tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318350684682531162024-03-19T13:54:32.301-07:00Según Samanthasenoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-40648154980184330972013-05-29T13:05:00.001-07:002013-05-29T13:05:05.228-07:00Last days of school<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Today I said my goodbyes to students in Badajoz. I've worked in this elementary school for the past 8 months on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. My classes consisted of 5th and 6th graders and they've truly been amazing. I've noticed their levels of English improving and the ones who just love participating are so cute. I'll never forget them! They didn't even let me walk into the classroom before they bombarded me with cards, gifts, and kisses. One boy even made a PowerPoint for me! </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>At first I was very confused "they fence you very well"?? What!? Then I found out that this was just a funny translation. She meant to say "Que te vaya bien" which means something like I hope it's well for you/good luck with everything. Instead, she spelled "vaya" into her translator as "valla" which means FENCE! hahahaha so cute. Kids often mistake the y for ll because they can sound the same, the same with the letters "b" and "v'" in Spanish. </strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>I made sure they all knew from the start that I am American and nottttt British! I still would get questions regarding "Inglaterra" which is not my country :) You will notice that they like drawing the American flag</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>"Bye" Samy :) </strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXV4JgQYIUdJ9qMFyPzwn5ZYGYrTgSl_XeCq5bgx3D1T7gEb3HGggxYJrM_cc3yEW5EtSoXlEAXJJewPxDXMmYRV0AIzAjggV6b6RSjP9Q4hW4xb2McFPjm56UT28IXUEF9Cowx6WtK0/s1600/IMG_2480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXV4JgQYIUdJ9qMFyPzwn5ZYGYrTgSl_XeCq5bgx3D1T7gEb3HGggxYJrM_cc3yEW5EtSoXlEAXJJewPxDXMmYRV0AIzAjggV6b6RSjP9Q4hW4xb2McFPjm56UT28IXUEF9Cowx6WtK0/s640/IMG_2480.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>The 5th grade science class- The one in the bottom left hand corner is Sergio (the one who made my powerpoint)</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>This card made me laugh. Our last unit in science was about the Neolithic and Paleolithic periods- I hope they forever remember me when they think about nomads ;)</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Isn't this all too cute? I have a huge stack of cards put only took pictures of some of them. I also said goodbye to my two girls who I give private lessons to every Monday and Wednesday. (Elsa and Gadea) Even though they got a little rowdy at times, they really are sweet girls. </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>I gave them lollipops and they gave me chocolate and earrings :) </strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Meanwhile, I've been cleaning and packing up my room. Thursday and Friday are my last days at my other school and Tara and I leave our apartment for good on Sunday afternoon. Our 3 week trip begins! I've never packed a backpack for three weeks of straight travel, this should be interesting. First stops are Madrid, then Logrono, Bilbao, and San Sebastian. For the first time ever, Tara and I are trying to relax and have the "go with it" attitude of traveling. We will decide what we want to do depending on the people we meet along the way. We will be using the rideshare website and also meet up with some couchsurfers throughout the three weeks. It's not that we are broke and don't want to spend on hostels, it's just that a lot of people have great experiences using couch surfing and it's a great way to get to know this part of Spain. I won't be taking my computer with me while I travel but I will continue taking notes and pictures so I can write when I'm back home :) </strong></span>senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-62106981641496058772013-05-26T04:35:00.001-07:002013-05-26T04:35:08.480-07:00Rollercoaster of emotions<span style="color: #351c75;">Last night my friends and I all celebrated our time spent in Badajoz with a great dinner and after party. It was so nice to get together and look back on our time together. We've gotten to know each other very well and I will remember these people forever. One of my friends, John, put together an amazing slide show of all of us. Just when I thought I was so ready to come back home- something like this is pulling at me and making me soak up every last minute here. Today, I'm going to a lunch with Loly (my tutor) and her family. This family took me in when I first arrived to Spain, they supported me, helped me, and followed my entire journey while I was here. I'm familiar with this whole goodbye process for I've done it too many times. I've realized that saying goodbye means that I've done something new and beautiful that has changed me for the better. I'm addicted to Pinterest- so I've stumbled upon quotes and pictures that I feel really express how I'm feeling and how I <em>think</em> I will feel once I get back home. I'll just let them speak for themselves :) </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheodvDNIDhoPefotEJ1KzFhh-G3hN_yYPTw_SwUpVGSU8uP9LEuR2mK9Ek5xXxEnEMBL1FYznNLxrnZEDAzNsQ99xjNbNkkFUOGNSKqLtC_LAefvfi29Y6t005v8y2500cZx3OM1kW7AM/s1600/c31459e7645bd8bdbbc8df801cb4310f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheodvDNIDhoPefotEJ1KzFhh-G3hN_yYPTw_SwUpVGSU8uP9LEuR2mK9Ek5xXxEnEMBL1FYznNLxrnZEDAzNsQ99xjNbNkkFUOGNSKqLtC_LAefvfi29Y6t005v8y2500cZx3OM1kW7AM/s640/c31459e7645bd8bdbbc8df801cb4310f.jpg" width="426" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">On to my last week! 4 days of school left, 100 goodbye besos will be had this week (saying goodbye to Spaniards = lots of kisses on the cheek), packing, planning my trip up north, and enjoying every last second of Spain! </span>senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-52596164569239430402013-05-21T09:37:00.001-07:002013-05-21T09:37:37.448-07:00Festivals in May<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">I've stopped writing as much lately. For a few reasons; less vacation time, homesickness, and after 8 months the novelty has worn off a good bit. </span></strong><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">It's May 21st and I'm sitting here wondering what happened to all this time! Even though it has been passing more slowly, I have done a couple things lately (that aren't as cool as sea diving) but worth sharing. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">May 1st was a national holiday honoring the workers of Spain- so why not celebrate our hard work by...not working and going to a cheese festival. A few of my teacher friends and I went to a nice city called Trujillo (about 2 hours away from Badajoz). Trujillo is a Spanish city of 9860 inhabitants and is famous for its monuments and its annual festival- of queso :) The main square transformed into a mini cheese village, made up of 100's stands displaying the finest local and national cheeses. "Competition amongst the stalls is fierce and prizes are given for best annual cheese winner".</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Did you know that Spain is the fourth biggest consumer of cheese behind France, Switzerland and Italy ? Here are my tickets. Each sample of cheese was .50 cents. </span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3oighbR-PVL-WVxOWJVSeYswLY8mz3fBwJkAFVwiTYOccOC7Zq2UhRyt_JeDuIHr5PkagdTjX2_uEgofsaG9ctfxn9SnyYWxGIel3I1smpwKHKz_wHex7AZOTFgCG2k3g0SIuh84KOA/s1600/IMG_2310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI3oighbR-PVL-WVxOWJVSeYswLY8mz3fBwJkAFVwiTYOccOC7Zq2UhRyt_JeDuIHr5PkagdTjX2_uEgofsaG9ctfxn9SnyYWxGIel3I1smpwKHKz_wHex7AZOTFgCG2k3g0SIuh84KOA/s640/IMG_2310.JPG" width="640" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Samples of cheese with sweet jelly on top. </span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEqnw23IQBVkpLaiT6uwyRT9o1JPjRkzN5rvz9n-4IzclkBq8VSlGfIiFVH-5Cufx261mM_e0bYak2Yj8RHR8Mu2QA-09M4zJ7mHJx5imz3uiTS3XBDgrF0O6aDE1d7vZ5wKFyMnyAXI/s1600/IMG_2311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHEqnw23IQBVkpLaiT6uwyRT9o1JPjRkzN5rvz9n-4IzclkBq8VSlGfIiFVH-5Cufx261mM_e0bYak2Yj8RHR8Mu2QA-09M4zJ7mHJx5imz3uiTS3XBDgrF0O6aDE1d7vZ5wKFyMnyAXI/s640/IMG_2311.JPG" width="640" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Some of the cheese were delicious and others were overwhelming. </span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytvNHta9FTwysTCyxgBh8zeGmvsXggxjedifNLpKMAPHrGMXxiL1sLi0Zs85lbXoJ50AQ5nse6NGYHlZqNbQdmyNRe4NQxSLyQyzGerbPyjaFNat3ryunuhhW7Niujb82eturROeGOTI/s1600/IMG_2312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytvNHta9FTwysTCyxgBh8zeGmvsXggxjedifNLpKMAPHrGMXxiL1sLi0Zs85lbXoJ50AQ5nse6NGYHlZqNbQdmyNRe4NQxSLyQyzGerbPyjaFNat3ryunuhhW7Niujb82eturROeGOTI/s640/IMG_2312.JPG" width="478" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Tara enjoying her bite of cheese!</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">I read up on the festival before writing this post. I went to this website (</span></strong><a href="http://www.trujillovillasespana.com/fiestas-festivals/the-national-spanish-cheese-festival-in-early-may%20to" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">click here</span></strong></a><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>) to </strong><strong>read about the typical cheeses that I sampled. Below are the most popular selections; </strong></span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Manchego cheese - Spain's most famous cheese and often heralded as Don Quixote’s personal favourite. Made from La Mancha sheep’s’ milk, it is famed for a rich flavour and beautiful texture.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img alt="La Serena Cheese" height="200" src="http://www.trujillovillasespana.com/images/uploads/4f917b8325eca-la-serena-cheese.jpg" style="float: right;" width="250" /></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Ibores cheese - A fantastic local delicacy made in Trujillo and the Extremadura region. <em>Queso ibores</em> has been given PDO protection signalling its quality and uniqueness. Favoured for its smooth texture and creamy taste, this goat’s cheese is a delicious accompaniment with a refreshing beer or crisp white wine.</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">La Serena cheese - <em>Queso de la serena</em> is a delectable cheese made from sheep’s milk. One of the local<br />Trujillo cheeses also awarded the PDO; the cheese is curdled with a coagulant found in the pistils of artichoke giving it a light bitterness that compliments the cheese’s naturally slightly salty taste. Traditionally, La Serena cheese is eaten by slicing off the top and eating the inside with a spoon.</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Torta del Casar - This delicious Extremadura cheese is named after Casar de Caceres - the city of its origin. Unlike <em>La Serena</em> which uses artichokes, Torta del Casar uses a coagulant found in the pistils of cardoon - a local wild thistle. The cheese was given PDO status in 1999 and is famous for its production process - it takes the milk of 20 sheep to make a single 2.2 lb wheel of cheese. Similar to <em>La Serena</em>, this cheese can be eaten with a spoon and is great for families</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfSJuG71hyphenhyphen8eyyYO5rhzFnKvBfcDw6fK0ax8l_AyCWwA-1Wul6BY7-XvSVahVkVzOWEuKZjybJ0LSflgwiPxPo-KM0hNB1h_mwYYAt5soZWNGWGZjBtY9-tFW_BMRyHGED_KABM3kKwE4/s1600/IMG_2324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfSJuG71hyphenhyphen8eyyYO5rhzFnKvBfcDw6fK0ax8l_AyCWwA-1Wul6BY7-XvSVahVkVzOWEuKZjybJ0LSflgwiPxPo-KM0hNB1h_mwYYAt5soZWNGWGZjBtY9-tFW_BMRyHGED_KABM3kKwE4/s640/IMG_2324.JPG" width="640" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">A view of Trujillo </span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7n3c5jHnuVpxL3JIahBXbwSdkxC5wh2c1_0GRLMIg1Oz0RNZxBc5N1JtvYmcg9kZymdcDwfYG_V7cfbBFy9jIN9hxSa8W5TO8M1AiI2sNZHi-LPr2O3pckPvrGU5xiaoRYn-TCAK7w0o/s1600/IMG_2320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7n3c5jHnuVpxL3JIahBXbwSdkxC5wh2c1_0GRLMIg1Oz0RNZxBc5N1JtvYmcg9kZymdcDwfYG_V7cfbBFy9jIN9hxSa8W5TO8M1AiI2sNZHi-LPr2O3pckPvrGU5xiaoRYn-TCAK7w0o/s640/IMG_2320.JPG" width="640" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">A type of cheesecake </span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">The cheese festival was fun and delicious. A lot of the English Auxiliares ended up going to this festival (from looks of my facebook feed) because it was near by and a nice way to try all the typical cheeses. The guests of honor this year was the country of France, which I tried of course- pretty delicious. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">The following weekend there was a festival in Badajoz called "Los Palomos". This festival was in revenge of the mayor who made a "not so popular" comment about the gay community in Badajoz. He pretty much stated that Badajoz didn't have any "gays" in which he used the term "palomo" which means dove. Long story short, the city gets together to celebrate- pretty much to prove that yes, within Spain exists a gay community. My friends and I went out to party at the festival- it was pretty much just another weekend in Badajoz with a little more color :) </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-Qhc9xSJ1oCIJS2SHsixJWgzZplASaguqOKSegQyYe_sVjbVXG3YjsruRh40OK6JBbKVm9A0oxQD3URaNFVs9OTR3cH4bpaqcfElnjP5mTV90p4vHw13gV1gvN2gbyBliOkeAT-wn08/s1600/IMG_2343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-Qhc9xSJ1oCIJS2SHsixJWgzZplASaguqOKSegQyYe_sVjbVXG3YjsruRh40OK6JBbKVm9A0oxQD3URaNFVs9OTR3cH4bpaqcfElnjP5mTV90p4vHw13gV1gvN2gbyBliOkeAT-wn08/s640/IMG_2343.JPG" width="640" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">The streets were filled with rainbow décor, the symbols of doves, and free popcorn (palomitas in Spanish)</span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRHiOsyvxLmQOIcmcQWVgoa2LDqRjZoQk5QmaTW5JcyMBnV91O5zCqgqXcS0hDhYrsdH31zsyVaaq1K8MwYuilenc9_ILREq1BxjRFng_Ogr7DSWmSrZhZR3ziF26r0VLVk3AfG8gKL0/s1600/IMG_2352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdRHiOsyvxLmQOIcmcQWVgoa2LDqRjZoQk5QmaTW5JcyMBnV91O5zCqgqXcS0hDhYrsdH31zsyVaaq1K8MwYuilenc9_ILREq1BxjRFng_Ogr7DSWmSrZhZR3ziF26r0VLVk3AfG8gKL0/s640/IMG_2352.JPG" width="640" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Myself with Meredith (Texas), Daron (Oregon), and Tara (Canada)</span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHFDt-q0yA3W4wyt3hgw48fm7VH72L-t-tiVua4hzLhqB26PjOf9uMASUKsgR1Ei4zVRJOC4bYEsLP4ktm6nN3mYXV8D_VQMnGDqHWq9IQ5jrgNMel9mq_0KavZU9a4R9WvDB3bvavDOA/s1600/IMG_2358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHFDt-q0yA3W4wyt3hgw48fm7VH72L-t-tiVua4hzLhqB26PjOf9uMASUKsgR1Ei4zVRJOC4bYEsLP4ktm6nN3mYXV8D_VQMnGDqHWq9IQ5jrgNMel9mq_0KavZU9a4R9WvDB3bvavDOA/s640/IMG_2358.JPG" width="640" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">We scored a sign :) </span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">The next big event was Tara's birthday on May 10th. She rented out a super cute apartment in Caceres (the city where this journey all began 8 months ago! Caceres was the city where we all had our first orientation together) The main attraction was the WOMAD. WOMAD is a music festival that has guest performances from countries all over the world. On their website, the writers post that "WOMAD, World of Music, Arts and Dance, is an internationally established Festival bringing together artists from all over the globe. WOMAD continues to present music that we feel to be of excellence, passion and individuality, regardless of musical genre or geographical origin, to thousands of festival goers everywhere." So there you have it! We spend a nice weekend together enjoying beautiful weather, street food, good friends, and amazing music. Of course not to forget Tara's big 24! </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXH7xvTNRuQO7A8rUB134SkOqL3451NPQH59W-6IWFmU6bsUi8stnckmFqASa2ZwwIlm-Cl6dJr_IwoXLpSG-kFGGNim0QDayH8dhgbVSio4PDzMtafGObB8u7HrEeT73kd4zhWZCg7e0/s1600/IMG_2380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXH7xvTNRuQO7A8rUB134SkOqL3451NPQH59W-6IWFmU6bsUi8stnckmFqASa2ZwwIlm-Cl6dJr_IwoXLpSG-kFGGNim0QDayH8dhgbVSio4PDzMtafGObB8u7HrEeT73kd4zhWZCg7e0/s640/IMG_2380.JPG" width="640" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">The main stage (p.s. this event was entirely free!)</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4OP1ghMm8H84_0UAaxFUMSBhdZYBQfjpovq1Fo06y_zFK6ODHZqYWCRDH9XbHf_0dyGabr9Kb0KGUUQG7dwiWXIvzwiXghx1BucbQMK5xe7CXo1GG2-6Y65ynm0rwP9LcKsPE0xpc3ZU/s1600/IMG_2384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4OP1ghMm8H84_0UAaxFUMSBhdZYBQfjpovq1Fo06y_zFK6ODHZqYWCRDH9XbHf_0dyGabr9Kb0KGUUQG7dwiWXIvzwiXghx1BucbQMK5xe7CXo1GG2-6Y65ynm0rwP9LcKsPE0xpc3ZU/s640/IMG_2384.JPG" width="640" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Tara and Kate relaxing on the rooftop</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"></span></strong><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOHHrWW9HCwgG0ASPckOV1e_pyRlHpy1sF6uDFSh9To0NXZPfjC6Bn4JYXzdC3mB_X5mkjH1cGqDnvHAZIrzKYmK_xhdpnegLB0tbaDYGMEAf6oQYM9tISh7HD6ZZtwO_G_OALJ_qYVc/s1600/IMG_2389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJOHHrWW9HCwgG0ASPckOV1e_pyRlHpy1sF6uDFSh9To0NXZPfjC6Bn4JYXzdC3mB_X5mkjH1cGqDnvHAZIrzKYmK_xhdpnegLB0tbaDYGMEAf6oQYM9tISh7HD6ZZtwO_G_OALJ_qYVc/s640/IMG_2389.JPG" width="478" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">My favorite ladies! </span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">This weekend will be our last big weekend spent together in Badajoz. Our friends are throwing a goodbye party to celebrate the past year spent together. I'm very lucky to have met such awesome people not only in Badajoz but the surrounding area. I might even start packing this weekend! Scary. </span></strong>senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-6522071021196092102013-05-04T07:49:00.000-07:002013-05-04T07:49:48.846-07:00Diving in Tenerife..the proof!<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>I'm still pretty proud of myself for the whole diving excursion I did a month ago and I just now got the photos back from the guide. They're not the most professional but they are still pretty good! It feels like we went to the Canary Islands ages ago. </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong></strong></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaSN1CWMJSE7E-jy5FlMtysI_O_X5wQr0zYGF-asXYUM8Opai60Gwta6abXArIDzMMImbSlZCdmRJIq21feW2T72alL8RjZVBnMqIcvWfEiJDMjntaA9H5c8LjKbumd8w6XpXGoPeCmcY/s1600/5628_524247084281370_970500447_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaSN1CWMJSE7E-jy5FlMtysI_O_X5wQr0zYGF-asXYUM8Opai60Gwta6abXArIDzMMImbSlZCdmRJIq21feW2T72alL8RjZVBnMqIcvWfEiJDMjntaA9H5c8LjKbumd8w6XpXGoPeCmcY/s640/5628_524247084281370_970500447_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPeLhXMgzmLC_NegcfNeBmc-j2DrzRCAEZKf8AR_X0ngVfcR1kBRq92goICY76jT5rEpkUFxF9LdlXdUS0Kq5wl_GSKOjRnSw-D3IvSQf5ISsLqEnPiOQ33iwdwFLFpGNn048IRjzJ5gE/s1600/10780_524246304281448_1479393198_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPeLhXMgzmLC_NegcfNeBmc-j2DrzRCAEZKf8AR_X0ngVfcR1kBRq92goICY76jT5rEpkUFxF9LdlXdUS0Kq5wl_GSKOjRnSw-D3IvSQf5ISsLqEnPiOQ33iwdwFLFpGNn048IRjzJ5gE/s640/10780_524246304281448_1479393198_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>I saw one giant sea turtle while I was under the water..he came right for my face and I freaked out instead of touching it</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLzlU3dvs7L2gm_xlaGdAlDnVd1EIelJxoj0X7BTJpbBijLbA6EJARzS5LHBo0CZhMerzo30G8UodlVuwrYdnqrEprAJJXqloojXPHbHnqH4I3-9WkPbA1pFqA6hUyYnXP4Wv9lrTwJU/s1600/24290_524246947614717_1761312082_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLzlU3dvs7L2gm_xlaGdAlDnVd1EIelJxoj0X7BTJpbBijLbA6EJARzS5LHBo0CZhMerzo30G8UodlVuwrYdnqrEprAJJXqloojXPHbHnqH4I3-9WkPbA1pFqA6hUyYnXP4Wv9lrTwJU/s640/24290_524246947614717_1761312082_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>The guide had a hold of me the entire time, controlling my oxygen and steering me around</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWHCPNDVa3TO0ZjxEgF6XfFr01xZLANeAKp6WwJQ5H4O58PVD7no-gV3ZLZnu2EPby8dd16A1zWO2vQxdK20YVUCy8u7VbCCzKJbtlDkoEWoHhIqE9pkWRZQG8I1QtYQ_VCnduWhPG7Rg/s1600/299108_524246387614773_1040263694_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWHCPNDVa3TO0ZjxEgF6XfFr01xZLANeAKp6WwJQ5H4O58PVD7no-gV3ZLZnu2EPby8dd16A1zWO2vQxdK20YVUCy8u7VbCCzKJbtlDkoEWoHhIqE9pkWRZQG8I1QtYQ_VCnduWhPG7Rg/s640/299108_524246387614773_1040263694_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Tara getting ready (the guide on the right)</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifb8-SwD7jQZbUYO8cEOyuyr0nIuWPMx67wuSOVJT2MBkX8rkzF4B96R8_UWO-h2uNbWch9YwGWka2Vl3vLb-gFWVd1xMjYLETQqzEV7o_60Oo8hOoF2Ez-oRGu97Pr1yk5a76uK4eAyQ/s1600/480299_524246287614783_1399534731_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifb8-SwD7jQZbUYO8cEOyuyr0nIuWPMx67wuSOVJT2MBkX8rkzF4B96R8_UWO-h2uNbWch9YwGWka2Vl3vLb-gFWVd1xMjYLETQqzEV7o_60Oo8hOoF2Ez-oRGu97Pr1yk5a76uK4eAyQ/s640/480299_524246287614783_1399534731_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjmGPHAv57paTe4IkMIHUQU7pM9JC7Cu6PKD43m5LwBLfWBWz1mv7vZLaLgEjXvvjIrE8q4alcOKQlyZQduCnRwPoIZ_M_OGS4bptHbxmin1oZMHsa5YHQpFwEpOS-5HKdhgHxG5C2n_Y/s1600/521527_524246684281410_1651099904_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjmGPHAv57paTe4IkMIHUQU7pM9JC7Cu6PKD43m5LwBLfWBWz1mv7vZLaLgEjXvvjIrE8q4alcOKQlyZQduCnRwPoIZ_M_OGS4bptHbxmin1oZMHsa5YHQpFwEpOS-5HKdhgHxG5C2n_Y/s640/521527_524246684281410_1651099904_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>The preparation before diving was the most terrifying part! It's hard to get accustomed to the breathing</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8LDrXK071hJPDWCG6XMyTVeyP8zylV1s-QmYaqLG4O-a-wzXfpy5r1eY5XIfMHTgzzRtTIiHkgNf52ZxDbLUWWUvYeLJRCtKcFQw2hVT2S-qLPj-UH6f0wzizxET06qsmZ0ujQ69NBWk/s1600/526452_524246857614726_1530410117_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8LDrXK071hJPDWCG6XMyTVeyP8zylV1s-QmYaqLG4O-a-wzXfpy5r1eY5XIfMHTgzzRtTIiHkgNf52ZxDbLUWWUvYeLJRCtKcFQw2hVT2S-qLPj-UH6f0wzizxET06qsmZ0ujQ69NBWk/s640/526452_524246857614726_1530410117_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>I was scared of my goggles falling off (I have contacts) so I was holding on to them the whole time..we also had to pop our ears the further down we got</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC52e3x3gfZPbZlvwRO78u3zpVTtJW-LdhpKB4CCjkUfJ9SKRmz6yFJtn3MGCr0OZpTF7JinAiBDvSys5w09aWnZE4gAwo_ZtgrylFeboi1ZypQbJKCmMOzKveAj8uDWGGXuqp1yvqAxY/s1600/529047_524246517614760_289751260_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC52e3x3gfZPbZlvwRO78u3zpVTtJW-LdhpKB4CCjkUfJ9SKRmz6yFJtn3MGCr0OZpTF7JinAiBDvSys5w09aWnZE4gAwo_ZtgrylFeboi1ZypQbJKCmMOzKveAj8uDWGGXuqp1yvqAxY/s640/529047_524246517614760_289751260_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>ready to go!</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrFUgnsLMZPrC_PAT-6FIg83lqDZnqIFtTt_j4-j7vk1COnuKzOnletJ834DwnrfS4wJwBFzMIAO8EU6juDx7p8rwc-TgdO9e350MvT9H5pIh2-l-utmR_yDqLlPrTlU0pPVpD0QJf-I/s1600/536414_524246877614724_1234095188_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrFUgnsLMZPrC_PAT-6FIg83lqDZnqIFtTt_j4-j7vk1COnuKzOnletJ834DwnrfS4wJwBFzMIAO8EU6juDx7p8rwc-TgdO9e350MvT9H5pIh2-l-utmR_yDqLlPrTlU0pPVpD0QJf-I/s640/536414_524246877614724_1234095188_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Popping my ears</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6sekSu1JkQ2SxLldLoJCEpBpOwhLmRDbwef7rMv6N7ROdIuf-MTKQ-o-Dp7ZfGb2vfOWXS4znZYlayFV9UNx6kvQBwVTHi5UhJQqVdvO-34EtIu5HjZMtyYAe1hAA411jq8mXzJ51J1Y/s1600/575888_524246470948098_1091557961_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6sekSu1JkQ2SxLldLoJCEpBpOwhLmRDbwef7rMv6N7ROdIuf-MTKQ-o-Dp7ZfGb2vfOWXS4znZYlayFV9UNx6kvQBwVTHi5UhJQqVdvO-34EtIu5HjZMtyYAe1hAA411jq8mXzJ51J1Y/s640/575888_524246470948098_1091557961_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>The oxygen tank + the suit = super heavy! the suits were already wet before we put them on...not the most comfortable feeling but this doesn't happen very often now does it</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_L6PSE0c9PlO5hnKDFAfzhJesW05Kc0NX-ROe-nnEYgMDiJrsz6TyGS1Kvb511Mk4JiL7vrWfCDkGFpnwiVVr5KnoGQgYY8JWIDt8MXULdhAEBG3svWZBX9utC25sucIwyty2v2rpBg/s1600/578969_524246914281387_445855351_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_L6PSE0c9PlO5hnKDFAfzhJesW05Kc0NX-ROe-nnEYgMDiJrsz6TyGS1Kvb511Mk4JiL7vrWfCDkGFpnwiVVr5KnoGQgYY8JWIDt8MXULdhAEBG3svWZBX9utC25sucIwyty2v2rpBg/s640/578969_524246914281387_445855351_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Well there's my proof! I haven't been writing that much because things have been very chill lately. I went to Lisbon (again) last weekend for a nice get-a-way from Badajoz. This weekend there is a Gay Festival in town that we're going to. Next weekend is Tara's birthday weekend and we'll be going to Caceres to a music festival. We've rented out an apartment and there will be 12 or so of us English teachers all staying together. My last official day of teaching is May 31 (soon!). Tara and I originally had plans of flying to Greece for our three weeks of travel but we've changed plans. Instead we will be headed to the Basque Country up north, the border of France and Spain, and parting ways after we travel around the Mediterranean coast near Barcelona. </strong></span><br />
