Dieci giorni in Spagna

Back in Italy! Sorry for the delay in updates, but it's hard to sit and blog when you're on the go in Spain.

FRIDAY
We woke up and got a taxi to the airport. When we are standing in line to check in, Matt realizes he had left his passport back at the apartment. Our flight was taking off in less than an hour. Miraculously, he was able to grab another taxi, tell the driver to speed as fast as possible (which Italian drivers are very capable of doing), and get there and back just in time. That pretty much set the tone for the rest of our trip. We arrived in Madrid, checked in to our hostels, and explored the city.

SATURDAY
We took a free walking tour of Madrid. It was organized by our hostel, so we weren't expecting too much...and for good reason. Our tour guide showed up drunk, likely high, and affected by "the chemicals" as he called them. He informed us that he does the pub crawls at night, then the free tours the next morning--poor combination by my estimation. Aside from a rocky start, I was pleased with the tour. He was comical and more-or-less informative. He was empassioned and enthralling. Free tour guides expect tips at the end, however, I only tipped a few euro. Sorry, Adam. After learning from our tour guide how crazy Madrid nightlife could be, we had to see for ourselves. We went to a 7-STORY discoteca! It was insane! Brooke and I ended up on the main dance floor just in time to feel the cold frost shoot down from a compressor in the ceiling. Without air conditioning, I guess that is the only way to cool the club down. After a few blasts of frost, confetti came down! I got home with confetti still in my hair! In most of Spain, lunch is served around 2 p.m., then dinner around 9 p.m. or so. In Madrid, bars and pubs don't open until after midnight--so you know you're going to be out late. The metro closes at 1 a.m. and reopens at 5 a.m. So you're expected to stay out until the metro reopens! I don't know how they do it.

SUNDAY
We visited the famous Prado and Reina Sofia museums. We saw some classics by Velazquez, Picasso, Dali, and others. Spanish artists are awesome! By far, Spain has the coolest art I have seen. We visited those museums during their "free" times. College students will do anything to save a buck! We also went to Retiro Park, a beautiful public area complete with manmade lake (with rowboats!) and recreation areas.

MONDAY
We woke up Monday, checked out, and caught a train to Seville. After checking in to our hostel, I met up with Mike and other TCU students studying in Seville. It was so good to see a familiar face! It was fun to compare experiences (homestay vs. apartment, Spanish vs. Italian cultures and languages, social norms, etc.). Seville was very laid back. It was as though you could literally feel the country of Spain when you walked its streets. I liked it a lot! We went out for tapas that night. When we got back to the hostel, I wasn't feeling well and ended up throwing up. Abby also threw up. And so did Lauren. We had all eaten the same pork at dinner, so we concluded it was undercooked or something. Once in the night, I threw up again. That wasn't so fun. And I felt bad for my hostel mates (sorry!). Now I have a literal and figurative bad taste in my mouth for tapas and sangria.

TUESDAY
I didn't let the rocky night get me down. I met Mike for lunch, then he showed me his house. I met his senora as she was cooking lunch. She doesn't speak any English and I don't speak much Spanish at all (I get bits since I study Italian), so that exchange was translated for us. Later that night, I ate dinner there, but we should have planned that in advance. Mike asked her only an hour or so before dinner and she was not too happy about the last minute request. She obliged nonetheless, so I cannot complain. Later that night, I decided to take a "quicker" way home. FYI, that isn't the best idea when you have no phone or map. I stubbornly wandered for about an hour and a half, until at 3:30 a.m. I decided to snag a cab. Four euro later, I had made it back and went to bed.

(Matt and Abby left for Morocco instead of staying with us--that's a saga I'll discuss in a little bit)

WEDNESDAY
We flew to Valencia as an intermediary to Barcelona. The flight was only 40 euro and then train to Barcelona was only going to be 17 euro. There is an AMAZING aquarium in Valencia, but we couldn't stomach the 20+ euro prices. We shopped around, found a TON of barber shops and hair salons--if you every need a new doo, you know where to go.

THURSDAY
Our train to Barcelona wasn't until 3 p.m., so we headed to the beach in Valencia. We ate vegetable paella on the boardwalk and enjoyed the beautful sunshine and gorgeous view. It was slightly chilly with the wind so there weren't a ton of people out and about, but we enjoyed the glimpse nonetheless. We had to hurry back to the hostel to grab our bags and get to the train station. We barely made it!

(We were expecting to meet Matt and Abby in Barcelona, but got emails and facebook messages from Abby. She said that their excursion to Morocco didn't happen, but they were determined to take it, so they would be a day late. They wouldn't be taking their scheduled train, but a flight the next night instead).

We get to Barcelona and take the metro to our hostel! In all of Spain, but especially Barcelona, we were being extra cautious with our belongings in public. It is the worst city for tourists since their pickpockets are so good. But it is the best city for tourists with its beauty and abundance of things to do! That night, I met Jillian and her roommate (whose wallet I promptly returned after she lost it in Florence!) for dinner. They took us to a great tapas place, then a few bars. We ended the night at the beachside discotecas. INSANE.

FRIDAY
(Matt and Abby are nowhere to be found. Their excursion to Morocco got back late, so they missed their flight and were forced to stay another day in Malaga. They found another flight and finally made it late that afternoon. I felt bad for all their antics!)

Park Guell was INCREDIBLE. It is my favorite park in the world. Gaudi was commissioned to design the space as a housing development for the privileged classes. The city of Barcelona scrapped the project and made the park a public space. The common areas, fountains, subtle details, and quirky features are astounding. I love Gaudi's architecture! I don't find it goddy at all! It was a beautiful day, so Lauren and I left the group for the beach.

SATURDAY
Our last day. A group of us went to Starbucks to start the day and map our plans. I sat my bag down next me. When we got up to go, it was nowhere to be seen! Immediately, I knew it had been stolen. I checked the streets, but didn't see anyone with anything. My camera, cell phone, and passport were in it! I had put my valuable things in my bag for the day because we had to switch hostel rooms, but our new one wasn't yet ready. Fortunately, I had JUST put my wallet in my pocket, so the theif didn't get my debit card or cash. I kept a cool head, though. I called Accent, our program in Florence. Then I went to the tourist information office to ask where the U.S. Consulate was located. Well, it's Saturday. I need to travel the next day. They give me an emergency number...that only works Monday through Friday, 9-5--what?! Some sort of emergency number, America. They instructed me to go to the police station to file a report, which I did. The police officer was nice enough to call the airline, too, and ask if it was okay to just travel with the police report in lieu of a passport. So everything was taken care of rather quickly! I am just mad that I have to go through all the motions of getting new everything (except a camera--I'll just have to make mental notes). I'm also mad because we were being so careful! Professionals, I tell you. It was another beautiful day, so we hit the beach again after all that.

SUNDAY
Time to go home. We made it to the airport and checked in...well, most of us at least. Matt, the poor kid, messed up another reservation. He booked his return flight for the Sunday before, so he didn't have a seat on our sold out flight. He was forced to stay in Barcelona another night, buy another flight, and get home the next day. His spring break got real expensive real fast!

It is so nice to be home in Florence, though. Not only is it familiar, but it's Italian. I appreciate the culture so much more after having been deprived of it for over a week! The food is so much better here, too! Every meal isn't pork and potatoes. Grazie, Italia!