaked up some sun while eating. After lunch, we went to get ice cream and I had turron and dark chocolate, which was delicious! We then met up with the rest of the group and went to the Palacio Real, which is no longer sued by the royal family, but more of a park now. There are beautiful gardens and decorative Arabic influenced patios. We walked through and took a lot of photos because the whole place was really picturesque. We also got to see some great art work, even one painting that we later talked about in my art history class!
We had free time after, so Claudine, Caitlin, Sam and I went to 5pm mass in the Cathedral. After mass, we went back to the hotel for a nap. (Siesta is crucial!) We got ready, then went out for dinner with our friends Jackie and Ellen at this cute restaurant. There was great sangria, and I had some pasta as an appetizer, which was alright, nothing compared to my mom's though! Then I had a paella mixta as the main meal which is paella with both seafood and meat. We also had a dessert, which was basically whipped cream in a cup with cocoa powder on top, so it was very light. After dinner, it was back to the hotel for our early morning wake-up.
The next morning we stopped in Itálica, an ancient roman town, for breakfast to see some Roman ruins. Breakfast was a shot of espresso and a tostada with tomate, olive oil, and some jamón. The ruins were cool to see, but after a while, we were ready to leave. It was a short bus ride to Córdoba, and there, we saw the Mezquita, the famous Islamic mosque that was converted into a Catholic Church. It has the beautiful red and white striped arches and it was amazing to see the fusion of an Arabesque arch with the iconography of Catholicism. In Córdoba, we ate lunch at a cafe outside in the sun, and I had some awesome gazpacho that was perfect for the hot day. I also had a "panini" with ham and cheese, but it was really an open tostada that was grilled on top. The restaurant had a large variety of gelatos, so I tried the banana one, it was good, but not the best I've ever had. After our fun and busy weekend, we were all ready to go back to Granada, which thankfully was only a few hours away!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Londres 3
Day three of our trip was another whirlwind of a day! We first went to Dr. Johnson's house, an important literary figure (so Claudine dragged me there). No, it was interesting because he wrote an extremely important dictionary, but it is somewhere I will not be returning. I took some photos though if you want to see what his house looked like. My favorite part was when Claudine dressed up in the clothes from that time period in one of the rooms.
After this, we went to the British Museum which is sort of like the Met in NY because it has important works from all time periods like Greek & Roman sculpture and the Egyptian architecture. The coolest thing was seeing the Rosetta Stone! It was surreal to be so close to something so influential. We also saw the matching pair of Assyrian guard statues that are in the Met. We visited a few wings of the museum after the Egyptian exhibit like the Greek & Roman architecture (including panels from the Acropolis), and England in the 18th century. It was a huge museum, so we didn't get to look at everything, but thankfully, we got to all our favorite rooms!
After the British Museum, we walked to Kensington Garden and Hyde Park and sort of just walked around. It was a cloudy and chilly day (for the first time since we had arrived!) so it wasn't the nicest day to be outside. We were admiring the back of Kensington Palace (which unfortunately was under construction to prepare for KATE AND WILLIAM'S ARRIVAL) when we saw the Orangery, the famous restaurant on the lawns of the Palace. We went in and had the traditional Sunday tea, which was served with finger sandwiches, a scone, and a few chocolate pastries. It was all delicious, especially paired with the Afternoon at the Palace tea.
We left the Orangery and walked towards the Albert and Victoria Museum. On on way, we saw the Albert memorial, which was enormous! I didn't expect it to be that large and ornate, but it was a big monument that Queen Victoria built for Albert after his death. Then, we got to the museum and walked through quickly because it was closing soon. It was filled with more beautiful pieces, and my favorite was a sculpture by Bernini.
We decided to have dinner at another pub and found Nicholson's Firehouse- the White Hart. We both ordered a beef and vintage ale pie which came with mash (mashed potatoes) and fresh vegetables. It was made with Fuller's vintage ale, and it was great--the crust was really flaky and light, almost like a popover. We also ordered a drink after dinner--Irish coffee for Claudine and a Disaronno with Cracker blackberry & blueberry juice with a lime for me. It was so sweet and just the perfect after dinner drink. I really want to get some more of the Cracker brand because it has some great flavors, but it is only sold in the UK! So sad.
After dinner, we went back to the hotel and packed. We had to wake up at 3am because our flight was at 6:30am so it was definitely an early night for us.
And thus ends our adventures in London and as they say there, cheers!
After this, we went to the British Museum which is sort of like the Met in NY because it has important works from all time periods like Greek & Roman sculpture and the Egyptian architecture. The coolest thing was seeing the Rosetta Stone! It was surreal to be so close to something so influential. We also saw the matching pair of Assyrian guard statues that are in the Met. We visited a few wings of the museum after the Egyptian exhibit like the Greek & Roman architecture (including panels from the Acropolis), and England in the 18th century. It was a huge museum, so we didn't get to look at everything, but thankfully, we got to all our favorite rooms!
After the British Museum, we walked to Kensington Garden and Hyde Park and sort of just walked around. It was a cloudy and chilly day (for the first time since we had arrived!) so it wasn't the nicest day to be outside. We were admiring the back of Kensington Palace (which unfortunately was under construction to prepare for KATE AND WILLIAM'S ARRIVAL) when we saw the Orangery, the famous restaurant on the lawns of the Palace. We went in and had the traditional Sunday tea, which was served with finger sandwiches, a scone, and a few chocolate pastries. It was all delicious, especially paired with the Afternoon at the Palace tea.
We left the Orangery and walked towards the Albert and Victoria Museum. On on way, we saw the Albert memorial, which was enormous! I didn't expect it to be that large and ornate, but it was a big monument that Queen Victoria built for Albert after his death. Then, we got to the museum and walked through quickly because it was closing soon. It was filled with more beautiful pieces, and my favorite was a sculpture by Bernini.
We decided to have dinner at another pub and found Nicholson's Firehouse- the White Hart. We both ordered a beef and vintage ale pie which came with mash (mashed potatoes) and fresh vegetables. It was made with Fuller's vintage ale, and it was great--the crust was really flaky and light, almost like a popover. We also ordered a drink after dinner--Irish coffee for Claudine and a Disaronno with Cracker blackberry & blueberry juice with a lime for me. It was so sweet and just the perfect after dinner drink. I really want to get some more of the Cracker brand because it has some great flavors, but it is only sold in the UK! So sad.
After dinner, we went back to the hotel and packed. We had to wake up at 3am because our flight was at 6:30am so it was definitely an early night for us.
And thus ends our adventures in London and as they say there, cheers!
Londres 2
Sunday was another early morning that began with our delicious breakfast in the hotel's restaurant. Again, we made Nutella sandwiches and then, we were off! We took the Tube to the Tower of London and were absolutely blown away by it. It is one of the most historic sites I've ever seen because it was built by William the Conqueror in 1066 and since then has served as a palace, a prison, a execution site, and fortress among other things. We began our tour with one of the famous London "Beefeaters" who serves as a guide and officially, is a guard of the tower because it remains one of the Queen's Royal residences. He was hilarious, and told us the long and sometimes harrowing history of the Tower of London with a lot of enthusiam...plus he was wearing a great uniform, so I was very happy with the tour. Some of the highlights of the tour (which apparently you can watch on YouTube) were first, the tower were Lady Jane Grey, Anne Boleyn, and Elizabeth I (when her half-sister Mary was in power) were kept while being investigated (and in the cases of Jane and Anne, convicted) of treason. It was really interesting to learn about the different uses of the Tower throughout the years and the scandals that took place there (like the murder of the two princes by their uncle, King Richard III [allegedly]). We also saw the lawn, called Tower Green, on which Lady Jane Grey and Anne Boleyn were beheaded. It was bizarre to be standing right there where two famous women were killed, especially such historic figures.
After the tour, we were able to walk about the grounds and see the different exhibits that were on display. Here comes my favorite part: we saw the CROWN JEWELS. I'm talking about the actual crowns and scepters that the Royal family wears, and even the Coronation crown! It weighs almost 5 lbs and it absolutely gorgeous, as were the other pieces. There were also solid gold tableware, but not just dinner plates, but an ENORMOUS wine mixer and other large items. The jewels were so shiny and then we came to the biggest one of all--the First Star of Africa which is a whopping 530.2 carats. It was sensational. We couldn't take photos inside though, so I'd recommend looking at the gallery of photos: The Crown Jewels Gallery.
After our sparkly adventure, we went into the armory of the Kings and saw the armor of the Kings since William the Conqueror. It was very cool to see the advancements in all the weaponry over the years and the torture devices. We saw the room where the two princes were allegedly murdered by their uncle in order to maintain his reign. After the Torture Tower, we sat on a bench overlooking the Tower Green and ate our lunches. Then, we left and walked to the Tower Bridge, which was very impressive! We took a ton of photos there and then left to go to the Dickens Exhibit at The Museum of London. It was interesting but as an English major, Claudine definitely enjoyed it more than I did.
After the museum, we ran to St. Paul's for an organ recital. Oh, that's right, we entered into the Cathedral that Princess Di got married in and heard a concert from a world famous organist under one of the best acoustic ceilings. I know, it was incredible. The church is MASSIVE! Its decorations are beautiful and ornate with mosaics and gilding. Then, when we came out of the church, we met our friend Ryan who is studying abroad in London! It wasn't a coincidence, we planned to meet but it was so awesome to see a familiar face! We walked to Picadilly Circus (the Times Square of London), but NY's Time's Square is still more impressive. (sorry, London!) We then took the tube to the Oxford Station and then got on the bus to Angel Street Station ,which is near Ryan's dorm. We went to this really authentic pub that she loves called the Winchester and had a 2 for 1 Sunday Roast! There were 4 varieties, so we each chose the one we wanted and split the 4th one, although it was more of a tasting of the 4th one since the portions were huge. I had the lamb with was sliced with a dark gravy, and the roast came with beets, mang tout, Yorkshire pudding (aka popovers!) and vegetables like carrots, broccoli, snap peas and potatoes covered in a savory gravy. It was awesome and we also had hard cider with our meal--I had pear this time though, and I think I liked Claudine's apple one better.