<br /><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>It's a weird feeling to have to think about packing up everything I've accumulated in the past 8 months. I'm thankful to myself for having written this blog because honestly it's a little hard to process everything right now. I have a mixture of emotions; I'm super happy with my experiences abroad yet I'm very excited for the next chapter in Louisiana. As time passes, I've realized I'm definitely ready to settle down, see my family and friends, and believe it or not..find a job! I thought that this adventure in Spain would relax me and realize work isn't everything but I've come to find out I get a lot of satisfaction from working my butt off. Maybe I won't be as crazy as I was in college, working two jobs with a full class schedule...but I'd really like to start figuring out what I want out of a career. </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>4 full weeks left in my apartment</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>16 days left of teaching</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>7 weeks until I touch down in America</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>221 days spent living abroad so far- 221!</strong></span></div>
senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-84538761474653505032013-04-17T06:33:00.002-07:002013-04-17T12:39:41.037-07:00Plane ticket home..check!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq7VZyMi_vop80BLv5LEHFcLw54bAh9L6TdTs3sCubmpqhMxi3YrJfEDCV-ejVXfG-XOVfYLeaj9WDm-g-f5I7dTGMfg8wOQx4Cat5tos836iykiztWsSNPoOh618tuQG70VB0shcuAyg/s1600/WorldCalendar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq7VZyMi_vop80BLv5LEHFcLw54bAh9L6TdTs3sCubmpqhMxi3YrJfEDCV-ejVXfG-XOVfYLeaj9WDm-g-f5I7dTGMfg8wOQx4Cat5tos836iykiztWsSNPoOh618tuQG70VB0shcuAyg/s640/WorldCalendar.png" width="594" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Where did time go?!</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Kyle recently asked me "what do you want/want to do when you get home"? <em>What don't I want to do!?</em></span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BtvT2mr-mtp_X-JdLrNWKgC8enGcokM0SDavluFzN8u77qbAAxgSK_NLiZXO7jUs7_ofbOk9uK5olEptTil-Or7Ygb9Tai9mNYMn2q2Xll8W_e7frYdHawAgmpmsnR3bEB6y3In1-Hw/s1600/stock-photo-a-basset-hound-in-a-car-123008005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BtvT2mr-mtp_X-JdLrNWKgC8enGcokM0SDavluFzN8u77qbAAxgSK_NLiZXO7jUs7_ofbOk9uK5olEptTil-Or7Ygb9Tai9mNYMn2q2Xll8W_e7frYdHawAgmpmsnR3bEB6y3In1-Hw/s400/stock-photo-a-basset-hound-in-a-car-123008005.jpg" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">This picture makes me think of two things..my basset hound and the joy I'll feel after driving my car again</span></strong></td></tr>
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<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Drive my car wherever and whenever I want- no relying on public buses or carpools </span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Go out to dinner at a full service restaurant- I miss having that type of environment. Spain is full of cafes and tapa places</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Socialize with Americans- I miss their sense of humor, accents, attitudes, and intonation. </span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Shop at Target!!</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Go grocery shopping- I enjoy this way too much.</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Watch the 4th of July fireworks and see my high school friends/family</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Find an apartment and settle down for a while</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Earn more than 700 euros a month ;) </span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Bake and cook in my own kitchen</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">DRY MY CLOTHES! It sounds silly but we're spoiled with those drying machines</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Eat Mexican food </span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Be with Mom in New Orleans</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Go on a trip with Kyle</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Go to the movie theatre- I haven't been once over here!</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Watch T.V. for hours on end- (I never watch T.V. here and Big Brother will be on this summer!)</span></strong></li>
<li><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">See my nephew, Harper</span></strong></li>
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<a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xui4r2_saturday-night-live-bruno-mars-pop-star-impressions_shortfilms?start=7" target="_blank">The perfect example of what I miss about American humor..SNL</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxGlFJ8E1cwpPqPSjDDkBoG2yHQz8sRFjzJU3k1nmRXuZU5uGmGmYnFSnKZcvI-MhmjKFZ2nlAs0H4uBHSe79wESn24DDMRThbHQjR3svqoILMzoD4pOZP4XZs5NIWdm3CgK0AerHTKo/s1600/559201_3878619762277_2099439265_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxGlFJ8E1cwpPqPSjDDkBoG2yHQz8sRFjzJU3k1nmRXuZU5uGmGmYnFSnKZcvI-MhmjKFZ2nlAs0H4uBHSe79wESn24DDMRThbHQjR3svqoILMzoD4pOZP4XZs5NIWdm3CgK0AerHTKo/s640/559201_3878619762277_2099439265_n.jpg" width="640" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Kelly and I with Harp last July</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">I thought I'd miss more things when it came to food once I left the states but I've really been fine. They all say "peanut butter" is the missing factor when you live abroad but that's not true, I've been able to buy it here. Another bad habit of mine is ranch dressing, I'm happy to say I've survived without it. Spain has amazing olive oil and I've been addicted to making my own dressings with it. </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3MbX8xif2QYLq3qYs0tFf9CjWHmsBVovX9xw_e0wqgTU2vM0BfZ2Oovvk5SfJA822OkxN6zqn6ApcE4aMU7sfqXWp2R7KZoDwgjsmpZWIOZyXNjiZhGedyAGlxtaBPFUHoHRn3STCLY/s1600/4771377127_7539276f5f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB3MbX8xif2QYLq3qYs0tFf9CjWHmsBVovX9xw_e0wqgTU2vM0BfZ2Oovvk5SfJA822OkxN6zqn6ApcE4aMU7sfqXWp2R7KZoDwgjsmpZWIOZyXNjiZhGedyAGlxtaBPFUHoHRn3STCLY/s640/4771377127_7539276f5f.jpg" width="640" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">America's obsession</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">I'm trying my best to live in the present and plan some more trips for June but I can't help thinking about how I'll feel when I get home. It's been on my mind constantly, I'm thinking it's because Kyle just left. I also don't have any more big trips planned for the month of April or May. Let's face it, I'm not here because I enjoy the teaching...I'm here to travel and learn about the language/people..howeeeverrr, sometimes I feel like I've had enough, sometimes I want them to just stop speaking Spanish, or sometimes I just don't want to immerse myself in anything. It's not anything negative they've done, it's just my personality to need my own space every once in a while (hello, only child). Most of my friends just received the news that they've been accepted to come back to Spain next year. I'm very happy for them and will keep in touch but I'm also happy with my decision to come home :) </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">'MERICA...See you on June 25th :) For now, here's to my last few months of an amazing experience! </span></strong>senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-49649528836368215772013-04-10T06:36:00.002-07:002013-04-12T14:24:24.311-07:00Albufeira and Lagos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #351c75;">Albufeira is a city in southern Portugal, about a three hour train ride from Lisbon. It is a main tourist destination, due to its coastal location. The city has a population of 22,000, a touristy "new strip", an "old town", and many beaches. Our weather wasn't suitable for swimming but with a light jacket it was nice in the sunshine. Our hotel was close to the newer part of town, which we didn't care for. It was overrun by strange British people and bars/discos. We didn't go out to any of the bars or restaurants in Albufeira, not one. We did however, eat a LOT of kebabs. I've had a kebab before because they are all over Spain and extremely delicious. My mom also loved the kebabs she ate in Sevilla and Granada. Once I introduced Kyle to one...there was no going back! That's all he craved from then on. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-sbR8xeB18s-MT9ez2oV9V6Et8qN3EGbByCVKlc-9vamWAmfyHm_r74Q-qj3Au78Wgq2QulRG3wdJMSH1IGfGlwFL1mKKvI-mVs6T4c7-0_xkt_thk8zHWaDWG6LLG2oo2eHiOjl0YWc/s1600/IMG_1531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-sbR8xeB18s-MT9ez2oV9V6Et8qN3EGbByCVKlc-9vamWAmfyHm_r74Q-qj3Au78Wgq2QulRG3wdJMSH1IGfGlwFL1mKKvI-mVs6T4c7-0_xkt_thk8zHWaDWG6LLG2oo2eHiOjl0YWc/s640/IMG_1531.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">This is a kebab. They're huge, stuffed with veggies, chicken, garlic yogurt sauce and wrapped in pita bread</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibUNMU9iupWP_dX5VSu1vvoQnHnb_Hd1ovsVxFLHr8VtRHOQWO5ysayqD2wt33R49iAvVhK2xAaNZQ3mAs_Z_dvNJj-2zhZm3iC9b0Lo24tU9socm8yoxAQdmtHzvhy7j23yyQHFkEnvU/s1600/IMG_2182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibUNMU9iupWP_dX5VSu1vvoQnHnb_Hd1ovsVxFLHr8VtRHOQWO5ysayqD2wt33R49iAvVhK2xAaNZQ3mAs_Z_dvNJj-2zhZm3iC9b0Lo24tU9socm8yoxAQdmtHzvhy7j23yyQHFkEnvU/s640/IMG_2182.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">"A Turkish dish made of meat cooked on a vertical spit, normally veal or beef but also a mixture of these with lamb; a cheaper version of chicken is also found. The dish is also widely known by its Arabic name, shawarma, or in Greek as gyro".</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl4ew4c2OEcpI94dKNthnVad2zHwMqJAgFtWRAMDGY6CbTiRGCShxeMNPs4adG44uOWx7WRiRUYmWAQFqEgj0BfNjF_vuICpOWa0SjzNcxmoT2FhQGBJ6InIMsz_Sleu7XMZ2nA9iGXQ8/s1600/IMG_1408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl4ew4c2OEcpI94dKNthnVad2zHwMqJAgFtWRAMDGY6CbTiRGCShxeMNPs4adG44uOWx7WRiRUYmWAQFqEgj0BfNjF_vuICpOWa0SjzNcxmoT2FhQGBJ6InIMsz_Sleu7XMZ2nA9iGXQ8/s640/IMG_1408.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Falesia Beach</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihaDePuDsb73GiM3SUGKZVy1GCHzsJLUSGRoMk-RDmjYYFONnFQ5zmBWu11edbUylWr9kSKRFt52qo1H_0ugkK7U09NKjHmHyikWyaQjyy9bf9MznyeAqGjS5nDgXUtNpywXGQ1zreSZ0/s1600/IMG_1418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihaDePuDsb73GiM3SUGKZVy1GCHzsJLUSGRoMk-RDmjYYFONnFQ5zmBWu11edbUylWr9kSKRFt52qo1H_0ugkK7U09NKjHmHyikWyaQjyy9bf9MznyeAqGjS5nDgXUtNpywXGQ1zreSZ0/s640/IMG_1418.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Boats and fish = Kyle's happy place</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"> Since all we did was eat kebabs and walk around in Albufeira, we decided to catch a bus to another southern city in Portugal, Lagos. Although it was only 20 or 30 kilometers away, it took longer to get there because we made a lot of stops along the way. We quickly realized that Lagos was less touristy and more beautiful and went back again the following day. All of the following pictures are of us in Lagos. We walked along the top of the cliffs to reach the famous point of Ponta da Piedade, ate lunch in Praia Dona Ana, visited a museum, the marina, and took lots of pictures (of course). </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_eRTphqOrho1qEhx9weDgOelkeIHZ7OWgNWP9KXsjfjRnCkYgB6WXU3cy3DNzJL-uYcsZoRu6UPsIco02rzYLdby046BsgXcIuUVHj-j3VHxK0KFG1Q6UqstnSVCK_NjkGlyTPlaows/s1600/IMG_2163.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_eRTphqOrho1qEhx9weDgOelkeIHZ7OWgNWP9KXsjfjRnCkYgB6WXU3cy3DNzJL-uYcsZoRu6UPsIco02rzYLdby046BsgXcIuUVHj-j3VHxK0KFG1Q6UqstnSVCK_NjkGlyTPlaows/s640/IMG_2163.PNG" width="425" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">These are the most popular places to visit in Lagos according to tripadvisor</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Lagos has a lot of caves and grottos</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Yup thats me up there</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_oB-YC70bOqx7YoILpJPNmih8vIfaazC6BdzpzeKDwMEQoNpnOY-Tj-VnKUHyL-DBvxnGknp741jReaRywq94MznK-x7HWp7CnI0-P6LFPJlchE4tG7TTL6wn_FGOXxRAWvvlcZF6Y9A/s1600/IMG_1488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_oB-YC70bOqx7YoILpJPNmih8vIfaazC6BdzpzeKDwMEQoNpnOY-Tj-VnKUHyL-DBvxnGknp741jReaRywq94MznK-x7HWp7CnI0-P6LFPJlchE4tG7TTL6wn_FGOXxRAWvvlcZF6Y9A/s640/IMG_1488.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9Xtx_sPm8WdMg0Wp4v0U_cQ9qSBelxY1ti7AN96cfzjkYu-p1SzC17kLlZk49bXQv9wF_OpmSWTVAvUWGn9YQzq3_f0LPPNQbxUcrCr8k4eYBEbi7uPgcyAV7T-zAIPgGHnPDRODP-Q/s1600/IMG_1534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy9Xtx_sPm8WdMg0Wp4v0U_cQ9qSBelxY1ti7AN96cfzjkYu-p1SzC17kLlZk49bXQv9wF_OpmSWTVAvUWGn9YQzq3_f0LPPNQbxUcrCr8k4eYBEbi7uPgcyAV7T-zAIPgGHnPDRODP-Q/s640/IMG_1534.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Our last night in Albufeira just after sunset</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;">The Saturday before Kyle left, we checked out of the hotel and headed back up to Lisbon for the night. His flight left around noon so we stayed in a hotel near the airport. We had a nice night and ate at a Brazilian restaurant similar to Texas de Brazil. Sunday morning was just plain awful and sad :( I had to get on my bus to leave him at 9am and he stayed behind waiting for his flight. We had a great time together- the time went quickly! Now I'm looking forward to relaxing and enjoying my last two months in Spain before I'm off to travel again in June. The day Kyle left, I booked my ticket home to the states. June 25th will be the day! Exactly 9 months to the date of when I left :)</span>senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-78667693090400293182013-04-10T05:56:00.001-07:002013-04-10T12:15:47.783-07:00Sintra and Cascais<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">Sintra = Portugal's fairytale town right outside of Lisbon. Sintra is full of royal retreats, estates, castles and buildings from the 8th-9th century, in addition to many buildings completed between the 15th and 19th century. The most famous building in Sintra is Pena Palace. Built in the 1840s, it is one of Europe's most fantastic palaces. I had wanted to visit Sintra for a while, but when I realized that Kyle was wanting to see more landscapes and countrysides I thought we would get great views from the palace. We bought the day pass that Paula had recommended doing so we could visit Sintra and Cascais all in one day. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDH4VPPb6qvZrWz1vMWq1HrCgeLQTgnCkAQnS59H2aT9Del3jVGpo_R-xUfhsaR14aOX42zbxfX1ct6wFz6qSLVGTL37yhe2I9GnC0MRRI1s4B6-KQjy6NVb-3hu12apZvb9r2W-Dw2D4/s1600/imagesCAOAS15Z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDH4VPPb6qvZrWz1vMWq1HrCgeLQTgnCkAQnS59H2aT9Del3jVGpo_R-xUfhsaR14aOX42zbxfX1ct6wFz6qSLVGTL37yhe2I9GnC0MRRI1s4B6-KQjy6NVb-3hu12apZvb9r2W-Dw2D4/s640/imagesCAOAS15Z.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">So..here it is! Pena Palace...or at least what I had dreamed of it being...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGcez59Ofri-pup1ua0vCU4g-ROnW4onkZRhv2KTGCWNiN8haMXLgOe1JIPDLDCfWtLVUVZTV6H1o_tDx1i7iiSybHwd4dWvzra3LY_A8WFoK894nOUzwrPpGjfusKcI_J-og5mvPNSHI/s1600/IMG_1361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGcez59Ofri-pup1ua0vCU4g-ROnW4onkZRhv2KTGCWNiN8haMXLgOe1JIPDLDCfWtLVUVZTV6H1o_tDx1i7iiSybHwd4dWvzra3LY_A8WFoK894nOUzwrPpGjfusKcI_J-og5mvPNSHI/s640/IMG_1361.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">Womp womp....it was raining :( I still insisted on us going to it though in hopes of the rain going away but it didn't. You win some and you lose some right? Oh well. We still got to see the insides and beautiful furnishings from the old times. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim8gdj1sBdPW0TNwZYImX3Sm7hHBDDKc3C26d5OFlQy9ZgSasPyouBsLS6pMjwIs2uSlVjj6z5b6czt45tAcCQeJam2I5GOFNZ4ZAlGBY6pzyTp-lel5BOYVvwR8RNMqcJqigBMY4OY6g/s1600/IMG_1364+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim8gdj1sBdPW0TNwZYImX3Sm7hHBDDKc3C26d5OFlQy9ZgSasPyouBsLS6pMjwIs2uSlVjj6z5b6czt45tAcCQeJam2I5GOFNZ4ZAlGBY6pzyTp-lel5BOYVvwR8RNMqcJqigBMY4OY6g/s640/IMG_1364+(2).JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">At least he looks good but that rain and wind combo was pretty harsh</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8KONxujtqVlsaN7q9g36aTKgv9PNOfZbekEuuDkvUw7-U7AkGaXSdL_lVQ4I64ZeUco-9wcmu7QaDamCdD3_oGF6THp8T-ZS8rKG_CJDQLRwb_10S-TFQI9LpThTWSzLFIGrJ107KDmM/s1600/IMG_1352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8KONxujtqVlsaN7q9g36aTKgv9PNOfZbekEuuDkvUw7-U7AkGaXSdL_lVQ4I64ZeUco-9wcmu7QaDamCdD3_oGF6THp8T-ZS8rKG_CJDQLRwb_10S-TFQI9LpThTWSzLFIGrJ107KDmM/s640/IMG_1352.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">One of the bedrooms in the palace</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">We weren't in the palace for very long because of the rain. However, on a positive note...the famous pastries in Sintra, queijadas, were worth the 40 minute train ride. I also saw these pastries on a foodie show and I wanted to try them once I heard they were cinnamon and cheese filled pastries. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTocUKLOZvE2qnFcb-QK1dGlrh-AU070EKS7kGAE-XmzPdzucnRCAi69Qriz7MQW1heI1WFY3PcOpbvKd7evPOfMjF0ADa9u-dyO3-f3O3o8E2hfx6-GBlLUPTx-hfBFhRHVbu6quQytM/s1600/IMG_1366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTocUKLOZvE2qnFcb-QK1dGlrh-AU070EKS7kGAE-XmzPdzucnRCAi69Qriz7MQW1heI1WFY3PcOpbvKd7evPOfMjF0ADa9u-dyO3-f3O3o8E2hfx6-GBlLUPTx-hfBFhRHVbu6quQytM/s640/IMG_1366.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">Queijadas...Kyle says they taste like pecan pies without the actual nuts..all I know is that I loved them</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFWjgcOXy4imbzHIEZIYQAqgQS5xLqTx3ukvERRcZjuCrgkVsUknEwcmamfVL5UyYtDqdmIp3YnCL11Bu_clxtZdMxeeJblobPv-zl4gesxa5tAdi5eiB9h7mUO1zNkF-ioYHxA16a3hg/s1600/IMG_1365-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFWjgcOXy4imbzHIEZIYQAqgQS5xLqTx3ukvERRcZjuCrgkVsUknEwcmamfVL5UyYtDqdmIp3YnCL11Bu_clxtZdMxeeJblobPv-zl4gesxa5tAdi5eiB9h7mUO1zNkF-ioYHxA16a3hg/s640/IMG_1365-001.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">This is apparently the "original" bakery where these yummies come from</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><span dragover="true" style="font-weight: bold;"><em>Travesseiros</em></span>, are famous all over Portugal, and it's too bad that I wasn't hungry when we went to this bakery or else I would have tried this one too (I'm regretting it now). These long, sugar coded 'pillows' are best still warm, and they are freshly made all through the day. The outside is a flaky shell, inside filling is with egg yolk and sugar and almond.... </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg154LMbqQ1H5cva3BPoDoUIQ3ZrMuifKW8qjFzF1RRsClwuhn9X2CkkiUgS2V2TI1gu1Ivg0B-X5mOtj071fL7GLJSRrXLqwgilq2vlJqzfQRWX5lBlMokZiWmom992PN0W5gipUS-rlw/s1600/travesseiros2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg154LMbqQ1H5cva3BPoDoUIQ3ZrMuifKW8qjFzF1RRsClwuhn9X2CkkiUgS2V2TI1gu1Ivg0B-X5mOtj071fL7GLJSRrXLqwgilq2vlJqzfQRWX5lBlMokZiWmom992PN0W5gipUS-rlw/s640/travesseiros2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">Travesseiros</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">Also worth mentioning are the Pasteis de Belém, or <span dragover="true" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Pasteis de Nata</span>. They are originally from Belem near Lisbon but they can be found all over Portugal. These little cups of flakey pastry are filled with an egg and cream custard, often powdered with cinnamon or powdered sugar. I prefer them warm but they're usually served cold. They are not attractive and sometimes look burnt but they are good. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuD5-0vGP8zObLyXm9Il11-uCX34MRP3Qqql2UJc-8oAHV1xyK8W7HXUX0hkAI_LJqcGKc_yUuWTK9TjT_8CfzQ5CGFfLGJACp6zSz6BrpTTO3m-DkwF5D7Sw__PRhZ5Ojb5-FyQ27S0/s1600/nata.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuD5-0vGP8zObLyXm9Il11-uCX34MRP3Qqql2UJc-8oAHV1xyK8W7HXUX0hkAI_LJqcGKc_yUuWTK9TjT_8CfzQ5CGFfLGJACp6zSz6BrpTTO3m-DkwF5D7Sw__PRhZ5Ojb5-FyQ27S0/s640/nata.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">Nata pastries.. </span><a href="http://casadovalle.blogspot.com.es/2011/03/as-i-have-mentioned-before-i-frequently.html#!/2011/03/as-i-have-mentioned-before-i-frequently.html"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;">http://casadovalle.blogspot.com.es/2011/03/as-i-have-mentioned-before-i-frequently.html#!/2011/03/as-i-have-mentioned-before-i-frequently.html</span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"></span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">Next stop: Cascais, an old fisherman village. Although we had bad luck in Sintra with the rain, Cascais had better weather and we were able to walk around. We didn't pick up a tourist map or ask anyone for directions, which was nice for a change. As we walked around we stumbled upon the marina and a nice area to sit down for lunch and watch the giant waves and fisherman fishing.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXPjcRZcVFqHJg5yAu9Hq-Z82bi6NBRIyuBox31tlHJ2Shby7KuzPa1yMr4Wfrv0gqGsVnVdWzAiQQksU7oARhwucX72i4RRchoP2usUlBDW5XgvYnjuUOgzNQxmxNYUIV1uhUwzrf6vs/s1600/map+sintra+cascais.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXPjcRZcVFqHJg5yAu9Hq-Z82bi6NBRIyuBox31tlHJ2Shby7KuzPa1yMr4Wfrv0gqGsVnVdWzAiQQksU7oARhwucX72i4RRchoP2usUlBDW5XgvYnjuUOgzNQxmxNYUIV1uhUwzrf6vs/s640/map+sintra+cascais.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">We made this triangle leaving Lisbon-to Sintra-to Cascais-and back to Lisbon</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYzcRZhKOEoHcPlfJEdg4yG7d_NLBJvINc4jKGwtC_pX8aZaDEBaEDQ0e507ouUNCU1q1sLO9sJEWP5_t88zSNf3AuCt6_Krj00welv-FyfqtmbaE5EmDzySF5iY0ycvFPsufTfChY4Q/s1600/IMG_1377+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYzcRZhKOEoHcPlfJEdg4yG7d_NLBJvINc4jKGwtC_pX8aZaDEBaEDQ0e507ouUNCU1q1sLO9sJEWP5_t88zSNf3AuCt6_Krj00welv-FyfqtmbaE5EmDzySF5iY0ycvFPsufTfChY4Q/s640/IMG_1377+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">Cascais</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2W_7vxcXYjzxz_liU75BZAQlbN3b7N9BR6GxKJly6NG2glzFuS6_BB2b_4MXvvQl12a3pTobaFwXwt8ITVi1h40UNh9cFuJb5h_KGsWKopflBt4K_2LilnTu-MJiVl6lqq5dGw0mEGI/s1600/IMG_1372+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2W_7vxcXYjzxz_liU75BZAQlbN3b7N9BR6GxKJly6NG2glzFuS6_BB2b_4MXvvQl12a3pTobaFwXwt8ITVi1h40UNh9cFuJb5h_KGsWKopflBt4K_2LilnTu-MJiVl6lqq5dGw0mEGI/s640/IMG_1372+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">Cascais</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">Throughout the trip I kept telling Kyle what was the "popular" thing to eat as we looked at the menus. I'd say he tried nearly everything you're supposed to eat when you visit Portugal, minus the sardines. First, they are the kings of ham and cheese sandwiches (Mistos). One of the best ham and cheese sandwiches we had was at the bus station. It was on "God Bread" which is another sweet pastry I love. It's a soft, sweet bread with coconut....with the ham and cheese it was the perfect combo of sweet and salty. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwodEzMP0ZfrHe1HJF2RpzixoBN1MVYwMP-vTxKQt8X7yi1siLv6lUgTXTh5xS09NZNN7Bv85GyGHSfH_njNrWFhlsT5xOArFGfH9HJ8yGgndNuYFBJwxlI9qz0YIIQ7aTHnitGbWQTQ/s1600/dues.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghwodEzMP0ZfrHe1HJF2RpzixoBN1MVYwMP-vTxKQt8X7yi1siLv6lUgTXTh5xS09NZNN7Bv85GyGHSfH_njNrWFhlsT5xOArFGfH9HJ8yGgndNuYFBJwxlI9qz0YIIQ7aTHnitGbWQTQ/s640/dues.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"> Pão de Deus can be translated into “God's Bread</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"></span> </div>
