I'll Be Home for Christmas

IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN!
As you all know, the most wonderful time of the year is here in a two-fold treat: CHRISTMAS and a certain traveler's return to the States! My flight leaves from Granada at 9:50 in the morning tomorrow (which means a very early trip to the airport) and I will be home by Wednesday evening. I am overwhelmed both at the thought of leaving and of coming home...bittersweet, yes indeed. I am packing my bags (please say a prayer that everything fits and that I personally make it back in one piece (that is, that I don't crumble under the weight of my luggage). I have never been excellent with goodbyes, and I have already been feeling the effects. Kleenex anyone? I am saying many of my farewells today and I am constantly reminded how blessed I have been over the last three months.

I still have the last three weeks to post on the blog. So, while you are home for the holiday enjoying a cup of hot chocolate in front of the fireplace or kitchen table, you will have some exciting reading material at hand!

I love you all and I want to thank you for the e-mails, snail mail, calls, and AIM and Skype chats throughout the semester. You are all such a blessing to me, and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Un beso y un abrazo,
Diane

Yo hablo mejor que escribo

Once again, I have failed to post a written account of my adventures. I have started writing everything down, but time has a way of getting away from me in these last days here.
Please, enjoy the video messages as an assurance that I am still safe and sound. I will be seeing you all soon!
Love,
Diane

Update (English)


Update (Spanish)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I have included two video messages, for those who are ambitious enough to listen in Spanish and those who just want to hear me in English. I thank God for you and for all of His blessings this semester in Granada!

Message in English


Message in Spanish

The Wonderful Weekly Whirlwind

IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME
So, I know I have been delinquent in updating all you folks in the States about my adventures abroad. I shall try to be as detailed as possible without boring you over two weeks of information. Since I last posted my video (two weeks ago), I went bowling for the first time, traveled to Toledo and Madrid, took a history exam, visited Faith in Paris and took an art history exam. What a busy kid I’ve been!

ROLLING ALONG
Would you believe I never went bowling before November 6, 2008? Many friends and family members have promised to take me but I never got to go! So, I decided to take it upon myself to go with some friends and give it a shot…or a roll. I wasn’t too shabby, and I do believe I had a bit of beginners luck. Maybe now when I return to the US someone will actually go bowling with me (hint, hint, nudge, nudge)!

LAND OF CASTILLA-LA MANCHA
The next day, the UD crew, led by Jorge embarked on a weekend adventure to Toledo and Madrid, located in the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha (one of the seventeen communities in Spain along with Andalucía, Calaluña, etc). The trip from Granada is approximately a five-hour journey, and along the way we stopped off to see the windmills of Don Quixote. What a spectacular view (and the history was pretty awesome too)!

Once we arrived in Toledo, we tried some mazapan (a delightful little dessert indigenous of Toledo) and ate our bagged lunches before joining our tour guide. She took us to see the great Cathedral, Santo Tome Church with its fresco by El Greco on the wall, one of the last historical synagogues in Spain, and the monastery of San Juan de los Reyes. Toledo had a very warm feel to it, and it reminded me in some ways of Granada. I think that if I could pick another place to live and study besides where I am now, that would be it, with its plazas, hills and river all contributing to its charm.

We left Toledo that same afternoon and were in Madrid within the hour. Madrid is quite different from Toledo, it being a large city and all, but I still enjoyed seeing everything it had to offer. On Saturday, we visited the Escorial, the palace and monastery of Felipe II where all the kings and queens of Spain are buried, as well as the Valley of the Fallen, a memorial to those who died under the dictatorship of Franco and the burial place of the dictator himself. It was very odd to see such a grand monument built in memory of two opposing forces and to think about all the blood that sealed together the bricks of that great cathedral. What is done in the name of faith sometimes makes my heart break.

That evening, we visited the Prado and La Reina Sofia. The Prado has fewer paintings than the Louver in France, but it has more of the best works by the great artists. I saw works by Velázquez and El Greco as well as many other influential artists from the Golden Age of Spanish art. We did not get to spend a lot of time there before we were rushed over to the Reina Sofia, where the modern art of Picasso, Dalí and other interesting painters and sculptors. We also walked past la Puerta del Sol, la Plaza Mayor and other important landmarks within the city limits.

