Segovia

I left around ten o'clock this morning to catch a bus to Madrid, so that I could take the Metro to the train station, so that I could ride the rain to Segovia, and finally take a bus to the city center. It was a long process. Waiting, sitting, waiting, standing, waiting...you get the point. It took awhile, but by noon I'd made it.

The first thing I saw after stepping off the extremely overcrowded bus was the ancient Roman aqueduct. Built almost two thousand year ago, it was used to carry water to the small city before Spain was even a country. I found it amazing that I was standing  beneath something that was built during the time of the Roman Empire.

The aqueduct is the gateway to the historic, touristy part of town. Tons of shops and restaurants line the narrow streets. After climbing the stairs to get a better view of the aqueduct and town I set off down one of those streets, following the hoards of tourists towards Segovia's other two big attractions.

I reached the Cathedral first. It was huge. I didn't pay for the ticket to go inside, but I did get to see parts of the interior from the entrance. i love cathedrals, and this one was just as grand as the few others I've been in. The high ceilings, medieval architecture, and beautiful stained glass made it amazing.

From the Cathedral I walked to the famous Segovia "Alcazar" or castle. They say that this castle is one that inspired the design of Cinderella's Castle at Disneyland. Walking up to this giant fortress definitely made me feel like I was in a fairytale, or at least as if I'd travelled back in time. Since I couldn't pass up the chance to go inside an actual real life castle, I bought a ticket for this one.

Segovia Alcazar was built nearly a thousand years ago, and I honestly don't know how they did it. It's so big! The inside is decorated with intricate ceiling designs, paintings, and artistic tapestries. There are also knights in their armor standing guard throughout the castle.

I walked through each room and then climbed the 152 steps to the top of the tower. The view was pretty awesome.

Walking from the castle back toward the aqueduct I found the plaza mayor, along with many interesting shops that I'd look in later. First I needed lunch. The problem was, I'd never a) Ordered a meal in Spanish and, b) Eaten at a restaurant alone. I was a bit intimidated.

I walked up and down the streets trying to pick the best place to eat. Everywhere was packed. As I came upon a frozen yogurt shop I decided to do dessert first. Froyo was easier thatn a meal :)

Even after delicious froyo though, I knew I needed real food. I finally settled on a little place near the aqueduct. I successfully ordered my food in Spanish (Though I had no idea was the guy was saying when he asked if I'd like to sit outside or inside).  Pizza probably wasn't a very traditional Spanish pick, but it was amazing nonetheless. It was really, really good. And I'm a particularly picky pizza person. Try saying that ten times fast :)

I ate half the pizza and was stuffed. Saving the rest for later I spent the next couple of hours perusing the shops. So. Many. Scarves!

Around 5pm I went back to the aqueduct and sat on the steps. I spent the next hour or so people watching, listening to the many entertainers nearby, and just enjoying the small Spanish town. People are so funny. I watched one man make his way from one end of the square to the other. He'd take three steps, then take a picture. Three more steps...picture. Three more steps...picture again. He did that probably twenty times. He wasn't watching where he was going and people kept running in to him. It was ridiculous!

Around 6:30pm I got on a bus and went back to the train station. My train didn't leave until 8pm, so I had awhile to wait. Waiting, wandering, getting lost.... that's really what much of my travel experiences have been. Its like life really. Even when you're not quite sure which way to go, go. Keep moving, don't give up, and in the end everything works out :)



Tomorrow I'm going to the city to experience El Rastro, a giant flea market. In fact, I think it's the largest in Europe. This coming week I hope to see the Prado Museum and Retiro Park in Madrid. And next weekend I travel with some new friends to Barcelona. And so, the adventure continues...

Chocolate Con Churros

Yesterday I took the bus into Madrid again. My first stop was the Plaza Mayor, a giant square right in the middle of the city surrounded by shops and restaurants. I loved walking through all the small streets surrounding the Plaza, because they were so colorful and had such an authentic Spanish feel.

I hadn't had breakfast yet, so I decided to try out a traditional Spanish breakfast: Chocolate con churros. Just a block over from the Plaza Mayor is a famous Chocolateria called San Gines. They've been around for well over a hundred years, and they're known for some of the best Chocolate and Churros.

San Gines was a bit difficult to find. You head down a side street and it's tucked away back in the corner. But it was packed. I went in and ordered ("Un chocolate con churros por favor") and found a table.

