Soy de Barca

I have found myself in a very comfortable place lately.  I can no longer even fathom the idea of getting lost around Barca and I ALWAYS feel like I know where I need to go or where I am.  I have, on multiple occasions, given directions go Spanish tourists.   And finally, and maybe most importantly, I've finally figured out the business hours around town.  I am a Barcelonian! 

We (my self and my roommates) went out last night to watch the Spain v. Portugal world cup match.  We started out at a place called Ryan's Pub which is in the Gothic section of town.  I had heard they had great food, a rumor I most certainly confirmed.   The entrance was very different as we had to walk up an incredibly narrow alleyway to get in.  As one of our new roommates put it, "This is SO like Digon Alley!" The only downside was the fact that the AC was broken and there were hundreds of bodies crammed into every nook and cranny.  We made it to half time and left to find a more comfortable vantage point in a different location.  We decided to head towards home and catch the game's conclusion at a local bar with local fans.  As soon as we got off the metro we heard an eruption of excited yelling from the apartment windows all around us followed by triumphant car horn blasts and explosions of every type of firecracker imaginable.  Spain had scored.  We settled down again at a bar across the street from home and watched not only the game but the locals who would not be content with only one goal.  To their dismay an other goal was not delivered, but a win is a win.  As the seconds ticked away people got up, walked outside, and the chanting, flag waving, car horn honking, whistle blowing, firecracker fun started all over again.  And this was a game on a Tuesday night to get into the quarter finals.  The craziness might just be inexplicable for the next game. 

Spain will be playing for a finals bid on a Saturday night.  I will be doing my research between now and then.  This game will be watched somewhere that we will get strange confused looks for pronouncing half the words out of our mouth wrong.  Some place where a moment of concentration is needed to understand the curse words bombarding the TV. 

On a different note, a new set of classes have started.  Photography isn't as much fun as I had hoped but in fairness we haven't really taken pictures of anything yet.  Advanced Spanish is proving very helpful but is also proving to show me just how much I still don't know. 

One last thing... I've been forgetting to put this up but here is the link to my photobucket account.  Please keep in mind that I'm about as vigilant with updating that as I am with this blog.  Just click on the link below and enjoy!

Chris' Photobucket Albums

Until Next time!  Ciao

I'm terrible at blogging

Where did the last 20 days go?  So much has happened in the last couple weeks that time has kind of flown by.  The nice thing about not having time to write anything down in the last two weeks is that I have plenty to talk about. 

To start things off, the weekend before last we went on a group trip to San Sebastian.  I would imagine someone would be hard pressed to find a place more beautiful.  Mountains leading in to the sea, a tiny green covered island, and an amazing pedestrian only narrow street old section of town.  Could life get better than that?  Even the ride to San Sebastian, despite being on a bus, was beautiful.  Shortly after leaving Barcelona we passed by Montserrat, if you haven't seen it you haven't lived.  Next came a couple hours of Spanish countryside, rolling hills covered in fields and windmills.  Then came the mountains.  A bus ride with views like that takes no time at all. 


After getting back home and unpacking we got back to "normal" life for a day.  While sitting around talking, my friend Meghan brings up the fact that she's going to Dublin the coming weekend.  Without much effort I was able to be convinced that Ireland would be the way to spend the weekend after my birthday. 

Tuesday, my birthday, was very fun.  I was spoiled by all my wonderful friends here.  First we went on a program provided catamaran cruise off the coast of Barcelona.  Great views of the city and the mountains behind it.  After the cruise we went to a few Irish pubs for some Ireland practice.  We went to a touristy pub for dinner and drinks where I found what very well might be the biggest burger in Spain.  While the hamburger isn't exactly Spain's signature dish, it was my birthday and I wanted a burger! 

Thursday night Meghan and I left for Ireland and after a 20 min metro ride, hour bus ride, 2 hour plane ride, and another 20 min bus ride we had arrived.  Meghan's friend Kevin met us close to where the bus had dropped us off.  We walked back to his flat and got settled.  We were so excited to be in Ireland and Kevin had such entertaining stories that we found ourselves still awake at 4:30 am.  At that point I had looked at my watch and looked out the window to see the sun rising.  Summer solstice in such northern places are odd like that.  The sky wouldn't get dark until 11:30 and would start to light up around 4.  The next day we walked around Dublin trying to find the Guinness Brewery.  This was one of the first times my sense of direction had failed me miserably.  After asking a very nice bar tender, who even flagged us a cab, we made it to the Brewery.  I had NO idea how massive that place is.  Seven floors devoted to the making and history of Guinness.  When people say that Guinness tastes different in Ireland, they are not doing it justice.  It was SOO much better.  We ended the night by visiting a few of Dublin's iconic pubs.  The next day we went to have some lunch and ended up stumbling across a street band that was so good we stood in awe for a good 20 min.  After that we decided to go check out the Street Performer World Championships which was being held in Dublin that weekend.  I cant even describe the acts we saw and do them justice so I will finish by saying... WOW!  After another combination of cabs, buses, planes, and metros I left Ireland behind me with loads of great memories and a great new friend.


And that was my week in summery.  Tomorrow is my last day of classes for this session of my program.  Which means that I should end here and avert my attention elsewhere. 

Getting Settled

I have arrived!  It took me about 3 days to get settled and shake the jet lag.  So much was going on that I feel like have been here for weeks already.  This would be fine if I hadn't been so tired all the time. 

My three new roommates and I get along great, we are a little Spanish family.  We have a profound love for our new home, food, and Spanish wine (and beer). 

The apartment is wonderful.  We have two front balconies from which we can see La Sagrada Familia and another church that is also very pretty in a completely different way.  The apartment is very large by Spanish standards with 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.  Wood plank floors and very European french doors and 6 foot tall windows complete the decor.  The only downside it that we are on the 4th floor and we do not have an elevator but at least we will be in good shape when we are forced to leave. 

School is close enough to walk to on a nice Spanish day but far enough to justify riding the metro when we are feeling lazy.  Class sizes are nice but class times are not.  Getting up for a 9 o'clock class when your body tells you it's 3 a.m. is more than exhausting.  The good news is jet lag fades.