Then, came dessert. It was OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD. We all decided to split one banoffee pie because were all so full from dinner, and it was the right choice! It had a crispy, buttery crust and the most delicious creamy banana flavored filling. I can't wait to try to make it at home!
After such a long day and a great dinner with a wonderful friend, we headed back to our hotel for the night and to prepare for the 3rd day of sightseeing!
After the tour, we were able to walk about the grounds and see the different exhibits that were on display. Here comes my favorite part: we saw the CROWN JEWELS. I'm talking about the actual crowns and scepters that the Royal family wears, and even the Coronation crown! It weighs almost 5 lbs and it absolutely gorgeous, as were the other pieces. There were also solid gold tableware, but not just dinner plates, but an ENORMOUS wine mixer and other large items. The jewels were so shiny and then we came to the biggest one of all--the First Star of Africa which is a whopping 530.2 carats. It was sensational. We couldn't take photos inside though, so I'd recommend looking at the gallery of photos: The Crown Jewels Gallery.
After our sparkly adventure, we went into the armory of the Kings and saw the armor of the Kings since William the Conqueror. It was very cool to see the advancements in all the weaponry over the years and the torture devices. We saw the room where the two princes were allegedly murdered by their uncle in order to maintain his reign. After the Torture Tower, we sat on a bench overlooking the Tower Green and ate our lunches. Then, we left and walked to the Tower Bridge, which was very impressive! We took a ton of photos there and then left to go to the Dickens Exhibit at The Museum of London. It was interesting but as an English major, Claudine definitely enjoyed it more than I did.
After the museum, we ran to St. Paul's for an organ recital. Oh, that's right, we entered into the Cathedral that Princess Di got married in and heard a concert from a world famous organist under one of the best acoustic ceilings. I know, it was incredible. The church is MASSIVE! Its decorations are beautiful and ornate with mosaics and gilding. Then, when we came out of the church, we met our friend Ryan who is studying abroad in London! It wasn't a coincidence, we planned to meet but it was so awesome to see a familiar face! We walked to Picadilly Circus (the Times Square of London), but NY's Time's Square is still more impressive. (sorry, London!) We then took the tube to the Oxford Station and then got on the bus to Angel Street Station ,which is near Ryan's dorm. We went to this really authentic pub that she loves called the Winchester and had a 2 for 1 Sunday Roast! There were 4 varieties, so we each chose the one we wanted and split the 4th one, although it was more of a tasting of the 4th one since the portions were huge. I had the lamb with was sliced with a dark gravy, and the roast came with beets, mang tout, Yorkshire pudding (aka popovers!) and vegetables like carrots, broccoli, snap peas and potatoes covered in a savory gravy. It was awesome and we also had hard cider with our meal--I had pear this time though, and I think I liked Claudine's apple one better.
Then, came dessert. It was OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD. We all decided to split one banoffee pie because were all so full from dinner, and it was the right choice! It had a crispy, buttery crust and the most delicious creamy banana flavored filling. I can't wait to try to make it at home!
After such a long day and a great dinner with a wonderful friend, we headed back to our hotel for the night and to prepare for the 3rd day of sightseeing!
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Londres 1
Ah, so late, but here goes!
Claudine and I spent our first long weekend (Feb 24th-27th) in London! We had literally decided a week and a half beforehand, but after booking our bus to Madrid, flight, and hotel, we were on our way! I have to give a special thank you to Megan for putting together a wonderful PowerPoint for us with things see, places to eat, and insider London tips--it was so helpful! We took a 7am bus to Madrid (which took 5 hours), then navigated the Metro to the airport, and took a flight to London. We arrived at our hotel late Friday night and ordered in Indian food (I had naan with a spicy beef and onion side) and then went to bed since we had spent all day traveling.
On Saturday, we woke up early and had breakfast at the hotel's restaurant, which was delicious! We had the traditional English breakfast which included beans, ham, sausage, eggs, a hash brown, and tomatoes (I didn't eat the eggs or beans, but the rest was great). We also had toast, which we used to make Nutella sandwiches for lunch--yes, Nutella in Europe is like butter and jam in American, an integral part of breakfast (even though we had great jam too). With our lunches packed, it was into the center of town for some sightseeing!
We took the Tube (how cute is London?) to the Westminister Abbey station, and literally as we walked up the stairs, THERE was Big Ben! It was surreal to finally be seeing such a worldwide landmark in person. In fact, the motto of this trip would soon become, "is this real life?" because Claudine and I both could not believe that we were really IN London after so many years of wanting to visit. Big Ben was really impressive to see, and attached to it is the Houses of Parliament, which is also huge! They are both situated on the River Thames, so we were able to see three major landmarks in a matter of minutes. Of course, then we turned around and saw the London Eye too, so it was actually overwhelming for us to realize, "wow, we are in London." After taking a ton of photos of the area and all the buildings, we made our way towards Westminster Abbey. AKA the site of Kate and Williams' wedding, so obviously I was giddy to get there. It was on the other side of the Houses of Parliament so we were there in a few minutes, and starting taking photos. We decided to come back for the Evensong service later that afternoon in order to get the full effect of the inside and the wait was well worth it. But more on that later!
So after taking the photos from the outside, we walked to Buckingham Palace. To be honest, I thought the building itself was a bit underwhelming compared to some of the more ornate buildings I've seen. However, its sheer size made it very impressive and moreover, the Queen Victoria Memorial was absolutely gorgeous because it was entirely gilded. We took the mandatory pics of the guards in front of the palace, but it was nothing like the movies--we didn't even get to stand next to them! But it was still cool to see, my favorite part was seeing the balcony where the famous two kisses happened last April (obviously). We made out way out of the area after snapping a few more photos in front of the palace and headed towards St. James' Park.
St. James' Park is a large green space near the palace, and Claudine and I decided to stop there to have our picnic lunch. The weather on Saturday was perfect--it was about 75 and sunny with a slight breeze to keep us cool. I loved sitting on the grass, soaking up the sun and eating our Nutella sandwiches. We also had Cadbury eggs as dessert, so it was one sugary lunch--it was good because we had plenty of energy after that! After lunch, we went back to Westminster Abbey to attend Evensong. It was incredible to actually be in the place where the royal wedding took place and to recognize the interior from the broadcast. We were also really lucky because the boy's choir was singing at this service, so we got to hear wonderful music. We got to hear the Anglican versions of prayers, which differ slightly from the Catholic prayers. The final bonus is that the reader had a British accent, which also makes everything better. Westminster is also the site of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation and where her parents were married, so it was really mind-blowing to be sitting in such a historic church. I really liked the architecture and art inside as well, which you can sort of see in the photos I took.
After the service, we ran to the National Gallery because it was closing in an hour, but we still got to see some incredible pieces of art. Another thing I love about London is that all the museums were free and there were no annoying bag checks so we could carry our waters in with us. I saw about five rooms and in that limited time, I saw paintings by Monet, Cezanne, Manet, Van Gogh, Degas, Renior, Constable, among others, so the museum was jam packed with famous works.
We left the National Gallery and took some pictures in Trafalgar Square, which is where the museum is located. It was cool to see the countdown billboard to the Olympics (which I am SUPER excited about). We decided to walk to find a pub to have dinner at, and we ended up at this really authentic looking place, which ended being a Taylor Walker Pub, a chain that our friend Megan recommended to us. We both ordered a hard cider since we had heard nothing but good things about it. I ordered a steak and ale pie-which was basically a beef pot pie, but absolutely INCREDIBLE. I was not expecting it to be that good since the UK is not known for it's food. But I was pleasantly surprised when my plate arrived--it was tender beef in a flavorful dark ale gravy all in a flaky crust. It also came with chips (fries) and broccoli. Claudine ordered fish and chips and she really liked it, but I was in the mood for something more home style. After dinner, we ordered Irish coffees, but I wasn't a huge fan of them. I'd take espresso over that any day of the week, but it was a cool experience because we were in a pub. After our satisfying meal, we headed back to our hotel to sleep because we had another busy day planned for Sunday!
Claudine and I spent our first long weekend (Feb 24th-27th) in London! We had literally decided a week and a half beforehand, but after booking our bus to Madrid, flight, and hotel, we were on our way! I have to give a special thank you to Megan for putting together a wonderful PowerPoint for us with things see, places to eat, and insider London tips--it was so helpful! We took a 7am bus to Madrid (which took 5 hours), then navigated the Metro to the airport, and took a flight to London. We arrived at our hotel late Friday night and ordered in Indian food (I had naan with a spicy beef and onion side) and then went to bed since we had spent all day traveling.
On Saturday, we woke up early and had breakfast at the hotel's restaurant, which was delicious! We had the traditional English breakfast which included beans, ham, sausage, eggs, a hash brown, and tomatoes (I didn't eat the eggs or beans, but the rest was great). We also had toast, which we used to make Nutella sandwiches for lunch--yes, Nutella in Europe is like butter and jam in American, an integral part of breakfast (even though we had great jam too). With our lunches packed, it was into the center of town for some sightseeing!
We took the Tube (how cute is London?) to the Westminister Abbey station, and literally as we walked up the stairs, THERE was Big Ben! It was surreal to finally be seeing such a worldwide landmark in person. In fact, the motto of this trip would soon become, "is this real life?" because Claudine and I both could not believe that we were really IN London after so many years of wanting to visit. Big Ben was really impressive to see, and attached to it is the Houses of Parliament, which is also huge! They are both situated on the River Thames, so we were able to see three major landmarks in a matter of minutes. Of course, then we turned around and saw the London Eye too, so it was actually overwhelming for us to realize, "wow, we are in London." After taking a ton of photos of the area and all the buildings, we made our way towards Westminster Abbey. AKA the site of Kate and Williams' wedding, so obviously I was giddy to get there. It was on the other side of the Houses of Parliament so we were there in a few minutes, and starting taking photos. We decided to come back for the Evensong service later that afternoon in order to get the full effect of the inside and the wait was well worth it. But more on that later!
So after taking the photos from the outside, we walked to Buckingham Palace. To be honest, I thought the building itself was a bit underwhelming compared to some of the more ornate buildings I've seen. However, its sheer size made it very impressive and moreover, the Queen Victoria Memorial was absolutely gorgeous because it was entirely gilded. We took the mandatory pics of the guards in front of the palace, but it was nothing like the movies--we didn't even get to stand next to them! But it was still cool to see, my favorite part was seeing the balcony where the famous two kisses happened last April (obviously). We made out way out of the area after snapping a few more photos in front of the palace and headed towards St. James' Park.