Now imagine the best hot chocolate you've ever had. But it's thicker, nearly as thick as melted chocolate. And imagine the best churros ever, still hot from the fryer. NOW imagine dipping the churros in the chocolate and eating it all together. Yes. It was amazing. I know it was terrible for me. But it was worth it :)

After San Gines I needed to walk off all of the chocolatey, sugary goodness. So I went back to the Plaza Mayor and went out the other side, headed for the Palacio Real. Instead, I found el Mercado de San Miguel. It's a food market, and it was filled with tourists and locals alike. I had to squeeze my way through the crowds to get a peek at all the amazing looking paella, empanadas, and sweets that lines the display cases. People were stopped in the middle of the market having a drink, tasting wine, trying different foods, and buying their lunch. It was a fun place to experience. I'll have to go again when I'm not so full and try some of the foods.

From San Gines I walked for a few minutes and found my way to Almudena Cathedral. It was right across from the Palacio Real (Royal Palace). I paid five euros to get into the Palace and tour the numerous rooms and halls. I found it pretty incredible that the ceilings, walls, and floors were all intricately decorated in every single room. And there were a lot of rooms. One of the rooms was larger than the entire downstairs of our house, and then I find out it was used as the King's dressing room!

After touring the palace I made my way back to bus stop (Without getting lost this time) and went back to the house.

That was yesterday.



Today I had my first "Tutoring" session. Sort of.

I'm supposed to be helping Santi with his English homework. But the past couple of days he hasn't had any English homework. And yesterday he and his dad went to see Real Madrid play. So today six o'clock came around, and I asked what he wanted to do.

First, we played monopoly. I had him tell me all the directions in English and count the spaces after he rolled the dice. His English is pretty good, but he has difficulty with pronunciation. His vocabulary is also much more limited than that of his sisters. He asked me a few times what certain things are called in English.

Next, we played basketball. Well, not really. We shot the ball from different places on the court to see if we could get it in the basket. While we did this I asked him about his favorite movies, school subjects, and sports. Of course, his favorite sport is futbol.

After that we jumped on their trampoline. He said he loves to jump. I told him I could do flips and he wanted to see, so I showed him. He asked me all sorts of questions about how I learned to do flips and what else I could do. Then I tried to teach him a forward roll, which was really funny. He just didn't get it. But he thought it was great, and when we were heading back inside he said to me, "Okay, next time, you teach me to back flip."

Yeah, probably not :)


It's going to take awhile to really get used to being here, but I'm slowly starting to. I'm planning on taking a day trip to Segovia this weekend, so that will be yet another fun adventure. And next weekend I'm probably going to Barcelona. After that I've got eight more weekends to use up. Any ideas? :)

The City

Today I woke up determined to make it into Madrid, even though I'd forgotten to get euros at the cash machine at the airport. So the first thing I had to do was figure out how to get cash.

I google mapped the area and found out that there was a mall just a short walk from where I'm staying. Down the street, over a footbridge that went across the highway, and down another street I found it. Apparently no one goes shopping at 11am, because it very empty. But it had a cash machine, so I put in my card and hoped I could translate what the machine was telling me to do.

My card didn't work. Beings that it was a cash machine in a small mall that wasn't in the main city, I should have expected that American cards wouldn't work. So, my walk continued.

Luckily, my next venture was a bit more successful. A little farther down the street I came across a train station. The ticket machines DID accept my card, and I bought a one way ticket into Madrid for less than two euros (The the whole process took three times as long as it should have because I didn't know "Enter your pin" in Spanish).

The train took me into the center of Madrid: Puerta Del Sol. At the metro station there I bought a bus pass valid for ten uses, so that I could take the bus to and from Madrid from now on. The bus stop is a lot closer to the house than the train. When I walked out of the metro into Puerta Del Sol, it was pretty awesome. There were people everywhere. Sitting by the fountain, talking with friends, looking at the statues, or making their way across the square. Around the Square there are various shops and restaurants. Some are small local ones, but they also have a Sephora, Starbucks, and Apple store :).

There was one difference I noticed right away between Madrid and London. In London, everyone has somewhere to be and they know how to speed walk to get there. In Madrid, everything moves a bit slower. People stop to admire buildings or talk with other people they run into on the street, and no one is worried about being in someone else's way. It seems more relaxed, and it's kind of nice. There's just something about London though...