The next day, we went to the Palacio Real, the palace of the king of Spain. I walked in and felt a rush of girlhood delight, wishing I could get dressed up in an elegant gown and dance in the palace hall! Each room was more magnificent than the one before, with gold leafing, ceramic walls, silver, china, velvet curtains and intricate tapestries. That afternoon, we boarded the bus and returned home, tired but satisfied with all we had seen.

A WEEK IN BETWEEN
Last week I preparing and studying a little bit each night for my history exam that was on Thursday. I would come home from class and read a little, siesta a little and maybe go off and do something in the evenings. On Monday, when I arrived home from class, I entered the door and immediately spotted the television sitting there in the vestibule. Either Carmen had decided to give up her favorite pastime or there was a new arrival in the apartment. I was betting on the latter, and low and behold there was a brand new flat screen television set and DVD player where the old one used to sit! Carmen was like a kid with a new toy, playing with the remote control and clearly enjoying the size and sound of the TV. Now, she can also watch DVDs without needing to sit in front of my laptop to see a movie.

The next day after class, I walked through the door and Carmen asked if I wouldn’t mind waiting for lunch because someone was coming. I didn’t quite get all of what she said, but when I was in my room, I heard the doorbell ring followed by a lot of hammering and objects clattering around in the living room. When I emerged from my laird for lunch, I realized she had new curtains installed. Wow. I joked with her that every day I came back from class something new awaited me. She laughed and assured me that they were all the changes I would be seeing.

On Tuesday night, I took a break from the books and went to visit the pastor of the church to hear more about the history of the church, the dynamic of Christianity in Spain and anything and everything I could think of asking him. I learned a mountain of information that has served as my food for thought. Right now, I am considering looking more into the relationship politics and religion as a theme of research once I get back to UD. Ask me about it sometime and I will be glad to share the wave of thoughts crashing around in my cranium.

On Wednesday night, I had my interview for a Writing Fellow position at Delaware. I met with the director on Skype and everything seemed to go alright. It was a bit tough at times when I couldn’t think of how to say some things in English that are a bit more “sophisticated” and that I obviously have not used in the last three months. Anyway, I heard today that I will in fact be a Writing Fellow next year! Now, I can start planning my course schedule for next spring. Currently, I am debating between adding either French or Italian this coming semester. Any suggestions?

I took my history exam on Thursday and believe it went well. I must admit, however, that it was very hard o study when I knew that after class on Thursday, I would be leaving for Paris with my friends Amy and Jill (who I know from the church) to visit Faith! Well, I survived the exam, and the three of us embarked on one of the most spectacular trips of my entire semester!

PARIS HOLDS THE KEY TO YOUR HEART
The three of us flew out of Granada on Thursday afternoon and arrived in Paris (Orly Airport) around 22:30. Per Faith’s directions, we took the Metro from the airport to a station right by our hostel. I must say that they know their transportation in France (in all of Europe, really). When I saw Faith, I gave her the biggest hug I could muster. You see, I have been in want of a good ol’ American hug, the kind that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. As much as I love the way the Spanish kiss you on each cheek every time you see them, I kind of miss being greeted by a hug from a friend. We settled into our lodgings for the night and Faith stayed up chatting with me until 2:00 in the morning, which forced her to take a taxi home sine the Metro was no longer running that late.

The next morning, we all woke up and were out and about by 8:30 or 9:00 to see the Basilica of he Sacred Heart of Montemarte and the surrounding area. This was what you would call the “quaint” part of Paris, with the cafes and artists’ easels. We then met up with the art history class from Faith’s UD program to see Versailles. The professor was nice enough to get Amy, Jill and I the discounted rate on the Metro and to sneak us into the chateau (Versailles is a chateau, not a palace, as I learned) without us needing to pay a thing! Once again, the art and elegance brought every childhood fairytale to mind! I longed to dance with the kings and princes of old until I was reminded of their horrible hygiene, especially in Versailles where they lacked an adequate number of bathrooms. For example, the women of the court would relieve themselves in their long dresses because there were not enough facilities. ¡Que asco! No waltz for me, merci. That same evening, we went to the Louver, where we saw the works of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Arcimboldo. I posed with the Mona Lisa and stared in awe at the marble and bronze statues of the Renaissance.