St. James' Park is a large green space near the palace, and Claudine and I decided to stop there to have our picnic lunch. The weather on Saturday was perfect--it was about 75 and sunny with a slight breeze to keep us cool. I loved sitting on the grass, soaking up the sun and eating our Nutella sandwiches. We also had Cadbury eggs as dessert, so it was one sugary lunch--it was good because we had plenty of energy after that! After lunch, we went back to Westminster Abbey to attend Evensong. It was incredible to actually be in the place where the royal wedding took place and to recognize the interior from the broadcast. We were also really lucky because the boy's choir was singing at this service, so we got to hear wonderful music. We got to hear the Anglican versions of prayers, which differ slightly from the Catholic prayers. The final bonus is that the reader had a British accent, which also makes everything better. Westminster is also the site of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation and where her parents were married, so it was really mind-blowing to be sitting in such a historic church. I really liked the architecture and art inside as well, which you can sort of see in the photos I took.
After the service, we ran to the National Gallery because it was closing in an hour, but we still got to see some incredible pieces of art. Another thing I love about London is that all the museums were free and there were no annoying bag checks so we could carry our waters in with us. I saw about five rooms and in that limited time, I saw paintings by Monet, Cezanne, Manet, Van Gogh, Degas, Renior, Constable, among others, so the museum was jam packed with famous works.
We left the National Gallery and took some pictures in Trafalgar Square, which is where the museum is located. It was cool to see the countdown billboard to the Olympics (which I am SUPER excited about). We decided to walk to find a pub to have dinner at, and we ended up at this really authentic looking place, which ended being a Taylor Walker Pub, a chain that our friend Megan recommended to us. We both ordered a hard cider since we had heard nothing but good things about it. I ordered a steak and ale pie-which was basically a beef pot pie, but absolutely INCREDIBLE. I was not expecting it to be that good since the UK is not known for it's food. But I was pleasantly surprised when my plate arrived--it was tender beef in a flavorful dark ale gravy all in a flaky crust. It also came with chips (fries) and broccoli. Claudine ordered fish and chips and she really liked it, but I was in the mood for something more home style. After dinner, we ordered Irish coffees, but I wasn't a huge fan of them. I'd take espresso over that any day of the week, but it was a cool experience because we were in a pub. After our satisfying meal, we headed back to our hotel to sleep because we had another busy day planned for Sunday!
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
La Oliva
Prepare for what might be my best post of all time!
On Friday, we went to La Oliva, a store in Granada that specializes in selling specialty olive oils, wines, cheeses, etc. They also hold taste testings...so guess what we did? As soon as we walked in, the store smelled heavenly so I knew this was a special tertulia (a meeting with an intellectual theme). Our teacher for the day was Francisco Leo, the store owner who had grown up in Cordoba on a olive tree farm. His family had been making olive oils for years, so he took his passion to Granada and opened up this store. He started the visit by explained how olive oil is made--he said "the only factory of olive oil is nature. We just separate the natural oil from the olive." He was obviously very passionate about olives--I knew we were going to get along juuuuust fine.
Our first introduction to the olive oil was a tasting 3 different types- one from Granada, one from Cordoba, and one from Huelva. It's about to be sound like Goldilocks in this post: The Granada one was very mild and left something to be desired because the flavor was a bit weak.. The Cordoba one was SO strong! It had almost a bitter aftertaste, so I didn't really care for it. The Huelva one was perfect. It had a distinct olive taste without being too overpowering. We tried all these oils with delicious whole wheat rolls that had a soft middle and a crunchy exterior.
Our next tasting was of gazpacho. Francisco told of the story (or legend) of how gazpacho was created. A woman in a small town in southern Spain was about to prepare lunch for her husband. He had been working in the field all morning, and she knew that under the summer sun, the heat was unbearable. Thus, she wanted to make something filling but also refreshing for her husband. What resulted was what we know as gazpacho. It has garlic, salt, bell peppers (red in this case, but green are more common), tomatoes, vinegar, and the Huelva oil (by popular vote). He blended all these incredibly fresh ingredients and then put them through a sieve to have a smooth texture. It is served chilled or room temperature. It was a light orangey-red color and we each got a small glass of it. It was amazing--it just tasted so fresh and really had a light salty and olive oil flavor. It would have probably been delicious on a salad because it had such a light flavor, but we drank it and dipped our bread into it.
Francisco then gave us tostadas (crustini) and sliced cherry tomatoes so that we could rub the open side of the tomato on the tostada. This is a very common tapa/ breakfast food (tostada con tomate) and he also drizzled a bit of olive oil infused with albahaca (basil) on top of the tostada. It was, of course, incredible. I was so excited to taste the infused olive oils because they have such cool flavor accents. Next came a tosada with an avocado and lemon spread. It was incredibly fresh tasting and reminded me of summer because it was so light. After that, we had a wedge of romaine lettuce with a sweet balsamic vinegar and...are you ready for this?...fried garlic infused olive oil. It was, as you can imagine, to die for. I definitely want to try something like that when I get home with roasted garlic. It had a strong garlicky flavor, but wasn't too overpowering.
If you thought we were done, you were wrong. Our next course was a tomato slice with a goat cheese wedge, drizzled with basil infused olive oil. Where do I begin? The tomato was great but the goat cheese. Oh my goodness. It was salty and rich and also not too strong. I usually don't like goat cheese at all, but this one was awesome. Next we had a lettuce leaf topped with a cured (in olive oil) slice of pork. SO GOOD. It had the distinct taste of olive oil but also maintained the flavor of the meat.
And finally, came dessert. For dessert we had La Perla brand dark chocolate gelato...with a drizzle of orange infused olive oil and a dash of coarse salt on top. Now, I usually don't like chocolate ice cream (shocker, I know), but this...this was a deep, dark, rich chocolate that was accented perfectly with the orange olive oil. The salt gave it an extra kick of flavor because it brought out the sweetness of the gelato. It was heaven on earth. Franciso also brought out traditional Semana Santa (Holy Week) pastries that were fried dough pastries. They were good, but we were all so full from everything else that we only tasted them.
Afterwards, we asked Francisco if we would be able to come back for another tasting, etc. He told us to email him and we could set up a mini cooking lesson with him and basically spend the day tasting different things and learning recipes. I plan to take him up on that offer, when I do, I'll be sure to let you know! I need to start writing down recipes so that when I go back home, I can replicate dishes!
On Friday, we went to La Oliva, a store in Granada that specializes in selling specialty olive oils, wines, cheeses, etc. They also hold taste testings...so guess what we did? As soon as we walked in, the store smelled heavenly so I knew this was a special tertulia (a meeting with an intellectual theme). Our teacher for the day was Francisco Leo, the store owner who had grown up in Cordoba on a olive tree farm. His family had been making olive oils for years, so he took his passion to Granada and opened up this store. He started the visit by explained how olive oil is made--he said "the only factory of olive oil is nature. We just separate the natural oil from the olive." He was obviously very passionate about olives--I knew we were going to get along juuuuust fine.
Our first introduction to the olive oil was a tasting 3 different types- one from Granada, one from Cordoba, and one from Huelva. It's about to be sound like Goldilocks in this post: The Granada one was very mild and left something to be desired because the flavor was a bit weak.. The Cordoba one was SO strong! It had almost a bitter aftertaste, so I didn't really care for it. The Huelva one was perfect. It had a distinct olive taste without being too overpowering. We tried all these oils with delicious whole wheat rolls that had a soft middle and a crunchy exterior.
Our next tasting was of gazpacho. Francisco told of the story (or legend) of how gazpacho was created. A woman in a small town in southern Spain was about to prepare lunch for her husband. He had been working in the field all morning, and she knew that under the summer sun, the heat was unbearable. Thus, she wanted to make something filling but also refreshing for her husband. What resulted was what we know as gazpacho. It has garlic, salt, bell peppers (red in this case, but green are more common), tomatoes, vinegar, and the Huelva oil (by popular vote). He blended all these incredibly fresh ingredients and then put them through a sieve to have a smooth texture. It is served chilled or room temperature. It was a light orangey-red color and we each got a small glass of it. It was amazing--it just tasted so fresh and really had a light salty and olive oil flavor. It would have probably been delicious on a salad because it had such a light flavor, but we drank it and dipped our bread into it.
Francisco then gave us tostadas (crustini) and sliced cherry tomatoes so that we could rub the open side of the tomato on the tostada. This is a very common tapa/ breakfast food (tostada con tomate) and he also drizzled a bit of olive oil infused with albahaca (basil) on top of the tostada. It was, of course, incredible. I was so excited to taste the infused olive oils because they have such cool flavor accents. Next came a tosada with an avocado and lemon spread. It was incredibly fresh tasting and reminded me of summer because it was so light. After that, we had a wedge of romaine lettuce with a sweet balsamic vinegar and...are you ready for this?...fried garlic infused olive oil. It was, as you can imagine, to die for. I definitely want to try something like that when I get home with roasted garlic. It had a strong garlicky flavor, but wasn't too overpowering.
If you thought we were done, you were wrong. Our next course was a tomato slice with a goat cheese wedge, drizzled with basil infused olive oil. Where do I begin? The tomato was great but the goat cheese. Oh my goodness. It was salty and rich and also not too strong. I usually don't like goat cheese at all, but this one was awesome. Next we had a lettuce leaf topped with a cured (in olive oil) slice of pork. SO GOOD. It had the distinct taste of olive oil but also maintained the flavor of the meat.
And finally, came dessert. For dessert we had La Perla brand dark chocolate gelato...with a drizzle of orange infused olive oil and a dash of coarse salt on top. Now, I usually don't like chocolate ice cream (shocker, I know), but this...this was a deep, dark, rich chocolate that was accented perfectly with the orange olive oil. The salt gave it an extra kick of flavor because it brought out the sweetness of the gelato. It was heaven on earth. Franciso also brought out traditional Semana Santa (Holy Week) pastries that were fried dough pastries. They were good, but we were all so full from everything else that we only tasted them.
