La corrida de toros

So I did something I said I'd never do: go to a bull fight. In my defense (and this is more to assuage my own guilt...) I mainly went because the tickets were ridiculously cheap and I knew this would likely be my first and last time. Plus, I wanted to see this cultural aspect of Spain. Oh, and I decided that unless I saw it myself, I wouldn't be able to have an opinion. Now I can say, having gone to a bullfight myself, that it is truly horrific and something I would not want to go to again, ever. To stress this point, I will make a PRO/CON list of Bullfighting: 

Pros: The Plaza is beautiful. The music and costumes are great. That's about it. 

Cons: 1) If you are sitting really close (like we unfortunately were, despite the fact that our tickets were really cheap--still don't know why that is...) you can hear the bull moaning. 2) You can see the blood from where the picadors (men on horses) use their lances to stab the bull. Not a joke. The same goes for the hook things (not a technical term) that are also placed (well, one of the bullfighters--not the main "matador," but one of the others, not sure of the name for them--runs and stabs the bull with these, too) in the bull. 

Me and Ashley before the bullfighting began. Not sure why I'm so happy. BTW--that women in front of me was sitting so far back I had no knee room!! 

Cons Continued: 3) If the matador stinks (which the first one did) he is unable to kill the bull on the first try. This means it takes an obscene amount of time for the bull to die (which of course we are watching). In fact, at the end of the first round, it was necessary to continually stab the bull so he would die. 4) The bull is then dragged out of the ring while triumphant music is played. 5) This should have been at the beginning, but it was something I forgot to mention. When the bull is angry (and wouldn't you be) he sometimes goes over to the picadors (the men on the horses) and uses his horns against the horse. So, yes, the horse (whose eye are covered, and who is an innocent bystander) is also subjected to this madness.

While this whole "spectacle" was happening a man was smoking a cigar and another was smoking a cigarette and the combination of the smoke with the bullfight made me utterly nauseated. Needless to say, I stayed for two bulls (they do 6!!!--again, why this is necessary, I do not know). And then I left. 

Terrible bullfighter who could not kill the bull, and thus the bull suffered. Get a new profession. 

Some people claim this is a cultural experience. I am sorry if I do not see the culture in this event. RIP 6 bulls. 

Wow...I was actually in...Paris :)

Oh, París. Need I say more? Not going to lie...having over a three hour delay leaving Madrid was definitely not my idea of fun. Not sure I would recommend RyanAir. I know, Dr. B, you warned me and I should have listened, but instead I just chose the cheapest flight. Perhaps you really do get what you pay for...When the pilot said it was going to be about another hour (thankfully it was only about 35 minutes longer) I was about to call it a day and get off the plane. I'm so glad I didn't, however, because, as these pictures show, I had the best time! 

Ashley, Meghan, Blair, Helen, and Me on a pedestrian bridge along the Seine (just before going to the Louvre)

I didn't get to Paris until nearly midnight Friday (or should I say Saturday morning?). Getting a shuttle in advance to take me to the hostel was the best $70 Euros roundtrip I have ever spent. There was someone waiting for me at the airport, even thought the flight was so delayed. A friendly couple from Madrid and a mother with her two kids (going to Euro Disney) were also in the shuttle. It was so nice to practice Spanish with ¡gente tan amable! My friends were nice enough to wait up for me, too. Although I wasn't in the same room as my friends (don't freak out, Dad) they were just down the hall, plus I was in an all-girls room. The beds were made daily and the bathrooms were cleaned daily, too. We got a free breakfast every morning and free internet access, had the internet not been broken. I highly recommend this hostel. The only downside is that it's a bit out of the way of some of the major sights, but the staff is great and the rooms are clean and comfortable, albeit a bit small (Oops! hostel)

My first day I was off to the catacombs with two of my friends (there were a total of seven of us--so much fun!). The catacombs were so interesting and spooky--great for this time of year, being so close to Halloween. We then walked to the Luxembourg Gardens which are gorgeous. There were tons of families enjoying the beautiful fall weather, also great this time of year. 

I think we all know where I am here :). Still not sure how I feel about giant glass pyramids. 

Of course I have to mention what we did that afternoon...the Louvre! It's definitely true that this museum is just way too large to see in a day, in two days, in a week, well you get the point. But I loved seeing Egyptian art and of course the Mona Lisa. Yes, it's small. Yes, it might disappoint, but hell it's still the Mona Lisa. 

Inside the catacombs...BOO!

Girls being girls

Sunday morning we were off to Versailles. It's only about a forty-five minute train ride from Paris, so when in Paris, I'd try to take advantage of this opportunity. Just putting this out there--who the heck needs a Palace that size? Or I guess the better question is who the heck needs a palace at all? It does impress, however, but giant palaces tend to do that. Something very odd about the palace, though. There must have been some traveling art exhibit in the palace at this time and so in nearly all of the rooms I saw there were these anime/pokemón like structures. Not kidding. They were in the gardens too (also amazing). Still have no idea what they were about. You'd be standing in this baroque room and all of a sudden look over and there's something that looks like Picachu (not sure how to spell that...) staring back at you. Very strange. But perhaps I am ignorant of the exhibit. Must research this...