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"></span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">Then there was the "Bifana" which is so popular in Portugal that McDonalds has it on it's menu. Basically a slice of pork steak in a roll of bread, the pork having been lightly sautéed, sometimes with garlic and/or other spices, so that the meat is warm and juicy. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUvv-QTh3BJWYVUSDtIZITjPkORxGbk7kZZSE6-29zNwFg2TPDcmqgK128vmo-UTZ0nWKYHUKKcyIezsKjDBr2PARFRhRmKQDAx_B0smpX2FljgJedo5ZHwhskSTqHGcpGBdAa3900IS4/s1600/TPC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUvv-QTh3BJWYVUSDtIZITjPkORxGbk7kZZSE6-29zNwFg2TPDcmqgK128vmo-UTZ0nWKYHUKKcyIezsKjDBr2PARFRhRmKQDAx_B0smpX2FljgJedo5ZHwhskSTqHGcpGBdAa3900IS4/s640/TPC.jpg" width="500" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">McDonald's adapts to every culture!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">Next is <em>Bacalhau, </em>THE dish of the Portuguese. It's salted, dried cod that is said to be cooked a different way for every day of the year. We ate two variations of <em>Bacalhau. </em>The first was "Bacalhau à Brás", made with shreds of salted cod, onions, fried potatoes and scrambled eggs and usually is garnished with parsley and black olives. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXNQozcAzEPb9x6nSPrZZzZgxE33ya11oQ3gPVvus5OQzx3thaSbrQxVDX8E-PZJXP5f_l1uGivu05YWvBfvsO4mN-9yT1lndbaoTyoBJOKn0NzwgmbvlzyPB0a9uZG1vMPM5CZMR2JM/s1600/cod.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXNQozcAzEPb9x6nSPrZZzZgxE33ya11oQ3gPVvus5OQzx3thaSbrQxVDX8E-PZJXP5f_l1uGivu05YWvBfvsO4mN-9yT1lndbaoTyoBJOKn0NzwgmbvlzyPB0a9uZG1vMPM5CZMR2JM/s640/cod.png" width="478" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">Bacalhau à Brás. Warning, DON'T add salt to this! It's already very salty</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">Portuguese also have a lot of meat pies and pastries. Pastries of Bacalhau are also very delicious. They are full of mashed potatoes, cod, and parsley.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1-LYtjtlnj0Ce4X9tvQ-fio7sa6EAx0qbdvvkLpK6aoOTKRWpBm2pwdVxoXnOo5mx1hGE0uSAQD1R3xeWT4at5o3Ad8IChozeq6IUL9aHBsoo-1uqTZh6hGhyphenhyphen7fSlBpr1CwtcMgxUR8/s1600/pastries+of+cod.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1-LYtjtlnj0Ce4X9tvQ-fio7sa6EAx0qbdvvkLpK6aoOTKRWpBm2pwdVxoXnOo5mx1hGE0uSAQD1R3xeWT4at5o3Ad8IChozeq6IUL9aHBsoo-1uqTZh6hGhyphenhyphen7fSlBpr1CwtcMgxUR8/s640/pastries+of+cod.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">Codfish pastries</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">After Cascais we went back to Lisbon for the night and relaxed. On Saturday we went to the thieves market, fish market, and walked around a bit before dinner. We also went to visit the street art, which was a few metro stops away from the city center.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdoAy3c3uvUT3PclMtO8IhaqWMx3oh4Zd6HKj2SBi9_MG1QbK5metcM6gKAsgYTFW8PerGlRfxN7GYwRU25IOVXPC7c_sXWluyVlDD5B8vb59Tu4R67U4zpoyW6yYXW2mZXYuOAr3B48/s1600/IMG_1397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdoAy3c3uvUT3PclMtO8IhaqWMx3oh4Zd6HKj2SBi9_MG1QbK5metcM6gKAsgYTFW8PerGlRfxN7GYwRU25IOVXPC7c_sXWluyVlDD5B8vb59Tu4R67U4zpoyW6yYXW2mZXYuOAr3B48/s640/IMG_1397.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHk8hvX6gRub9Egcc4yUG9Y8zIcIK_ydRPiPgbYaqvwVj6nD1w13pTo-JEMAN_fwrlPgtDyeXyDY6HgAcZJQQKD-3uBb-rNxeOn3ZKIgWBkx_WqDHgHWS0l9Af3Dh6CaqXCIof44Y4mQY/s1600/IMG_1394.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHk8hvX6gRub9Egcc4yUG9Y8zIcIK_ydRPiPgbYaqvwVj6nD1w13pTo-JEMAN_fwrlPgtDyeXyDY6HgAcZJQQKD-3uBb-rNxeOn3ZKIgWBkx_WqDHgHWS0l9Af3Dh6CaqXCIof44Y4mQY/s640/IMG_1394.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1gAiEQd-W4r74wBuY7q35nCVMN-yCLU0AKVVPc5VqXr00u3TIzQ9NObCs3Qg2rxNW9Qt-BrYTudHfKymgu_UzXkE4CgRUyLIoST8AcNyOCoqj0Dvz1omGR14yk79wM_OgvKhDxQH3wo/s1600/IMG_1395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz1gAiEQd-W4r74wBuY7q35nCVMN-yCLU0AKVVPc5VqXr00u3TIzQ9NObCs3Qg2rxNW9Qt-BrYTudHfKymgu_UzXkE4CgRUyLIoST8AcNyOCoqj0Dvz1omGR14yk79wM_OgvKhDxQH3wo/s640/IMG_1395.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxS_EO8q6lwtiZ7NhTaFVpHIuWZ5Mh3VghyphenhyphenQze0qf7HU_nCEv_MSSeAGtQsWZ2GOxjLna2kROkZLiYMH5P2eY-46SJMh_seCTRoR5n9IrKy1zBUnX5R2mCduTyM9MxTcl80R2fZzBAWB0/s1600/IMG_1399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxS_EO8q6lwtiZ7NhTaFVpHIuWZ5Mh3VghyphenhyphenQze0qf7HU_nCEv_MSSeAGtQsWZ2GOxjLna2kROkZLiYMH5P2eY-46SJMh_seCTRoR5n9IrKy1zBUnX5R2mCduTyM9MxTcl80R2fZzBAWB0/s640/IMG_1399.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">This one is my favorite. All the buildings seem to be abandoned but the art is cool.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"> The next day we were off to Badajoz to stay in my apartment for a couple of nights. I asked Kyle to cook for Tara and I, so we went to get ingredients for étouffée. Tara, being from Montreal, speaks French so we asked what étouffée means, or where it comes from. It turns out to literally mean "smothered" or "suffocated", from the verb "étouffer". I'm pretty sure she will be down to visit us sooner than later after listening to us talk about how good the food is in Louisiana. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbeGrUsWgDqffl2rLMlW8nRaKu1hUsPbvmYuOZ1ItCdmEyLbDHpeCWx_HMk_8lsJLEyCGHntjjMn6pYILR6weSfYr_b316f0EDMkNz2QjJ-TCCa-bljVDUTEO46S6rEo3QemwFRuircY/s1600/IMG_2146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbeGrUsWgDqffl2rLMlW8nRaKu1hUsPbvmYuOZ1ItCdmEyLbDHpeCWx_HMk_8lsJLEyCGHntjjMn6pYILR6weSfYr_b316f0EDMkNz2QjJ-TCCa-bljVDUTEO46S6rEo3QemwFRuircY/s640/IMG_2146.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">Cooking <span style="color: #351c75;">shrimp étouffée and fried cod</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">On Tuesday, Kyle went to my elementary school to have class with my 5th grade students. The first class was an ask and tell session where they got to know Kyle. They had some issues pronouncing his name which was cute, "Kai-lay- Lan-ay". He made sure to mention Alabama and football during his visit :) After class we went to get ready for the second half of the trip, Albufeira.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkhe5UTBy5TWRzz6td6ssfOqdHYnNqbI4eYIdIzNvqHbK6JLmzOfN95ZfedF-mK6hwleZStUEDJFbr35VqzOx0tiAebwoPJ2ZlYFlzaIk2e-rJclUt_SJHesXCJy7jJDOcvMRebvphRE/s1600/kyles+trip.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigkhe5UTBy5TWRzz6td6ssfOqdHYnNqbI4eYIdIzNvqHbK6JLmzOfN95ZfedF-mK6hwleZStUEDJFbr35VqzOx0tiAebwoPJ2ZlYFlzaIk2e-rJclUt_SJHesXCJy7jJDOcvMRebvphRE/s640/kyles+trip.png" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;">We went from Badajoz-to Lisbon by bus and-to Albufeira by train</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"></span><br />senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-62580771276066906822013-04-09T08:06:00.000-07:002013-04-10T12:17:00.526-07:00Kyle made it to Lisbon!<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><strong>I had a blast in Tenerife but I couldn't help but drift off to think about my upcoming trip with Kyle from time to time. We had been going on 6 months without seeing each other and I couldn't believe that all that time went by so fast. I remember waking up super early on Wednesday and taking care of all my cleaning, laundry, packing, etc just because I couldn't sleep. I left for Lisbon around 3 and checked into my hostel- I had my alarm all set for the morning to go to the airport! </strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><strong>On Thursday I went and waited at Lisbon's airport, which seemed like an eternity. He was pretty tired and jet lagged (its a brutal trip) but that's expected. I didn't really think about our room not being ready until 2p.m. so we had to hang outside around Lisbon until it was ready (whoops). This was the point that we started to be approached by drug dealers. Later, we researched and found out how lax the drug laws are in Portugal. Within the first couple of hours we were offered drugs left and right. I guess this is something Lisbon is known for and it got pretty annoying! Men just kept approaching him asking him if he wanted drugs and we just laughed and walked away from them. </strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><strong>Once our room was ready..we were able to lay down and relax. Our room was in a bed and breakfast type of place in the central part of Lisbon. We were perfectly located next to everything which was nice. This was my 4th time in Lisbon so I had an idea of the layout of the city. I really like Portugal in general, especially Lisbon. I'm more comfortable there than in Madrid so I had Kyle fly in there. Also, its a 3 hour bus ride from Badajoz and I'm familiar with the Oriente station which has the bus, metro, and trains (it's also very close to the airport). I've been reading about Lisbon ever since we left...</strong></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQm0KDTqBuWOFrcbz1yVxOUehv_Vzxkgjh9eSOnotxSarr6Umi26wUa7ybD4FGqzrFgjYlksw7F1Ld6ukqGHj89QD9uPyFgtuD9ElTSXOFvxAa0EPgc-kg82tewRdAtLlGwjkYdBFq08/s1600/IMG_1991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrQm0KDTqBuWOFrcbz1yVxOUehv_Vzxkgjh9eSOnotxSarr6Umi26wUa7ybD4FGqzrFgjYlksw7F1Ld6ukqGHj89QD9uPyFgtuD9ElTSXOFvxAa0EPgc-kg82tewRdAtLlGwjkYdBFq08/s640/IMG_1991.JPG" width="476" /></span></strong></a></div>
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><strong>"Lisbon is Europe's second-oldest capital (after Athens), once home to the world's greatest explorers like Vasco da Gama, Magellan and Prince Henry the Navigator, becoming the first true world city, the capital of an empire spreading over all continents, from South America (Brazil) to Asia (Macao, China; Goa, India). The former launch pad for many of the world's greatest voyages is now where modern travelers discover..." </strong></span><a href="http://www.golisbon.com/"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><strong>http://www.golisbon.com/</strong></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">10 Reasons Why You Should Go to Lisbon</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><u>CULTURE</u>: It's one of the world's great historical cities, with characteristic and surprising sights, cultural treasures, and a beautiful setting that make it a paradise for walkers and photographers.</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><u>VALUE</u>: It's one of Europe's best values -- officially Western Europe's least expensive capital.</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><u>LOCATION</u>: It's the closest European capital to the United States and just around a 2-hour flight from all the other major European cities.</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><u>CLIMATE</u>: Its mild climate makes it an ideal year-round destination. Even in winter, when most other European cities are freezing, in Lisbon high temperatures rarely go below 10C (50F).</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><u>RESORT</u>: It is the only European capital located so close to sandy beaches, enabling visitors to combine culture with fun by the sea.</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><u>SIZE</u>: It's a compact and intimate city, ideal for a short city break or a longer romantic stay, with a lively café culture and a nightlife that is one of the most vibrant in Europe.</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><u>VARIETY</u>: Its surroundings offer an incredible variety of tourist attractions, from fairytale palaces in one of Europe's most romantic towns (Sintra), to world-class golf and fun in Europe's largest casino in Estoril, to surfing in Cascais or escaping to a natural park in Arrábida, to dolphin-watching in Setúbal.</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><u>GATEWAY</u>: It makes a perfect base to explore many of Portugal's most outstanding towns and villages.</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><u>SAFETY</u>: It's one of the safest European capitals. Tourists are always automatic targets in all big cities and visitors should beware of pickpocketing in Lisbon, but serious random violent crime is practically unheard of in this city.</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><u>WELCOMING</u>: It's a friendly city with a cosmopolitan population, welcoming to all visitors and families with children, and open to minorities and alternative lifestyles</span></strong></span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">The last time I was in Lisbon was for my 23rd birthday with Kate. She brought up a good point that Lisbon is like New Orleans. It's not the most beautiful city but it has a lot of character and also a street car! Kyle and I didn't ride it because it had a long line (more tourists where there this time) but I have pictures from when Kate and I were on it. </span></strong></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBwtvWFHPYtCEiJ8ULv2FXE7X0cd8ZcFUFoWoOReEn-fnyBXT30v6whd_KSF-AK0BGOoNTHFMnNLcJpf_aljmLuLObTnNJTxwCAwnYcwyv6ZmGS617zVjK5OzwRTxLdeMN_XxCCFDlP14/s1600/IMG_1988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBwtvWFHPYtCEiJ8ULv2FXE7X0cd8ZcFUFoWoOReEn-fnyBXT30v6whd_KSF-AK0BGOoNTHFMnNLcJpf_aljmLuLObTnNJTxwCAwnYcwyv6ZmGS617zVjK5OzwRTxLdeMN_XxCCFDlP14/s640/IMG_1988.JPG" width="480" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPJkq9B5PEoFUzTKhhhgjj-b0avUahpat8kOW_VN2WbXkmJP5cc21PHIt5umaaFbb7bLVcDimh20nVdq7Ky7h5Co7lTFuf-3SABBYJliPN-x7e2VsaKxvZhJxw_fd468raFlwzTtD6t0k/s1600/IMG_1985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPJkq9B5PEoFUzTKhhhgjj-b0avUahpat8kOW_VN2WbXkmJP5cc21PHIt5umaaFbb7bLVcDimh20nVdq7Ky7h5Co7lTFuf-3SABBYJliPN-x7e2VsaKxvZhJxw_fd468raFlwzTtD6t0k/s640/IMG_1985.JPG" width="476" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>Us at another look out point. On our way up the hill to Alfama, the old part of the city that has the "Thieves Market" every Saturday. Alfama was occupied by the fishermen and the poor: its fame as a poor neighbourhood continues to this day. The 1755 Lisbon Earthquake caused considerable damage throughout the capital, but the Alfama survived with little damage.</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: inherit;"><strong>We went out to dinner the first night at a very popular seafood restaurant called Ramiro, which was aired on Anthony Bourdain's T.V. show. This moment was when we discovered how amazing Portuguese bread and cheese is...almost toooo good! Excuse me ahead of time for talking a lot about the food during our trip but it was just that delicious. I ordered garlic shrimp and he got snails and mussels but I think we both would have been happy with the bread and cheese.</strong></span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">This trip was nice because I was able to relax more than when I usually travel with my girlfriends. I booked us this bed and breakfast because it didn't have one negative review..and everyone raved about the owner and her impressive breakfast spread (I love breakfast). When we first got there, we were a little creeped out with the decorations. I was worried at first that I had made a mistake but once we got to know Paula, the owner, we realized she was a super hard working and nice woman. Our room was an explosion of bubble gum pink, I'm talking everytttthingggg was pink and Kyle's face was priceless when he saw it. The breakfast was amazing and didn't fail to impress! This woman looked as if she hadn't slept in weeks and I'm sure she hasn't slept properly in years because she cleans during the day and baked goodies at night while the guests slept. We woke up to an array of cakes, cookies, fruit, pastries, meat pies, bread, eggs, coffee, juice...you name it. I was in heaven because I only get dull food at hostels so this was a big upgrade, plus I have a serious sweet tooth. </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">This was a crushed cookie and coffee cake called "bolo de bolacha". It had layers of cream and crumbled cookies with cinnamon and coffee flavors</span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcBRKMBMtyb8XbFN8ya0L07oPvADwMfZ7NSFBcmIOCwugHKyjMyJtiMEZDykv2rlzGTwW-nztwUfUrK5kFrD0fvhtW6TCGb9Pz8Ru4_T5r_d-kEl9HMaFHkmsp-L4eV8_TMQ9LzXxjiY/s1600/IMG_2134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcBRKMBMtyb8XbFN8ya0L07oPvADwMfZ7NSFBcmIOCwugHKyjMyJtiMEZDykv2rlzGTwW-nztwUfUrK5kFrD0fvhtW6TCGb9Pz8Ru4_T5r_d-kEl9HMaFHkmsp-L4eV8_TMQ9LzXxjiY/s640/IMG_2134.JPG" width="640" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Her dining room looked like it should be on an episode of hoarders but once you found the food it was yummy</span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHeSR12MMGROxj6renIwyywjhsmKNrjLj1WRoZ8F9CxFRWB2WPfSWe1nKuO3ZlJ5Iq3GJQb_Vv4s87IeKcS656PAp1LDRe44Ul7W5gDnDGF-RrZiCTWfbgF8KJ5o2IFLd0aTQI-YrtPQ/s1600/IMG_2135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHeSR12MMGROxj6renIwyywjhsmKNrjLj1WRoZ8F9CxFRWB2WPfSWe1nKuO3ZlJ5Iq3GJQb_Vv4s87IeKcS656PAp1LDRe44Ul7W5gDnDGF-RrZiCTWfbgF8KJ5o2IFLd0aTQI-YrtPQ/s640/IMG_2135.JPG" width="640" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">A special cake for Easter Sunday</span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJ0Nsz4mnAGZg-dvcLoWG9dJI1fCz5pNTs0snY_yeNzbneT45eTStxDZs1JVk6sGkQUFnaZ-bztcsPh_7iA3toh9SR1sZx5OrVtmewIMsz9G2dsvYo7hD3y0Szef8WI2TMEyQh6piVKc/s1600/IMG_2137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJ0Nsz4mnAGZg-dvcLoWG9dJI1fCz5pNTs0snY_yeNzbneT45eTStxDZs1JVk6sGkQUFnaZ-bztcsPh_7iA3toh9SR1sZx5OrVtmewIMsz9G2dsvYo7hD3y0Szef8WI2TMEyQh6piVKc/s640/IMG_2137.JPG" width="640" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">The cake on the left is a traditonal Portuguese cake they eat on Easter</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">I left Paula a great review like everyone else because she was a sweet woman and gave us her recommendations for local restaurants. We went to one of her restaurants and Kyle ordered rabbit (right before Easter) and I ordered soup. Paula also gave us a heads up about buying our tickets to Sintra (next post) which ended up saving us money. </span></strong>senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-24124774201659650382013-04-08T08:06:00.002-07:002013-04-10T12:18:03.664-07:00Tenerife<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Another month has blown by! I'm not sure why time is going so fast but I'm now happy to say Kyle has made it to Spain to visit. Before his arrival I went to the Canary Islands with my roommate Tara for 4 nights. On Friday we missed school and got a head start on our flight to Tenerife (one of the seven islands). Tenerife is the biggest of the islands and also has the volcano Teide, which is the 3rd largest in the world. </strong></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyttfBGoaSRmcE-VTf0QiSObToXuSXY2WMdjUiz6HyDZdlibmOCUVeAqBpM-Zy4mh2a1pK6jPD2yWF9aPJLSWuhN4ArWl2ALdqHWB_MOSN0jH4Yi2H158k-RmaozVx1IIrfDXrBGyVQc/s1600/untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="483" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkyttfBGoaSRmcE-VTf0QiSObToXuSXY2WMdjUiz6HyDZdlibmOCUVeAqBpM-Zy4mh2a1pK6jPD2yWF9aPJLSWuhN4ArWl2ALdqHWB_MOSN0jH4Yi2H158k-RmaozVx1IIrfDXrBGyVQc/s640/untitled.png" width="640" /></strong></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>We stayed in a hostel called Lagarto, which is owned by Italians. Although the hostel was in the middle of no where, we had a nice time there. Tara and I had just been to Valencia the weekend before this trip so it was nice to escape the usual tour of a big city. Instantly from the plane ride I thought of Costa Rica when touching down in Tenerife. I hadn't seen landscapes similar to those in Costa Rica since I left in 2010. We instantly felt calm and relaxed once we arrived, transitioning into a pure vacation mode! </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmCWdqAUxSjFIGPBLFSlwV67viIJuAd9ysqG1L5FRbamFZtHJAf_kWdOnK9sjTg1oAxDxLnSsC5emmXv3jiG6lUMp8duw2YA3ASoBLp-QNRvzJ46WaKbzO10rJj3jAfiUa1947icyArE/s1600/64328_10200354823611503_1541838138_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGmCWdqAUxSjFIGPBLFSlwV67viIJuAd9ysqG1L5FRbamFZtHJAf_kWdOnK9sjTg1oAxDxLnSsC5emmXv3jiG6lUMp8duw2YA3ASoBLp-QNRvzJ46WaKbzO10rJj3jAfiUa1947icyArE/s640/64328_10200354823611503_1541838138_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Tenerife landscape</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhesO1wczSbvInSc8yHN0Ovs3Oeh4Xo_wm41U_S9PQDrvuxzKmVhZZ7CC4NM5fAzVTO_BMcHcOFtMlrfU-KgSMkxiL9Mh6Zk84EhOvV7SVjWo6aspxnYCYtM-W6FrUVrZsz9buxj5kOBuk/s1600/8262_10200354827051589_1337042941_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhesO1wczSbvInSc8yHN0Ovs3Oeh4Xo_wm41U_S9PQDrvuxzKmVhZZ7CC4NM5fAzVTO_BMcHcOFtMlrfU-KgSMkxiL9Mh6Zk84EhOvV7SVjWo6aspxnYCYtM-W6FrUVrZsz9buxj5kOBuk/s640/8262_10200354827051589_1337042941_n.jpg" width="480" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Beaches in the north</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>The first day we wandered around the area of the hostel and discovered a beach with natural pools. The water was super cold so I didn't go in but Tara did. </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-LNHMhbW9SWzhoRyj6-jQolNzLQgHEHWmGDhNZjine5sG-EhPVBGNt-hFbU-IgsYT7Y9dsdy2CjTKmD3UMYyHrMUFW_5AvRyeeTSF4tQ9kLW_ekvNsa1vZjY9C3OPhEYpYLmZwA1k90/s1600/553302_10200354809731156_262973480_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy-LNHMhbW9SWzhoRyj6-jQolNzLQgHEHWmGDhNZjine5sG-EhPVBGNt-hFbU-IgsYT7Y9dsdy2CjTKmD3UMYyHrMUFW_5AvRyeeTSF4tQ9kLW_ekvNsa1vZjY9C3OPhEYpYLmZwA1k90/s640/553302_10200354809731156_262973480_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>The natural pools- with the ocean water flowing in and out </strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6j8OUJnaBLuy1HqsCWIGDqHvjJY7pCmPnZjRx4uAr46IggeJrhk2lL5qjvfz01SKF6gNYgIGo-I_sBbcKCGnTJRztMi5mt38ndZLkdMb9GaKt1NB2k906eFiRFuwpcMOloEM4XOTilM/s1600/10198_10200354811011188_373447492_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6j8OUJnaBLuy1HqsCWIGDqHvjJY7pCmPnZjRx4uAr46IggeJrhk2lL5qjvfz01SKF6gNYgIGo-I_sBbcKCGnTJRztMi5mt38ndZLkdMb9GaKt1NB2k906eFiRFuwpcMOloEM4XOTilM/s640/10198_10200354811011188_373447492_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>More natural pools..and some super powerful waves</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1xuO8nXxZjCpefwRGMeKjYCubJ7OOHnwJHWMsOBZ7pJN2wR4QXPFYre1WLQofBi69u2vL8ou-Al01CYRNkVluIPBZ5Bk71LSsR-XRV6QapK2f_EeAnq8v9XbzmzhAAk_yz6pBUB_nT8A/s1600/64716_10200354810371172_768130172_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1xuO8nXxZjCpefwRGMeKjYCubJ7OOHnwJHWMsOBZ7pJN2wR4QXPFYre1WLQofBi69u2vL8ou-Al01CYRNkVluIPBZ5Bk71LSsR-XRV6QapK2f_EeAnq8v9XbzmzhAAk_yz6pBUB_nT8A/s640/64716_10200354810371172_768130172_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Anyone who knows me knows that I don't care for swimming but even if I did...I wouldn't mess around with this water! It was freezing cold and super strong. It makes for good pictures though :)</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Tenerife was a trip of firsts. It was our first vacation away from major European cities. We hitch-hiked for the first time (don't worry it was super safe else we wouldn't have done it). We also relied upon </strong></span><a href="http://www.couchsurfing.com/"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>www.couchsurfing.com</strong></span></a><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> to help us since we were so secluded. Neither Tara or I had used couch surfing before, which is usually used to sleep on random peoples' couches for free in exchange of meeting new people around the world. It is a popular website that uses various ways to verify the hosts and surfers in order to guarantee a safe and happy experience. Tara had booked our hostel in Tenerife but we knew we should have rented a car, so I decided to contact couchsurfer hosts in Tenerife to see if they had free time to show us around the island. I got three responses from hosts and decided to choose one named Rayco. He's a local from the island and a working artist. He offered to come pick us up and show us around for the day (driving his car of course). We had no other way of really exploring the island by foot so we went with it! Guess what? It was an awesome experience. Not only was he super friendly and easy to talk with (in Spanish) but he was generous and didn't charge us for gas or anything. He drove us up into the Anaga mountains and around Santa Cruz (the capital). He literally spent all day showing us around and we stopped for lunch and gelato too. He even offered us to stay at his place for free...but we already had our room at the hostel so we passed. We wouldn't have learned about Tenerife from a local's perspective if it weren't for Rayco, we are very appreciative of the time he spent with us. </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLv9mXIWfwDKbY9A1_gmrpwE5BBy9XccT5IxQJeC2ORu0KClbG15ZJX8CDb5OMFGn4rafuxOYxKLzQWVhO7ZuWP_7gHd7W4407Dc0YrF14t1zRodu5FyUczBedZTpd7939AiaGl3A86c/s1600/484697_10200354826251569_752467362_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLv9mXIWfwDKbY9A1_gmrpwE5BBy9XccT5IxQJeC2ORu0KClbG15ZJX8CDb5OMFGn4rafuxOYxKLzQWVhO7ZuWP_7gHd7W4407Dc0YrF14t1zRodu5FyUczBedZTpd7939AiaGl3A86c/s640/484697_10200354826251569_752467362_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>I was probably way too close to that cliff but it's a great shot!