On Saturday, we started our day off at Notre Dame, but unfortunately Quazimoto was not ringing any bells that morning. We had crepes for lunch and did a little more walking. We went to the Eiffel Tower and rode the elevator to the second floor (I wanted to climb but we couldn’t find the stairs). I tried to call Carol to wish her a happy birthday while I overlooked the city from the famous mass of twisted metal, but the telephones were out where she works and we never got to talk. Really, when you see the Eiffel Tower up close, it is not very extraordinary; it is the thrill of just being there is what makes it wonderful! Afterwards, as was our little tradition between tourist stops, we sat down for some hot chocolate and French pastries. Faith then took us to see the Arch of Triumph and the long road leading up to it. I must say that Paris is best seen by night! The lights and sensational rush of people amidst a dark sky give the city its vibrancy. Furthermore, while the Eiffel Tower is dull by day, but after dark it is truly magical! Every hour on the hour, the light on the tower blink for several minutes. Because France is the temporary seat of the European Union (every six months the location changes), the tower was adorned with blue lights and the yellow stars of the EU. Hey, who knew that they like our Blue Hens in France as well?

Throughout the weekend, Amy, Jill, Faith and I had fun chatting and seeing all the sights in Paris together. We often amused ourselves by singing songs from Le Miserables, Beauty and the Beast, and Anastasia (Paris Holds the Key to Your Heart). All four of us also longed for Christmas together as some of the stores began putting up lights and selling ornaments and such. In addition, Amy, Jill and I practiced our Spanish on the Metro, on the street and in our hostel (poor Faith). Really, this was a magnificent weekend with friends, and I will venture to say one of the best (if not the best) weekend I have had this semester!

SALMOUN Y WATER
I believe I must have embarrassed Faith quite a bit during the weekend with my inability to speak French or rather by my attempt to speak it. Every time I wanted to order something or at least ask how much something cost, I asked my walking translator to save me. On Friday night, we went to a French restaurant and I was all set and ready to order. I wanted salmon and I planned to order water. At the last minute, I realized I didn’t know how to say “water” in French, and I asked Faith moments before the waiter was ready for me. In a moment of panic, I forgot how to say “water” and when the server finally asked me what I wanted, I responded with “salmoun y water!” That is three languages right there, or one language if you want to consider my combination “franglish.” I was embarrassed and Faith, poor thing, couldn’t pretend to be from France anymore because she was toting silly little Diane along with her. We all had a good laugh, though. Unfortunately, I didn’t learn my lesson and I attempted to order my other meals after that, and Faith constantly had to clarify what I wanted.

I realized that my automatic response to someone speaking to me in a different language—French, German, Chinese or whatnot—is to respond in Spanish. I threw out “si,” “gracias,” and “perdona” more times than I could count even though I knew how to say “oui,” “merci” and “pardon.” It is funny how our mind or mouth responds to what we hear, and I am fascinated by some people’s ability to know and transfer in and out of several languages. What a gift! At least for now (until I take either French or Italian in the spring), I am going to focus on keeping my Español y English straight. Es la verdad. Yeah, right.

NEXT ON THE AGENDA
This weekend I am home in Granada and will not be traveling to any exotic places (as far as I know). My plan is to get ahead on writing the three reflection essays and papers I am required to complete before the end of the semester so that I can enjoy the next four weeks. That’s right, folks, just four weeks or 28 days exactly until I fly home.

Now, I am currently in a state of Christmas withdrawal. I miss the lights, songs and excitement that I would already be taking advantage of if I was in the States. I have been listening to Josh Groban and Il Divo’s Christmas albums over the last few days, telling myself that they are more “European,” and I always get very mellow when I hear “I’ll Be Home For Christmas.” My next task is to find a Spanish Christmas CD to tide me over for the next month and to teach me some Spanish carols. As soon as Christmas arrives here, I will be all over it like white on snow! Believe me, I will be letting you all know how they celebrate it here. Who knows, maybe I will even bring home some Spanish Christmas sweets!

I love you all and look forward to seeing you soon! In the meantime, I plan to enjoy every last moment of my time here in Spain, to speak all I can, to see all I can see, and to check everything off my to-do-in-Spain list. What a busy girl I will be!

Your starry-eyed traveler,
Diane

An Election, A Retreat and a Lazy Spanish Student

THIS WEEK IS DIFFERENT
I suppose I could have written a blog post this week. However, I have been so preoccupied with everything that I haven't really had time to invest in a quality piece of writing. Therefore, you will just have to do with a video post this week! I hope it works for you all!