Afterwards, we asked Francisco if we would be able to come back for another tasting, etc. He told us to email him and we could set up a mini cooking lesson with him and basically spend the day tasting different things and learning recipes. I plan to take him up on that offer, when I do, I'll be sure to let you know! I need to start writing down recipes so that when I go back home, I can replicate dishes!
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Clases
Here's what's been going on with me!
On February 7th classes started. I am taking 5 classes in total- Civilization and Culture of Spain, POE (a grammar class), the Art of Flamenco in Society and Culture, and Art History: Renaissance and Baroque. All the classes are taught in Spanish and so far, it has been okay. There are some vocab words that I don't know, but overall, I can understand my professor perfectly. It is actually strange because I forget that they are speaking in Spanish and then halfway through the class, I will suddenly realize that my entire class is in Spanish. It is kind of surreal but is really cool to think that my Spanish is good enough that I can understand my studies. (Thank goodness for that too!!)
I absolutely love my Civ and Culture class because we are going to cover all the topics that interest me, like the Spanish diet, toros, flamenco, the different cultural groups, etc. We are also learning about the political system and terrain/climate of the peninsula, but this part is going by really fast so we can get to the more interesting topics! The POE class is boring because it is the equivalent of Spanish 1502 at Spanish which I took freshman year at Fordham, but I have made some great friends in the class, so I don't mind it too much. Oh, where do I begin about my Art of Flamenco class? My professor is hilarious, and he says some phrases in English that make me crack up. He is also extremely enthusiastic about the history of flamenco and it's role in Spanish society, so every class is exciting. I don't even mind it being at 5pm (which would usually be the time for a nap after la comida!) I am learning so much though about the art of flamenco--the singers, the guitar players, the origin of it, etc, and I have realized that everything that I thought flamenco was, was actually the stereotypes about it. For example, the first day played a word association game with the word flamenco--we came up with woman, red dress, castanets, red flower, passion (among other things). Our professor told us all of that is "tourist flamenco" and in reality, there is a rich history behind the true meaning of flamenco. I can't wait to learn more about it because I find it fascinating that I could be so wrong about what flamenco is!
My art history class is awesome (as I expected since I am in love with Renaissance and Baroque art). It is also at 8:30 in the morning--that my friends, is love! It is my only class of the day, but since I like my professor so much and the class, I don't regret taking such an early class. Plus, it is an excuse to take a nap in the afternoon! (I've only done this once so far though!)
Some of the highlights of the meals we have enjoyed: The lentil soup with pinchitos (seriously, delicious). Also, our señora makes her paella with sweet sausage, a black sausage, mushrooms, asparagus, and chicken at least once a week, so we have been enjoying that as well. Also, since coming to Spain, I apparently fell in love with peppers (I know Marissa, who am I?!) I have eaten pimimiento relleno (stuffed pepper), and sweet peppers. I have also been branching out and eating spinach (For our señora's birthday, she made two special dishes with spinach that are typical of her saint's day.) Another thing that we had the other night that was definitely new to me was anguilla y gambas...aka eel and shrimp. The eels were small and thin and looked almost like noodles. It was delicious, but it was strange to realize after the fact that it was eels. Since the weather has been getting warmer, Claudine and I have gone on some walks and stopped for gelato--I've tried fresa (strawberry) and tirimisu, but I haven't been crazy about either--I hope that I can have some coffee gelato soon (you'd think it would be a more popular flavor here!)
We have also been getting to know our host family better over these few weeks. Claudine and I play with the grandkids almost every afternoon- It is really fun but also exhausting! They have so much energy-one afternoon I played make believe with dolls and with blocks with Cristina, hide and seek and cards with the rest of the kids. It was like 5 hours of non-stop playing, but it is also really good practice for us because we can talk in Spanish the whole time, and it is not as intimidating when the kids correct us as it is in a classroom setting.
The other thing that I have been doing a lot is going on cultural trips. The first one we went on was with the whole Fordham group and it was to La Catedral and La Capilla Real. Fernando and Isabel are enterred there because Granada was the center of power for Los Reyes Catolicos. Isabella was the patron of the cathedral and the chapel and it has the coolest mix of the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Islamic styles. There are Gothic vaults, the reja or grille that separates the nave from the altar is from the Renaissance period (we learned all about the plateresque elements in class), the altarpieces are Baroque and there is a banner-like stone piece that encirlces the entire interior of the Capilla that is borrowed from the Islamic style. It is huge inside and filled with the art that Isabel bought including a Perugino and a work that is attributed to Botticelli. There are also the Catholic Royals' crowns and scepters that they donated to the chapel in their wills. It is an impressive building and I have been going to mass every Sunday there at 1pm. I like this mass because the Archbishop of Granada presides and there is music (which is not usually at every mass). I also went back to the Capilla Real on Friday March 2nd with my art history class so our professor could explain more in depth about the architectures of the buildings. I love going because every time, I see a new aspect of the art and architecture. For example, the crest of the Reyes Catolicos is very prominent inside, but they also used the symbols of flechas (arrows) to represent Fernando and yukos (yokes) to represent Isabel (Y stands for Ysabel, an old way of spelling in [I think] Greek).
I also went to the Basilica de San Juan de Dios which is a Baroque church. It was incredible inside--Baroque is of course decoration on steroids, so literally every single surface was wither gilded, painted or had a statue on it. I loved it. We also got to go to the room that is situated above the altar and see a ton of relics. It was sort of creepy because there were skulls and bones, and even one mummified Roman soldier, but it was also really cool to see. Check out my pictures if you want to see more of the Basilica (and the soldier!)
My most recent trip was to Carmen de los Martires, a former prison for religious prisoners, hospital, and residential home but is now a tourist sight. Here is the link to the website to read more about it, but it is near the Alhambra so once we got to the top, it has beautiful views of the city. It also has extensive gardens that I'm sure in the spring and summer are probably gorgeous! I can't wait to go back with my friends and bring a picnic lunch because it is a popular lunch spot.
On February 7th classes started. I am taking 5 classes in total- Civilization and Culture of Spain, POE (a grammar class), the Art of Flamenco in Society and Culture, and Art History: Renaissance and Baroque. All the classes are taught in Spanish and so far, it has been okay. There are some vocab words that I don't know, but overall, I can understand my professor perfectly. It is actually strange because I forget that they are speaking in Spanish and then halfway through the class, I will suddenly realize that my entire class is in Spanish. It is kind of surreal but is really cool to think that my Spanish is good enough that I can understand my studies. (Thank goodness for that too!!)
I absolutely love my Civ and Culture class because we are going to cover all the topics that interest me, like the Spanish diet, toros, flamenco, the different cultural groups, etc. We are also learning about the political system and terrain/climate of the peninsula, but this part is going by really fast so we can get to the more interesting topics! The POE class is boring because it is the equivalent of Spanish 1502 at Spanish which I took freshman year at Fordham, but I have made some great friends in the class, so I don't mind it too much. Oh, where do I begin about my Art of Flamenco class? My professor is hilarious, and he says some phrases in English that make me crack up. He is also extremely enthusiastic about the history of flamenco and it's role in Spanish society, so every class is exciting. I don't even mind it being at 5pm (which would usually be the time for a nap after la comida!) I am learning so much though about the art of flamenco--the singers, the guitar players, the origin of it, etc, and I have realized that everything that I thought flamenco was, was actually the stereotypes about it. For example, the first day played a word association game with the word flamenco--we came up with woman, red dress, castanets, red flower, passion (among other things). Our professor told us all of that is "tourist flamenco" and in reality, there is a rich history behind the true meaning of flamenco. I can't wait to learn more about it because I find it fascinating that I could be so wrong about what flamenco is!
My art history class is awesome (as I expected since I am in love with Renaissance and Baroque art). It is also at 8:30 in the morning--that my friends, is love! It is my only class of the day, but since I like my professor so much and the class, I don't regret taking such an early class. Plus, it is an excuse to take a nap in the afternoon! (I've only done this once so far though!)
Some of the highlights of the meals we have enjoyed: The lentil soup with pinchitos (seriously, delicious). Also, our señora makes her paella with sweet sausage, a black sausage, mushrooms, asparagus, and chicken at least once a week, so we have been enjoying that as well. Also, since coming to Spain, I apparently fell in love with peppers (I know Marissa, who am I?!) I have eaten pimimiento relleno (stuffed pepper), and sweet peppers. I have also been branching out and eating spinach (For our señora's birthday, she made two special dishes with spinach that are typical of her saint's day.) Another thing that we had the other night that was definitely new to me was anguilla y gambas...aka eel and shrimp. The eels were small and thin and looked almost like noodles. It was delicious, but it was strange to realize after the fact that it was eels. Since the weather has been getting warmer, Claudine and I have gone on some walks and stopped for gelato--I've tried fresa (strawberry) and tirimisu, but I haven't been crazy about either--I hope that I can have some coffee gelato soon (you'd think it would be a more popular flavor here!)
We have also been getting to know our host family better over these few weeks. Claudine and I play with the grandkids almost every afternoon- It is really fun but also exhausting! They have so much energy-one afternoon I played make believe with dolls and with blocks with Cristina, hide and seek and cards with the rest of the kids. It was like 5 hours of non-stop playing, but it is also really good practice for us because we can talk in Spanish the whole time, and it is not as intimidating when the kids correct us as it is in a classroom setting.
The other thing that I have been doing a lot is going on cultural trips. The first one we went on was with the whole Fordham group and it was to La Catedral and La Capilla Real. Fernando and Isabel are enterred there because Granada was the center of power for Los Reyes Catolicos. Isabella was the patron of the cathedral and the chapel and it has the coolest mix of the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Islamic styles. There are Gothic vaults, the reja or grille that separates the nave from the altar is from the Renaissance period (we learned all about the plateresque elements in class), the altarpieces are Baroque and there is a banner-like stone piece that encirlces the entire interior of the Capilla that is borrowed from the Islamic style. It is huge inside and filled with the art that Isabel bought including a Perugino and a work that is attributed to Botticelli. There are also the Catholic Royals' crowns and scepters that they donated to the chapel in their wills. It is an impressive building and I have been going to mass every Sunday there at 1pm. I like this mass because the Archbishop of Granada presides and there is music (which is not usually at every mass). I also went back to the Capilla Real on Friday March 2nd with my art history class so our professor could explain more in depth about the architectures of the buildings. I love going because every time, I see a new aspect of the art and architecture. For example, the crest of the Reyes Catolicos is very prominent inside, but they also used the symbols of flechas (arrows) to represent Fernando and yukos (yokes) to represent Isabel (Y stands for Ysabel, an old way of spelling in [I think] Greek).