</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjuG3HqO2Ml50Ed7I3MCUpsKiNygNpDXEbTpcM3u7Uk4V2RJVC3zxCRBW2E-W73fwq4jEVhOidBr7BuagePUWjcmY5ruvtubv7p8ReRRBE-_X4mi2XMW0ZXSXHTbGEKtyhGfyy8cQE10/s1600/305248_10200354823691505_1565108809_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjuG3HqO2Ml50Ed7I3MCUpsKiNygNpDXEbTpcM3u7Uk4V2RJVC3zxCRBW2E-W73fwq4jEVhOidBr7BuagePUWjcmY5ruvtubv7p8ReRRBE-_X4mi2XMW0ZXSXHTbGEKtyhGfyy8cQE10/s640/305248_10200354823691505_1565108809_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>The "Lion head" rock in the Anaga mountains</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong></strong></span><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-T9-x93fjp0e2r_BOuSCSGEdu-Zr38lXfdFs9vBi2-gEDfK09cT5bIajhpBKp5cHSxIBOsTz-Emvvf2_UfBJ16VZ12h2fchH7vNIFoUtC8ayV0osK0O_t8CpGuqs0ArG28twFmrGA8U/s1600/2786_10200354824171517_2086457412_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-T9-x93fjp0e2r_BOuSCSGEdu-Zr38lXfdFs9vBi2-gEDfK09cT5bIajhpBKp5cHSxIBOsTz-Emvvf2_UfBJ16VZ12h2fchH7vNIFoUtC8ayV0osK0O_t8CpGuqs0ArG28twFmrGA8U/s640/2786_10200354824171517_2086457412_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>It's pretty cool! Looks just like a lion huh?</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOReffBJo7NLWzkATuMaYlmznEXXTbr8v6CY193CimkBS0_BuA8QvegznLpLeA-tJWThAaRUx3VFeqYDTvELZtDQMP_3BNEzCXtXyqbmU1nH3ZRtXFumvGO3MXG7D9LwvlTEK17fjIRA/s1600/521272_10200354827811608_1146801008_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVOReffBJo7NLWzkATuMaYlmznEXXTbr8v6CY193CimkBS0_BuA8QvegznLpLeA-tJWThAaRUx3VFeqYDTvELZtDQMP_3BNEzCXtXyqbmU1nH3ZRtXFumvGO3MXG7D9LwvlTEK17fjIRA/s640/521272_10200354827811608_1146801008_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Me on one of the "black sand beaches" the black sand is from the Teide volcano. </strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYSjtY-7Ro2PmEaYMADcTkYyz623S0hW0XTWqDbE647TRvImvpoeA1vJIIiZ3hxaHMu6ayd4OaLCrZZUailgL0NploZ3sHARGfXHtUIqq6ajBjUH5RBaTGhhQc9ygNR-eFsfXL4TXLMA/s1600/541337_10200354811611203_212570424_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYSjtY-7Ro2PmEaYMADcTkYyz623S0hW0XTWqDbE647TRvImvpoeA1vJIIiZ3hxaHMu6ayd4OaLCrZZUailgL0NploZ3sHARGfXHtUIqq6ajBjUH5RBaTGhhQc9ygNR-eFsfXL4TXLMA/s640/541337_10200354811611203_212570424_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>A fisherman's bar where we ate after we had been walking for hours</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Tara and I had walked all day alongside the coast and ended up at this restaurant by the ocean. It is one of the most popular in the area and had about a 45 minute waiting list, worth the wait! We ordered what everyone else seemed to be ordering, which are the dishes below. </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAY-Xl5-ighKCnVV6IQ63P-4_2BoWBEJbvYwDhxcjGKWYzET7ftGrGkjNU3tLo8UfBJpn-BSqeuhFuFGca5CedyjqAsdeRaa0YfcZzdUDVaeSl439ixgJwXbvbR2e3_2aecYHVxZht0sg/s1600/IMG_2093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAY-Xl5-ighKCnVV6IQ63P-4_2BoWBEJbvYwDhxcjGKWYzET7ftGrGkjNU3tLo8UfBJpn-BSqeuhFuFGca5CedyjqAsdeRaa0YfcZzdUDVaeSl439ixgJwXbvbR2e3_2aecYHVxZht0sg/s640/IMG_2093.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>This is Gofio - produced locally and is added to many foods and also to warm milk as a drink. It is made by grinding toasted cereals such as wheat flour, barley, corn or chickpeas. This is combined with water and made into balls, called pella. It takes the place of bread in a meal. It can be used in soups.</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyz-mTu1g_MfchAN6MIK6KZu9zNNkcfwr4hyrcF3TvnhyAHpgzAXkAhAkkbYt6uBhrW0EBnQrEXw5_-7AJOXNTJXxeMgoz4VUH9hylyX1wR6-N5s3cALlnNQlOLzrzIMvtAQT2lRvXkDM/s1600/IMG_2095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyz-mTu1g_MfchAN6MIK6KZu9zNNkcfwr4hyrcF3TvnhyAHpgzAXkAhAkkbYt6uBhrW0EBnQrEXw5_-7AJOXNTJXxeMgoz4VUH9hylyX1wR6-N5s3cALlnNQlOLzrzIMvtAQT2lRvXkDM/s640/IMG_2095.JPG" width="476" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Typical food of the Canary Islands tends to be simple dishes of grilled meat and fish with <em>papas arrugadas (</em>salted potatoes). It's typical to put "MOJO" on the potatoes. Mojo - This is a piquant sauce which may be orange, red, or green depending on its ingredients that is eaten with fish or meat or potatoes and is the most typical food of the Canaries. This dressing has olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and spices. For red mojo, the spice is paprika. For green mojo, the spice is coriander, and it may contain cilantro and parsley.</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Remember when I said I don't typically swim or even get in water? Well I still can't believe what I'm about to say...I went scuba diving with sea turtles. Yeah, diving! No formal training or preparation was included in the price either. Just a quick run down in Spanish, a little translation help from an Italian, and there you have it...scuba diving. The owner of the hostel is the guy on the right (Matia from Italy) and he asked us if we wanted to go on this diving with turtles excursion. For 50 euros (transportation, professional diver, equipment, air tank) we signed up! I've been snorkeling in Costa Rica before, but never diving. The professional explained how to breathe with the oxygen tank and went over a few hand signals but that was about it. We went to the south of Tenerife for the diving because there are always sea turtles in that area. I'm not sure where I sparked up the courage to do this considering I thought I almost died once white water rafting and swore never to put myself in scary positions again. Whatever, I did it! </strong></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJj4KW_0fENU57rIjIQVpM5e2M9bhtMb6uWi7KmTapyqiBaIIKYBaeN_VkRrtvaGNHMm69p0UJXloXXXfgDFAifLMwZIu1Lqu1q-amFUeh6hjtB5H3BnDQ5xxR2RhcAR8iJQGjiE8Gns/s1600/526479_10200354832171717_439552561_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJj4KW_0fENU57rIjIQVpM5e2M9bhtMb6uWi7KmTapyqiBaIIKYBaeN_VkRrtvaGNHMm69p0UJXloXXXfgDFAifLMwZIu1Lqu1q-amFUeh6hjtB5H3BnDQ5xxR2RhcAR8iJQGjiE8Gns/s640/526479_10200354832171717_439552561_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>The instructor and I giving the "everything is okay" sign</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyipjeSjhyvqLUEB7kdC55_VUA3aWMio1JuOlL3PoiUkLMUfXmWoY8o5wE__5RSgQSkwAHP1dTQYJjXjxhs4rQtyw71pZo05Ldq0lWzSV7CWdJ0Tvyi3e4P8j9tSrIdd5QQ3h0GpUhSSs/s1600/575700_10200354832571727_37643857_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyipjeSjhyvqLUEB7kdC55_VUA3aWMio1JuOlL3PoiUkLMUfXmWoY8o5wE__5RSgQSkwAHP1dTQYJjXjxhs4rQtyw71pZo05Ldq0lWzSV7CWdJ0Tvyi3e4P8j9tSrIdd5QQ3h0GpUhSSs/s640/575700_10200354832571727_37643857_n.jpg" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Tara getting in the water ready to dive</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>It was a good thing that it was just Tara and I because we sure needed a LOT of time to adjust to the breathing. We were both terrified at first and almost chickened out and went home. It was very hard to get over the concept of only relying on the oxygen tank while being submersed below the water. Tara tried to go diving first but had a little anxiety about the situation and ended up stepping out while I went under. Once I finally got the hang of it (and the instructor calmed me down), I went under and stayed under for about 30-40 minutes. It was amazing! I saw lots of fish and before I knew it....a giant sea turtle. The instructor had a hold of me the entire time and swam me over by the turtle. It literally got an inch or two from my face and he told me to touch it but I freaked out and said no. It was so awesome to be so close to it though! Matia (Italian) was taking underwater photos the whole time. I am currently trying to get those pictures back from him! I really hope that the one with me by the turtle turns out well because it was a great experience. </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxb_ABCBdQp2-WtdU5p_kygZbXfhXQCoHHAiF38A29002ZkzQLNsCYOjmbxuHmBjRrcpiRUT5nxBA9kxfZ20CmlYKdTnzx7aN85xPqNT8T3vtgA6CRxxuHmlqbOnwKDyeFgMn61FrlI4Y/s1600/IMG_2114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxb_ABCBdQp2-WtdU5p_kygZbXfhXQCoHHAiF38A29002ZkzQLNsCYOjmbxuHmBjRrcpiRUT5nxBA9kxfZ20CmlYKdTnzx7aN85xPqNT8T3vtgA6CRxxuHmlqbOnwKDyeFgMn61FrlI4Y/s640/IMG_2114.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The volcano Teide (with snow on the tip) from the plane</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYY_seLw5YoxL4Eo9zEPwkSZ67bVU4qe_s3bKp48alXI4slj6-GEalRgIE6i4KJPgIOtz8QbZO6ZViDJ3XQSlLFLMh0OSpLBHLiqlc4oB5_gBAg1Dzl43yd1gl-cA495cvbXlQ3aLTvUs/s1600/IMG_2115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYY_seLw5YoxL4Eo9zEPwkSZ67bVU4qe_s3bKp48alXI4slj6-GEalRgIE6i4KJPgIOtz8QbZO6ZViDJ3XQSlLFLMh0OSpLBHLiqlc4oB5_gBAg1Dzl43yd1gl-cA495cvbXlQ3aLTvUs/s640/IMG_2115.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the island from my plane</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Overall I stayed in Tenerife for 4 nights and left Tara early to get ready for Kyle's arrival. We had a great time and saw a lot of the island. Teide (the volcano) wasn't open for the public to hike it because it still had snow on it while we were there. You could see if from certain angles though which was beautiful. The landscapes, mountains, the ocean, the food, hostel..everything was amazing. We even tried to have a night out with 4 Italians one of the nights but it ended up being a bust and the night life was a little strange. I left Tenerife on a Tuesday morning, landed in Seville, caught a bus to Badajoz, stayed there for the night and headed of to Lisbon the next day. Kyle was due to land on Thursday, March 28!</strong></span>senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-32756960582434704652013-03-21T08:53:00.000-07:002013-04-10T12:19:48.633-07:00Las Fallas, part 3<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>I've covered a basic introduction to Valencia and the festival, the events, the fires, the fireworks, etc..now on to the food, typical fallero/a outfits, the lights, and the City of Arts and Sciences.</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong></strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnojiYxiNCXs4QGUuYoTa5QZ41hpQ4wpDP9vjtYQehuNXsaskyxJV6Uii-f5-Q1IaWRPH6TBD6E0uFwGCDroMVS_75pcY6hebDoUsAGiNAquHJQwQ_p2b9rWMOedFgWjo74_c_63CBf0/s1600/IMG_0744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnojiYxiNCXs4QGUuYoTa5QZ41hpQ4wpDP9vjtYQehuNXsaskyxJV6Uii-f5-Q1IaWRPH6TBD6E0uFwGCDroMVS_75pcY6hebDoUsAGiNAquHJQwQ_p2b9rWMOedFgWjo74_c_63CBf0/s640/IMG_0744.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Paella from "Baldo" restaurant in the city center. Made with chicken and rabbit</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Paella (pa ay yah) is a very famous dish in the country of Spain and was created in a village outside of Valencia. They argue that you haven't had real paella until you've eaten it in Valencia, the home to this yummy dish. The original paella is cooked with veggies, rice, chicken, and rabbit. There are many variations of it; seafood, veggie, black paella (made with squid ink), and fideau (made with noodles instead of rice). We knew we had to taste this dish since we were only visiting for a few days. I think we ended up eating it three or four times. Once in a restaurant and the rest on the streets. Since Las Fallas is a community event, what better than to cook huge pots of paella to bring everyone together? </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz-f8GQ60B0Rn4aPfI1hyss0AO3VotGYDR3Def4o0imOnPb1qFjfIwVbgZM6GZSqAifOX_HGQBPaGD4ZGP3LMJwCZu5FIzfSyhBrTKn5xoN1TOSC73t3ZGffrC5LeuEShgUhnberbXBVk/s1600/IMG_0895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz-f8GQ60B0Rn4aPfI1hyss0AO3VotGYDR3Def4o0imOnPb1qFjfIwVbgZM6GZSqAifOX_HGQBPaGD4ZGP3LMJwCZu5FIzfSyhBrTKn5xoN1TOSC73t3ZGffrC5LeuEShgUhnberbXBVk/s640/IMG_0895.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Different types of paella served to go in the streets</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4_gt61BvAQkvYmypmWViUTHT3vzXgU8E_2fK7gWVXaU_ce_FMKs21Old0TnUw3kBst8wP96PIv9XcAXJcTxQC1AmmWBnYyuW34znms43PMKbUVanZbXRnGd0s4JLx3aUSudTQcyx7wzc/s1600/IMG_0897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4_gt61BvAQkvYmypmWViUTHT3vzXgU8E_2fK7gWVXaU_ce_FMKs21Old0TnUw3kBst8wP96PIv9XcAXJcTxQC1AmmWBnYyuW34znms43PMKbUVanZbXRnGd0s4JLx3aUSudTQcyx7wzc/s640/IMG_0897.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>The waiter bringing out Fideau (with noodles) which is the type we ate</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOscxacBidPRLOfuQs7l5mgr0t7V3Fjd8jqD7qHIxi02BO5ENa1qv2neUa88mQSONx86cYk_0A6he7pgLsTI9KPY1M6pmoVsjgqaecacQp59UaaXu0sM59kzI3MyPZ-Pe82MKuRPGcDI/s1600/IMG_0896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOscxacBidPRLOfuQs7l5mgr0t7V3Fjd8jqD7qHIxi02BO5ENa1qv2neUa88mQSONx86cYk_0A6he7pgLsTI9KPY1M6pmoVsjgqaecacQp59UaaXu0sM59kzI3MyPZ-Pe82MKuRPGcDI/s640/IMG_0896.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Black paella. Tinted from squid ink</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-cjmQRxBInQZn5kmn-d51XKTST6NASM-jDt_ol7qg_VjlDTrxBnkD5Syf3hZDFbvZaBB6kX2QPIjSYiZDUO4yapoEH1sQl6YNwvtV_5rXH9WDfv_ILH5fbpLQyj4BVGBdCYk2zetgzM/s1600/IMG_0901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-cjmQRxBInQZn5kmn-d51XKTST6NASM-jDt_ol7qg_VjlDTrxBnkD5Syf3hZDFbvZaBB6kX2QPIjSYiZDUO4yapoEH1sQl6YNwvtV_5rXH9WDfv_ILH5fbpLQyj4BVGBdCYk2zetgzM/s640/IMG_0901.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>yum</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Next to paella, there was a frenzy of fried goodies stands EVERYWHERE! Churros for days, fried pumpkin pastries, and many more. This part of the festival reminded me of the 4th of July. I tried the pumpkin pastries because I love things all pumpkin but either mine were bad or they aren't really pumpkin because I didn't taste it :( </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4yrbkIEom2ayFu1a1dG3uJobnF8-veRRTpSubAkIttdN3uC6t4iNNRZv4qejjRXZwuknh3lX9-a6QK-JmddQofnM1mGngY3Fn9GQcNKq1D_uKlUDgjPuGBE_mPOSbH5np-wBQ4VqUOI/s1600/IMG_0735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4yrbkIEom2ayFu1a1dG3uJobnF8-veRRTpSubAkIttdN3uC6t4iNNRZv4qejjRXZwuknh3lX9-a6QK-JmddQofnM1mGngY3Fn9GQcNKq1D_uKlUDgjPuGBE_mPOSbH5np-wBQ4VqUOI/s640/IMG_0735.JPG" width="480" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>pumpkin buñuelos</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>The drink of choice for Valencianos is horchata, so of course I tried that too. I loved horchata when I lived in Costa Rica. It was amazing. Turns out that in the Latin American countries, they make it out of rice milk and cinnamon. In Valencia, it's made out of "chufas" which are tigernuts. The taste was different, I wasn't too fond of it. I'll stick with the Latin American version :) </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAorr79gpybdlFcR079CH3odt4y-FPX8lBQwN4OIAQ0sYm5LctuqFtEFK3V8WgPZ2EWSVz7upMk18VP-XvZfqGTJFKMSsELUP7JrwG5WzaRel2_bXVqrP8oslGL2IVCkEScHwJTSKGlw/s1600/IMG_0997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAorr79gpybdlFcR079CH3odt4y-FPX8lBQwN4OIAQ0sYm5LctuqFtEFK3V8WgPZ2EWSVz7upMk18VP-XvZfqGTJFKMSsELUP7JrwG5WzaRel2_bXVqrP8oslGL2IVCkEScHwJTSKGlw/s640/IMG_0997.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>A famous Horchata shop</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVez_nEKoNuC6M-vjYUPA-uRyv2AFNguXo0im8X9u8CBHZM5BkWB9erUTjojOpRNcT2TaHRai94doqEkuu6gZn3qdGt1MiyCBnyMpeT0sHVQRZUJRmMMPEB54nb2ufOgb9sfoxDh4xBc/s1600/IMG_0998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJVez_nEKoNuC6M-vjYUPA-uRyv2AFNguXo0im8X9u8CBHZM5BkWB9erUTjojOpRNcT2TaHRai94doqEkuu6gZn3qdGt1MiyCBnyMpeT0sHVQRZUJRmMMPEB54nb2ufOgb9sfoxDh4xBc/s640/IMG_0998.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Fartons are the pastries on the right. It's typical to dip them into your horchata, just like they dip their churros in thick melted chocolate. </strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>There were also hundreds of markets set up all around the city too. Selling rings, bandanas, junk, candy, toys, firecrackers, you name it. I'm guessing these stands were set up for the tourists because the locals were all busy doing their Falla duties and marching around in their princess outfits :)</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong></strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvKWrW8mc3PxVorh8wGkmgSWGsClNwFUhW89L910Z6HztQ8SJDMzBYyoWxV8MoOKg1rdpQANIk_86fuQLXZAExOcisUI2TSCm8R965bXmEECymsInDY_KrewHOEQuLGSP05TgQjG4MTdc/s1600/IMG_0723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvKWrW8mc3PxVorh8wGkmgSWGsClNwFUhW89L910Z6HztQ8SJDMzBYyoWxV8MoOKg1rdpQANIk_86fuQLXZAExOcisUI2TSCm8R965bXmEECymsInDY_KrewHOEQuLGSP05TgQjG4MTdc/s640/IMG_0723.JPG" width="480" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>The first Falla girl I saw</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfErZ1c5yWzPRZu79tkglzjjGYULVpstOBVBinp5wqzhpHkuShYq-r9mFRmMrt8b1cjYG1Q3fTqAWlxdDPsq0Vc-u70xbhdTK43BsL7vQqmvmGdMb9U4-wrY3J5QLrSH0ICZ4xGRes_w/s1600/IMG_1064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfErZ1c5yWzPRZu79tkglzjjGYULVpstOBVBinp5wqzhpHkuShYq-r9mFRmMrt8b1cjYG1Q3fTqAWlxdDPsq0Vc-u70xbhdTK43BsL7vQqmvmGdMb9U4-wrY3J5QLrSH0ICZ4xGRes_w/s640/IMG_1064.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>These outfits cost a lot of money according to the locals. They are made of silk and gold. They were very nice and I'm sure every Valencian girl wants to be a Fallera to wear these dresses and feel like a princess</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-q_TIKbuUMrfZcdVDrFDVIkUf5TuPIlgw6sNwqjfZVC7pkf21c_aj1OA2f2_mT-Tig-oUz2oyL47dIovW_Uxe9mrvR5NjjSP5sLFNQXr4C_4QmzfYTvF_iLwhqMlQu5DSiO7q7-J87k/s1600/IMG_1068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-q_TIKbuUMrfZcdVDrFDVIkUf5TuPIlgw6sNwqjfZVC7pkf21c_aj1OA2f2_mT-Tig-oUz2oyL47dIovW_Uxe9mrvR5NjjSP5sLFNQXr4C_4QmzfYTvF_iLwhqMlQu5DSiO7q7-J87k/s640/IMG_1068.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>The hair do...</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhziE10MNJqLFEzA0ZxuhofNVzyUavUtcHU6wXELu79m4Gr1a_niTWq0Yci2xTA1vfS7BsiyDYqUIwNSdvBjKmtXOgW558gWJR-E9EUkV32bJNU6GdohbLZNo6BE3X74u60Aid8i8Q_G5A/s1600/IMG_1069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhziE10MNJqLFEzA0ZxuhofNVzyUavUtcHU6wXELu79m4Gr1a_niTWq0Yci2xTA1vfS7BsiyDYqUIwNSdvBjKmtXOgW558gWJR-E9EUkV32bJNU6GdohbLZNo6BE3X74u60Aid8i8Q_G5A/s640/IMG_1069.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Men dress up too</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJPa5FW27ilQh8Hw9XfoEXkR09oZvQDJJ24FprTiMILxmw3Z71Kvo29LrDP0VTlTyCrehgocw0pz7s2HJ0qYFiv3cx0k9C66FFo05wY926ZrJihCkKSFZIqkoh6pzLO9o1Iz-doauHvsM/s1600/IMG_1078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJPa5FW27ilQh8Hw9XfoEXkR09oZvQDJJ24FprTiMILxmw3Z71Kvo29LrDP0VTlTyCrehgocw0pz7s2HJ0qYFiv3cx0k9C66FFo05wY926ZrJihCkKSFZIqkoh6pzLO9o1Iz-doauHvsM/s640/IMG_1078.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>The babies on their way to offer the flowers</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfyH72uTIsIrAXBDbjDTY880zzZUuyjz88AP89qWjqmWwICME9UaKCQN2rWOQz2-7-B72IdL8M0GP8Y6AV4tWt5CeNmxODT_2kvjKa-6xZhFPpKRHwZU_J_qpjazzxj9lQB4mS5rlmb3M/s1600/IMG_1075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfyH72uTIsIrAXBDbjDTY880zzZUuyjz88AP89qWjqmWwICME9UaKCQN2rWOQz2-7-B72IdL8M0GP8Y6AV4tWt5CeNmxODT_2kvjKa-6xZhFPpKRHwZU_J_qpjazzxj9lQB4mS5rlmb3M/s640/IMG_1075.JPG" width="480" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Adorable</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkvU-xTIq1Py4qOIkDzCWcRtoi-aOFAr6u_MjYc8vfl7ZhkE2qsIatYSsEnvgrWvv_qYQAWqrKHrcBDuDLEW4Gv2MPOBaObL81x6SyGXjrihqISZPUBVWp5LjIvb_laL4us73wL-XTpY/s1600/IMG_0969.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkvU-xTIq1Py4qOIkDzCWcRtoi-aOFAr6u_MjYc8vfl7ZhkE2qsIatYSsEnvgrWvv_qYQAWqrKHrcBDuDLEW4Gv2MPOBaObL81x6SyGXjrihqISZPUBVWp5LjIvb_laL4us73wL-XTpY/s640/IMG_0969.JPG" width="480" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>If you are still following this super long post about Valencia then cool..because this is my favorite part :) the lights! These lights were in an international neighborhood called Ruzafa. They were amazing and played music while giving off a light show every thirty minutes or so. They were playing some Black Eyed Peas from what I heard. </strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRovTvMg_N_HJGNNYa_lMitQSvXtLVdGDOypAIzbd2TPVvIl2W9cRJzpJSGXkB3GLP8G8NoLICFXzCtY1xqRTI8Xk36_X7_AlTLMp440D-o_HwtLevDphhfpZKaP36OSd4ihkXHl82UAs/s1600/IMG_0964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRovTvMg_N_HJGNNYa_lMitQSvXtLVdGDOypAIzbd2TPVvIl2W9cRJzpJSGXkB3GLP8G8NoLICFXzCtY1xqRTI8Xk36_X7_AlTLMp440D-o_HwtLevDphhfpZKaP36OSd4ihkXHl82UAs/s640/IMG_0964.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>This year they honored the London Tower</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirqdmJG0x7ut522kvbKJ8QeRfP3eau0P2bxbrOPGjhIgiJY0YBhRNjaQkctOiMK1_7grNoPTFjNDq4A1JNdKHpqQLA1Pdp31TJN3FYtJ1FFGoOCGkp-5wO_p02o1F8B29potcA6M7gD10/s1600/IMG_0950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirqdmJG0x7ut522kvbKJ8QeRfP3eau0P2bxbrOPGjhIgiJY0YBhRNjaQkctOiMK1_7grNoPTFjNDq4A1JNdKHpqQLA1Pdp31TJN3FYtJ1FFGoOCGkp-5wO_p02o1F8B29potcA6M7gD10/s640/IMG_0950.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>These are the past light displays </strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfuK8RMnhkpEPx4aaVwcxL0HuSHl4iJYua_EPUDNAspcTN0xaWQatnZL5IovhqDO4xB5W66VWLtjXxdQ0Mjfa1SKVh_UbvbyiLtg_ew9VMw2uSTduYCTY5nvufRdCDrXjXxFLm4kSjHw/s1600/IMG_0971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfuK8RMnhkpEPx4aaVwcxL0HuSHl4iJYua_EPUDNAspcTN0xaWQatnZL5IovhqDO4xB5W66VWLtjXxdQ0Mjfa1SKVh_UbvbyiLtg_ew9VMw2uSTduYCTY5nvufRdCDrXjXxFLm4kSjHw/s640/IMG_0971.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>I loved walking through the street. It felt as if I was in Disneyworld or something special.</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>This weekend was non-stop touring...Tara and I took some time to escape the Falla festival to visit the famous City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia. It was well worth the 20 minute walk alongside a pretty park to reach the super modern architecture. The "City" consists of museums and an oceanographic park. We didn't pay to enter to anything because we didn't have much time and the views from the outside were cool enough. </strong></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5JwfsoufIJNd8XNeuVOodBls9pu34UE-UXmepMxZTPrY24qeAzTrfG1f-YI63GqhRnTMubgD96ssAo1QP66oyEfAOtKFI0vqt9dEc-StV85jtGhCyczhA0N6BEZbph6TZj6XJqJ_zc8/s1600/IMG_0852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5JwfsoufIJNd8XNeuVOodBls9pu34UE-UXmepMxZTPrY24qeAzTrfG1f-YI63GqhRnTMubgD96ssAo1QP66oyEfAOtKFI0vqt9dEc-StV85jtGhCyczhA0N6BEZbph6TZj6XJqJ_zc8/s640/IMG_0852.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUpukFQw9GdQTrMcVdY2kUWXIoHV_oIcunShopsyYxGe8PUtHvWoo3JPtVuAE0qfjkdECj9AZ-A63aTzF4V21L9L5ZYD-_OyJ1zfNNOEmd6JyGt6QWawSdV941UPt-Z0TK5A409fxX6jc/s1600/IMG_0847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUpukFQw9GdQTrMcVdY2kUWXIoHV_oIcunShopsyYxGe8PUtHvWoo3JPtVuAE0qfjkdECj9AZ-A63aTzF4V21L9L5ZYD-_OyJ1zfNNOEmd6JyGt6QWawSdV941UPt-Z0TK5A409fxX6jc/s640/IMG_0847.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>A park in the shape of a man laying down..with slides and places to climb all over..looks fun!</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwzGCt4GVUOB2Bmiqk2x99jxb0n1nCGg1uzXQDdashNDUq3j0cfj2NWdFX37Gzk_aj06jw145EpSgCTTBImGYRaGQmJf2NXr83VvpoHebTzM2pUiQ_xhyQgrl_hTUu9bWkGsXQEfYWTc/s1600/IMG_0850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUwzGCt4GVUOB2Bmiqk2x99jxb0n1nCGg1uzXQDdashNDUq3j0cfj2NWdFX37Gzk_aj06jw145EpSgCTTBImGYRaGQmJf2NXr83VvpoHebTzM2pUiQ_xhyQgrl_hTUu9bWkGsXQEfYWTc/s640/IMG_0850.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Simple and to the point...</strong></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgNuAgwcaM7Uf6j8iEB3QoXXXf7sAT_k17pitjdkOeRuul_vQOzuWDyEoP2dih-UOqLb7l_pZ0WynKY7nFULOiMtDCWIRRp0UkS6xVdtYn8yxNOYb_puCDxco-Q_DqlwXvGtnqTZ8jJA/s1600/IMG_0871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCgNuAgwcaM7Uf6j8iEB3QoXXXf7sAT_k17pitjdkOeRuul_vQOzuWDyEoP2dih-UOqLb7l_pZ0WynKY7nFULOiMtDCWIRRp0UkS6xVdtYn8yxNOYb_puCDxco-Q_DqlwXvGtnqTZ8jJA/s640/IMG_0871.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEJ09HNR7PjR1AJ4DOYL7CqjhyphenhyphenZ2K3fCSKftmx-33rUW25DvYOp9P_NkStiTtT89xplfmN1wNXSATsf4_IK5cX91Tw_i1SUte6VQoeGRIPMOZLyY6-tcD0f5_ycSRMFZ3oQDZohSTCmU/s1600/IMG_0869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEJ09HNR7PjR1AJ4DOYL7CqjhyphenhyphenZ2K3fCSKftmx-33rUW25DvYOp9P_NkStiTtT89xplfmN1wNXSATsf4_IK5cX91Tw_i1SUte6VQoeGRIPMOZLyY6-tcD0f5_ycSRMFZ3oQDZohSTCmU/s640/IMG_0869.JPG" width="640" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>The view from the bridge</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>What an eventful and amazing weekend in Valencia. Maybe I will be returning one day when it's a little warmer so I can enjoy the beach (the city sits on the Mediterranean). Until then, I think I have enough memories to last :)</strong></span>senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-64047237126141203662013-03-21T07:50:00.000-07:002013-03-21T07:50:38.765-07:00Las Fallas, part 2<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">In addition to walking around looking at the giant </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">ninots, <span style="color: #351c75;">there's much more to see during Las Fallas. The entertainment is non stop during these days of festival. I'd say that yes, it's a family affair although there was a lot of drinking on the streets and parties. It was more family oriented than Mardi Gras but on the same note, there were a lot of fireworks, firecrackers, and just noise in general...which babies were either crying or sleeping through it all. Families venture out together in traditional fallera outfits, which I will talk about later in my third post. </span></span></strong><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong></strong></span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">Events of Las Fallas</span></strong></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong></strong></span> </div>
