Start of a new semester

(+) 2 tapas: El Escorial and hike to los Caídos
The Sunday before the semester started again I joined my roommate and two of his friends on an excursion an hour outside of Madrid. Our original destination was the Valle de los Cuelgamuros, also known as Valle de los Caídos (Valley of the Fallen – aka the fallen soldiers fighting on Franco’s side during the Spanish civil war). Well when we were on the bus we missed our stop and went to the end instead, which dropped us off in the middle of El Escorial, which actually worked out for the better since I haven’t been there yet. Basically it’s the old residence of the king of Spain, but then functioned as the hunting grounds for the royal family, according to my Spanish friends.

Backside of El Escorial, from the gardens

After our walk around El Escorial we eventually caught the same bus in the opposite direction and got off at the base of the mountain of los Caídos. The four of us started walking up the road, and at the pay-booth the guy gave us all youth discounts, probably because he felt sorry we were walking the 6Km uphill instead of driving like normal people; I was with three 26 y.o. men. So anyway, we slowly made our ascent along the road and finally made it to the monument, an enormous cross on the top of the mountain, standing over the burial ground of Franco. It’s a pretty controversial place because a) Franco constructed it to commemorate the Fascists basically, and b) it was built by prisoners of war. Anyway, it’s pretty creepy and macabre, but kind of cool and the valley is really beautiful. We ended up taking a taxi down the mountain, which literally took 2 minutes as opposed to the 2 hours it took us to walk uphill. I had a great time and can’t wait to go on more excursions!

Monument on top of basilica-church where Francisco Franco is buried.

Looking out at the Valley of the Fallen.

(-) 1 tapa: new semester

I hate picking classes. I also hate the fact that I can’t find a single communication class to transfer back for my major. So now I will only be able to transfer 3 classes from the whole year back for my major, all economics classes luckily. At least I can understand my professors better this semester.

(+) 1 tapa: My internship
I’ve now gone back to the Magdala a couple times and am really starting to like it. Right now I’m working on a project about Honduras, basically doing research to decide if it’s a good place to launch a micro-lending bank. This is the website for the foundation: http://www.fundacionmagdala.org/

(+) 2 tapas: the weather
… is AMAZING. It’s so warm and beautiful right now, I’m afraid it’s suddenly going to go away soon though. But at least I can enjoy it while it’s here, and at least it’s not raining like it is back in Marin, har har har.

Winter Break and the End of the Semester

(+) 5 tapas: London for Christmas
London (actually, Surrey) was a fabulous 6-day excursion with Chelsea at her Grandma’s house. My first night there I experienced my first English fish-and-chips, and talk about delicious. The next day Chelsea and I went into London, she went to see her aunt who was flying through, and I went exploring. I took my self-guided walking tour map that I got off the internet and set off on foot around London. I basically made a big semi-circle, starting at the Parliament building and ending in Covent Garden. I pretty much saw everything that day: Parliament, Big Ben, London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, St. James’ Park, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden (Drury Lane!!!! aka where the muffin man lives). That night we went to Chelsea’s uncle’s house for a big Hill family gathering. I pretty much met Chelsea’s whole maternal side of the family, every single one of them being awesome. That night I had what I would classify as an emotional breakdown and called my family, thus the reason for this trip being only 5 tapas instead of 6. The next day Che and I went to Kensington to do a little bit of last minute shopping, and I also had my first pasty (lamb and mint). Christmas morning I was surprised to find a stocking (well a stuffed pillowcase) from Chelsea’s grandma!! After we opened gifts we went to Chelsea’s uncle’s house again for breakfast with their family, I think they really like smoked salmon, and I can’t complain. Then that night we went back to Kensington for dinner at Che’s cousin’s house with his family. Another delicious meal, and by far the best stuffing I’ve ever had. That night I was introduced to two new foods: bread sauce (I’m still not really sure what it is or of its purpose, but I still enjoyed it) and mince pie (D-lish). Then on Boxing Day we went to a family friend’s house for another delicious meal and holiday love!! To end the fabulous trip, we had Indian food our last night there. Chelsea’s family made being away from home so much easier than I thought, and they were all amazing and loving! As much as I missed my own family, I was so lucky to be with them for Christmas.

Christmas crowns from Christmas crackers on Christmas day!


(+) 3 tapas: Budapest
After London, Chelsea and I flew to Budapest to meet two of her good friends from Houston. We showed up in Hungary to discover that it was absolutely FREEZING. Luckily, our couchsurfing host kept his apartment nice and toasty. He was extremely helpful in giving us ideas on where to go and what to do, and even ripped a map out of a tour book for us. On our first real day there we walked from our apartment to Castle Hill (we were staying on the Buda side of the river) and went to the Fisherman’s Bastion, then walked down to the Chain Bridge and walked into Pest. After our lunch of Goulash, we were tired and irritated from walking around in the cold and took the metro to the Szechenyi Baths, the biggest bath house in Budapest. We spent 2.5 jolly hours playing in the fun bath, mineral bath, indoor baths, and saunas! We spent the whole of the next day in a bar by Che’s friend’s hostel hoping we would see them. Halfway through our time there we spotted them and spent the rest of the day drinking in the warm bar with them. The next day Che and I moved into a hostel (GHETTO) and then met up with the girls to prepare for NYE. Maria bought a wig, Holly a mask and giant noisemaker, Chelsea a mustache and giant noisemaker, and I a mustache and piggy noise-maker. That night we opened the bottle of fake champagne our hostel gave us and then went to Art Catacombas, a bar underground where our couchsurfing host told us he’d be. He never showed up, but we had an awesome time dancing, drinking, eating, and socializing. The next day I left to come back to Madrid, and of course it finally snows when I leave.

Che and me in front of Chain Bridge

Holly, me, Maria, and Chelsea (or should I say Burt Reynolds?) on New Year's Eve 08/09

(+) 1 tapa: Snow Day!
Luckily a week after I got back to Madrid the city experienced a SnowStorm!!! I convinced my friend Ciara to go play in the snow with me, which we did until after it got dark. This involved throwing snowballs at each other, slipping a lot, getting in an impromptu snowball fight with strangers, and making our own little snowman!

Me and Ciara with the snowman we did NOT make, it was holding a beer can too, how spanish.

(+) 2 tapas: 2 newbies to Madrid
Yella, my friend from high school, made her return to Madrid! It has been fun catching up with her half-way around the world!
Lizzie’s friend from Brandeis, Nicole, showed up on my doorstep a few weeks ago. She’s been staying with me the past couple weeks and we have been having a ball :D

(-) 1 tapa: Finals approaching and constant procrastination
So the end of the semester has come, and now I have exams. And I can’t concentrate. And I don’t like it one bit. Poop.

(+) 1 tapa: Fundación Magdala
At least I got an internship with this awesome NGO! I only just started so I have nothing interesting to say on it yet.