I also went to the Basilica de San Juan de Dios which is a Baroque church. It was incredible inside--Baroque is of course decoration on steroids, so literally every single surface was wither gilded, painted or had a statue on it. I loved it. We also got to go to the room that is situated above the altar and see a ton of relics. It was sort of creepy because there were skulls and bones, and even one mummified Roman soldier, but it was also really cool to see. Check out my pictures if you want to see more of the Basilica (and the soldier!)
My most recent trip was to Carmen de los Martires, a former prison for religious prisoners, hospital, and residential home but is now a tourist sight. Here is the link to the website to read more about it, but it is near the Alhambra so once we got to the top, it has beautiful views of the city. It also has extensive gardens that I'm sure in the spring and summer are probably gorgeous! I can't wait to go back with my friends and bring a picnic lunch because it is a popular lunch spot.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Morocco Day 4
We woke up early at 6:30am, and went on a hike to the top of a mountain to see the sunrise over Chefcheoun. There was also a mosque at the top of the mountain that was really beautiful. The hike was very early and it was VERY cold, but totally worth it! The view was breathtaking and to see the pink and orange sky over the sleepy town was incredible. We also took one of my favorite photos--the one with all of us sitting lined up on the ledge and facing the town.
We made the climb back down the mountain for a traditional Moroccan breakfast. We had this cornbread-like round with honey, apricot jam, and the most delicious and mild goat cheese I've ever tasted. We also had the "Moroccan crepe" and fresh butter. Of course there was also mint tea and coffee (so I was happy). After breakfast, it was back to the hostel to pack because we still had a 2 1/2 hour drive to the port.
At the port, we said our goodbyes to Simo and Juan, and thanked them for an amazing experience. The ride back home was much smoother than the one there, so before we knew it, we were back in Spain. It was then another few hours to Granada, so by the time we got home everyone was ready for a hot shower and a nice sleep.
I had a wonderful time in Morocco, and I know that I won't forget the people I met and the places I saw because it was truly a once in a lifetime experience. I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity to visit such a beautiful country and make some new friends!
We made the climb back down the mountain for a traditional Moroccan breakfast. We had this cornbread-like round with honey, apricot jam, and the most delicious and mild goat cheese I've ever tasted. We also had the "Moroccan crepe" and fresh butter. Of course there was also mint tea and coffee (so I was happy). After breakfast, it was back to the hostel to pack because we still had a 2 1/2 hour drive to the port.
At the port, we said our goodbyes to Simo and Juan, and thanked them for an amazing experience. The ride back home was much smoother than the one there, so before we knew it, we were back in Spain. It was then another few hours to Granada, so by the time we got home everyone was ready for a hot shower and a nice sleep.
I had a wonderful time in Morocco, and I know that I won't forget the people I met and the places I saw because it was truly a once in a lifetime experience. I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity to visit such a beautiful country and make some new friends!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Marreucos Day 3
I was awakened again by the call to prayer at 6am, but it was still cool to hear. We had breakfast with Grandpa Misbahi again, and then said our goodbyes to everyone in the house. It was kind of sad because I really enjoyed getting to know this warm and welcoming family, and our trip with them was really short. But we all exchanged emails to keep in touch.
Our first stop of the day was to the Mausoleum of King Mohammed V. On the grounds is a Mosque, a masouleum, and the ruins of a large mosque. The bodies of the current King's father, grandfather (Mohammed V) and his uncle are in a beautiful building inscribed with Koran scriptures and mosaics. It was breathtaking and I loved the ceiling's design. There was also the ruins from a mosque that had been began, but was never finished. I believe the King Hassan II continued the construction of the mausoleum after his father's death. The ruins were from years ago though, and it would have been too expensive to finish it, so the pillars are still there, but nothing else. It was a beautiful day with a bright blue sky and the contrast between the giant pillars and the sky was awesome to see.
We stopped for coffee in a town named Wesan, and then it was another few hours up the mountains to a village family's home for lunch. Simo came with us because the family did not speak English, and it was easier to have a native speaker translate for us. We had a fantastic lunch of fresh vegetables--avocados, carrots, cucumbers, corn,and tomatoes with tuna and bread. Everyone was really excited to make a sandwiches out of the bread and vegetables because everything was so flavorful. The family also made us a vegetable couscous with cabbage and carrots, which was also great --the only problem was that we were all so full from the sandwiches that we couldn't really eat too much of the couscous! For dessert, we had more fresh fruit-I had a banana and of course, tea! But this tea was steeped with rosemary and basil, so it was even more flavorful than the mint one. It was incredible. During our tea time, we chatted with the farmer and his wife (through Simo) and discusses our studies and also their lifestyle. It was interesting to see Morocco from a rural perspective and the family was extremely intrigued by the American way of life and they asked questions about school, marriage, and our futures.
The farmer then took us on a walk of his land-- it was a beautiful hike up a mountain and we could see all the olive trees and other crops that he grows. The sun was almost setting. so it was really a breathtaking site to be that high in the mountains. overlooking the land. We also somehow got roped into singing for the farmer--so of course, we sand Build Me Up Buttercup by the Foundations...on top of a mountain...in Morocco. It was surreal, but a really fun memory to have.
We said goodbye to the family and thanked them for their hospitality. On our way down the mountain Juan explained to us that this family is a good example of the changes that are happening in Morocco. The farmer's first wife passed away while giving birth because they couldn't get to the hospital in time to save her. They don't have a car, the road was not paved to get down the mountain and the closest hospital was over an hour away. After his wife passed away, the farmer's mother decided to make a change. The grandmother, who cannot read or write, went everyday to the local government building and fought to pave the road. Eventually, they did, as well as make a clinic nearby. Juan told us that this woman's granddaughter is now in school, learning 3 languages, and it shows the wide difference between generations in Morocco. I thought the story was very inspiring because it shows how determination for change can make it a reality.
We drove for a few hours until we reached Chechouen. It is a beautiful town, know for its amazing hiking trails and tourism. We checked into our hostel, which was beautifully decorated and then went to the town to SHOP! In Morocco, there is a haggling culture--Marissa, you would have loved it. We spoke in Spanish to the shopkeepers and basically negotiated every purchase. It was so much fun, but I have to say, Claudine must be part-Moroccan because she was great at it. I got a ton of souvenirs, so I was very happy. But it was also absolutely freezing, so when it came for dinner, I was so excited to get out of the cold!
We went as a big group to dinner at this cute restaurant, and we got to talk with Juan and Simo about A LOT of things--the youth in Morocco and the US, the laws, etc. My favorite topic was Simo's favorite American movies which included the Godfather, Shawshank Redemption, Training Day, and other classics--Simo had my seal of approval of being awesome!! I had another chicken tagine for dinner, and for dessert, I had a Moroccan pastry. I also ate the olives that they had on the table-- I know, who am I? But they were SO good!
After dinner, we regrouped with everyone in the hostel and talked about our trip and our experiences in Morocco. It was great to talk about what we saw and felt during our time there. After such a full day though, bed was greatly appreciated.
Our first stop of the day was to the Mausoleum of King Mohammed V. On the grounds is a Mosque, a masouleum, and the ruins of a large mosque. The bodies of the current King's father, grandfather (Mohammed V) and his uncle are in a beautiful building inscribed with Koran scriptures and mosaics. It was breathtaking and I loved the ceiling's design. There was also the ruins from a mosque that had been began, but was never finished. I believe the King Hassan II continued the construction of the mausoleum after his father's death. The ruins were from years ago though, and it would have been too expensive to finish it, so the pillars are still there, but nothing else. It was a beautiful day with a bright blue sky and the contrast between the giant pillars and the sky was awesome to see.
We stopped for coffee in a town named Wesan, and then it was another few hours up the mountains to a village family's home for lunch. Simo came with us because the family did not speak English, and it was easier to have a native speaker translate for us. We had a fantastic lunch of fresh vegetables--avocados, carrots, cucumbers, corn,and tomatoes with tuna and bread. Everyone was really excited to make a sandwiches out of the bread and vegetables because everything was so flavorful. The family also made us a vegetable couscous with cabbage and carrots, which was also great --the only problem was that we were all so full from the sandwiches that we couldn't really eat too much of the couscous! For dessert, we had more fresh fruit-I had a banana and of course, tea! But this tea was steeped with rosemary and basil, so it was even more flavorful than the mint one. It was incredible. During our tea time, we chatted with the farmer and his wife (through Simo) and discusses our studies and also their lifestyle. It was interesting to see Morocco from a rural perspective and the family was extremely intrigued by the American way of life and they asked questions about school, marriage, and our futures.
The farmer then took us on a walk of his land-- it was a beautiful hike up a mountain and we could see all the olive trees and other crops that he grows. The sun was almost setting. so it was really a breathtaking site to be that high in the mountains. overlooking the land. We also somehow got roped into singing for the farmer--so of course, we sand Build Me Up Buttercup by the Foundations...on top of a mountain...in Morocco. It was surreal, but a really fun memory to have.
We said goodbye to the family and thanked them for their hospitality. On our way down the mountain Juan explained to us that this family is a good example of the changes that are happening in Morocco. The farmer's first wife passed away while giving birth because they couldn't get to the hospital in time to save her. They don't have a car, the road was not paved to get down the mountain and the closest hospital was over an hour away. After his wife passed away, the farmer's mother decided to make a change. The grandmother, who cannot read or write, went everyday to the local government building and fought to pave the road. Eventually, they did, as well as make a clinic nearby. Juan told us that this woman's granddaughter is now in school, learning 3 languages, and it shows the wide difference between generations in Morocco. I thought the story was very inspiring because it shows how determination for change can make it a reality.