From Puerta Del Sol I walked down the Gran Via, which had some beautiful buildings. I passed many shops, hotels, museums, a casino, and government buildings. I didn't go into any of the buildings today, but instead spent my time trying to familiarize myself with the city. Its kind of nice knowing I can take my time exploring Madrid.

I walked awhile longer and saw the Prado, a famous art museum. After that I decided I wanted to find my way back to my host family home.

I knew I had to find bus #162. But none of the bus stops said that bus 162 stopped there. I found a bus map and learned that I had to take the metro across town to get to the right stop. So I did. I got off near a University and walked up the street a ways before I realized I was going the wrong way. So I turned around and walked for another mile or so before I finally found the right stop. What is up with me and getting lost?

Anyway, the bus was the right bus and I got off at the right stop. From the bus stop it's only a couple minutes walk back to the house. I walked in at 3:30, just in time for lunch. Lunch is a big deal in Spain and happens after the kids are home from school and their Mom is home from work. Then, everyone eats together. I had lunch with Stefi and Ethel (The Mom), and it was very nice. They asked me about my day in the city and gave me advice on what other cities I should go see. And though there are still some language barriers, It's not as awkward as it was when I first arrived.

I was going to start tutoring tonight, but Santi, who I would normally work with, is sick. I'm also going to be working with Stefi once she starts her Proficiency exam studies, but she hasn't started yet. So...maybe I'll start tomorrow? We'll see!

Madrid

Yesterday I said goodbye to London. After all of the amazing things I got to experience there, it was really hard. But my adventure wasn't over yet. Not even close.

After an hour wait to find out which gate I'd be at, and another half an hour waiting to board, I finally made it on the plane. Though I'd thought about the language barrier that would be present while staying in Madrid, it didn't really hit me until that moment. Sitting on a plane surrounded by people speaking only in Spanish, I suddenly felt very alone. It was a completely different feeling taking off from London than it had been leaving Seattle.

The flight was short, just under two hours. When we got off the plane in Madrid I was surprised to find the airport empty. There was hardly anyone walking around, no lines for passport check, and no other passengers waiting around other baggage claim carousels. It was as if ours was the only flight to have arrived within the last few hours. It was really strange.

When I finally got my suitcase, I headed for the exit. The Mom of the family I was to stay with said they'd meet me outside a cafe right past the exit. The only problem was, I didn't actually know what they looked like. Thankfully they'd seen my picture, and as soon as I walked out a man and woman standing off to the side said, "Megan?". It was a lot easier than I had thought it would be.

They drove me home from the airport. They're both very nice, and both have a basic conversational level of English, though their accents make them difficult to understand sometimes. Their house is huge. My bedroom is downstairs in the daylight basement. Upstairs there are four more bedrooms, a large family/dining/tv room, a separate tv/theater room, and a nice kitchen. On the other side of the house is another downstairs, where there's yet another bedroom. The walls on the main floor are all glass, and look out to the tennis courts and pool and deck.

When I first arrived they showed me the house, then showed me to my room and said they'd let me unpack. I did. It was 8 o'clock. I waited two hours before they came down and told me they were going out. The oldest daughter, Ichi, was going to make me dinner. Their other two kids were out with friends.

Ichi and I talked a bit while she heated up a frozen pizza for dinner. Not exactly what I imagined as my first meal in Spain, but considering it was 10:30 by the time we got to eat it, it didn't matter. I was starving. Ichi is nice. She's 18 and studying medicine at "University". She asked me some questions about where I was from and why I was doing this program. Her English is very good.

I also met Stefi last night, who is 16. Again, her English is very good. I'm supposed to help her with study for her proficiency exam, but I'm not sure how much help she'll need. I guess we'll see.

I went to bed around midnight. Everyone else, including the 14 year old, was still out.



This morning I woke up around 10:30 and took my time getting ready. I went upstairs about 11:30 and no one was up. I waited a few minutes. The boy, Santi, appeared. He introduced himself and then asked if I wanted breakfast. He went to the cupboard and pulled out Oreos and Chips ahoy. "Biscuits," he said. Luckily, he also showed me where the bread was and said I could make toast. Cookies for breakfast? What?

The rest of the family woke up within the next hour. I gave them the gifts that I'd brought: Smoked Salmon, Almond Roca, and a book with pictures from Washington State. They enjoyed seeing the pictures, and thanked me for the gifts. Then I went with a couple of the kids so they could show me where the bus stop was. Its just down the street, and it'll take me into the city in about a half an hour.