I think I'd look great in this palace, don't you?

After Versailles, we went to the Museé d'Orsay. Wow. If you are at all into impressionist painting this museum is a must see. The museum itself reminded me (and my friend Ashley) of Grand Central Station (is Grand Central based off of this museum...or the other way around...or neither? no idea) and is beautiful. It is so relaxing to walk around and take your time looking at the beautiful Monets, Renoirs, etc. 

Somehow later that afternoon I still had time to see the Eiffel Tower. Clearly has the wow factor. I went back at night to see it all lit up--certainly would be quite the romantic spot. Walking along the Seine from  Notre Dame was beautiful. 

There were a few things I didn't get to do--such as see Notre Dame during the day and go inside, among other things--but all in all definitely not too shabby for just about two days in Paris! 

Goodness gracious! I almost ended this blog without talking about the food. Two things, mainly--it's amazing and it's expensive. Crepes with apricot jam, yes please! A whole fish for dinner, I think so! Not knowing what you're ordering off the menu--makes it that much more adventurous! 

And before ending this blog...a big shout out to all of my friends on the trip who were amazing! I had such a great time with all of you. It was great having such a fun group of people to see Paris with who were so motivated to go here there and everywhere! I'd travel with you girls again anytime. Next stop...who knows? :)

Joan's Birthday, Portugal & Salamanca

Joan turned twenty on September 21st yay! Elena got a cute ice-cream tort for the three of us :).

View of Coimbra 

Me and Caroline on a terrace at the university in Coimbra

The 8:00 AM departure time last Friday was rough, but totally worth it in the end considering how beautiful Portugal and Salamanca are.

The city of Coimbra is quaint and lovely--it has a beautiful river view. Coimbra is actually a college town which means that there is a great university to check out. The old buildings are amazing and the library is one of a kind. I would have loved to take a picture of it, but unfortunately that's not allowed. On Saturday morning, at the start of our tour of the city, we were able to walk through a market. Many venders were dressed in traditional clothing and were selling delicious looking pastries, cheeses, breads and more. Books and collectable were being sold, too.

Market in Coimbra

We had a lunch sponsored by NYU consisting of soup with cabbage and vegetables, bacalao (cod fish), potatoes, and onions, and of course dessert...orange cake yum! 

The strangest thing about Portugal...we couldn't speak Spanish! I realize this is obvious, but it was quite strange being able to communicate relatively well in Spain for the past month and then suddenly be back at square one again. I will not hold it against the Portuguese. 

That afternoon we were off to Salamanca. I forgot to mention that before heading to Coimbra, we stopped at a small town near Salamanca--Ciudad Rodrigo. It has a beautiful church and a great homey feel. 

Salamanca has the most amazing (and likely the most famous in Spain) Plaza Mayor. At night it's beautifully lit and is surrounded by cafés and ice-cream shops. It was amazing to explore an old university and compare the library here with the one we had seen the day before in Coimbra. 

Inside the University of Salamanca 

View of the river in Coimbra

And now for something totally unrelated to the trip to Portugal and Salamanca--my Arabic class. I've had two classes now at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. There are only about fourteen students in the class and the professor is super nice and knowledgeable. 

My mind was blown away the first day when she handed out sentences in Arabic to translate. I was so proud of myself because I was fully capable of translating them (yay!)...into English. I suddenly realized that I would have to translate them into...Spanish. There's nothing like trying to translate sentences from your third language into your second. Although by the end of the class my brain had had all it could take, it was possibly one of the best, if not the best experiences I've had so far. It's amazing to be learning two languages at once and something I highly recommend to anyone willing to give it a go. It certainly helps that all of the students are really nice and welcoming and that the professor is so approachable. Yay to continuing to learn Arabic...and this time through Spanish :) 

The end of this post is for my brother. Every time we have an amazing dinner (which honestly is practically every night...I mean there's nothing like homemade soups, delicious rice dishes, and fish to die for) I always tell Elena how sorry I am for my brother who's living alone in Missouri in the middle of nowhere and has to cook his own dinner :(. She always laughs and seems so confused as to why I'm so concerned haha. What can I say, a sister looking out for her coolest (and goofiest) big brother :). Anyway, so before Joan and I went to Portugal and Salamanca, Elena made us fidao. It's a dish that is basically paella, but with special noodles instead of rice. One of her daughters, Sonia, was also there for dinner. Because another night Joan and I said we should take a picture of her food, she said get out the camera for this one! And of course I mentioned how sorry I was that Andy couldn't be there to join us! So...these pictures are for you: 

We are likely starving and could devour this entire pan of fideau because we usually eat around ten pm. Not a joke.