Love,
Diane

Transcontinental Hobbies. Who Would've Guessed It?

LA CASA DE GARCÍA LORCA
On Friday morning, Jorge took us to the summer home of Frederico García Lorca, a famous twentieth century author, poet and playwright who lived and worked in Granada. His house is a three-minute walk from my apartment, in the same park I mentioned numerous times before. The tour of the house, while lovely, lasted all of thirty minutes, and afterwards, Jorge took us to a little yellow trolley-car cafeteria for some coffee and tea. He spent some time explaining the life and death of this somewhat peculiar artist, including his family connections, political views and lifestyle that contributed to his assignation during the Civil War in Spain in the 1930s. His works are written in sophisticated Castillian Spanish, with vocabulary I have to work at in order to understand. Someday, I will delve more into his plays and poems; but for now I am content reading my favorite novels in their Spanish translations.

LA LIBRERÍA, MI PEOR ENEMIGO
Some folks struggle with the need to buy something when they walk into a shoe store. Others are tempted by deserts or candy in the shops along the main roads. I, on the other hand, am fighting a battle against the bookstores tucked along the side streets of Granada. On Friday, after our “excursion” of sorts and lesson about García Lorca, I decided to stroll through the city a bit. The weather was splendid and the streets were not too crowded. After window shopping (and even a bit of scarf shopping), I began my journey home for lunch. Along the way I spotted a shop for used books, and, being a weakling, I entered. I don’t know how much time I spent looking at the different titles, but I was like a kid in a candy store! I didn’t have long to explore everything, lest I miss lunch with Carmen, but I walked out of the bookstore with A Christmas Carol and The Wizard of Oz in Spanish for a grand total of 6€!

I returned on Monday after class and after looking at various titles for over a half an hour, I purchased The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and another collection by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde, A Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain, and from another bookstore I bought The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. I am now on the lookout for Anne of Green Gables, which one shop owner told me was “caput,” all gone. Anyway, I am excited to have started my own book collection for a “Spanish library” of sorts. I will be quite entertained throughout Winter Session, I expect, with this mountain of books to read. The only downside: I have to ship them all to the States or I will surely abuse the weight limit in the airport on my trip home!

A WALK TO THE MARKET AND A COOKING LESSON
On Saturday morning, with a solid 4 hours of sleep I went once again to the flea market! I was out dancing with some folks on Friday night and learned a very little bit of break dancing from my Dutch friend and her two Spanish dance partners. The next day, despite my fatigue, I remembered how to take ALL the back streets to the market! I led two friends safely to the endless rows of stands and tables. I found some great deals, including a corduroy skirt and blazer each for 4€ and eight small balls of yarn (oh the possibilities!) for 4€.

On the walk home, the three of us (I regret to say), were speaking in English and a vibrant older women in her mid-sixties or early seventies approached us and asked us where we were from. She told us she had lived in New York many years ago and proceeded to strike up a conversation with us in Spanish as we continued along the sidewalk. When one of my friends admitted to the woman that she had never tried paella, the lady was astonished! She asked if we could spare five minutes while she explained the recipe, right there in the middle of the street. A half hour later, I had learned how to make the perfect pot of paella and also a Spanish tortilla. She was a talker, but she had a heart of gold. After our impromptu cooking lesson, I was quite hungry and scurried home to eat lunch with Carmen. What a morning!

A LITTLE BIT OF “FAMILIA” TIME
When I emerged from my room on Sunday morning, Carmen was in the kitchen making churros since her daughter and grandson were coming over for breakfast. I eagerly watched as she mixed the batter and hoped to learn how to make a third Spanish dish in one weekend. Essentially, churros are like funnel cake, of which I am not an enormous fan. Nevertheless, the fact that they are a Spanish treat made it alright. The four of chatted about a little bit of everything, from where I can buy my beloved Moroccan tea to the tremendous cold that is expected to hit Granada in the next week or two.

Before I tell you what happened next, I must backtrack a few days. One day last week while we were sitting in her living room reading, I asked Carmen if she was enjoying her book. She, unfortunately, was not and asked me how I liked Pride and Prejudice. Well, of course I could only sing its praises! She said she would like to read it when I was done and I readily agreed. By Friday, she asked once again how far along I was, and much to her dismay, I was nowhere near finished. I decided it would be better for me to just let her read the book now rather than wait for me to make it through a 500-page book in Spanish. On Sunday morning, I placed the book on the table just before her daughter and grandson came over for breakfast.