I spent the next couple of hours trying to figure out how to connect to their wifi. It just wasn't working, and my phone still won't connect. At least my computer finally worked out. At 4pm, Stefi came and told me lunch was ready. I ate with her and her dad (The rest of the family was at their lake house). For lunch we had really itty bitty hamburgers, tomato slices, and Russian salad. It was all good. For "Dessert" we had strawberries and melon. Stefi asked, "Do you usually eat fruit as desert in America?" I told her we didn't, but we probably should :)

So, everything is fine here in Madrid. Its all going to take a lot of getting used to, living with a different family on a different schedule in a different country. I feel like most conversations are awkward right now, but I'm sure it'll get better. Tomorrow I'm going into Madrid to explore, and then have my first night of tutoring in the evening. I'm also planning on meeting up with some of the other Americans in the program this week. I probably won't update every day from now on, but I'll try my best to blog at least every few days :)

Tower and Tea

Day 5: My last day in London

Tomorrow I leave for Madrid, which means today was my last full day in England. I slept in a bit and then decided to head into London one last time. Last night hadn't been sure if I wanted to go back into the city today or just stay in Rayleigh, but there were a few things I hadn't yet seen. So I decided to make it a short trip.

I got to London around 11:00 and took the tube to Tower Bridge. I had not expected the Tower of London to be so BIG. It was a giant medieval castle in the middle of a bustling metropolitan city. I loved the many giant stone towers and huge gateways into the fortress. There were thousands of fake poppies placed all around the base of the castle, each to commemorate a soldier who had died in battle in WWI. I was definitely glad to not have missed seeing this attraction.

As I walked around the Tower of London I came to the edge of the river. From here were great views of Tower Bridge. I walked up to the bridge and made my way across, amazed at how much work must've gone into what could've been a simple bridge.

Next I hopped back on the tube and got off at Embankment, where I walked across the bridge to the South bank of the Thames. Vendors were selling meals and sweets, and souvenir carts were everywhere. People roamed around buying things from the carts and riding the small carnival rides that were there. 

A couple minutes walk brought me to the gigantic London Eye. The line was HUGE, so I didn't go up in it. But it was cool to stand beneath it and imagine what being up that high might be like. I'm not sure I would like it...

I continued to walk down the south bank towards the bridge. From here I could see Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. I bought an ice cream cone and walked across the bridge, taking in the iconic view of London and soaking up the city as an old man in a kilt played bagpipes nearby. It was lovely.

I had seen what I had come to see, so I again got on the tube and made my way back to the train station. I arrived at the station three minutes before the next train to Rayleigh, and speed-walked my way onto the train just in time :)

I arrived back in Rayleigh around 2:30. After we had picked Olivia up from school, Benita, Olivia, and I all went downtown for afternoon tea. We sat at a corner table in a cute little shop that was so old it's ceiling was crooked. The tea was fabulous. On a three tiered tray we were brought a variety of sandwiches (Smoked salmon and cream cheese was my favorite), Scones (Which were amazing), and two different kinds of cake. Olivia rushed through her real food so she could get to the cake, and once she started eating it it was all she could talk about. Everything was really delicious. It was a lovely English afternoon tea experience. :)

Later in the evening Benita and I went out for curry and some drinks. I hadn't ever had real curry, and it's a pretty popular dish here in England. We tried the first two levels of "spiciness". They were both delicious, though the spices are definitely different than what I'm used to.

And so ends my time in England. It really was the best week I've had in a long time...perhaps ever. I will really miss the city, and the train rides, and the accents :) As a last post from the UK, here are some of my loves and disloves...

What I disliked:
1. Smoke: London has the most cigarette smoke I've ever experienced in a city anywhere. Perhaps its because its a larger city than I'm used to. But wherever I went there was someone blowing smoke in my face, and having just got over a cold my lungs are already cough prone. No fun.

2. Water: Even the bottled water tasted funny to me. I guess it's something you have to get used to...

3. Prices: There's no doubt about it, London is an expensive city. Even riding the tube can be pricy if you do it often enough. And don't even think about eating in a restaurant in the city, it's very pricey.