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<span class="mw-headline" id="La_Despert.C3.A0"><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span></span><em><span style="color: #cc0000;"><strong>La Despertà</strong></span></em></div>
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Each day of Falles begins at 8:00 am with <i>La Despertà</i> ("the wake-up call"). Brass bands appear from the casals and begin to march down every street playing lively music. Close behind them are the <i>fallers</i>, throwing large firecrackers in the street as they go. Tara and I rented out an apartment and were centrally located. So yes, the answer to your question is that we did..not..sleep..at all. </span></strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Then there's the ... <i><span style="color: #cc0000;">Mascletà</span></i></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #351c75;"> </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Us waiting for the fireworks</span></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">A huge midday firework show that takes place in each neighbourhood at 2:00 pm every day of the festival; the main event is the municipal Mascletà in the town hall square. The Mascletà is almost unique to the Valencian Community, hugely popular with the Valencian people. Smaller neighbourhoods often hold their own mascletà for saint's days, weddings and other celebrations. Why is it "unique?" because WHO does fireworks at 2p.m.?! The streets were packed full of people so excited to get to hear all this noise and then go home for their lunch. We heard the firework show every day we were there, but only went to see it twice. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4ccec9aqxtAk8mudYC2TdOXo88mzlXx62NWGT-cOP61SZ7UFS70HhlE-j6f9HkCzjwjFDYAfgX2nXsz-RXgo54a0nFXEedgehXqrEwM7N0U5_Wpr_kKjnHV3pPVy0otAvbsH3IweNPE/s1600/IMG_0987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix4ccec9aqxtAk8mudYC2TdOXo88mzlXx62NWGT-cOP61SZ7UFS70HhlE-j6f9HkCzjwjFDYAfgX2nXsz-RXgo54a0nFXEedgehXqrEwM7N0U5_Wpr_kKjnHV3pPVy0otAvbsH3IweNPE/s400/IMG_0987.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">The aftermath</span></td></tr>
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<span class="mw-headline" id="L.27Ofrena_floral" style="color: #cc0000;"><em>L'Ofrena floral (the offering)</em></span><br />
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In this event, the floral offering, each falla group takes an offering of flowers to Saint Mary. This occurs all day during 17-18 March. A statue of Saint Mary and its large pedestal (her skirt) are then covered with all the flowers. Everywhere we turned there was a parade of falleros walking with flowers walking towards the church where Mary was. This process began at 3:30pm and went all into the night. In addition to flowers on her skirt, there was a wall full of flowers and also big boquets put around the fountain in the Plaza de la Virgen. <br />
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This country is very Catholic, however it was strange to see this "offering" because in reality it was just a parade of Valencian people in traditional outfits, smoking, drinking, and making endless amounts of noise on their way to pay their resepect. I don't understand that part but hey..the end result was beautiful!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1G7Yei_7X6CiZh-tpRacAb6kFGA-6oQgHv3LoS4F3iLivpYS7lOQ3riF5RB5Y-xsyBWFh1q3J4qecq7S54S7Gz7NqHR2GSDbsIp8Do46YCnFybdYOgo3XyHcHuzXZ_Jiu4O3khJC1UI/s1600/IMG_0890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1G7Yei_7X6CiZh-tpRacAb6kFGA-6oQgHv3LoS4F3iLivpYS7lOQ3riF5RB5Y-xsyBWFh1q3J4qecq7S54S7Gz7NqHR2GSDbsIp8Do46YCnFybdYOgo3XyHcHuzXZ_Jiu4O3khJC1UI/s400/IMG_0890.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Here she is! The flower crew is just getting started on the work of art</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-5GzAaYMbVgA6Hf31qt84yjCbulz9caDbj8IDr59PViScS9R1eS-sp1cP4v5c7QCnVm9vq7fYxXJS4MrAaGxdcSo6KbPidUqR8OVYOydXsNdOSRhKEzVDl84ZbKEepP-urm3xonZUyk/s1600/IMG_1018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-5GzAaYMbVgA6Hf31qt84yjCbulz9caDbj8IDr59PViScS9R1eS-sp1cP4v5c7QCnVm9vq7fYxXJS4MrAaGxdcSo6KbPidUqR8OVYOydXsNdOSRhKEzVDl84ZbKEepP-urm3xonZUyk/s400/IMG_1018.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">He's thinking.."Why did I agree to this?"</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLd1xiMv4GZRRWMb-d1EY7AFEPQq5RPsTjtCp-Cz4taEO6jKYUwXKsfC-FNTappSeD0dQu7jjPWJdo6LNBeMBmaG5vo90YkOBgd8ct6Nru8AYuAfDvWxR-4wCCucR-k_lyCdj00bbexA/s1600/IMG_1011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLd1xiMv4GZRRWMb-d1EY7AFEPQq5RPsTjtCp-Cz4taEO6jKYUwXKsfC-FNTappSeD0dQu7jjPWJdo6LNBeMBmaG5vo90YkOBgd8ct6Nru8AYuAfDvWxR-4wCCucR-k_lyCdj00bbexA/s400/IMG_1011.JPG" width="243" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5uk2JMT25CCpAorScjIUmDPRV8cm2DiE2cX_cP7pMzC8PmMVCK9sDkAj-e2MJSFvG4etACuOwW9TtK6SdiWOwdb54095DWsrv0J8DnQpnakoX1SfoQPa8r40bf5vNa5ApsH4QDLXothY/s1600/IMG_1107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5uk2JMT25CCpAorScjIUmDPRV8cm2DiE2cX_cP7pMzC8PmMVCK9sDkAj-e2MJSFvG4etACuOwW9TtK6SdiWOwdb54095DWsrv0J8DnQpnakoX1SfoQPa8r40bf5vNa5ApsH4QDLXothY/s400/IMG_1107.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;">The end result..flowers for daysss!</span></td></tr>
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Now on to...more fireworks!! <br />
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<span class="mw-headline" id="Els_Castells_and_La_Nit_del_Foc"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><em>Els Castells and La Nit del Foc</em></span></span><br />
<span class="mw-headline"><em><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span></em></span><br />
On the nights of the 15, 16, 17, and 18th there are firework displays in the old riverbed in Valencia. Each night is progressively grander and the last is called <i>La Nit del Foc</i> (the Night of Fire) We heard these fireworks every night at 1am sharp. Unfortunately, we didn't make our way out to go see them because we were exhausted but I'm sure they were nothing less than spectacular. <br />
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To end the celebration, there is a famous fire known as..<br />
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<span class="mw-headline" id="La_Crem.C3.A0"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><em>La Cremà</em></span></span><br />
<span class="mw-headline"><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span></span><br />
On the final night of Falles, around midnight on March 19, these <i>falles</i> are burnt as huge bonfires. This is known as the <i>cremà</i> (the burning), the climax of the whole event, and the reason why the constructions are called <i>falles</i> ("torches"). Traditionally, the falla in the <i>Plaça de l'Ajuntament</i> is burned last. Tara and I had to catch our flight home so we missed this day but the pictures look awesome. I can't imagine all of these creations going up in flames! Or maybe I can...but that's pretty sad considering how much time and money they spent.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE66tXFlrR-3yXs3bTx7CqwhzArj8_wyV98kba9_4JUCuzExDzO6ByIAVf3Fm1t3OHya3T96mT5NIorSFCRuupQ_D_QEF52wUJUMVj9XqVcAiXj1RM4bo8DxaRxl7jEM9mzvR8zqEqX7c/s1600/Crema+-+buring+falla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE66tXFlrR-3yXs3bTx7CqwhzArj8_wyV98kba9_4JUCuzExDzO6ByIAVf3Fm1t3OHya3T96mT5NIorSFCRuupQ_D_QEF52wUJUMVj9XqVcAiXj1RM4bo8DxaRxl7jEM9mzvR8zqEqX7c/s400/Crema+-+buring+falla.jpg" width="331" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.travelocafe.com/2010/06/las-fallas-festival-of-fire-valencia.html">http://www.travelocafe.com/2010/06/las-fallas-festival-of-fire-valencia.html</a></td></tr>
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Starting in the early evening, young men with axes chop cleverly-hidden holes in the statues and stuff them with fireworks. The crowds start to chant, the streetlights are turned off, and all of the ninots are set on fire at exactly 12am (midnight). Over the years, the local <em>bomberos</em> (firemen) have devised unique ways to protect the town's buildings from being accidentally set on fire by the ninots: such as neatly covering storefronts with fireproof tarps. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWStAWVQBV8umTWyRj30ZKf_p8HGldpKs-8wYzP-5iTTwHPHyvBaZFyvbqyVqi2uojN7_nfW3ErhsIGot1nuRfygeXZHnCLgBm1u0aOcEhL1a8B3Lz1dI34z33x06T5unNC3NF8BGXuDM/s1600/800px-Bomber_faller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWStAWVQBV8umTWyRj30ZKf_p8HGldpKs-8wYzP-5iTTwHPHyvBaZFyvbqyVqi2uojN7_nfW3ErhsIGot1nuRfygeXZHnCLgBm1u0aOcEhL1a8B3Lz1dI34z33x06T5unNC3NF8BGXuDM/s400/800px-Bomber_faller.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falles">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falles</a></td></tr>
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It's too bad that Tara and I didn't get to stay to see this huge fire. I'm sure the city was covered with a huge cloud of smoke, considering there are hundreds of Fallas. I still feel as if our trip was worth it even without staying until the end. We got to try typical food and experience one of the biggest parties in the country. <br />
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<a href="http://www.donquijote.org/culture/spain/society/holidays/las-fallas.asp"><em>http://www.donquijote.org/culture/spain/society/holidays/las-fallas.asp</em></a></span></strong><br />
<br />senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-68867870780109300062013-03-21T00:17:00.001-07:002013-03-21T00:17:14.625-07:00Las Fallas in Valencia, part 1<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>I'm not sure how to begin this post because there is so much I want to say about Las Fallas... I've been reading up on the festival and I decided to just use what I've read because I'm still a little speechless about the whole thing.. so here's what wikipedia says.. </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong></strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9vpfr_zkSde_E0AgDJQNOwjEScEx9Bt2JQOq_soPWauaVjMjw-XbkGOVjytT0-VUs4QSxxSt1aub53jcxNA0kseBQXvfSaTvVPOJsrN_S7oIttWxSBeiIcj7j55NiF6BrkIFK_0E3fX0/s1600/valencia.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9vpfr_zkSde_E0AgDJQNOwjEScEx9Bt2JQOq_soPWauaVjMjw-XbkGOVjytT0-VUs4QSxxSt1aub53jcxNA0kseBQXvfSaTvVPOJsrN_S7oIttWxSBeiIcj7j55NiF6BrkIFK_0E3fX0/s1600/valencia.png" width="296" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Valencia is Spain's 3rd largest city after Barcelona and Madrid. For some reason, it tends to be overlooked in regards to tourism although it is one of the largest cities. There are wayyy too many awesome cities to see in this country!</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<em><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>((Las Fallas = the name of the festival in Castillian Spanish...Falles is in Valencian- they speak their own language in Valencia...yes, this country is strange..and very divided! ))</strong></span></em><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">"The Falles is a traditional celebration held in commemoration of Saint Joseph in the city of Valencia in Spain. The term <i>Falles</i> refers to both the celebration and the monuments created during the celebration. Each neighborhood of the city has an organized group of people, the <i>Casal faller</i>, that works all year long holding fundraising parties and dinners, usually featuring the famous specialty paella. Each <i>casal faller</i> produces a construction known as a <i>falla</i> which is eventually burnt."</span></strong><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>My desire for wanting to visit Valencia during this festival all began just from viewing pictures my friend had posting during her visit, which was over a year ago. I thought that the figures I had seen in her photos were awesome and the festival looked like Mardi Gras in a way. I'm a huge fan of Mardi Gras...but sorry New Orleans, Valencia goes all out with this! It was super impressive. </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>First things first; a <span style="color: #cc0000;">"NINOT"</span> is a puppet or doll built out of paper-mâché. Each neighborhood builts their ninot in a themed manner, which usually is a satirical jab at anything or anyone who draws the attention of the critical eyes of the <em>falleros</em> (the people who built it). Needles to say I went overboard and took over 300 pictures in 3 days...you can't blame me though because there are around 700 of these displays all over the city. It wasn't possible to see them all but I think we got to see a LOT of them. Valencia is a huge city and we were super sore after walking from one main neighborhood to the next. Here are some of them.... many of them displayed nudity or naughty themes so I'll post the PG ones. </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xm6WKnrBCCqREY0EWZt8RPqNR_WKELBCy-NEKaKWkTxzKs6_bvULX2_zt4kXj-2aELITNYaeaX7mOfVhC_9S9eVYAxll5niFC0i7Y_W7JCYU3SpiYCNDUyG3pr2CUVvvfM_Kv4WXjMk/s1600/IMG_1033.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>This is a display talking about the corruption in Spain and complaing about the 21% tax rate</strong></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xm6WKnrBCCqREY0EWZt8RPqNR_WKELBCy-NEKaKWkTxzKs6_bvULX2_zt4kXj-2aELITNYaeaX7mOfVhC_9S9eVYAxll5niFC0i7Y_W7JCYU3SpiYCNDUyG3pr2CUVvvfM_Kv4WXjMk/s1600/IMG_1033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong></strong></span></a> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtst7XEv4AqNoD_uhVQk7oAp0N4gRM5mwDQN-e7zbz_fTXRkOPzPLO0ZBQ7rbAOKFireBVeJe_ZF7igLdcdhzz7k27TJvfr2CjCV6qIzQZKSj0JJHWeBdvGkMG6tSKx0zeZTM9pZ5FLJc/s1600/IMG_0828.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Only one ninot is saved from the fire every year and it is on display at the Museo Faller in Valencia</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3jA1LU6DupRTacxewAjXMYdnnY_W2MLEeIfFahoSvo6FMI2Lfb09Sxj8NDNPRDaC95Loy8ujN0rgdG0CGvjSr7IaqWlE2vjv5WMwijhdhg2FWk9CLiBd32_Hy5ppbnCobLMXAOqN3xwA/s1600/IMG_0936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3jA1LU6DupRTacxewAjXMYdnnY_W2MLEeIfFahoSvo6FMI2Lfb09Sxj8NDNPRDaC95Loy8ujN0rgdG0CGvjSr7IaqWlE2vjv5WMwijhdhg2FWk9CLiBd32_Hy5ppbnCobLMXAOqN3xwA/s1600/IMG_0936.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>This display is of the "Familia Irreal" the "not-real" image of the Spanish family</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong></strong></span> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTHNEJzjQRsNyay_Y_K5S-_0nOQwPfW3AyVj6cTPuvWpVUN_6pWy6JaRNnQ1jkASECtGpTsRpXNqRu8pSbhg8Fo5zeYAXDoPnDbI72f36v-f8HaJitpVxD6OwHou7mUEsDAXM5D7kmXY/s1600/IMG_0937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTHNEJzjQRsNyay_Y_K5S-_0nOQwPfW3AyVj6cTPuvWpVUN_6pWy6JaRNnQ1jkASECtGpTsRpXNqRu8pSbhg8Fo5zeYAXDoPnDbI72f36v-f8HaJitpVxD6OwHou7mUEsDAXM5D7kmXY/s1600/IMG_0937.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>and below the IRREAL family..it the REAL Spanish family..a begger which represents the current situation in Spain. The country is in a serious crisis with 25% an unemployment rate. A little ironic considering Valencians are paying for all of these figures to be built only to be burned. In addition to these amazing ninots, there are fireworks, food stands, lights, cleaning crews, and several other expenses to be paid for during this festival...all in the middle of a crisis!</strong></span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirIf3t3toPWAgECf7x74iA3st7N5eO8rlizv4mh0Gm2ZaewIpQ9YMmpTDVuVtV2DH6cfjBe2FKJoJG_IKqORbSIst3W3A3Uhhyht214Nsr1FVOZ0drUWWzs0EN60ssw5NYMKhQUX_twn8/s1600/IMG_0726.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>The Valencian tour bus. This ninot was in the plaza of the town hall</strong></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirIf3t3toPWAgECf7x74iA3st7N5eO8rlizv4mh0Gm2ZaewIpQ9YMmpTDVuVtV2DH6cfjBe2FKJoJG_IKqORbSIst3W3A3Uhhyht214Nsr1FVOZ0drUWWzs0EN60ssw5NYMKhQUX_twn8/s1600/IMG_0726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong></strong></span></a><br /></div>
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-4royqHx_NyhMTn8g2If_5ciKLIuzgV2Q8YXLc8sKDOaW-DDNw3jThPjud7vEcgh0LxKTk187T3fpQGwmSdXeTq9p4LO-5NfRGij6nYHjNeIM9zNszXsE3wQ9_t7N82YqRv7FY2mdQNM/s1600/IMG_0924.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></strong></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>The ninots can be very large! Often costing up to US $75,000</strong></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-4royqHx_NyhMTn8g2If_5ciKLIuzgV2Q8YXLc8sKDOaW-DDNw3jThPjud7vEcgh0LxKTk187T3fpQGwmSdXeTq9p4LO-5NfRGij6nYHjNeIM9zNszXsE3wQ9_t7N82YqRv7FY2mdQNM/s1600/IMG_0924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong></strong></span></a><br /></div>
<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuh3VCuugIlpDTEe41-AUEwmww3OE6cA31QJ7rCNhBoYKQV3NnfInyBFP7aSqTKvvRQjTwRiKePZU_sT9AkRLadmSOwpPP_RdVuy57j5jlzbfCoE2N1apR6r_zkunsjBXEWRuTtnMhdRo/s1600/IMG_0944.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>The most expensive falla ever build was in 2009, it had a 900,000euro budget and it was burnerd along with all the others</strong></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuh3VCuugIlpDTEe41-AUEwmww3OE6cA31QJ7rCNhBoYKQV3NnfInyBFP7aSqTKvvRQjTwRiKePZU_sT9AkRLadmSOwpPP_RdVuy57j5jlzbfCoE2N1apR6r_zkunsjBXEWRuTtnMhdRo/s1600/IMG_0944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong></strong></span></a><br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRTa2arZxuWV1sRjOSdvSQmgtZ1BhsVMS14QAMB8jSAEDq-7zcriKggnh2lr_mlptjQzDHeIFsyAg0SkkyKaGvJmu1GF7VUO19r5CSKh5FBGvEZYfGEfsgc6P5HrFqBgASpvNzAX3cbM/s1600/IMG_0758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZRTa2arZxuWV1sRjOSdvSQmgtZ1BhsVMS14QAMB8jSAEDq-7zcriKggnh2lr_mlptjQzDHeIFsyAg0SkkyKaGvJmu1GF7VUO19r5CSKh5FBGvEZYfGEfsgc6P5HrFqBgASpvNzAX3cbM/s1600/IMG_0758.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>"The Apple tells the story" The history of the apple and how this symbol of wisdom has influenced us in the history of mankind. Adam and Eve, Isaac Newton, and Steve Jobs surrounded by angels are all in this amazing Falla</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwgj-1ffcNaOUklh5b8MTapqjA921i1UcRAyDOU1UAwCd9alf1lvaEiCjjUpQteMick60Fav7egWp9qtaw5OTCg_WrQxz2082jdHJCzbJzxk5LMtTLaoWEpyVp6-LKmiEYdtelo0OUqZc/s1600/IMG_0768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwgj-1ffcNaOUklh5b8MTapqjA921i1UcRAyDOU1UAwCd9alf1lvaEiCjjUpQteMick60Fav7egWp9qtaw5OTCg_WrQxz2082jdHJCzbJzxk5LMtTLaoWEpyVp6-LKmiEYdtelo0OUqZc/s1600/IMG_0768.JPG" width="300" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>The idea of this display is very creative! Behind us you can see the snow white and the witch who gives her the posion apple too. I liked the Steve Jobs representation because he is surronded by angels in heaven. </strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong><span style="color: #cc0000;">History</span> (wikipedia) One idea of how this all started is when artisans (in the Middle Ages) disposed of the broken artifacts and pieces of wood they saved during the winter by burning them to celebrate the spring equinox. Valencian carpenters used planks of wood called <i>parots</i> to hang their candles on during the winter, as these were needed to provide light for the carpenters to work by. With the coming of the spring, they were no longer necessary, so they were burned. Over time, and with the intervention of the Church, the date of the burning of these <i>parots</i> was made to coincide with the celebration of the festival of Saint Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters.</strong></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1OAZikPibLxPQGvZPiyAI6XJRJSFs6BrO3em_tGAdU1mz1B5MwHFb-Xac_9NzFDW68jIYq50MWPpedrE_aFze5Ylj-vsvgOaOBzgdCs7cmoo3flyZLKx0giyGcIPOr-3NcbJg8lROT8U/s1600/IMG_0835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1OAZikPibLxPQGvZPiyAI6XJRJSFs6BrO3em_tGAdU1mz1B5MwHFb-Xac_9NzFDW68jIYq50MWPpedrE_aFze5Ylj-vsvgOaOBzgdCs7cmoo3flyZLKx0giyGcIPOr-3NcbJg8lROT8U/s1600/IMG_0835.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>Spain is known to have crazy parties; throwing tomatoes, running from live bulls, carnivals, and now I can say I know Las Fallas- an expensive/unnecessary but awesome party. Traveler and pyromaniac Janet Morton says, "The scene at <em>Las Fallas</em> is extremely cathartic and difficult to describe, but resembles a cross between a bawdy Disneyland, the Fourth of July and the end of the world!" </strong></span><a href="http://www.donquijote.org/culture/spain/society/holidays/las-fallas.asp"><em><span style="color: #351c75;"><strong>http://www.donquijote.org/culture/spain/society/holidays/las-fallas.asp</strong></span></em></a></div>
senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-79919065136680849952013-03-09T02:26:00.000-08:002013-03-09T02:26:21.791-08:00¡Qué mono!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwk8gJPfN-XZp9zds0n5XbU1rPfpzzj9ZA3SO4SWN4mVIwsp-J9_8zsTMOVjXXRJyc_sWghnJSynpPEEp7Kfl9VSPtPcIzdroGiVl9YQGPg_Zd3K-arQMbyRq12d071mZDrKzUF-Lyfo/s1600/untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwk8gJPfN-XZp9zds0n5XbU1rPfpzzj9ZA3SO4SWN4mVIwsp-J9_8zsTMOVjXXRJyc_sWghnJSynpPEEp7Kfl9VSPtPcIzdroGiVl9YQGPg_Zd3K-arQMbyRq12d071mZDrKzUF-Lyfo/s1600/untitled.png" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>¡Qué mono!</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>Spanish 101... I took this class like 5 years ago but my teacher sure didn't teach me these words/phrases. I've been picking up on the things people say in Badajoz because, well..they all have the same vocabulary. It makes me wonder if my hometown of Urbandale all sound alike too. Not sure. Disclaimer! I live in a rural part of Spain so don't assume that all Spaniards are alike :) </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0OqN4j0Oi0iiaBynYF0AuQiTsRfSZWw4FRxz9xr7EVdEtvVOh5opUFjZeLGrYFxoweHxStlIV8SLXaR6xnG_uM7oyOzFNjMXc0Uvzn0LW03hu8fQHJFLHhyDtwnqXK7WcU554wqMZtek/s1600/spanish.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0OqN4j0Oi0iiaBynYF0AuQiTsRfSZWw4FRxz9xr7EVdEtvVOh5opUFjZeLGrYFxoweHxStlIV8SLXaR6xnG_uM7oyOzFNjMXc0Uvzn0LW03hu8fQHJFLHhyDtwnqXK7WcU554wqMZtek/s400/spanish.png" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>Too many different variations!</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>When I lived in Costa Rica, I thought I was learning a universal Spanish. Now that I'm in Spain, I'm starting to think I don't even know Spanish because their accents, grammar, and vocabulary are all different. </strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>¡Qué mono! = <strike>How monkey!... </strike>How cute! </strong></span></div>