Carmen’s daughter spotted the book on the table and exclaimed that she owned the movie. She then asked if I would be interested in borrowing it. Although I am not the greatest fan of the new version (with Keira Knightly), I was not about to pass up an opportunity to se a film in Spanish. I excitedly said “yes,” before saying my goodbyes and scurrying off to church.

That evening, after returning from a lovely afternoon eating and chatting with my friends from the church, Carmen was still out getting coffee with a friend. I decided to pass the time before dinner watching the old black and white version of the movie “Sabrina” with Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. What a splendid way to spend an evening! Carmen returned with enough time for us to see the romantic conclusion, although she proclaimed she liked the newer version with Harrison Ford better. Anyway, Carmen had a little surprise in hand—the version of “Pride and Prejudice” from her daughter!

Carmen said I could watch it whenever I wanted, but after I ate my dinner, she wanted to know if we could watch it together that evening. Because Carmen does not a DVD player, I ran to my room, grabbed my computer and set it up on her living room table, right in front of her chair and the couch. We huddled in front of the screen and listened intently since the volume was not very loud. Nevertheless, the two of us spent our Sunday evening together watching “Pride and Prejudice,” with our feet under the coffee table where a portable heater kept our toes nice and toasty. She enjoyed it and laughed several times. On Monday morning, she began reading the book; when I peered over her shoulder that evening, she was already on page 46. Oh, to think I introduced yet another soul to the delightfully witty world of Jane Austen!

CAN YOU CROCHET IN SPANISH?
The aforementioned yarn I bought at the market was purchased with the intention of keeping my hands busy while watching television with Carmen. On Monday after class, I bought my crochet hook and I set to work that same afternoon. As I was crocheting watching two episodes of JAG, the news and the show “Mira Quién Baile” (the Spanish Dancing With the Stars), I had a thought: I constantly read and write in Spanish, speak in Spanish, listen in Spanish, eat in Spanish (it is possible when you live with Carmen) and practically dream in Spanish; but in what language does a person crochet? Do our hands have a language and if so, was I working in English or Spanish? I finally concluded, after much consideration, that I was crocheting in Spanglish. To count rows and such, I was able to “think” in my Spanish numbers. However, my vocabulary lacks some of the words necessary to complete say as “loop,” “hook” and “row.” My goal by the end of the trip: to be able to both knit and crochet in Spanish!

THE WEEK AHEAD
On Wednesday night, I plan to get together a group of girls to see “High School Musical 3” at the movie theatre. Not only are the tickets half price on Wednesdays, but how many people get to say they saw the last installment of the cheesy musical Disney trilogy in Spanish (minus people who already speak the language and don’t find it as exciting as I do)?! Besides, I believe it would be unnatural for me not to spearhead an excursion like this. I have a reputation to uphold!

On Friday night, I will be heading off to a youth retreat with the church somewhere in Málaga. From my understanding, about 70 people are expected to attend and it should be a very exciting weekend. So, while I missed a wonderful IV Fall Retreat, God still provides! I plan to bundle up, learn a lot, and take plenty of photos.

A little FYI: the clocks here in Spain “fell back” this past Sunday. Therefore, for the next week, there is only a FIVE-HOUR DIFFERENCE between everyone in the States and Granada. Take advantage of that, if you will!

Your shamelessly “old-lady-like” student abroad,
Diane

The United Kingdom, via Planes, Trains, Taxis, Subways, Buses and Walking Shoes

Last week, from the 10th of October until the 18th, I was on the road, exploring the land where English is spoken aplenty—the United Kingdom. Throughout my travels, I am convinced I utilized every means of transportation imaginable: airplanes from Granada to London, Edinburgh to Dublin, and Dublin to Málaga; trains between the cities and towns in England and Scotland; taxis to and from our hotels and the airport; buses through the streets of London and Oxford; and my God-given mode of transportation—my feet—for roads, hills, mountains, museums, and everything else in between. Needless to say, Rebecca and I were on the move constantly and had nary a moment to sit and relax except for meals. Of course we were unable to see everything, but we managed to take in quite a bit during our short time up north. Indeed, we were immensely satisfied with what we did see.