What I loved:
1. Everything else. Literally. I loved the safe feel of the city. I loved the buildings, the history, the culture. I loved the organization of the tube (Maps and directions everywhere). I loved the accents (Even those I couldn't understand). I loved the way people seem to get together and go out on every possible occasion. I loved riding the trains. I loved the country side. I loved the hustle and bustle of the city. I loved the parks. I loved that its a completely different world even though there are many similar aspects to America. Its like living in an alternate universe. I loved the foods. I loved the shops.

I really loved London. And I'll be back.

Oxford

Day 4:

It was just like the movies: Someone running, bag and ticket in hand, towards the train platform. Just as they approach the bell starts to ding, the clock reads the train departure time, and the man closes the door. He then turns around, sees the runner and their look of desperation, and reluctantly opens the train door once more. The runner hops on and the train is moving before they even find their seat.

Yep. That was me.

It didn't have to be. I had the choice to catch the 10:22 train or wait half an hour for the next one. But I'd just spent the last hour on a train and the tube, and I was done waiting. I was determined to make this train.

And I did. 

Slightly out of breath, I took one of the last seats on the train next to an old man. He turned to me and asked where I was from. I told him I was from the States. That was all he needed to start a conversation. He told me he was born in New Zealand, moved to London thirty years ago, and has been there ever since. His kids were all born and raised in London and he loves the city. He goes back to New Zealand every year but, it's too calm there. He basically told me his life story. He wanted to know what I'd seen in London so far. He was really very nice, and it was fun to actually have a conversation with someone from London.

At one point he said, "you're going to Oxford? Here's something interesting." I waited, and he said, "you know the book, "the Hobbit"? It was written by a fellow there."

Really? You don't say? :)

I got off the train at Oxford and was immediately in college town. Well, it was more like castle meets tourist hot spot meets college town. There were hundreds of people roaming the streets, going into the various shops and watching the street performers. As I got closer to the university the buildings got older. I didn't quite know where to start, so I just kept walking towards the giant towers and buildings.

The first building I saw was St. Mary's church . Admission was free so I walked in and had a look around. Then (for a small fee) I climbed the many steps to the top of the tower and got an amazing view of the city. 

After St. Mary's I walked by the Radcliffe Camera and the Bodlein Library. Both are incredible buildings. Then I went in search of the oxford market. I'd heard (read online) good things about the oxford market. But this was not what I'd expected. There were a lot of butchers and cobblers and things like that. Very few places selling cooked foods, and no souvenir or gift shops. Don't believe everything you see on the internet.

Moving on from there I continued to wander. I took pictures of so many different buildings. I didn't know what a lot of those building were. The campus was like a maze. Small alleyways, garden paths, and cobblestone streets lined with these beautiful old buildings. They also had HUGE doors. Most of the buildings were closed to the public, so I mostly just admired them from the outside.




After a while of wandering I came across the Ashmolean Museum. A history museum, it houses artifacts from all the major ancient empires. I had a quick look inside and got some pics from the "Ancient Rome" and "Ancient Egypt" portions...

From there I continued down the street and happened to see the "Eagle and Child", a pub the C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and their many other writer friends used to frequent. They'd sit in this tiny place and eat and drink and share their stories. It was here that the first drafts of "The Lord of The Rings" and "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" were shared with friends. Ready for lunch, I walked in. You enter through a tiny hallway, with small rooms on either side each housing two small round tables. It doesn't get much bigger in the back. I can imagine it being quite a crowded place with more than the five customers it had when I was there :)

After lunch I turned around and walked to the other side of the University. There I saw Magdalene College, where C.S. Lewis taught during his years at Oxford. I then walked by the Botanical Gardens on my way to Christ Church College and Cathedral.

After seeing Christ Church College I continued down the street to Oxford Castle. I had a quick look inside but didn't want to take the extensive tour of the building. Looking back now, I kind of wish I had gone into more of the buildings and churches. I guess that's what happens when you only have one day in a city with so much to see.

Since it was a two hour trip back to Rayleigh, I took the 4:00 train. However, tube and train delays meant I didn't get in until 7:30. It was an exhausting journey. But when I think about it, though I didn't go inside all the buildings or see everything I wanted to, it still was worth it. Just being there was amazing. Standing on old stones, surrounded by buildings that were built a thousand years ago, listening to the bells of Magdalene Church, feeling the history in the air... there's no way to really describe it. And I think those indescribable moments are really what travel is all about.


So, about Grad School... :)