We drove for a few hours until we reached Chechouen. It is a beautiful town, know for its amazing hiking trails and tourism. We checked into our hostel, which was beautifully decorated and then went to the town to SHOP! In Morocco, there is a haggling culture--Marissa, you would have loved it. We spoke in Spanish to the shopkeepers and basically negotiated every purchase. It was so much fun, but I have to say, Claudine must be part-Moroccan because she was great at it. I got a ton of souvenirs, so I was very happy. But it was also absolutely freezing, so when it came for dinner, I was so excited to get out of the cold!
We went as a big group to dinner at this cute restaurant, and we got to talk with Juan and Simo about A LOT of things--the youth in Morocco and the US, the laws, etc. My favorite topic was Simo's favorite American movies which included the Godfather, Shawshank Redemption, Training Day, and other classics--Simo had my seal of approval of being awesome!! I had another chicken tagine for dinner, and for dessert, I had a Moroccan pastry. I also ate the olives that they had on the table-- I know, who am I? But they were SO good!
After dinner, we regrouped with everyone in the hostel and talked about our trip and our experiences in Morocco. It was great to talk about what we saw and felt during our time there. After such a full day though, bed was greatly appreciated.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Marreucos Day 2
So day 2 of our trip started nice and early, with an 8am breakfast at our homestay. Our host grandpa (we LOVED him) got up early and made us a Moroccan feast. There were flat crepe-like things that were a bit crispier that we spread with butter and fresh strawberry jam. There were also two types of honey--since I'm not a huge fan of honey, I only tried one of them. It was incredibly sweet, so I preferred the jam. They served the same kind of whole wheat bread from the night before with olive oil, which of course, I couldn't resist. The olive oil was very flavorful and fresh because Morocco is a big producer of it. There were also rolls with sesame seeds on them and a honey-bun type thing that was not too sweet.
We ate our breakfast with Ashraf, who explained that for Moroccans, it is very easy to get a passport, but nearly impossible to obtain a Visa. Like the two sisters from the day before, he had never been outside of Morocco. In order to get a Visa, a Moroccan has to have a lot of money and a job--basically to show that he or she will return to Morocco, so usually young Moroccans can't get them. Ashraf told us that he wants to visit California, New York, Washington D.C. and Texas, so I told him that one day, when he makes it to NY, he can come visit me!
So after our breakfast, we regrouped with everyone and drove about 20 minutes to Salle, a huge town next to Rabat which is know as a "dorm town" since a lot of people who work in Rabat actually live in Salle and commute because it is cheaper. We drove past the Salle shanty town, which is a huge area of unimaginable poverty. People there live in makeshift shelters, have to steal electricity, and don't have any running water. They work as handymen usually, which means that there is never a stable income, making social betterment impossible. This shanty town was the 3rd biggest in Morocco and was created in 1980 as people began moving from the country to the city to find jobs. It wasn't meant to be a permanent settlement by any means, but as time passed, more and more families found themselves in this reality. We were told that the police are scared to go and the people who live in the shanty town are scared of the police, so there is never any police influence, meaning crime is common. After our drive, we arrived at our destination.
Hope for Salle is a non-profit organization that tries to help the people in the shanty towns. It began in 2002, and in 2004 the NGO was a large meeting room and a classroom. In 2006, it was a meeting room, an administration room and an outside area. Now, it is in a large building with several rooms that was given to them by King Mohammed VI, PERSONALLY! Hope for Salle works predominately with children and young people, some with and some without diplomas. We sat down to speak with some of the volunteers and had one of the most stimulating conversations I think I have ever participated in. One of the volunteers is named Simo (a nickname for Muhammed), and he was great! He also accompanied us on our trip the next day, but we met him because he works at Hope for Salle. The volunteers explained that they help young girls stay in school by offering extra classes and the center, and a grant from the government is going to allow them to help 400 girls this year. They also help people find jobs and even teach them how to look for a job. I realized that this center is some peoples' career services, but there is a major problem with corruption in Morocco, so even if someone is qualified for a job, the person won't get the job unless he or she has connections to the right people.
We got into some pretty heavy political talk at one point of the conversation--it was really interesting to see what the Moroccans thought of their own government and America's upcoming elections. I noticed that pretty much everyone in Morocco was more informed about the American issues than the average American! The volunteers explained that the poor people had been marginalized by the local government and a while ago, there was an incident where the shanty town people began throwing garbage in the middle of a busy street in order to demand help. The new government's Prime Minister, who had been just elected came and walked through the shanty towns without bodyguards and the media to stop the roadblocks. This connection to the people makes the Moroccans hopeful that this government will be more "with the people." The agreement reached dictates that every two shanty homes will be demolished and turned into a two story apartment.
We also discussed the Arab spring movement that Egypt started last January. We asked our host why they thought that the Moroccan people didn't have a violent uprising like Syria and Egypt. Their response was that the King is a symbol of stability and also that there are many different ethnic groups, making it difficult to organize everyone behind one common cause. The February 20th movement from last year was a peaceful protest by the Moroccan people regarding the high level of unemployment. On March 9th, a new constitution was proposed. This fast action showed that violence wasn't needed to achieve change. Moreover, Morocco gets a lot of money from business with Europe (like agriculture) so if there were a revolution, the economy would be negatively impacted. They also explained to us that now that Egypt and Tunisia are in ruins since their revolt, Morocco is now the #1 country for Northern African tourism, which is obviously beneficial to them.
We asked them what they thought about American politics-- one thing that the volunteers were clear about was that in their mind, there was a difference between the American government and the American people. They think that the government is still an imperial power and that American democracy is not true democracy and used the war in Iraq as an example of how the elected officials don't truly represent the will of the people. They also thought it was hypocritical for the government to fight for democracy in oil rich countries, but ignore the ones without oil. I could see how their perspective was formed, based on what they saw in the news. I really enjoyed seeing how they viewed American policies because it is always cool to see an international perspective.
As a theology major, I was eagerly anticipating some discussion about their beliefs and the Islamic faith. When we asked them about September 11th, they rightfully so expressed annoyance and sadness that such a small group of radicals could taint the world's view of all Muslims. Moreover, they were upset because, in their words, the terrorists were not even Muslims! They said that nowhere in the Quran is what they did acceptable--they pointed out that there is a section that says in war, a Muslim must not kill a tree because it is a living thing, animals for the same reason, women, children, old men, someone unarmed and someone who surrenders. Thus, the true Islam is the opposite of a violent belief system, but rather promotes peace among all people. I made the point that the American view of Islam is, unfortunately, very negative due to uneducated people spreading falsities about the faith.
After our visit, we took a quick walk to the local market, which was outdoors and filled with strange smells, bright colors, and a ton of people. I thought how funny it would be if there were a bunch of tourists in Shoprite, taking pictures of all the produce--we must have looked like freaks to the Moroccans, but they were all very nice and smiled as we gawked. We said goodbye to the volunteers and got back on the bus to drive to Chellah.
Chellah is the site of old Roman ruins from the town Sala Colonia. Juan explained that it was a small merchant town, one of many that was responsible for feeding Rome. The town was eventually settled by Muslims, and the Almohad dynasty used the site as a necropolis. Sultan Abu I-Hasan later built a mosque and the area became an important Muslim post. There were still elements of the pagan tradtion though, shown in the fertility pools filled with eels. We were able to enter the mosque because it is no longer a functioning one-- in 1755, during a prayer, an earthquake in Lisbon caused the mosque to collapse. Many worshipers were killed, as well as the Imam who was presiding over the prayer. It is one of the only mosques in the world to have a grave inside it (the Imam's). The whole area is now a tourist attraction, but it also has one of the most beautiful gardens I've ever seen.
After this visit, it was back to our host family's house for lunch--and we were graced with two more guests, Professor Lamas and Juan! It was incredible to be sitting there with everyone because SO MANY languages were flying back and forth--Arabic, French, Spanish,. English, AH! Abir, the 11 year old niece knows 5 languages already and is studying Spanish now. It was so impressive. Lunch was a large tangine with couscous, squash, peas, carrots, potatoes, pickles and chicken. We found out that couscous is the traditional Friday lunch--it is kind of like Italian's Sunday lunch with sauce and meatballs because Friday is the Sabbath for Muslims. There was plenty of fresh fruit for dessert-- bananas, tangerines (P.S. the name is from Tangier!) and strawberries. We also had a ton of fun playing a card game that was sort of like UNO, but pumped up 3 notches. It was so much fun to hang out with everyone and just relax and laugh.
When lunch was over, we went on a tour of Rabat's Kabash (old fort), the Medina markets, and "New" Rabat. Our guides were a PhD student named Nassim who was studying law and Mohammed--they were total opposites on the political and religious scale, so it was an entertaining tour, to say the least. We had many discussions about religion and Christianity-- Mohammed was especially interested in how I could explain the Holy Trinity- all my theology classes sure helped me try to explain the concept to him. But in the end, we basically agreed to disagree. We also talked a lot about American culture and the perception of Arabic countries to the West. We had an afternoon snack at this cute cafe-- Claudine and I both had a cafe au lait and shared the perfect chocolate dessert. It was awesome- we even met up with one of the volunteers from Hope for Salle and continued our discussion from the morning. We then walked around "New" Rabat for a little while, which is a much more commercialized and urban area of Rabat.
We thanked our guides and met back up with the Fordham group, and we then walked to one host family's house to meet 2 Fulbright stduents who are doing research in Morocco. It was a fascinating conversation, and I am definietly going to look into a Fulbright --but it is something I have to do soon!!
After this conversation, it was time for the Hamman--the traditional Arabic bath! I was a little wary because I didn't really understand how it would work, but it was quite the experience. It was kind of a large steam room with faucets of hot water, everyone got a large plastic bucket to put the hot water in, and we were all given natural soap and a scrubber to use. All of us Americans wore our bathing suits and washed our hair, but it was definitely interesting trying to wash our hair with a smaller bucket of water. It was SO warm though, so we didn't really want to leave. Moreover, I was terrified that once I left the Hammam, I would be absolutely freezing outside, but somehow, I was the warmest I had been there yet. The warmth lasted for about an hour and a half, so I was so happy that I actually went to the Hamman.
When we got back to our house, we had dinner, which was pasta noodles in a tomato sauce. We played another round of the card game, and then it was finally time for bed.