ENGLAND
Kings, palaces, red coats, poets, monuments, double-decker city buses, cathedrals, countryside, gardens, universities: the diversity of England is really quite extraordinary. On Friday night, we flew out of Granada to London-Stansted airport, where we waited in the customs line for a good 45 minutes. After the 300 EU arrivals had made it through their line, the customs officials decided to help us foreigners and allow us into the country. Fortunately, we were able to make the last train of the night into the city of London. On Saturday morning, with a solid four hours of sleep, we work up, ate our breakfast and went out to see all that we could see. We walked to Buckingham Palace, around St. James’ Park, back to Buckingham Palace to watch the changing of the guards (for which we waited nearly an hour and a half), took some pictures in a big red telephone booth, toured Westminster Abbey, and spotted Big Ben and Parliament, all before lunch time. After a long-awaited afternoon meal, we decided to head to the British History Museum and afterwards, we went to the theatre to see the musical “Zorro.”

The next day, we were planning to go to Stonehenge, but realized we would be rushing around too much. Instead, on Sunday morning, we took a bus to the “home” of the two famous bachelors of Baker Street—Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. After a tour of the nineteenth-century flat and museum, complete with artifacts and wax depictions of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s characters, we headed to Paddington Station where we would take the next rain to Exeter, where I would reunite with my friend Amy who attends university there.

Rebecca and I waited for the train for over a half an hour; that was still better than the several hours others had waited that day. Apparently, there was a “fatality” on the tracks and the train had been stopped all day. Thus, the train that finally arrived to take us to Exeter was filled four times over, and not everyone had a seat. Somehow, Rebecca and I managed to get a seat in FIRST CLASS without having to pay extra because we found a seat before everyone boarded, and the conductor declared that no seats would be assigned that afternoon. Talk about traveling in style! We arrived in Exeter and were greeted by Amy, who spent the evening showing us around the center of town and making sure we were well fed. Furthermore, she helped us with our travel plans for the following day—a layover in Oxford before heading to Edinburgh.

On Monday morning, Amy showed us around the beautiful campus of Exeter University and saw us off on our journey. I hated saying goodbye, but hopefully it will just be “until the next time” I make my way to England. After we arrived in Oxford, with the desire to see the prestigious college town, we spent a good deal of time walking around with our very heavy backpacks. I must say, we were a little hungry and irritable, but as soon as we found the Thornton’s Chocolate Shop, which according to Amy makes some of the best chocolate in England, we felt much better. The city of Oxford was beautiful, with its stone buildings and deeply-rooted academic traditions; however, Rebecca and I both agreed that the country-style charm of Exeter was more to our liking. With aching backs and feet, the two of us headed back to the train station and made our way to Edinburgh.

SCOTLAND
All it took was a few words from the train conductor in a thick Scottish accent and I was hooked! We arrived in Edinburgh around 10:30 on Monday evening after quite a busy day of walking and hopping on and off of trains. As soon as I set my eyes on the stone castle and other building in the center of town, I was enamored by the city on a hill. Early the next morning, we set out on our adventure, which we supposed after the fact was the longest day of our trip. Without exaggeration, we walked every part of the Edinburgh except for the west side of the city. First, we hiked up and around a very large hill known as Arthur’s Seat. We proceeded to visit the sites of Hollyrood Castle and the Parliament building, ruins on yet another hill, the Royal Botanical Gardens, the shopping district on Prince Street and to other streets and roads I cannot even recall. The weather was frigid in Edinburgh, much cooler than England and we treated ourselves to Scottish Tartan scarves to keep the chill away.

The following day, we took a trip to the post office to ship some “souvenirs” and other purchases home (they would have put our backpacks over the 10 kg limit in the airport), and we visited Edinburgh Castle. We walked along the Royal Mile and then some to the Edinburgh Playhouse, where we purchased tickets to see “Mary Poppins!” Alack and alas, every adventure must come to and end, and after the show, we returned to our guest house, picked up our luggage and headed to the airport. We were off to Dublin!

IRELAND
Our flight to Dublin was delayed, but I passed the time by reading some more Pride and Prejudice in Spanish, as I had been occupying myself on every aforementioned plane, train and bus ride. Sometime after midnight and a very expensive cab ride, Rebecca and I made it to our guest house and slept quite soundly. Bright and early on Thursday morning, we ate breakfast and began to explore the city. Our first stop was Mercy International Center, were where we saw the red door on Baggot Street and Catherine McAuley’s House of Mercy—oh how it brought back memories from my day at Merion Mercy Academy! We did not take the complete tour, but a lovely Sister of Mercy showed us around a good part of the building. Rebecca and I then walked to see the statue of Oscar Wilde, the Book of Kells and Trinity College, and up the famous (and touristy) O’Connell Street. We walked around the Temple Bar area and found the statue of Molly Malone. We walked through a park, visited the Guinness Factory, saw St. Patrick’s Cathedral and then returned to get ready for dinner. That evening, we had our traditional Irish stews for dinner and later went to a pub to hear live music.

Both Rebecca and I wanted to see the Irish countryside before we departed, so we booked a bus tour to Wicklow County just southwest of the city of Dublin. From lakes to mountains and sheep to millennia-old monasteries, the emerald country of Ireland was exactly what I imagined. We stopped off for a few hours at the monastery of St. Kevin and also at the Avoca Handweavers Mill, Ireland’s oldest mill. We made it home around 5:00pm and spent some time trying to register Rebecca for her Winter Session classes, but to no avail. That night, we relaxed over dinner and a live show of Irish dancers and a band. That was the end of our adventure, and as much as I loved every part of the trip, I was ready to return “home” to my own bed in Granada.

We flew out of Dublin on Saturday morning, on yet another delayed flight, and arrived in Málaga. From there we took a bus back to Granada. Oh, it was sickeningly warm in Spain compared to the weather in UK. Not only did I have to adjust to the change in weather and driving on the right (and correct) side of the road, but I had to jump right back into speaking Spanish 24/7. It seems I am constantly transitioning from one way of life to another!

NAVIGATION TRAINING 101
Now, I know my family and friends always joke about my navigation skills. I will have EVERYONE know, however, that I was the official navigator of our trip! I carried the maps, found the train and bus routes and generally led the way during our walking tours. We made it through, and I was not half bad at playing the tour guide. At times, we did have to turn ourselves around, but generally that was because street signs in the UK are on the side of buildings, unlike the big green signs with large letters in the United States. Furthermore, some of the bus schedules clearly lied in London, and our stops were overlooked despite clear markings on the map and schedule. To throw another monkey-wrench into the mix, motorists drive on the opposite side of the street everywhere in the UK. Rebecca had to grab my arm several times to remind me not to cross the street at particularly busy intersections. It was a challenge to adjust to some of their signs and traffic patterns, but it made for a more interesting journey on foot.

I also concluded from the journey that I prefer trains to any other mode of transportation! Rebecca and I were able to hop on whatever train we desired with our BritRail passes and go wherever; plus, we were provided the opportunity to see an excellent view from the window. In contrast, with every flight, we constantly dreaded the check-in and weigh-in of our bags and the security and customs stops. We were denied a view from our seats in the sky. Some day, I would be game to take just a rail tour of Europe and enjoy all there is to see!

A WALK IN THE PARK
In every city or town we visited, Rebecca and I managed to find a park or two, perfect for strolling and seeing the lovely landscape. In London, Exeter, Edinburgh and Dublin we wandered around looking at trees, ponds and wildlife (including some very bold squirrels and friendly ducks). There was something about being in the great outdoors that spurred us on, despite out aching feet and backs (when we had to carry out backpacks around before catching the bus or train or whatever mode of transportation was next on the agenda).

HILLS AND MORE HILLS
Edinburgh was built on a hill, nay, a mountain. I cannot stress the height of the city enough, as I want you to understand just how much we walked, climbed and hiked up, down and around. We climbed up to Arthur’s seat, the site of a dormant volcano, which was approximately 250.5 m high. Then once we hit sea level again, we decided to hike up yet another hill to see some monuments and ruins. My pictures, unfortunately, cannot demonstrate the beauty of the Scottish terrain, but they can at least give you a taste for the natural beauty that is Edinburgh, with all its luscious shades of green.

OH, IT’S A LOVELY HOLIDAY WITH MARY, ZORRO AND MOLLY MALONE
In each of the three major cities, London, Edinburgh and Dublin, Rebecca and I had the pleasure of seeing a musical or a musical performance. When we were riding the bus in London towards the British History Museum, we saw a sign for the musical “Zorro” playing on the West End (London’s equivalent of Broadway). On the spur of the moment, we decided we would purchase tickets and enjoy an evening at the theatre! The show was spectacular, and despite our distance from Spain, we gravitated towards a show filled with flamenco dancing and music, and quite a bit of Spanish-speaking and singing. What a delight!