We ate our breakfast with Ashraf, who explained that for Moroccans, it is very easy to get a passport, but nearly impossible to obtain a Visa. Like the two sisters from the day before, he had never been outside of Morocco. In order to get a Visa, a Moroccan has to have a lot of money and a job--basically to show that he or she will return to Morocco, so usually young Moroccans can't get them. Ashraf told us that he wants to visit California, New York, Washington D.C. and Texas, so I told him that one day, when he makes it to NY, he can come visit me!
So after our breakfast, we regrouped with everyone and drove about 20 minutes to Salle, a huge town next to Rabat which is know as a "dorm town" since a lot of people who work in Rabat actually live in Salle and commute because it is cheaper. We drove past the Salle shanty town, which is a huge area of unimaginable poverty. People there live in makeshift shelters, have to steal electricity, and don't have any running water. They work as handymen usually, which means that there is never a stable income, making social betterment impossible. This shanty town was the 3rd biggest in Morocco and was created in 1980 as people began moving from the country to the city to find jobs. It wasn't meant to be a permanent settlement by any means, but as time passed, more and more families found themselves in this reality. We were told that the police are scared to go and the people who live in the shanty town are scared of the police, so there is never any police influence, meaning crime is common. After our drive, we arrived at our destination.
Hope for Salle is a non-profit organization that tries to help the people in the shanty towns. It began in 2002, and in 2004 the NGO was a large meeting room and a classroom. In 2006, it was a meeting room, an administration room and an outside area. Now, it is in a large building with several rooms that was given to them by King Mohammed VI, PERSONALLY! Hope for Salle works predominately with children and young people, some with and some without diplomas. We sat down to speak with some of the volunteers and had one of the most stimulating conversations I think I have ever participated in. One of the volunteers is named Simo (a nickname for Muhammed), and he was great! He also accompanied us on our trip the next day, but we met him because he works at Hope for Salle. The volunteers explained that they help young girls stay in school by offering extra classes and the center, and a grant from the government is going to allow them to help 400 girls this year. They also help people find jobs and even teach them how to look for a job. I realized that this center is some peoples' career services, but there is a major problem with corruption in Morocco, so even if someone is qualified for a job, the person won't get the job unless he or she has connections to the right people.
We got into some pretty heavy political talk at one point of the conversation--it was really interesting to see what the Moroccans thought of their own government and America's upcoming elections. I noticed that pretty much everyone in Morocco was more informed about the American issues than the average American! The volunteers explained that the poor people had been marginalized by the local government and a while ago, there was an incident where the shanty town people began throwing garbage in the middle of a busy street in order to demand help. The new government's Prime Minister, who had been just elected came and walked through the shanty towns without bodyguards and the media to stop the roadblocks. This connection to the people makes the Moroccans hopeful that this government will be more "with the people." The agreement reached dictates that every two shanty homes will be demolished and turned into a two story apartment.
We also discussed the Arab spring movement that Egypt started last January. We asked our host why they thought that the Moroccan people didn't have a violent uprising like Syria and Egypt. Their response was that the King is a symbol of stability and also that there are many different ethnic groups, making it difficult to organize everyone behind one common cause. The February 20th movement from last year was a peaceful protest by the Moroccan people regarding the high level of unemployment. On March 9th, a new constitution was proposed. This fast action showed that violence wasn't needed to achieve change. Moreover, Morocco gets a lot of money from business with Europe (like agriculture) so if there were a revolution, the economy would be negatively impacted. They also explained to us that now that Egypt and Tunisia are in ruins since their revolt, Morocco is now the #1 country for Northern African tourism, which is obviously beneficial to them.
We asked them what they thought about American politics-- one thing that the volunteers were clear about was that in their mind, there was a difference between the American government and the American people. They think that the government is still an imperial power and that American democracy is not true democracy and used the war in Iraq as an example of how the elected officials don't truly represent the will of the people. They also thought it was hypocritical for the government to fight for democracy in oil rich countries, but ignore the ones without oil. I could see how their perspective was formed, based on what they saw in the news. I really enjoyed seeing how they viewed American policies because it is always cool to see an international perspective.
As a theology major, I was eagerly anticipating some discussion about their beliefs and the Islamic faith. When we asked them about September 11th, they rightfully so expressed annoyance and sadness that such a small group of radicals could taint the world's view of all Muslims. Moreover, they were upset because, in their words, the terrorists were not even Muslims! They said that nowhere in the Quran is what they did acceptable--they pointed out that there is a section that says in war, a Muslim must not kill a tree because it is a living thing, animals for the same reason, women, children, old men, someone unarmed and someone who surrenders. Thus, the true Islam is the opposite of a violent belief system, but rather promotes peace among all people. I made the point that the American view of Islam is, unfortunately, very negative due to uneducated people spreading falsities about the faith.
After our visit, we took a quick walk to the local market, which was outdoors and filled with strange smells, bright colors, and a ton of people. I thought how funny it would be if there were a bunch of tourists in Shoprite, taking pictures of all the produce--we must have looked like freaks to the Moroccans, but they were all very nice and smiled as we gawked. We said goodbye to the volunteers and got back on the bus to drive to Chellah.
Chellah is the site of old Roman ruins from the town Sala Colonia. Juan explained that it was a small merchant town, one of many that was responsible for feeding Rome. The town was eventually settled by Muslims, and the Almohad dynasty used the site as a necropolis. Sultan Abu I-Hasan later built a mosque and the area became an important Muslim post. There were still elements of the pagan tradtion though, shown in the fertility pools filled with eels. We were able to enter the mosque because it is no longer a functioning one-- in 1755, during a prayer, an earthquake in Lisbon caused the mosque to collapse. Many worshipers were killed, as well as the Imam who was presiding over the prayer. It is one of the only mosques in the world to have a grave inside it (the Imam's). The whole area is now a tourist attraction, but it also has one of the most beautiful gardens I've ever seen.
After this visit, it was back to our host family's house for lunch--and we were graced with two more guests, Professor Lamas and Juan! It was incredible to be sitting there with everyone because SO MANY languages were flying back and forth--Arabic, French, Spanish,. English, AH! Abir, the 11 year old niece knows 5 languages already and is studying Spanish now. It was so impressive. Lunch was a large tangine with couscous, squash, peas, carrots, potatoes, pickles and chicken. We found out that couscous is the traditional Friday lunch--it is kind of like Italian's Sunday lunch with sauce and meatballs because Friday is the Sabbath for Muslims. There was plenty of fresh fruit for dessert-- bananas, tangerines (P.S. the name is from Tangier!) and strawberries. We also had a ton of fun playing a card game that was sort of like UNO, but pumped up 3 notches. It was so much fun to hang out with everyone and just relax and laugh.
When lunch was over, we went on a tour of Rabat's Kabash (old fort), the Medina markets, and "New" Rabat. Our guides were a PhD student named Nassim who was studying law and Mohammed--they were total opposites on the political and religious scale, so it was an entertaining tour, to say the least. We had many discussions about religion and Christianity-- Mohammed was especially interested in how I could explain the Holy Trinity- all my theology classes sure helped me try to explain the concept to him. But in the end, we basically agreed to disagree. We also talked a lot about American culture and the perception of Arabic countries to the West. We had an afternoon snack at this cute cafe-- Claudine and I both had a cafe au lait and shared the perfect chocolate dessert. It was awesome- we even met up with one of the volunteers from Hope for Salle and continued our discussion from the morning. We then walked around "New" Rabat for a little while, which is a much more commercialized and urban area of Rabat.
We thanked our guides and met back up with the Fordham group, and we then walked to one host family's house to meet 2 Fulbright stduents who are doing research in Morocco. It was a fascinating conversation, and I am definietly going to look into a Fulbright --but it is something I have to do soon!!
After this conversation, it was time for the Hamman--the traditional Arabic bath! I was a little wary because I didn't really understand how it would work, but it was quite the experience. It was kind of a large steam room with faucets of hot water, everyone got a large plastic bucket to put the hot water in, and we were all given natural soap and a scrubber to use. All of us Americans wore our bathing suits and washed our hair, but it was definitely interesting trying to wash our hair with a smaller bucket of water. It was SO warm though, so we didn't really want to leave. Moreover, I was terrified that once I left the Hammam, I would be absolutely freezing outside, but somehow, I was the warmest I had been there yet. The warmth lasted for about an hour and a half, so I was so happy that I actually went to the Hamman.
When we got back to our house, we had dinner, which was pasta noodles in a tomato sauce. We played another round of the card game, and then it was finally time for bed.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Marreucos Day 1
Sorry for the delay, but it has taken me a few days to collect my thoughts and reflect on my experiences in Morocco. I experienced a total culture shock and was exposed to so many new things that it seems like an insurmountable task to write this post. But I really want to share what I saw and felt during my trip. It was such a learning experience that I couldn´t imagine not explaining it (or at least trying to). Well, I guess I should start at the begining...
Thursday Feb 2nd
All 16 of us had to meet at la puerta real at 6:45am for our bus ride to Tarifa (a southern port city in Spain). This meant a 5am wake up for everyone, so you can imagine how thrilled we were to be leaving at the time. But we all made it on time and left according to schedule. Half way through our bus ride, we stopped at a gas station for breakfast or snacks. I´m including this because I saw the strangest potato chip flavors there. There are paprika pringles and shrimp flavored chips...ew. It was bizarre to say the least. Then, after a few hours we arrived at the port in Tarifa. We all met Juan, aka Josh Groban's doppleganger, who was our guide for the whole trip. He joined the Peace Corps after college and was stationed in the countryside of Northern Morocco. He speaks Spanish and Dirija (the Moroccan dialect of Arabic). He finished his enrollment last fall and is now staying in Morocco until May to give tours like the one we went on. Ah, yes...so back to Tarifa. So, we took a boat from Tarifa to Tangier- it was about an hour long trip but it felt like FOREVER. The waters were extremely choppy and so most of us felt seasick the whole time...it was the definitely worst part of the entire trip.
So we finally arrived in Tangier and it was an immediate change from Spain. All the signs were in Arabic, people were speaking dialect all around us and even our money changed (to Dirhams, which actually have a great exchange rate from euros). We got on the bus and went to the center of town to visit DARNA, a women´s center which literally means "our house". The bus ride to DARNA was quite the experience. I am surprised we didn´t hit someone because it seemed like there were no pedestrian laws and the streets were SO NARROW. We drove through a street with a lot of little shopfronts so there was a multitude of colors, sounds and smells as we inched our way closer to town. It was such a crazy first introduction to the country--I totally felt like I was in sensory overload! Once we got off the bus, a man, who we ALL thought was part of our tour starting guiding us to DARNA. Juan informed us that he is what the Moroccans call a "fake guide" (in French, of course) which basically means he spends his days escorting American tourists to their destination and then asks for some money for his services. It was a brilliant scheme because a lot of the time, Americans will gladly give over a few Dirham. So after all the traveling we did, we were all starving..luckily for us, DARNA is also wonderful restaurant! Basically, in order to make more money to support the center, they opened a restaurant on the first level of the center with professionally trained chefs, so it is like a local place for business people to have their lunch. After our first bites, we could taste why so many people go. Our salad was fresh greens, a cherry tomato, and chopped cucumbers in a mayonnaise and dill dressing. Then came our main course--we were served a tagine,which is technically the name of the clay dish that meals are served in which has a tee-pee shaped clay top, of chicken, green beans and carrots in a wonderfully seasoned broth. I was worried that the food in Morocco would be too spicy for my taste, but I was excited to find out that really hot spices are not a big part of the Moroccan diet. Then, came the pièce de résistance, our dessert! It was this incredibly light lemon meringue pie that had the perfect consistency and a ton of lemon flavor (which anyone who has been to Arthur Ave with me would know, I love!) But that's not all...this meal was also our first introduction to Moroccan tea--it is a HUGE part of the culture and is served after every meal and as a pick-me-up during the day. It is traditionally green tea that has been steeped with a mint leaf and sweetened with what tasted like a pound of sugar. It was incredible and a perfect way to end the meal.
Our hosts during lunch were two sisters, one named Hajar but I can't remember her sister's name! They are in college in Tangier and they spent the entire lunch talking with us about the educational system in Morocco, their lives, the politics of their country, and so much more. I loved when we discussed what they think about Americans and we shared what stereotypes Americans have of Arabic speaking countries/ Muslims/ Morocco. It was really insightful to talk with these girls about topics like school and family because it just showed similar people are, even when they live a world away. What also blew me away was the fact that the girls spoke perfect English but had been studying it for less that 10 years. They only began English classes in High School. Oh, and they also spoke the Moroccan dialect, classical Arabic and French. CRAZY! All of us were like, we still struggle with English and Spanish and one is our native language! Almost everyone we met during this trip spoke at least 4 languages which was such a different experience than being in America, where being bilingual is considered an accomplishment. Wait til I get to Abir...But back to DARNA.
So after lunch, we got a tour of the center from the girls. DARNA works as a sort of trade school and classroom for women in Tangier. So there are two weaving rooms-- one with the traditional hand machines and one with automatic sewing machines where girls and women learn how to sew and make beautiful pieces. Then, once they learn the trade, they can get a job in Tangier. But DARNA aslo offers classes in classical Arabic (the written language of Morocco) and I think other languages as well to women of all ages. Moreover, they teach women basic math and a little French too. The sisters explained to us that about 50% of people in Morocco are illiterate, so the work that the center is doing is really helping the women of Tangier. Especially since 95% of the people who attend the classes are women...they girls said the reason for that is that the men get too frustrated...ahem. Anyway, we made our way up to the roof and when we looked out over the city, we were able to see a mountain in the distance...That mountain was Spain and the sisters informed us that we were at the closest point from Africa to Europe, about 14 km. It was really cool to think that just that morning, we had been in another continent. We were chatting on the roof when I asked the girls who their favorite American singers were. I almost died when one sister said her favorite is MICHAEL BUBLE! My love for him has no bounds, so I legitimately jumped up and down like a little school girl and gasped. It was embarrassing for about two seconds until I realized that I have something in common with this girl who literally lives an entire ocean and culture away. It was such a awesome moment (and the first of many) where I could see similarities between two different worlds.
So after lunch, we got a tour of the center from the girls. DARNA works as a sort of trade school and classroom for women in Tangier. So there are two weaving rooms-- one with the traditional hand machines and one with automatic sewing machines where girls and women learn how to sew and make beautiful pieces. Then, once they learn the trade, they can get a job in Tangier. But DARNA aslo offers classes in classical Arabic (the written language of Morocco) and I think other languages as well to women of all ages. Moreover, they teach women basic math and a little French too. The sisters explained to us that about 50% of people in Morocco are illiterate, so the work that the center is doing is really helping the women of Tangier. Especially since 95% of the people who attend the classes are women...they girls said the reason for that is that the men get too frustrated...ahem. Anyway, we made our way up to the roof and when we looked out over the city, we were able to see a mountain in the distance...That mountain was Spain and the sisters informed us that we were at the closest point from Africa to Europe, about 14 km. It was really cool to think that just that morning, we had been in another continent. We were chatting on the roof when I asked the girls who their favorite American singers were. I almost died when one sister said her favorite is MICHAEL BUBLE! My love for him has no bounds, so I legitimately jumped up and down like a little school girl and gasped. It was embarrassing for about two seconds until I realized that I have something in common with this girl who literally lives an entire ocean and culture away. It was such a awesome moment (and the first of many) where I could see similarities between two different worlds.
So after our wonderful first encounter with mint tea, tangines, and the Moroccan people, were were off to Asilah. The drive was supposed to take about an hour, but we were delayed because suddenly, our tour bus pulled off the side of the road. We were confused as to why we were stopping, until Juan turned around and told us "Oh, right, we are gonna get out now and ride some camels" ...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We were all shocked because camel riding was NOT on the itinerary. We climbed out of the bus onto a beautiful beach with the most amazing sunset in front of us with orange and pink clouds that touched the horizon. It was something out of a movie. The first four brave souls jumped on as we looked on to see if any of the camels were gonna freak out (well, I was anyway). But luckily, all of them were calm except for this one who was looking a little irritated. I steered clear of him and found my way to another camel. After the first horrifying second when the camel gets off the ground, the ride was pretty calm. It was surreal to say the least thouhg. Walking along the beach at sunset, on a camel in Africa, what more could I ask for? Well, I guess a gentler dismount...But after everyone had their ride, we were on our way.
We arrived and began our walk through Medina, the old town of Asilah. Juan explained that this town had a large Jewish influence, and so a lot of the buildings had blue on them. The green we saw on doors and buildings were the mark of Islam. The town and castle had been built by the Portuguese, but there were also ruins from the Romans and Carthaginians. We climbed to the top of this beautiful view of the water and the town, and Juan told us that that spot is where people who were punished to death were thrown into the water below. (Cue giant step back from the edge).
After our walk through Medina, we drove to Rabat, which took about 3 hours. When we pulled up to our stop, Claudine, our homestay roommate Karina, and I saw a young man and one a little older waiting across the street. Lamas told us that they were there to pick us up and take us to our homestay family. The young man's name was Ashraf (please excuse all spelling for the rest of these posts) and he was getting his masters in Linguistics and Language. Whoa. He spoke English, French, the dialect and classical Arabic and he was so excited to talk to us about our views on life and the world. It was really funny because he was talking to me the entire walk home and giving me pretty deep insights, like how he identified himself, when the older man (his uncle) told him to stop talking because I was so tired from the trip! But I didn't mind at all, because everyone knows how much I LOVE to talk. But one thing that he said that really struck me was that in a country as socially divided as Morocco, meaning there are different dialects, the Berber natives, Muslims, Jews, etc, he identifies himself as a Moroccan. He doesn't point to one aspect of his genetic makeup or the accent his family has or even what religion he follows, rather, he had a strong tie to his homeland. I explained how in America, when you ask someone "what are you?" or "how do you identify yourself?", chances are high that the response will be the nationality of one's ancestors. In America, people try to differentiate themselves from others by embracing their heritage, but with Ashraf, it was like he looked past all the differences to find a common ground with his fellow country men. It was wonderful to experience someone so open about something so personal. It made me feel right at home.
That feeling definitely continued as I was ushered into a beautiful, traditional Moroccan home with an open air ceiling and greeted by a ton of friendly faces. I met Aiysha, our hostess, her mother and father more of grandpa later), her niece Abir who is 11 and absolutely adorable and Ashraf's other cousin. We also met Ash, an Australian volunteer who is staying in Morocco to teach English to doctors for a month (although she said she loved it so much already that she is thinking of extending her visit). I can't even do the house justice with my description, so if you wanna see what it looks like, check out the photo album.
In Morocco, people eat around the same time as people in Spain, so by 9pm, we were all very hungry. The family had prepared a feast for us, and as we sat around the table, they brought out a delicious soup (perfect because we were so cold!). Our second course was an enormous tangine with chicken, carrots and peas, and then they also had sweets on the table during dinner. We also participated in the Moroccan way of eating, which means that there is one giant dish that everyone shares. The family explained that in their culture, sharing a meal is like sharing a blessing and thus, families and guests always eat of the same dish. You get a little triangle that is in front of you (Juan told us this in the bus), but it was kind of cool to be literally sharing a meal together. There was a backlava type philo dough one with dates, almonds and honey drizzled on top and something else that I honestly have no idea what it was was---but it was good! There were also fresh dates on the table, another Moroccan staple. Bread is also a huge part of Moroccan meals, so we had this hearty, wheat bread at every single meal, everywhere we went. Of course, our meal concluded with numerous cups of the sweet mint tea. We relaxed at the table, chatting and laughing with the family...there was also some screaming because the uncle came in with a Scream mask on and everyone thought it was hilarious. He also stuck a cigarette in the mouth of the mask, which made for more laughs. We took pictures of the whole thing, so once I email the family, I hope to get some of them so I can share them. After an extremely eventful day, we were all VERY excited to go to bed. So we said our good nights and went to our room, which can be seen in the photo album. It was a very traditional looking Moroccan room which Juan told us was common in their homes.
So this is only the first blog post about Morocco (now you can see why it took me so long!) I hope to do the other ones much quicker, but since this blog is also my way to remember my trip, I didn't want to leave anything out!
Hasta luego!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)