While Rebecca and I were inside one of the buildings at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh (we wanted to escape from the frigid air), we saw a rack of brochures for sites in the city. We beheld a flier for the Edinburgh Playhouse that pleased us both tremendously—the traveling production of “Mary Poppins” had a matinee performance the following day! On Wednesday, we went to the theatre and using our charms and good looks (plus our student I.D. cards), we obtained decent seats for half the price. The music was incredible, as anyone who ever saw the movie would understand, and we were surrounded by jolly little children, laughing in their bright Scottish-English accents. The only thing that could have made the show better would have been to see Julie Andrews and Dick van Dyke themselves performing on stage.

Now, in Dublin, we did not go to the theatre per say. We did, however, enjoy our last night in the city seeing a performance by a live band and a team of Irish dancers after a very filling dinner. Essentially, it was akin to a dinner theatre performance. The band played and sang the infamous “Molly Malone” song along with several other Irish ballads. The dancers who followed demonstrated the spectacular skill and sport of Irish dancing. It was a marvelous way to close our busy week of traveling.

A COMFY BED TO REST MY HEAD
In each of the major cities, Rebecca and I stayed in a Bed and Breakfast guest house. In London, we were only a ten to fifteen minute walk from Buckingham Palace and all of the major center city attractions. The accommodations were decent, but the location was the key. In Edinburgh, the quality of the accommodations increased tremendously. Once again, we were only a fifteen minute walk from Edinburgh Castle and only a bit farther to the hills we elected to climb. However, the accommodations in Dublin were superior to both guest houses in London and Edinburgh. I never once felt unsafe in any of the cities (of this my parents will be quite relieved to hear) and I thankfully had a warm and comfortable bed at the end of every day.

I cannot, however, neglect to add that Rebecca and I spent a night in Exeter with Amy, who graciously gave up her own bed for the two of us! Of all the places we stayed, the hospitality in Amy’s home was the best. I give the management a full 5-stars! It was so wonderful to see her, to sit and chat, if only for a few hours. Unfortunately, we only spent one night there; that only means I will have to return someday to visit Amy and enjoy her company once again!

TWO FOR TEA AND FINDING FOOD
Breakfast was taken care of each morning thanks to our wise decision to stay in a Bed and Breakfast guest houses. Finding lunch and dinner, however, proved a bit more challenging at times. We relied a great deal on sandwiches purchased at local grocery stores and also bread with peanut butter or bread with marmalade pilfered from the breakfast table of the B&B. We did not go hungry, but sometimes we were bit irritable because places were not open as late as they are in Spain—the transition was a bit tough, I must say. On Saturday night in London, we resorted to eating prepared salads from a grocery store in the train station terminal because all of the restaurants had closed. On Tuesday night in Edinburgh, we struggled to find an inexpensive meal and thus opted to eat take-out Chinese food. We did get to eat some fish and chips in Edinburgh (on the steps outside of the Playhouse) and our hearty stews in Dublin. Generally, we gravitated to park benches, train stations and other rest areas to consume our piecemeal sandwiches, but the most exciting dining spot of them all was a cliff in Edinburgh where we had out peanut butter sandwiches and apples (also carried away from the B&B table that morning).

Both Rebecca and I took advantage of the amble quantities of tea in the UK. When in doubt, we took some tea. We forgot, however, to try some scones and Irish soda bread before we left. Hopefully we can remedy that error someday.

SCHOOL IN SPAIN: TAKE TWO!
The second session of classes just started on Monday, and I can already tell that I will enjoy them tremendously. On Mondays and Wednesdays, I have “Problems in Western European Politics” and on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I have “History of Contemporary Spain” and “Art History of Spain.” My professors seem quite agreeable and the themes are exactly what I enjoy learning most. My art history professor, and eccentric older gentleman, sings and jokes in class while my political science and history professors are both young and enthusiastic. There will be papers and a bit more work in the second half, but I think I can manage!

I apologize for the abundance of details from my “holiday,” but I wanted satisfy everyone with a sufficient account of my week-long adventure in the United Kingdom. Now that I am back and settled in Spain, I am up to receiving phone calls and e-mails or chatting on Skype or AIM. Just give me a heads up! Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers while I was traveling!

Con amor,
Diana