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>When they put QUE in front of a word, it translates into "how or what a ________" MONO means monkey..but to them, it's cute so...oh look at that baby! "¡Qué mono!" </strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>¡Qué guay!(gw-eye) = cool, how cool, that's cool. In Costa Rica, they say "Que chiva" </strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>¡Qué chulo! = again, cool, how cool, that's cool</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>¡Hostia! = damn, hell</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>Vale (ball-eh) = Okay. I hear this about 100x a day. Costa Ricans never said this so this was new to me.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>Me tiene negra = literally, "you have me black" ...but it means, you're making me mad</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>Mala leche = literally, bad milk..but it means, bad luck, or something/someone bad</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>Esta pisando huevos = literally, he is pissing eggs..but it means he's moving slowly (someone who is driving slow)</strong></span><br />
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<span class="threadtitle"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>Y no sé qué no sé cuánto... = literally, I don't know what or how much but it means "blah blah blah" or "and so on" when someone is saying something boring or irrelavent.</strong></span></span><br />
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<span class="threadtitle"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>Estoy harto = I'm fed up</strong></span></span><br />
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<span class="threadtitle"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>Achooooo = No this isn't the sound you make when you sneeze, it comes from "muchacho" or "man, guy" They say this all the time and it's usually drawn out and in the most annoying tone you can ever imagine. Almost like they're whining. "Achooooooo" - Like "come on man/F*&^ Man, WTF dude"</strong></span></span><br />
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<span class="threadtitle"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>Tio = They say this all the time too. Usually it is combined with acho. "Acho tio" It's another form of saying "man, guy, dude". Literally, it means uncle. </strong></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>Out of all of these, I've only used "vale" because it is very necessary here in Spain. You will never hear me say acho because I hate that expression! There are a lot more to add to the list but I'll keep the bad words written down in my notebook instead of posting them on here :)</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong></strong></span><br />senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-90698756700458407692013-03-01T01:26:00.000-08:002013-03-03T04:55:04.724-08:0023 in Spain!<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>Yesterday was my 23rd birthday! This is my second birthday in a Spanish speaking country. Besides the fact I don't have family around, I seem to always get lucky and meet amazing people to make it special. </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: small;"><strong>The birthday glasses, thanks to Tara!</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>Google creeped me out a little bit, it says "Happy Birthday Samantha!" </strong></span></div>
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<span id="goog_2075208886"></span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>On Wednesday night, my roommate Tara and her mother prepared an amazing dinner for the occasion. We invited over some Spaniards and other English teachers to eat and have some drinks. Tara's mom (Roula) made delicious Lebanese dishes, she's an amazing cook!</strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieh77zkNDVIECi_asJzUTK4AQz9qFb_BS4gJVrIkBgd3fsrAx6ilspfYKhfJGTiUi6_Jch813VTJAPP4LanaI4isu2QgX4nGJveZoiCRZu5J_pED4o1eqC2iShZtsXBwTuDaxrHQX10uI/s1600/IMG_0661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieh77zkNDVIECi_asJzUTK4AQz9qFb_BS4gJVrIkBgd3fsrAx6ilspfYKhfJGTiUi6_Jch813VTJAPP4LanaI4isu2QgX4nGJveZoiCRZu5J_pED4o1eqC2iShZtsXBwTuDaxrHQX10uI/s400/IMG_0661.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: small;"><strong>This was amaaazzzinggg! Zucchini and beef sauce that we put over white rice</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTpKkfL7JQRgPMFqIa1M-RCIsM_QzkkUkObcKmGftzRtvKs-CGsKW7nr3_WnEHX5x53UGZ6Z_u1FwElPFO0H1FCjdBC7qnaDf1KKuaeTLUQjMNt-TyCfhaZhKf5It407pfyg0-J2yPXk/s1600/IMG_0659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTpKkfL7JQRgPMFqIa1M-RCIsM_QzkkUkObcKmGftzRtvKs-CGsKW7nr3_WnEHX5x53UGZ6Z_u1FwElPFO0H1FCjdBC7qnaDf1KKuaeTLUQjMNt-TyCfhaZhKf5It407pfyg0-J2yPXk/s400/IMG_0659.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: small;"><strong>Baba- Ghanoush (spelling?) this was my first time trying it. It's like hummus made out of egg plant- yum</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiO_wOtAgqnXOFCkLKow_cbJRS7D3OydfZvPjP-7NQNU1Dd-f_kH5XG2MToFCtYre_qpqDRsFvB6pRPWv7Gxi45EZaO2IAzH_cPrv5FKjsTv4ITgdq4wmbF4m8gHEnpR6m90aSv_y_UHI/s1600/IMG_0658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiO_wOtAgqnXOFCkLKow_cbJRS7D3OydfZvPjP-7NQNU1Dd-f_kH5XG2MToFCtYre_qpqDRsFvB6pRPWv7Gxi45EZaO2IAzH_cPrv5FKjsTv4ITgdq4wmbF4m8gHEnpR6m90aSv_y_UHI/s400/IMG_0658.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: small;"><strong>Okay so these cookies are not Lebanese, but they are my favorite! I made these from the butterscotch chips my mom brought during Christmas. </strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh73SUUPcHcK_-eK0AvNPY2dHJJmGBg1Wv-B37csU3Ryqxhw3v9FJKrFy7SGaQvqBGeTrHIGu68BMdrH2aB-uwkpN6EPjRunttsBvdyjU9l_t2nTw-NKkTzQ5D0GeHjAtqJET44KSJss5s/s1600/IMG_1972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh73SUUPcHcK_-eK0AvNPY2dHJJmGBg1Wv-B37csU3Ryqxhw3v9FJKrFy7SGaQvqBGeTrHIGu68BMdrH2aB-uwkpN6EPjRunttsBvdyjU9l_t2nTw-NKkTzQ5D0GeHjAtqJET44KSJss5s/s400/IMG_1972.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: small;"><strong>Stuffed grape leaves. Inside is a mixture of veggies and lentils. Roula spent hours making these.</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzQzr6bFPPxtWdi7vPWiUYXIVly2jwV-lZAcY-o0mdgKpZoyXMV5qzbPmKzICu_mtRI8VJoQwE8_X-vKkSULJWAyPdncsv5apgwf4ffE-ANPEbDKhApCqDLXt7NNPOCLyWX0bJAqiZA8/s1600/IMG_0665.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtzQzr6bFPPxtWdi7vPWiUYXIVly2jwV-lZAcY-o0mdgKpZoyXMV5qzbPmKzICu_mtRI8VJoQwE8_X-vKkSULJWAyPdncsv5apgwf4ffE-ANPEbDKhApCqDLXt7NNPOCLyWX0bJAqiZA8/s400/IMG_0665.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: small;"><strong>Roula passing out the grape leaves to John and Mikey</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8i5gegOax5uSvfP4PJYBRSmkXVcImJax7DkBW1bzrywKICOCVhtT1b44a8KMkcG-woMVWRIYPf69nvuKH1CuPcUkx2Bb9-ZKRfMCcy4u6Z4Jf7h7x8-SS8E66KIKMZr6drdYQGWNr72U/s1600/IMG_0669+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8i5gegOax5uSvfP4PJYBRSmkXVcImJax7DkBW1bzrywKICOCVhtT1b44a8KMkcG-woMVWRIYPf69nvuKH1CuPcUkx2Bb9-ZKRfMCcy4u6Z4Jf7h7x8-SS8E66KIKMZr6drdYQGWNr72U/s400/IMG_0669+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: small;"><strong>Group photo! 6 other English teachers came over as well as 3 of our close Spanish friends</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQvyJKzMl_4sVdgn_9aFZnkN5DNn-0-4TrgsZZZCyzwRRfn5AZt8aTw5go_pElUCrnvkdGC_5ckJo2we0EMRpyEJeKKnvRvHc4UK2OkMdY_T2bA5_CLqpCqQr7HRtStx7wKEf16y9sHc/s1600/IMG_0672+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQvyJKzMl_4sVdgn_9aFZnkN5DNn-0-4TrgsZZZCyzwRRfn5AZt8aTw5go_pElUCrnvkdGC_5ckJo2we0EMRpyEJeKKnvRvHc4UK2OkMdY_T2bA5_CLqpCqQr7HRtStx7wKEf16y9sHc/s400/IMG_0672+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: small;"><strong>Sofia, our good Spanish friend</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPXwIOqpHJzM7eqiXJO5UjnInt0EccvDdocZNxLFDtDN1wu1yEMHn2xbTn9CpsSZA4upc5z_S0ZKrO_9N_V7gfqEyvcecv9hlAR3z3kWEk1h53061duQZd3vjC9Eiz4z5sfP52cz0sfc/s1600/IMG_0676+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong><img border="0" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdPXwIOqpHJzM7eqiXJO5UjnInt0EccvDdocZNxLFDtDN1wu1yEMHn2xbTn9CpsSZA4upc5z_S0ZKrO_9N_V7gfqEyvcecv9hlAR3z3kWEk1h53061duQZd3vjC9Eiz4z5sfP52cz0sfc/s400/IMG_0676+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: small;"><strong>Tara and I enjoying her mama's cooking</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_y-DPMmLF579BKsLe65UH1eAN51OXFo2gtkC65g6xMrmnyLUeljlhCsKdwi4bD2ZmyBf-m5J4DrcTl402bwNZVQXx3CsMuch0jXpldqcKq3YWKg57cHLcY1tByTbLuGClo6DPo6J1FVY/s1600/IMG_0678+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_y-DPMmLF579BKsLe65UH1eAN51OXFo2gtkC65g6xMrmnyLUeljlhCsKdwi4bD2ZmyBf-m5J4DrcTl402bwNZVQXx3CsMuch0jXpldqcKq3YWKg57cHLcY1tByTbLuGClo6DPo6J1FVY/s400/IMG_0678+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: small;"><strong>An amazing friend!</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>Everyone came over around 8 and we immediately cracked open the delicious Spanish wines that the guests brought. (Our lives are pretty stressful) I was lucky to have everyone come over to celebrate my birthday, it was a good one! Now for the photo roll....</strong></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiQwElcvPmYddr6cMCuZWv9H6fvrVbAOGri34DKj-AxVtkyzFAssEM8uaZDH7KFUZff8qpXQCzQOioz6roo_spjXbPyJnN_cVxzgo3Wtff-HCQoskH5AcOhDgQsm9t5eYkqYebrF8_2M0/s1600/IMG_0682+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiQwElcvPmYddr6cMCuZWv9H6fvrVbAOGri34DKj-AxVtkyzFAssEM8uaZDH7KFUZff8qpXQCzQOioz6roo_spjXbPyJnN_cVxzgo3Wtff-HCQoskH5AcOhDgQsm9t5eYkqYebrF8_2M0/s400/IMG_0682+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: small;"><strong>Daron!</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: small;"><strong>Patricia, Tara, and John</strong></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0JrvEy50su-erM1VvOj8yrzcgUuR2a0mRsZT9GUMc2viT_QVoGQfE9P9sCMstYEUqEFadeH6qlKLe6aOgw_BJocZdPLCOPNVSsuVS-2ng5uSjs9S7xIpsBhoqFxgsgEqGfrGhMZETbnw/s1600/IMG_0693+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0JrvEy50su-erM1VvOj8yrzcgUuR2a0mRsZT9GUMc2viT_QVoGQfE9P9sCMstYEUqEFadeH6qlKLe6aOgw_BJocZdPLCOPNVSsuVS-2ng5uSjs9S7xIpsBhoqFxgsgEqGfrGhMZETbnw/s400/IMG_0693+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2Ta8gyj_XCu8zBSthCZNDmrpwuu6rw4isog6_OwELTNJ1skaqFFSTDlgrEeNH0KpsFu3zr60fQW8AeKAqHcUHj23iRMycTMlIfhYlV-sLS_K04DZkCK773vvVLlFtVb2t_9jHAZzRmM/s1600/IMG_0695+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2Ta8gyj_XCu8zBSthCZNDmrpwuu6rw4isog6_OwELTNJ1skaqFFSTDlgrEeNH0KpsFu3zr60fQW8AeKAqHcUHj23iRMycTMlIfhYlV-sLS_K04DZkCK773vvVLlFtVb2t_9jHAZzRmM/s400/IMG_0695+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: small;"><strong>This cake was one of the best I've ever had. Tara knows me all too well and covered it with cinnamon (I'm a freak about cinnamon). It was an orange, vanilla, and yogurt cake. It was perfect and I'll have to make it again one day!</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>This birthday was fun because when the cake came out they sang Happy Birthday in English, French, and Arabic! That was a first :) </strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong> By the time I went to sleep, all my American friends were just waking up. I received birthday wishes all into the next day :) No complaints there. Since it was a Thursday, I went to my village school. You will never believe what happened the morning of my birthday....it SNOWED! Yes, snowed. The village people were so excited to see snowflakes, something very rare in this region of Spain. The weather here is so crazy, it was in the 60's a week or two ago. </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-WRXx5lxlQhU6SDXDsI8VkzJAc9mtTj6kVm3DFIafMA7jsWPGkkmOxZ-NRLrVIRRBnLzyNxbrba_6cGhQU86SURmg1sxbQRxsZkCW1RvG0jlobbdaShpXxIrI2_JFTJlw6F156D9_ho/s1600/IMG_1802.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-WRXx5lxlQhU6SDXDsI8VkzJAc9mtTj6kVm3DFIafMA7jsWPGkkmOxZ-NRLrVIRRBnLzyNxbrba_6cGhQU86SURmg1sxbQRxsZkCW1RvG0jlobbdaShpXxIrI2_JFTJlw6F156D9_ho/s400/IMG_1802.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: small;"><strong>These are some of the little kiddos who sang to me. This is them during Carnival, a couple weeks ago</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>Once I got to school, I was welcomed by little 1st graders singing me a broken-English version of Happy Birthday, too cute! I carried on with my usual Thursday schedule and went to my two private lessons later that night and waited for Kate to arrive to Badajoz. We went out again for a sushi dinner with some friends and soon we will be off to Lisbon! </strong></span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>We have a cute hostel room booked for the weekend and are looking forward to going. </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgutRXJpUuueYe-0Qn1aEkhxTmbnW6I3QYGN3FF91TUCSUZzKyRqCKuse6z7iHxCPCnK8jzrZJsJIKMhcsUUUNtSWEZ31CFnESwdUNzq60kLbIIUFuj7qgdw0QujSnNdijzOKKXcFlb764/s1600/IMG_1978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgutRXJpUuueYe-0Qn1aEkhxTmbnW6I3QYGN3FF91TUCSUZzKyRqCKuse6z7iHxCPCnK8jzrZJsJIKMhcsUUUNtSWEZ31CFnESwdUNzq60kLbIIUFuj7qgdw0QujSnNdijzOKKXcFlb764/s400/IMG_1978.JPG" width="398" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Thanks to everyone who wished me a happy birthday! Love you all :)</span></strong><br />
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senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-75500932446930945342013-02-24T11:20:00.001-08:002013-02-25T12:42:00.980-08:00Um..what!?<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">After 5 months, I have started to get comfortable with my life in Spain. However, once in a blue moon I have those days...those days where I completely disconnect myself from everyone Spanish or speaking Spanish. I start to have this "homesick" feeling and I have all of these "not so positive" thoughts about certain things. I have thoughts like, "Why do they do that! Why do they say that, eat that, etc".</span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zApe6rWKrAPde01OFTUWXEv_DN7kVgHV-fTAvnU4uFWVDudbljR0Ro-oq50wxn0xmL8o_b3mP3vmlYEmFs0PLM-t_P2YxYFVwXDu5p93uLT71_loCf4VYIODaqwEjeRWtPEDt9Ik1do/s1600/imagesCAF4E7LR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zApe6rWKrAPde01OFTUWXEv_DN7kVgHV-fTAvnU4uFWVDudbljR0Ro-oq50wxn0xmL8o_b3mP3vmlYEmFs0PLM-t_P2YxYFVwXDu5p93uLT71_loCf4VYIODaqwEjeRWtPEDt9Ik1do/s400/imagesCAF4E7LR.jpg" width="400" /></span></strong></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;"> I know that when you move abroad you shouldn't compare your culture and life to theirs, but some days it is unavoidable. The good thing is, I eventually snap out of it. I am smart enough to know that no one can be judged nor stereotyped. Do I eat cheeseburgers every day because I'm American? No, actually I hardly ever eat them. When I start to make a comment about Spain I take a step back and realize that I am living in a city that lacks diversity. Badajoz isn't a fair representation of the entire country, just like Iowa doesn't exactly represent the USA. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">The following are a few things that Spaniards do that continue to baffle me. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">1. "Now" = "Later" </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">This is very typical of the Spanish culture, many people make jokes about how Spaniards always put things off for "mañana" tomorrow. Number 1 on my list is the use of the word ahora (now). </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #351c75;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Example: "Teacher, teacher, can we sit?" Her response, "no, no..ahora sentamos" = now we sit.. she really means, later we will sit- hmmm why not just say later? LUEGO! </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">2. Saying see you later or bye in passing instead of hello</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #351c75;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Example: I see this happen every single day while out and about in the streets of Badajoz. Since the city is small, everyone knows everyone. When you pass someone on the street (or grocery store) do you keep walking past them and just say bye? or see you later? No. Where I come from we say "oh hello!" "how are you?" However, the Spaniards won't stop walking. Instead, they shout "bye!"</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NuhZi89acV_xXngZGYC4VC91qddQQQ4ohOeV9HpCBaQufZotWvP3EhNazkBKDM-kotlHEa2Jp64zSu_aPfrccBPxOhUWc_2eEahZP8kGDOmBNetWZ7xgVXrfJbeXVEkLIFXpbfRKeik/s1600/imagesCA83YDR9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NuhZi89acV_xXngZGYC4VC91qddQQQ4ohOeV9HpCBaQufZotWvP3EhNazkBKDM-kotlHEa2Jp64zSu_aPfrccBPxOhUWc_2eEahZP8kGDOmBNetWZ7xgVXrfJbeXVEkLIFXpbfRKeik/s200/imagesCA83YDR9.jpg" width="200" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;">hasta lueggooooooo</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">3. Kids cussing in class</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Example: Either these curse words in Spanish aren't that harsh, or their perspective on foul language is different than ours because my students are always cursing in class. Last week the teacher took away some kid's paper airplane and he screamed "JODER!" (F*&#) She didn't even flinch!! Oh man, if anyone ever said the F word in school that was not going to go over well. They also say MIERDA (S&#%) a lot. I won't be able to wrap my brain around this....to me it is just disrespectful and not okay to let your little kids curse in public. </span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ1TOZtSlmm99-W7BTcDkVzYzuoVjZ-KOUm2_ZRamZQml57-froSwGVbwqSDkGM3WNCVZ5quUhqczuWD6aLRJerx17snMhhD7qb_O7C0yzx9DBRN1WXpErmxIa6vU2sGksPiMw2ta5G6s/s1600/imagesCA365ZFW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ1TOZtSlmm99-W7BTcDkVzYzuoVjZ-KOUm2_ZRamZQml57-froSwGVbwqSDkGM3WNCVZ5quUhqczuWD6aLRJerx17snMhhD7qb_O7C0yzx9DBRN1WXpErmxIa6vU2sGksPiMw2ta5G6s/s1600/imagesCA365ZFW.jpg" /></span></strong></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">4. Lack of planning (in my village school)</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Example: This isn't true for all teachers, however many of my teachers will approach me the day OF class and ask if I have anything prepared to do. My thoughts are, well...YOU are the teacher right? Lesson planning is rare and most of the time we just do whatever we want in class and hope the kids learn a new word or two. I understand that Americans have a different view on work and we are workaholics but I can't help but think of my mom (who works very hard in school) every time the school bell rings and the teachers are half way out the door. School starts at 9:30, we arrive at 9:28 on a good day. School ends at 2:30, we are half way out the door at 2:29. Amazing. </span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbbfdSK920pyEOkwp49q9EMMg1SzuSrAWgvJSon-51GFsjuUlR1uOl4pwWLJrBsi3Z6ZfuIC2vsH5TtIS8hc_9hO4gPLSSZMXLRHDhDvteErfGGMGrevrgav2zrS15hov1N_ryHKpzug/s1600/thinking-smiley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbbfdSK920pyEOkwp49q9EMMg1SzuSrAWgvJSon-51GFsjuUlR1uOl4pwWLJrBsi3Z6ZfuIC2vsH5TtIS8hc_9hO4gPLSSZMXLRHDhDvteErfGGMGrevrgav2zrS15hov1N_ryHKpzug/s320/thinking-smiley.jpg" width="296" /></span></strong></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">5. Peeling apple skins yet eating pig cheeks</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Example: Every day at school we have a little breakfast break in the morning. Most teachers bring a healthy snack to tie them over until their midday feast. Apples are a popular fruit here in Spain, however the peel of the apple isn't so popular. I have never seen a Spaniard eat the peel of their apple. I've even asked one of them once, why don't you eat that? Don't you know that a lot of the vitamins and fibers are in the skin of the apple? They don't care. What blows my mind is that they will eat every and all parts of the pig but they can't eat an apple peel. They eat blood sausage, livers, pig cheeks..but apple skin!? EW! </span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4A62hEEKxfHTaBELtsvfspqrxXUUonGSUqYmy_aDV4bEZR8Mo5LNCvslJzQKAUfrzpu8PX01YcrT-ubJ71PvJHZWQSD2CMVy2YKZMGToCE_Co_wFg7Xn2_ki-fOoMJfLRFE4A0zc2EZA/s1600/apple.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4A62hEEKxfHTaBELtsvfspqrxXUUonGSUqYmy_aDV4bEZR8Mo5LNCvslJzQKAUfrzpu8PX01YcrT-ubJ71PvJHZWQSD2CMVy2YKZMGToCE_Co_wFg7Xn2_ki-fOoMJfLRFE4A0zc2EZA/s400/apple.png" width="400" /></span></strong></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">6. The verb "tocar" </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Rule number one in speaking other languages = do not translate literally. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #351c75;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Example: Sometimes I can't stop my brain from doing it. I am so comfortable with English that when I'm hearing Spanish, I literally am going over the translation in my head. It rarely works out to be correct if you say something literal. Yo tengo 22 años = I have 22 years..nope, doesn't work. When the verbs are used for meanings that don't make any sense in English, I often think about how strange they sound. One day in class, my teacher was having the students draw names out of a hat for an activity. She didn't want a student to choose their own name, so she would ask, "te has tocado a ti mismo?" Now..Tocar = to touch or play... In English this would literally mean, "Have you touched yourself" but what it means in Spanish is, "Did you pull out your own name/did you get your own name?" see what I mean? I couldn't help but giggle when she kept repeating this phrase. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;"><em> Vale, venga, hasta luegooooo :)</em> </span></strong>senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-73704418538608887462013-02-20T08:09:00.000-08:002013-02-20T08:09:27.548-08:00Favorite things<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Okay, so I'm not Oprah. I can't give you all cars and trips to Australia but if I could, I would. What I can do is share some useful websites and apps that I use while I am traveling or while I'm planning a trip. </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUs_w3j_lI8vJUgen7A3Lvg7TdvmJG8CEc2MVNlwx1HO_ooiQrHMAZgynuQh6H28RaLZvBPAwI2k8x8iHH25Hi9-_-GniSu45ezCkkqhtwJu6d3FdWbLp-u4SUhcgqUi13gF3D7F13u-o/s1600/Oprah.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUs_w3j_lI8vJUgen7A3Lvg7TdvmJG8CEc2MVNlwx1HO_ooiQrHMAZgynuQh6H28RaLZvBPAwI2k8x8iHH25Hi9-_-GniSu45ezCkkqhtwJu6d3FdWbLp-u4SUhcgqUi13gF3D7F13u-o/s400/Oprah.png" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">If only Oprah was still on T.V. :( </span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">The things I'm going to share with you probably won't make your faces look like these....</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzE-MXLPYOcut9Xnqkx2JfmbH2_nPz0iHjctdaIbmEQzJELBS7eFZTMz0a70Yps7S2MhDCiG7GevNH67GVzcxX-V_a-pvtN9vik2PadmnWOIc4AeAXnoElF4T0w9nAKeRDztDW4YKIyM0/s1600/Oprah2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzE-MXLPYOcut9Xnqkx2JfmbH2_nPz0iHjctdaIbmEQzJELBS7eFZTMz0a70Yps7S2MhDCiG7GevNH67GVzcxX-V_a-pvtN9vik2PadmnWOIc4AeAXnoElF4T0w9nAKeRDztDW4YKIyM0/s1600/Oprah2.png" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Oprahh!!!</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">But I'm going to share with you anyways...</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">I am really big on planning and I like to read into reviews before I book a trip to any place or any hostel. Actually, I obsess about it a little bit, especially when I am hosting someone. My list of hostels is rapidly increasing and some have been great, others....not so much. It is important to figure out what you want out of a hostel. Free breakfast, comfort, cleanliness, location, friendliness, etc. I use the following sites to read reviews and find the best ones. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Hostelbookers</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXTz6rYhFxTu-evuI6QBzFvHXHbFJZnT8LH8uGfwLP_LNHQkoEF4-iy3HnMttCZbQyIwkQMq7GTiikav8bT99W55JCwiEbExW9uErK_J_-B1IDs5zLzmOoOL4DDwQy6KhtyIJNuTF-LQ/s1600/hostelbookers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXTz6rYhFxTu-evuI6QBzFvHXHbFJZnT8LH8uGfwLP_LNHQkoEF4-iy3HnMttCZbQyIwkQMq7GTiikav8bT99W55JCwiEbExW9uErK_J_-B1IDs5zLzmOoOL4DDwQy6KhtyIJNuTF-LQ/s400/hostelbookers.png" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">You can see pictures, reviews, rates, info, maps, etc all on </span></strong><a href="http://www.hostelbookers.com/"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">www.hostelbookers.com</span></strong></a></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Trip Advisor</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6YJ8qgeBxJgY9KfGUWiuTgit5gxuxUwRNQVKe980soHbI0IkDPkqfNVtRiDUTuHJil8BTUr1TeOtKznwcT-v5_8vHbYKnGlI6kDFA5b7SRup0JhJGGvWbws7nxOOBG63xb8CrsepJhI/s1600/oirtsak.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6YJ8qgeBxJgY9KfGUWiuTgit5gxuxUwRNQVKe980soHbI0IkDPkqfNVtRiDUTuHJil8BTUr1TeOtKznwcT-v5_8vHbYKnGlI6kDFA5b7SRup0JhJGGvWbws7nxOOBG63xb8CrsepJhI/s400/oirtsak.png" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">You can find anything and everything on </span></strong><a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">www.tripadvisor.com</span></strong></a><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Trip Advisor: There are a lot of websites similar to this however, Trip Advisor leaves their symbol all over restaurants, hostels, hotels, bars, in major cities all around the world. They give out rewards for places with great reviews or for excellence. I trust their website and you can find info about tourist destinations; what to see, what to eat, where to stay, what to do if you only have 3 days or if you have 10 days. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Bla Bla Car (RideShare): which is like organized car pooling with strangers. I've done this only once but it was a legit experience. My roommate and I contacted a young girl who was driving back through Seville to Badajoz. We paid 1/3 of the price of a bus ticket and got home an hour faster than usual, plus we were able to practice Spanish during the car ride. </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCtNjkz_X9D6YhWMH0VB09kat5iOWSrZiMPxIQ-FAhnFLfQmktP7baQkiFhfjKrK62NQspqo7L0WTKiKU8ObV6n0-KIzsbDuJqpj5ymPqV_ojFH2if7XzShsr6Y6B3Mithub_CDoABdMo/s1600/blablacar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCtNjkz_X9D6YhWMH0VB09kat5iOWSrZiMPxIQ-FAhnFLfQmktP7baQkiFhfjKrK62NQspqo7L0WTKiKU8ObV6n0-KIzsbDuJqpj5ymPqV_ojFH2if7XzShsr6Y6B3Mithub_CDoABdMo/s400/blablacar.png" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Bla Bla Car- easy to navigate and a great way to carpool </span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Couch Surfing: I haven't personally done this yet but I know people who have and loved it. I still read profiles every now and again to get an idea of the kind of experiences people are having who choose to do it. Couch surfing is entirely free and was created for travellers to meet new people. If I did decide to couch surf, I would only do so with someone who had a lot of positive reviews. There are ways to verify the people who have space in their homes to host you</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC1GcPTFHoFBBTKKhOm02sb00nZ96-ca6Yoqz60sLlBZgFaOl5G33M34hxYvWL6hAdHl40cy4D2PBoF6-RSQsuCnMtp3glVqG5jIpNlygWzU6lbAJUJ-6tfCAAUsDePMFUbJZwYj6wptA/s1600/couch.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC1GcPTFHoFBBTKKhOm02sb00nZ96-ca6Yoqz60sLlBZgFaOl5G33M34hxYvWL6hAdHl40cy4D2PBoF6-RSQsuCnMtp3glVqG5jIpNlygWzU6lbAJUJ-6tfCAAUsDePMFUbJZwYj6wptA/s400/couch.png" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Couchsurfers can be very experienced. For example, this man has 850+ references and is verified as a reliable host in the city of Dublin, Ireland. </span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Songza. This is my new and favorite music app. I listen to Songza all day and all night. It has EVERYTHING you could want and it even helps you figure out <em>what</em> you want. It is pure genius and organized by genres, moods, singers, holidays, activities, etc. I am even listening to it this very moment while writing this post. </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-k_vDDrvAtfsnhyphenhyphenLu5q3nUyiHx0gupV6W3hsDsm0NsGvVZ8lvqwF-u8tsWUba3AYXTUlyE8R34H8YQ-lhCPkTclPtOwt6JQEAa86xV6l-wDNqU838xEDQY10Boke2W-2ESYuLdy5VWg/s1600/IMG_1873.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-k_vDDrvAtfsnhyphenhyphenLu5q3nUyiHx0gupV6W3hsDsm0NsGvVZ8lvqwF-u8tsWUba3AYXTUlyE8R34H8YQ-lhCPkTclPtOwt6JQEAa86xV6l-wDNqU838xEDQY10Boke2W-2ESYuLdy5VWg/s400/IMG_1873.PNG" width="266" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">I love that it asks you what you are doing. If you don't want any of these options then you can go into explore or popular playlsits. </span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimSdQZIzkkn448xaQe8enhJUi8fTzdrSnInTqLpaJ78o3LmN1h5KAZoGWiDEh8tyLkv-xnjmlisIpF9SLaVILluKbJbeGsa_dCdAM0o3sIMsmcA08p9IRCAWfZyu103oEE_O3aQoIYlQ/s1600/IMG_1849.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimSdQZIzkkn448xaQe8enhJUi8fTzdrSnInTqLpaJ78o3LmN1h5KAZoGWiDEh8tyLkv-xnjmlisIpF9SLaVILluKbJbeGsa_dCdAM0o3sIMsmcA08p9IRCAWfZyu103oEE_O3aQoIYlQ/s400/IMG_1849.PNG" width="266" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Songza is definitely with it...during Mardi Gras time I found this playlist and felt like I was literally in New Orleans. </span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Instagram: </span></strong><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Another app that I use all the time is Instagram. It is an app where you upload photos that you take with your phone. It lets you edit your photos or add different types of shades and colors to make your pictures prettier. I usually upload my Instagram photos on to my Facebook anyways, for those of you who don't have it. </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedgyFgtFai6ltej2YO86SXKVNjiYR_Sq74TR5PX8GOXSwLhNH-re3X1QsU9RmqQQyfstvJiRVBPwd-iNGzyl0APBnq2P78aOvjCmbcbUWeOg2-I7z2lNKyN5fgkKugSrsr5uh1TDZYGI/s1600/121812instagram_dngnk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedgyFgtFai6ltej2YO86SXKVNjiYR_Sq74TR5PX8GOXSwLhNH-re3X1QsU9RmqQQyfstvJiRVBPwd-iNGzyl0APBnq2P78aOvjCmbcbUWeOg2-I7z2lNKyN5fgkKugSrsr5uh1TDZYGI/s400/121812instagram_dngnk.jpg" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.northjersey.com/"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">www.northjersey.com</span></strong></a><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"> (this isn't mine)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"></span></strong> </td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">SpanishDict: If you are travelling in a Spanish speaking country, the Spanish Dictionary app will definitely come in handy. I use this all the time! It doesn't require wifi to use it and it is very quick and has a large bank of words. </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPG9LtJBmrI594Q7zaXxwRXUj81k6wV30YZuImpkiVP65yPrucbdvjnIwR8BMdpw0tn2KoGX5CNLaUitSYxTwj8jeqtHPGeCPG78YMz7HC79djIMPXWc2O6zJPg2FHMF4EjMF3DP8eIfk/s1600/IMG_1883.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPG9LtJBmrI594Q7zaXxwRXUj81k6wV30YZuImpkiVP65yPrucbdvjnIwR8BMdpw0tn2KoGX5CNLaUitSYxTwj8jeqtHPGeCPG78YMz7HC79djIMPXWc2O6zJPg2FHMF4EjMF3DP8eIfk/s400/IMG_1883.PNG" width="266" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">I use this app a lot during my private lessons when I don't know how to translate something</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Shutterfly: When I'm done travelling, I will turn to one of my favorite websites to make books, albums, or to print all of the 1,000,000 photos that I have taken. I have been using Shutterfly for years now and it always is offering specials and discounts for it's members. I have made calendars, cards, stationary, photo books, you name it. I plan to print out my blog and put it in a book using Shutterfly. If you haven't used it, try it out!</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyAWW3CaZhZolvY9Wk6x9lyKWMq2HnPmG2xRJMK-j6JfDBxZtD_ajCxwQ6UjKFl1ujO1XflJKBi3KOsh2OFKu_kT4eh26E8pggTLbSpI1fBSoel53dV_IPur3yd9FW9cnH8BDUpUfjWc/s1600/imagesCA6RTV5Y.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyAWW3CaZhZolvY9Wk6x9lyKWMq2HnPmG2xRJMK-j6JfDBxZtD_ajCxwQ6UjKFl1ujO1XflJKBi3KOsh2OFKu_kT4eh26E8pggTLbSpI1fBSoel53dV_IPur3yd9FW9cnH8BDUpUfjWc/s400/imagesCA6RTV5Y.jpg" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shutterfly.com/"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">www.shutterfly.com</span></strong></a></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Hopefully you can use one of my favorite things if you haven't been already :) -hasta luego</span></strong>senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-31149083319790503152013-02-16T12:08:00.000-08:002013-02-16T12:08:07.931-08:00The Cliffs of Moher<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitMCe66MlzF0HTP49mWir84fR5bAb5N0GGRBnVrwqUX39y059bckL1rMAAIBl9DV1Wi4CpDCRo5kyN142YvdAIQt32e2TECRLYbqsMdtzB0k-AN3ruWxt8HGvDpIRCeMRww5YgJ9vry1I/s400/176.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Since Dublin is pretty small, we agreed on taking a trip somewhere else for a day. A man at the tourist office convinced us to go on a tour to Galway. For 40 euros, we were taken on a charter bus from Dublin to Galway and along the western coast of Ireland. We departed Dublin around 7 a.m. and didn't arrive back until 9 p.m. Our bus driver (Damion), was not only hilarious, but very informative and gave us an amazing tour. I don't remember how many stops there were on the bus, but he let us get off to take pictures throughout the day. Most stops were only 15-20 minutes but we were able to see a lot in one day. The main destination of the tour was the Cliffs of Moher. A popular tourist attraction and known for appearing in one of the Harry Potter movies. </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOOxKS7LgSunzP2ef-Zk8jX4Q9psJz-4PTJL7QiMuLYLAD7DMCq05hFl33HUU9gwLFEnUspUmPmpb_Vzb15nHiGpZzeXEpJBxIKTHSWNuRpqPGWizQ9oy0VuEgTNtkeamX2ucd2LdIA4/s1600/Ireland+map.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOOxKS7LgSunzP2ef-Zk8jX4Q9psJz-4PTJL7QiMuLYLAD7DMCq05hFl33HUU9gwLFEnUspUmPmpb_Vzb15nHiGpZzeXEpJBxIKTHSWNuRpqPGWizQ9oy0VuEgTNtkeamX2ucd2LdIA4/s400/Ireland+map.png" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">We stopped at this castle and so the photoshoot began :) The driver had to remind us to be careful crossing the road because the Irish drive on the RIGHT sides of their cars but on the LEFT side of the street! </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0QOM1dm765xhAl84VuZo9hLgLVPm0vCRWtOrhVgz-4R3DNl5339WDNE_Vbof-Z3nvp9bRsl3MV04FGVSBhCKzEB1rP-8y5M6NadniUFoET7PeW7hfoonYcVyty9ZamHRnbPrqpTCCJs4/s1600/091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0QOM1dm765xhAl84VuZo9hLgLVPm0vCRWtOrhVgz-4R3DNl5339WDNE_Vbof-Z3nvp9bRsl3MV04FGVSBhCKzEB1rP-8y5M6NadniUFoET7PeW7hfoonYcVyty9ZamHRnbPrqpTCCJs4/s400/091.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">An old house with a straw roof</span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskz38g060DW8VIDlEK5hXJyu5qDZ9m1SNJ1yaDMyZPtr7BclpUwF7atHIJwNq24BIo6FaNQ0UT_lwOOUqXXrkpxhI19PyGwG9Wn3FNcfLY8wK4kaQ2zylKq3u27OTtddlRxQKoGx1u_Q/s1600/098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskz38g060DW8VIDlEK5hXJyu5qDZ9m1SNJ1yaDMyZPtr7BclpUwF7atHIJwNq24BIo6FaNQ0UT_lwOOUqXXrkpxhI19PyGwG9Wn3FNcfLY8wK4kaQ2zylKq3u27OTtddlRxQKoGx1u_Q/s400/098.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Dunguaire Castle in the background</span></strong></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ56aqRN-j-UjsJDWTbW5zli3TEk0kTbpE02zI00DUi4zPDUnaD3YwBrKTK4TxPLZ0iZQUAzt8nlUswy46epDPpB3fKydlD4AvKTp2WGMdA4TYC2INBxlAISunNlFeoSM5q7ni7LbvnFs/s1600/101-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ56aqRN-j-UjsJDWTbW5zli3TEk0kTbpE02zI00DUi4zPDUnaD3YwBrKTK4TxPLZ0iZQUAzt8nlUswy46epDPpB3fKydlD4AvKTp2WGMdA4TYC2INBxlAISunNlFeoSM5q7ni7LbvnFs/s400/101-001.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">I love the landscape that we saw throughout our trip. Lots of water, green fields, limestones, stone walls, castles, colorful buildings, and farm animals. </span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKg9-Ymshue6ji0TdrTiWq07A-pdW9Tra3yaKfNYyhwpLH7eyW-SP6047Vgv-JAeLPnhE_R0dNGzfqEAdCfcCuBlsIZQxmvZ6XnFfN674_OLa7ivLu4uhyphenhyphengoNqoHwW2Ib87EIF7JWMKKo/s1600/123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKg9-Ymshue6ji0TdrTiWq07A-pdW9Tra3yaKfNYyhwpLH7eyW-SP6047Vgv-JAeLPnhE_R0dNGzfqEAdCfcCuBlsIZQxmvZ6XnFfN674_OLa7ivLu4uhyphenhyphengoNqoHwW2Ib87EIF7JWMKKo/s400/123.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"> </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWzwLNnmdcU_Zfh2kbdC0WtiyaJGgS2GH8WCnhgYb3y4Q6Te0TMZ7NVrz5Q23XWtSUzErdJGMDLF9UwlWtjvBy23f2D85p30U7DIPIxB2XtprmangPfGteJXpYdnbZDLjMaPTJdj7C60/s1600/129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWzwLNnmdcU_Zfh2kbdC0WtiyaJGgS2GH8WCnhgYb3y4Q6Te0TMZ7NVrz5Q23XWtSUzErdJGMDLF9UwlWtjvBy23f2D85p30U7DIPIxB2XtprmangPfGteJXpYdnbZDLjMaPTJdj7C60/s400/129.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">These stone walls are everywhere! Each one is put together by hand and because of the fact there are holes, they don't blow over because the air goes through them. Our tour guide said that sometimes animals nest in between the stones. </span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxExc7Osikh3gx5CkvSyMsjs3rYo0prvn0f4G4syZjvTKJ3qkD9AWczxOfJz3YYBX5KJcQHcfXz6db_3KiduR4yJ5A7dkJSsOqoAufSiMJyplC85PZulY0rED_ey4YOcx1MlP71iFE-2U/s1600/124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxExc7Osikh3gx5CkvSyMsjs3rYo0prvn0f4G4syZjvTKJ3qkD9AWczxOfJz3YYBX5KJcQHcfXz6db_3KiduR4yJ5A7dkJSsOqoAufSiMJyplC85PZulY0rED_ey4YOcx1MlP71iFE-2U/s400/124.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">This site was another one of our 15 minute stops. Poulnabrone is one of the oldest memorials in human history</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"> </span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQi9adjBmvjF0HE2oky5SJEQ-j2u2FQp1XVNL3O4SwqXQdQNBXoQeMXU9icKrTEak8uUflmAhCcOTgnyz39QhkjDpcfVtXpls4_27uqri1Hm1wHfgZy9igXEtubfZFD7W81PUaXg8oaiQ/s1600/127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQi9adjBmvjF0HE2oky5SJEQ-j2u2FQp1XVNL3O4SwqXQdQNBXoQeMXU9icKrTEak8uUflmAhCcOTgnyz39QhkjDpcfVtXpls4_27uqri1Hm1wHfgZy9igXEtubfZFD7W81PUaXg8oaiQ/s400/127.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyTuGgVCEqIdpsNoUamESbO6LOTGiX_DeMHKHFEP1IgNOxNWZChhVu1qKwn18-jlgIrc02gOln1YLhovqa7wfdpg5J8OUEbCXAQbDV50qizq6O_VP7ldFPGxzROwfYOZJowQghOibG8SY/s1600/128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyTuGgVCEqIdpsNoUamESbO6LOTGiX_DeMHKHFEP1IgNOxNWZChhVu1qKwn18-jlgIrc02gOln1YLhovqa7wfdpg5J8OUEbCXAQbDV50qizq6O_VP7ldFPGxzROwfYOZJowQghOibG8SY/s400/128.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLSwg8MfRZKo9MPBXFLHlZozVxzBUsXnNNW8tG5GDwIBmfmoh87uD_aYE6I-VM5K8l2taH9EhjinMdDBF0mS8_swjZi6RpHm5RlXjMk_Y8Bb9aAlZGvtofnWHrkHcpHva1gvG2VAlv5yE/s1600/132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLSwg8MfRZKo9MPBXFLHlZozVxzBUsXnNNW8tG5GDwIBmfmoh87uD_aYE6I-VM5K8l2taH9EhjinMdDBF0mS8_swjZi6RpHm5RlXjMk_Y8Bb9aAlZGvtofnWHrkHcpHva1gvG2VAlv5yE/s400/132.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Here it is!</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"> </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFE281CBCBBO9L7RoD8g2Cp9_XzspjCPp6Yrc8FIjYJyG4pZ-UVYM5ZodKvys_mOklJMhDxE-SYPTzG9lfDUo7Y_-YU3FCDymy14TnggUFYNV6N3YEIX5h_l8MZ5V7-jBxs7qxieeV3xg/s1600/134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFE281CBCBBO9L7RoD8g2Cp9_XzspjCPp6Yrc8FIjYJyG4pZ-UVYM5ZodKvys_mOklJMhDxE-SYPTzG9lfDUo7Y_-YU3FCDymy14TnggUFYNV6N3YEIX5h_l8MZ5V7-jBxs7qxieeV3xg/s400/134.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">A closer view. Some guard was standing here protecting it, I can think of better jobs :)</span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY1EE6GgQJOfHZLxyCajScXKguh3t-i1bxTpQj-8hXHS7lhqCCMNAnGZRynreV6bQUNnhr-rx90O90rSZ5t7yDaLB0mfvqS1ZEWqoNLr3Dns5jmNjP8U8U09iV1cM1Cr2wPUHa40b-ToA/s1600/143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY1EE6GgQJOfHZLxyCajScXKguh3t-i1bxTpQj-8hXHS7lhqCCMNAnGZRynreV6bQUNnhr-rx90O90rSZ5t7yDaLB0mfvqS1ZEWqoNLr3Dns5jmNjP8U8U09iV1cM1Cr2wPUHa40b-ToA/s400/143.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Before we stopped for lunch, Damion stopped the bus so we could take pictures of this bar. There is a huge match making festival in a town called Lisdoonvarna every year that attracts a lot of singles. </span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">After our lunch break we were off to the Cliffs of Moher! We were so lucky that it didn't rain and we were able to get some beautiful photos. I'm not a Harry Potter fan but one of the scenes from The Half Blood Prince movie was filmed there. At their highest point they reach their maximum height of 214 metres (702 ft). The Cliffs are one of the most popular tourist destinations in Ireland and topped the list of attractions in 2006 by drawing almost one million visitors.</span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ7AOkZ1SKBpHQtGr89nKj6Hg-pYNmbZljiRrnB-z5WN7LXjYJt2NmMB7plL0Fdce9gqPySz-6vU1-yMVqLXH2lj1yGh9rRAvH52jKUQtbk1xswyEx8BBHc4tYgUAdiqXv1mocEvDAKxA/s1600/156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ7AOkZ1SKBpHQtGr89nKj6Hg-pYNmbZljiRrnB-z5WN7LXjYJt2NmMB7plL0Fdce9gqPySz-6vU1-yMVqLXH2lj1yGh9rRAvH52jKUQtbk1xswyEx8BBHc4tYgUAdiqXv1mocEvDAKxA/s400/156.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"> </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBEfJsW9KYst6ujUprYC4WJijvvpE8znojwZwe_yc9UAf4p4FsedxAv-1QoV8oTenOavWAPyhK3e4GvWuraqACkYOGciKNvTws5QOZbCMwtDOS2aiqUNp0rGpo4ussWsPLr6cvtJzPKjI/s1600/167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBEfJsW9KYst6ujUprYC4WJijvvpE8znojwZwe_yc9UAf4p4FsedxAv-1QoV8oTenOavWAPyhK3e4GvWuraqACkYOGciKNvTws5QOZbCMwtDOS2aiqUNp0rGpo4ussWsPLr6cvtJzPKjI/s400/167.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">O' Brian's Tower. Built in 1835 by Sir Cornelius O'Brien to impress female visitors. From the cliffs and from atop the watchtower, you can see the Aran Islands in Galway Bay, the Maumturks and Twelve Pins mountain ranges to the north in County Galway, and Loop Head to the south. (2 euro entry fee)</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"> </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYDtnOj-oOx84_ENf5yWI1ypKlVg1TM9XyKn8HVifDLdGBSGbN4uWnsaS-6qRnYIS9EqlL-YPfVC9JHz_rzj1scaRiNUckSzbbdin1cF-HQ_gy-fBgNNFecNDQTEdoScMC5gdlrQ4JRs/s400/166.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></strong></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">It was <strike>a little</strike> VERY, VERY windy!</span></strong></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYDtnOj-oOx84_ENf5yWI1ypKlVg1TM9XyKn8HVifDLdGBSGbN4uWnsaS-6qRnYIS9EqlL-YPfVC9JHz_rzj1scaRiNUckSzbbdin1cF-HQ_gy-fBgNNFecNDQTEdoScMC5gdlrQ4JRs/s1600/166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span></strong></a><br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnN-gNH4A6UswRxiEhI52GL3N_7_Ji5Sl5wTHhUzOOdXyLC-PB498acZzrK8Vw6yJTDGtALMBDgBZukxfZB_8z5ejMnb0oTelp-IGYIwDb-L8DV0wrjCmxlZPOHCVdS6ayQj4Y8fEi2KQ/s400/188.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></strong></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Trying different methods to keep my hair out of my face</span></strong></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnN-gNH4A6UswRxiEhI52GL3N_7_Ji5Sl5wTHhUzOOdXyLC-PB498acZzrK8Vw6yJTDGtALMBDgBZukxfZB_8z5ejMnb0oTelp-IGYIwDb-L8DV0wrjCmxlZPOHCVdS6ayQj4Y8fEi2KQ/s1600/188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span></strong></a><br /></div>
<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span></strong><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">After about 30 minutes we couldn't take the cold and wind so we went inside to the exhibits. When we got back on the bus, someone asked "how many times do people jump off those cliffs"? Our sarcastic Irish guide replied, "Well only once, you wouldn't make it for a second time". Here is Kate next to one of the signs. </span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhgnLHZlBCztc-u0t4Urv_rROg-89GmM-J7pGiec29Wv7hNEeVxOPBXE5TieN9Y_qL3iBT1JYT7MR87xEz4LXXmiq790_fasApKD1ZSnGWHG_oX_pX1eUesBs9659PZs0SYvYm-oY_2o/s1600/168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhgnLHZlBCztc-u0t4Urv_rROg-89GmM-J7pGiec29Wv7hNEeVxOPBXE5TieN9Y_qL3iBT1JYT7MR87xEz4LXXmiq790_fasApKD1ZSnGWHG_oX_pX1eUesBs9659PZs0SYvYm-oY_2o/s400/168.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Needless to say we had a great day trip full of amazing views of the west coast. On our way back, we stopped for an hour in Galway. Although we didn't have much time to explore, we did stop to find some hot drinks and we were on our way back to Dublin. </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Kate posing alongside the ocean, with rain off in the distance. </span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavb64Cu84q_Tdbsj60hGeYPoVviQJO7PDJwCz7RLeQ2N2ZvocvKJsMusQvf3H2X7deuVcxri8msfBz5RbTuK03Mx8gZ8HJ0wsebH_ATb0COIZGbT2Pn4fGHDW-MJrk-gQpf1lIyFpLX0/s1600/199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavb64Cu84q_Tdbsj60hGeYPoVviQJO7PDJwCz7RLeQ2N2ZvocvKJsMusQvf3H2X7deuVcxri8msfBz5RbTuK03Mx8gZ8HJ0wsebH_ATb0COIZGbT2Pn4fGHDW-MJrk-gQpf1lIyFpLX0/s400/199.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Those were some serious waves</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"> </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span></strong><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Now for an Irish lesson :) I absolutely love their accents. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Craic- Pronounced "crack"</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">"How's the craic"? = What's good? What's up?</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">"The craic was 90" = Something was really, really awesome</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">"It was good craic" = It was a great time, it was really fun</span></strong><br />
<br /><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">See how an American could assume a different meaning? How's or where's the crack doesn't sound right in the states. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span></strong><br />
<span class="st"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Sláinte (SLAHN-cha) is a word literally translating as "health" but is used as "CHEERS!"</span></strong></span><br />
<span class="st"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span></strong></span><br />
<span class="st"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Bollocks (n): anyone you think is stupid</span></strong></span><span class="st"><br /><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Bolloxed (a): very drunk</span></strong></span><br />
<span class="st"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span></strong></span><br />
<span class="st"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span></strong></span><br />
<span class="st"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Now that I've left you with gorgeous pictures from Ireland, I'll leave you with two really nice Irish proverbs/blessings to go by :) </span></strong></span><br />
<span class="st"><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span></strong></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="st"><em><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">May the sun shine, all day long,<br />everything go right, and nothing
wrong.<br />May those you love bring love back to you,<br />and may all the wishes
you wish come true!</span></strong></em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="st"><em><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span></strong></em></span> </div>
<span class="st"><div style="text-align: center;">
<em><strong><span style="color: #6aa84f;">May you have the hindsight to know where you've been<br />the foresight to know
where you're going<br />and the insight to know when you're going too far.</span></strong></em></div>
</span></div>
senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-52687187600326526372013-02-16T06:31:00.001-08:002013-02-16T07:41:25.618-08:00Ireland!<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Yes, you better believe it...Spain went on vacation! Instead of staying in Badajoz, which ranks third of the carnivals in Spain, I decided to take advantage of my break and travel. Kate and I flew out of Madrid and headed to Dublin! This was the perfect get-a-way from Spain. Ireland was sooo refreshing, colorful, entertaining, beautiful, etc. I don't think I stopped giggling at the Irish accents from the second I boarded the airplane. </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Kate and I only had a few days to spend in Ireland and I think we took advantage of every second. We arrived Friday night and went to check in at our hostel. Our hostel couldn't have been located any better, right in the heart of the city center. We had a view of the Liffey River from our room. </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8oIXH7HkJJN4hyphenhyphenjh726blJ9l-1yc2eQ-I8ediB5ACH3GGsSc7dqE5NS2OLGednp8rWf_r_9oHLy4haI1D0PhEaqnlWIafS4HnDiMGX3nPVCwCd9K-YyGKF6QbTCWhD-4c_iS4wcutYc/s1600/032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8oIXH7HkJJN4hyphenhyphenjh726blJ9l-1yc2eQ-I8ediB5ACH3GGsSc7dqE5NS2OLGednp8rWf_r_9oHLy4haI1D0PhEaqnlWIafS4HnDiMGX3nPVCwCd9K-YyGKF6QbTCWhD-4c_iS4wcutYc/s400/032.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Colorful buildings along the Liffey River</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong></strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtL8w_RrIwSLgOSwAXdbOt21HlZz9bJQ1Yn1eRROPaZFCi3p9D5XqHu_dTbqGC_s17Tr2YLiIO53R3taxF4ENlvmM_ih33wET3-JXqmdjQ2rRbNc2vHlBPXgAvW_7aCmEKBNStIDiwNy8/s1600/033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtL8w_RrIwSLgOSwAXdbOt21HlZz9bJQ1Yn1eRROPaZFCi3p9D5XqHu_dTbqGC_s17Tr2YLiIO53R3taxF4ENlvmM_ih33wET3-JXqmdjQ2rRbNc2vHlBPXgAvW_7aCmEKBNStIDiwNy8/s400/033.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Kate and I on the Liffey</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>We were pretty hungry after a day of travelling (3 hours to Madrid then the flight to Dublin) and decided to head out for dinner around 10 p.m. Now you know you have been living in Spain for 4 months when this is your normal dinner time. As we walked around, we noticed restaurants flipping their chairs preparing for closing time. We thought this was strange...until we realized we were back to a culture that recognizes lunch time at noon and dinner around five or six. Guess what time the pub crawl started in Dublin? 7:30! In Spain, a pub crawl wouldn't dare get rolling until midnight. The culture shock was coming at us from all angles; </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>1. No siesta hours </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>2. ENGLISH!! </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>3. <strike>ENGLISH..</strike>scratch that, IRISH! </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>My favorite comparison of the accents would have to be this...</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Americans = "Thirty three and a third" vs Irish = "Tirdy Tree and a Tird" </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>4. Stores open and people partying on a Sunday</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>5. International food options</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>6. Awesome live music</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Behind our hostel was the famous area called Temple Bar. Full of Irish pubs, restaurants, stores, you name it. </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong></strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisOeh59ubtMg1xbAzirF7b_2uz8E2hYfBThbN13hyphenhyphend91NBv8y37LpWXZiFVngsVppaCfDHi9w7eu7NTCWdKif0Y9MT6Lix8-GzHASvqdXQHeBG5abiVt4bLTqlsnN864XgUiI75pIhpmM/s1600/070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisOeh59ubtMg1xbAzirF7b_2uz8E2hYfBThbN13hyphenhyphend91NBv8y37LpWXZiFVngsVppaCfDHi9w7eu7NTCWdKif0Y9MT6Lix8-GzHASvqdXQHeBG5abiVt4bLTqlsnN864XgUiI75pIhpmM/s400/070.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Delicious tea and even better ambiance</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_lTuVOkLla-d1QHpDAq3y0e9b-v2O_y8b8CKJsl0Up79xlGaSLHbOlNMgY0gTTje0gWMT5UMHY0M0GETQccO7UpmxOYlOv-ImaCYMMAudymwpRHZAkGM99hqIDN3jdAjvfXzwC-fr6M/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq_lTuVOkLla-d1QHpDAq3y0e9b-v2O_y8b8CKJsl0Up79xlGaSLHbOlNMgY0gTTje0gWMT5UMHY0M0GETQccO7UpmxOYlOv-ImaCYMMAudymwpRHZAkGM99hqIDN3jdAjvfXzwC-fr6M/s400/004.JPG" width="300" /></strong></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7U3SMQBuHmEjweavBxLM7uYBmoNQ17oONmUfrsGI1-oKzRKzsvLjifS6zLBSP7BrSgeo_ZB1HyenltYwsEMrs_RpCEN8uBEVtR-uX1KHeJRox2TbJKLlvHmGmro2wECKtDzPoLi609vI/s1600/024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7U3SMQBuHmEjweavBxLM7uYBmoNQ17oONmUfrsGI1-oKzRKzsvLjifS6zLBSP7BrSgeo_ZB1HyenltYwsEMrs_RpCEN8uBEVtR-uX1KHeJRox2TbJKLlvHmGmro2wECKtDzPoLi609vI/s400/024.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>The most famous pub in Temple Bar</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong></strong></span> </td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>On Saturday we walked around Temple Bar and wandered into a gift shop. I <em>accidentally </em>went overboard buying souvenirs but hey...I was excited to be in Ireland. We joined in on a free walking tour of the city and had a great tour guide named Rob. I video recorded parts of his tour so I could listen to his accent later on when I look through my Ireland album. He taught us so much about Irish culture and history; all about the wars, the battles with the British, leprechauns, fairy trees, etc. </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong></strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirfYFENWXCjm_pQ7bYSrTM-is1eREaRyWPrgIQ89Jy33XAAeKlhapCvIJ3GwMCTvKIGb7TGrOvnyOW46Wzq-uDBMkaNXTPM2PFgnvOCMgCgFp2iT6K8kSrsy2iO0yF6fwzhJf1S4a0EKM/s400/046.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All of the signs are in Gaelic (Irish) and English</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirfYFENWXCjm_pQ7bYSrTM-is1eREaRyWPrgIQ89Jy33XAAeKlhapCvIJ3GwMCTvKIGb7TGrOvnyOW46Wzq-uDBMkaNXTPM2PFgnvOCMgCgFp2iT6K8kSrsy2iO0yF6fwzhJf1S4a0EKM/s1600/046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong></strong></span></a><br /></div>
<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatDdwu2nYJilzYUvQces62rHepHod7Sdh3YgxdHSftyANAyzUSG6DuOZAOhTFBX1K606fgPAdcwW90-fNIXkgXrA-aSHM-KHMQif8WnzZsT7H3BDmP7yivoZQoAQaFFooyHzfA6Ke55U/s1600/057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatDdwu2nYJilzYUvQces62rHepHod7Sdh3YgxdHSftyANAyzUSG6DuOZAOhTFBX1K606fgPAdcwW90-fNIXkgXrA-aSHM-KHMQif8WnzZsT7H3BDmP7yivoZQoAQaFFooyHzfA6Ke55U/s400/057.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Dublin Castle during our walking tour</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong></strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxT-kI9NaKTMXXURVVmYtKzBo8DEEKwm1yv-mVnRLzskwMWV5ais4eBK_lGAiEJ_pROlQUWc1CAYXj3tN7Em37BxjK03oQMmeMhObEkIt-JYacCWxmDnaGusPFH_ldcx9a3xy5q8D6PU/s1600/061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxT-kI9NaKTMXXURVVmYtKzBo8DEEKwm1yv-mVnRLzskwMWV5ais4eBK_lGAiEJ_pROlQUWc1CAYXj3tN7Em37BxjK03oQMmeMhObEkIt-JYacCWxmDnaGusPFH_ldcx9a3xy5q8D6PU/s400/061.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Christ Church and the Irish protesting around it</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong></strong></span> </td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>We stopped for a break during our tour to get food at the Temple Bar food market...and never returned to the tour. The food was so good we decided to stay behind and keep eating it! </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbilpcKVozoOc39PNrA1kh8kEiNFPvcTk4KFoFvChPq8KMlXEzeoQYUs4KFhNJ8JdtnKs5krhpPhrzs7E4ZNjRBgLt6fAVjmHGNGXyu1xf0n_WFlYpG8j6Es582sl8hUDLU6kW8_x-uSM/s1600/079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbilpcKVozoOc39PNrA1kh8kEiNFPvcTk4KFoFvChPq8KMlXEzeoQYUs4KFhNJ8JdtnKs5krhpPhrzs7E4ZNjRBgLt6fAVjmHGNGXyu1xf0n_WFlYpG8j6Es582sl8hUDLU6kW8_x-uSM/s400/079.JPG" width="211" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>I wish I could eat here every Saturday</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZlIOW3-CKZUD1CaBqoByD1PNoOsJAuMrhH87J4Qd6lz6877U5hNlDP_Y8p-GTsexyrPzcvy3f1I6tr6vpvuNux935jHHDHhkv86snQkCZzYVfoh85T1AOIe7FnkA9AlR-7XB_hps6pk/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZlIOW3-CKZUD1CaBqoByD1PNoOsJAuMrhH87J4Qd6lz6877U5hNlDP_Y8p-GTsexyrPzcvy3f1I6tr6vpvuNux935jHHDHhkv86snQkCZzYVfoh85T1AOIe7FnkA9AlR-7XB_hps6pk/s400/011.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>It was delicious..see pic below</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong></strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nBXGZ2vElLiGxmfHYHd5sXbS9vOrYobLm6esLf22W3Psp6ZM6vrlWixnK0VXm9zYHDfBQv0pO-xFAh6qDlWBNEjmGOD5B3vBoBZzjuiDX8SE9XPKOOdJLo_oq08Z1xNY_ZQ3G7DctY8/s1600/078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nBXGZ2vElLiGxmfHYHd5sXbS9vOrYobLm6esLf22W3Psp6ZM6vrlWixnK0VXm9zYHDfBQv0pO-xFAh6qDlWBNEjmGOD5B3vBoBZzjuiDX8SE9XPKOOdJLo_oq08Z1xNY_ZQ3G7DctY8/s400/078.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>The inside of the duck pie</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong></strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-W3LbrJvtRov3S38tyCRUtg_kAB7Y7M357EZbicPtFl5yvbGuQEOcusowM0O5MFkYT4Tk1PRKl7evkKDxkY1_c_396u3UxkhKUy9QFHlsbMZKXTcTKcfj_6Z8U7whyphenhyphenqiDY6OUYhcznrs/s1600/072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-W3LbrJvtRov3S38tyCRUtg_kAB7Y7M357EZbicPtFl5yvbGuQEOcusowM0O5MFkYT4Tk1PRKl7evkKDxkY1_c_396u3UxkhKUy9QFHlsbMZKXTcTKcfj_6Z8U7whyphenhyphenqiDY6OUYhcznrs/s400/072.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Duck Confit Pie</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnw5bdrUgQV50Nc2cwMtEeL2XhU86LcVPDTOfs-Oku_bRy27UuAEfJzGlUofnQzbQjkBuhRQhfdqZYEcqdxoP7HeyBhGbOldVdTYvW9195B7SJL7XvHnvlQi_jCTb6epm2qNn4X9e7Uco/s1600/075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnw5bdrUgQV50Nc2cwMtEeL2XhU86LcVPDTOfs-Oku_bRy27UuAEfJzGlUofnQzbQjkBuhRQhfdqZYEcqdxoP7HeyBhGbOldVdTYvW9195B7SJL7XvHnvlQi_jCTb6epm2qNn4X9e7Uco/s400/075.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Irish stew with veggies and lamb</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTn-zDGnp_mmKUIWBzv5jczSZPRoHyFw2omsEQApYzc8iJwbiflkaW_TobiKnn8XD0NrsgT_8Xvhase4sMB1dtniCVslZrJTk41SkYZtKKHWVS5N6OYnTSW-19aqwtF-7q67l_LWfPWWo/s400/074.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></strong></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Veggie quiche with goat cheese</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjew2jTwkVO-xFuqN2Ys3_ci6bmrLNyvA-iIsR70Km6bOloEoVtDjQT3kx63sZJFo-6AmxwU9WGeua3frEG5UkksWRNh8jlszXdTh-ET933Hz1-Xccir0cmOTXEZwnxp2ToxCUrTjZxnD4/s1600/IMG_1816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjew2jTwkVO-xFuqN2Ys3_ci6bmrLNyvA-iIsR70Km6bOloEoVtDjQT3kx63sZJFo-6AmxwU9WGeua3frEG5UkksWRNh8jlszXdTh-ET933Hz1-Xccir0cmOTXEZwnxp2ToxCUrTjZxnD4/s400/IMG_1816.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Baileys + Coffee = Happy Samantha in Ireland</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>This is Rob, listen to that accent!</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Later that night we went to an Irish Pub called The Porter House. We sampled some Irish beers and scored a front row seat for the live band. Kate and I had to remind each other that we were in Dublin, listening to Irish music, drinking with locals...something that we've both been excited about for a long time. We called it an early night because we had to wake up at 6 a.m. the next morning for our bus tour to Galway (see my next post). </strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>I never have listened to Irish music before but I really enjoyed it, I wish I would have bought their CD!</strong></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>The Porter House</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>I definitely would love to return to Ireland one day in the future. There are many other things that we didn't have time to see; the Guinness and Jameson factories, the famous cemetery, Trinity College, etc. Not to mention there are other cool cities like Cork, Killarney, or Limerick. One of my purchases in the airport was this Starbucks mug. Now I will think of this lovely country every time I have my morning coffee :) </strong></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6j66HJUwp4X1QBYvm32HJ9QaP1Mf1ATCk_JccaeV0ySFNSaan5jx49oR9rQWfAFrLP_SoRfcRHjUg1hZ_HYmh6ON8UehU7PJDQZ4YhlsXcGc8Fu8PeNswHgo_J92owNd_1VtFhRirSQI/s1600/IMG_1880.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong><img border="0" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6j66HJUwp4X1QBYvm32HJ9QaP1Mf1ATCk_JccaeV0ySFNSaan5jx49oR9rQWfAFrLP_SoRfcRHjUg1hZ_HYmh6ON8UehU7PJDQZ4YhlsXcGc8Fu8PeNswHgo_J92owNd_1VtFhRirSQI/s400/IMG_1880.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>Sláinte! (Cheers!)</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong></strong></span><br />senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-87071223987772486392013-02-05T14:05:00.000-08:002013-02-05T14:06:56.758-08:00Carnival is here!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlrEhZqG13_vAWwJBkBzd1qg8uy3uUphMdeByeNTbUHEDWn0Qjoa0Q7awqI66GXO0g9GiQG0EUJ-liRjTvn73e1EuLeWCZFS4k1Owfyb3d-Cz7KsoGdYJZ1Tetllld76YmhGUa8lV-Gk/s1600/imagesCA9CWGLJ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlrEhZqG13_vAWwJBkBzd1qg8uy3uUphMdeByeNTbUHEDWn0Qjoa0Q7awqI66GXO0g9GiQG0EUJ-liRjTvn73e1EuLeWCZFS4k1Owfyb3d-Cz7KsoGdYJZ1Tetllld76YmhGUa8lV-Gk/s1600/imagesCA9CWGLJ.jpg" width="256" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">It's already February, wow. This month has always been my favorite of the year, may sound crazy to all you summer lovers but February is the best! First of all, there's Valentines Day, Mardi Gras (the date varies), my birthday (28th), and last year my little nephew Harper was born on the 24th. </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVv-SjTzNrvKl5K88YT968t1WRia0h_yNQNAdwcRpD2grmyz_E4dZYYTVx1gF_j3FWTpv-YPjlvoSObsh0qjvWVeNVm1NuxS9G-4kJWc4P_VRq-Cp_BwZLzgE1_mMNpt3C4v6_IOrMJc/s1600/428154_3038297114736_763963754_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVv-SjTzNrvKl5K88YT968t1WRia0h_yNQNAdwcRpD2grmyz_E4dZYYTVx1gF_j3FWTpv-YPjlvoSObsh0qjvWVeNVm1NuxS9G-4kJWc4P_VRq-Cp_BwZLzgE1_mMNpt3C4v6_IOrMJc/s1600/428154_3038297114736_763963754_n.jpg" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Me last Mardi Gras season</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">According to the locals around here, Badajoz has the third best carnival in Spain after Tenerife (one of the Canary Islands) and Cadiz. I've decided to take advantage of my vacation days and travel to Dublin, Ireland instead of experiencing the carnival here just because I've done Mardi Gras before. I haven't always known what this crazy season is about though. Being from the North of the USA, I had "heard" of Mardi Gras but didn't really know how much tradition, history, and religious connections it has. I put together a presentation for my students this week to explain it to them. </span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJev8eX69lJ2zcrgg_JzL1rOGR0pEp44gTqPE66ECRZfMVDBArhxKnMEa8tD8nv7W_VlaQbpITAmuQSqCHn34losRNYY8uo5UMPagO-mtlYPCp648ys1jEvnwFOv0wURq1GA9l7Vj-g8/s1600/imagesCAEN73U3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJev8eX69lJ2zcrgg_JzL1rOGR0pEp44gTqPE66ECRZfMVDBArhxKnMEa8tD8nv7W_VlaQbpITAmuQSqCHn34losRNYY8uo5UMPagO-mtlYPCp648ys1jEvnwFOv0wURq1GA9l7Vj-g8/s1600/imagesCAEN73U3.jpg" width="400" /></span></strong></a></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Origins: Dating back to when Christianity arrived to Rome. The celebration was a prelude to lent and spread from Rome to France, Spain, Germany, England, and several other places. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Mardi Gras = (Fat Tuesday in French) because of the binging and excess consumption of meats and cheese before they were given up for lent</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">CARNIVAL comes from the Latin word, Carnelevarium "to remove meat" <em>Carne is meat in Spanish.</em> </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">The first Mardi Gras in New Orleans was in 1699 because some French settlers brough their traditions with them to Louisiana. When the Spanish settlers came in, they abolished the parties and they weren't revived until 1812 when LA became a state. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Traditions.....</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">King Cake! Yum, a delicious cinnamon flavored cake which sometimes has varied fillings. King cakes are decorated in purple, green, and yellow sprinkles or frosting to represent the colors of Mardi Gras. Purple represents Justice, Green represents Faith, and Gold represents Power. </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSr9ayttqi0IBaAsp7MUwp1LJ6kJayxzyGUnM5OWX8Rzui6AnAFlCd_qfXzZhuNeMksU3Xvj-vjpK-OHw_ORhbAlOcKgwKeHugtR-9aOp0OLiYjVZB1L4dPcXcmWGjZD69kW0Ye3rxLeU/s1600/kiingcakes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSr9ayttqi0IBaAsp7MUwp1LJ6kJayxzyGUnM5OWX8Rzui6AnAFlCd_qfXzZhuNeMksU3Xvj-vjpK-OHw_ORhbAlOcKgwKeHugtR-9aOp0OLiYjVZB1L4dPcXcmWGjZD69kW0Ye3rxLeU/s1600/kiingcakes.png" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">There is a plastic baby within the King Cake (baby Jesus). After the cake is cut, whoever gets the slice with the baby has to bring the next King Cake to a party in the future (as tradition goes)</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">In Spain, I saw similar cakes arrive after the 3 Kings Day. Christmas is celebrated all the way until January 6th, the day when the children get their presents from the "3 wise men". Their version of King Cakes are called Roscon de Reyes. The circle shape represents the routes the 3 wise men took to find Jesus. </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2IwmqajfUzUrHNxlXxTWyvc5AmOMu5euGb8mGfreR-IEnu09TkKZ25tg2iF5i4CLOjH3-f5wgdY7IlEi2ZbhgvupJJh-P1cG12hncv0kZP8Zh9j4PWGZ8p4Vq9N969gfXYHW4G39iGDc/s1600/Picture1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2IwmqajfUzUrHNxlXxTWyvc5AmOMu5euGb8mGfreR-IEnu09TkKZ25tg2iF5i4CLOjH3-f5wgdY7IlEi2ZbhgvupJJh-P1cG12hncv0kZP8Zh9j4PWGZ8p4Vq9N969gfXYHW4G39iGDc/s1600/Picture1.png" width="378" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Un Roscon de Reyes</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Beads & Parades in New Orleans</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">People throw beads at the floats in the parades</span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmNKT8qN0BP3ldINzl7Rjr2p0iaTwZf1poaH6AV7hcPrebLgqDB8GaB8bikzEOQQNPxsk3CUFm9bjwmzN_PYf-Gx3R9ezMWuOvKXuuy2mE8ei4oMIMb6vbcUDh0nnbJDUigswBPjChy4/s1600/Picture133.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmNKT8qN0BP3ldINzl7Rjr2p0iaTwZf1poaH6AV7hcPrebLgqDB8GaB8bikzEOQQNPxsk3CUFm9bjwmzN_PYf-Gx3R9ezMWuOvKXuuy2mE8ei4oMIMb6vbcUDh0nnbJDUigswBPjChy4/s1600/Picture133.png" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">The Muses Parades</span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhfe4nAqMrgtygjYnk5AXWNaanOR0Xa89U2sJD-tNCcKs4tY156WZyyBZNErF9Q4onfq5L8QzcVq7IZ65OSxyxuyjb3VrDHXWMfyQmDNoYx7Knc8WMSp7XBd1TKnMUfL6biJ0jQECH2c/s1600/Picture1oo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhfe4nAqMrgtygjYnk5AXWNaanOR0Xa89U2sJD-tNCcKs4tY156WZyyBZNErF9Q4onfq5L8QzcVq7IZ65OSxyxuyjb3VrDHXWMfyQmDNoYx7Knc8WMSp7XBd1TKnMUfL6biJ0jQECH2c/s1600/Picture1oo.png" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Zulu Coconuts</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjYfmUsELdjoQ73_PjwzBeaXp0wnsN5tqrUm1ehYjgHkSk2rr5yf-ZhQbYGlXu4aJYwVqEMUpcp4nZliGR9DHXFbqt9DnJ4EMRT-nOR5HDka4u_ax8yewlif8UmTcsuzx75zKrFT9h_6I/s1600/beads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjYfmUsELdjoQ73_PjwzBeaXp0wnsN5tqrUm1ehYjgHkSk2rr5yf-ZhQbYGlXu4aJYwVqEMUpcp4nZliGR9DHXFbqt9DnJ4EMRT-nOR5HDka4u_ax8yewlif8UmTcsuzx75zKrFT9h_6I/s1600/beads.jpg" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">In addition to beads, my favorite trinkets to catch are the high heel shoes from the Muses parade and coconuts from Zulu</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Other famous carnivals around the world are in; Brazil, Paris, Venice, Belgium..and the list goes on.</span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgMktC7sRi4OTYzU6vhxWnXHOY-heaJyQee86gkU944XxJGH6HZDPlRI_NrQWUrMmZv5C-kewIuoPM5BXB6manpCCTNpzkSZQxjP3felt4K3MIOnzQjrfBUXkRSblPpL771DW_YatGDU/s1600/venice+s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgMktC7sRi4OTYzU6vhxWnXHOY-heaJyQee86gkU944XxJGH6HZDPlRI_NrQWUrMmZv5C-kewIuoPM5BXB6manpCCTNpzkSZQxjP3felt4K3MIOnzQjrfBUXkRSblPpL771DW_YatGDU/s1600/venice+s.jpg" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Venice</span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUMSDT1JQnDSbIvkJMXDyiY_bS6GQPDOd_63zdqu9KFsdpNzo0JnAvriD5ZmoetBRzYWX9hUYbtcwh1yK3CBCuiZi9IU4qz64M9lLvLUoRHuDDPIxt3UJwM7ApGkvFy4F_NcHscMFBgcY/s1600/paris+carn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUMSDT1JQnDSbIvkJMXDyiY_bS6GQPDOd_63zdqu9KFsdpNzo0JnAvriD5ZmoetBRzYWX9hUYbtcwh1yK3CBCuiZi9IU4qz64M9lLvLUoRHuDDPIxt3UJwM7ApGkvFy4F_NcHscMFBgcY/s1600/paris+carn.jpg" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Paris</span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCXuSrTmLjh_QrExeWpr6Ch3raPK-yWyvIcGmnMhPB4MH9fiTdJIe2qiOnMXXTGJAvL2W54WU3vq4iVyz8mJwo-xYQmpXMsJMxa7TofW11FVBuIET_frLlfaqGFTX55TXdz3iK6VFbi8/s1600/carnaval+brasil.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUCXuSrTmLjh_QrExeWpr6Ch3raPK-yWyvIcGmnMhPB4MH9fiTdJIe2qiOnMXXTGJAvL2W54WU3vq4iVyz8mJwo-xYQmpXMsJMxa7TofW11FVBuIET_frLlfaqGFTX55TXdz3iK6VFbi8/s1600/carnaval+brasil.png" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Brazil</span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HY_YmvIvj0pLY3UOcDfW7cBBgAn5gCbclRtYYuvypR2KjT3X7Hkb3m1LyLT1vROFGRbena2JcU0R0ZeN6BdHsnSlLGIQgvfMsdIP9CRqS8DmbtenHPQ2C0oD6OWoOX5PEr8E6WI59pI/s1600/brasil+carn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HY_YmvIvj0pLY3UOcDfW7cBBgAn5gCbclRtYYuvypR2KjT3X7Hkb3m1LyLT1vROFGRbena2JcU0R0ZeN6BdHsnSlLGIQgvfMsdIP9CRqS8DmbtenHPQ2C0oD6OWoOX5PEr8E6WI59pI/s1600/brasil+carn.jpg" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Brazil</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">This year I'll be without a carnival but I'm off to Ireland instead! </span></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLvyTXsxfnUGvu4UtoZhL3swxq5rEDJdOxYzE80ODPMJhUCxhEvKqtBTX_NRBngQbms3RFzRPkmg9NMtcrtAWhB32q-BDPYI_8ytExot_JZ7DunnUnB1sF0_WnGoV9lxzxOhrnaEUS6uA/s1600/imagesCALZEDJM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLvyTXsxfnUGvu4UtoZhL3swxq5rEDJdOxYzE80ODPMJhUCxhEvKqtBTX_NRBngQbms3RFzRPkmg9NMtcrtAWhB32q-BDPYI_8ytExot_JZ7DunnUnB1sF0_WnGoV9lxzxOhrnaEUS6uA/s1600/imagesCALZEDJM.jpg" width="400" /></span></strong></a></div>
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senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-29544965638079993932013-01-29T07:28:00.001-08:002013-01-29T07:28:59.814-08:00Learning to live on lessThere are things that I used to do back in America that I would have never thought twice about until moving abroad. Things which I will forever think twice about from now on- they will not only benefit me financially but they are also economical. <br />
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<strong>1.</strong> <strong>Wasting water</strong>; hotels post signs reminding us "water is a precious thing, save it!" Never have I shut off water when it wasn't necessary in the shower, or when cooking. I've done a much better job here of monitoring my use of water. I even hand washed some of my clothes the other day! Sometimes not everyone flushes the toilet, I don't know about getting used to that one but hey at least they're trying to save. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O8Hgb6wiwKI/UQfnRBand3I/AAAAAAAABQA/zGK9s2e2rLM/s1600/watersaving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O8Hgb6wiwKI/UQfnRBand3I/AAAAAAAABQA/zGK9s2e2rLM/s320/watersaving.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>2. Lights, TVs, plugging electronics in</strong>; our first electricity bill here was fairly high. Although it was an estimate...my roommates and I have been careful with using lights when not necessary. A lot of Spaniards here use day light until you cannot anymore. Some of my classrooms are also lit by sunlight when it's a nice day out. Every building that I have stepped foot in here has automatic light switches. Not so common in the states. You have to press on the hallway lights when you need them in my apartment complex, or any apartment complex for that matter. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vi1nGmcFsC0/UQfnQyd9vMI/AAAAAAAABP4/WYgKW0pe-CQ/s1600/imagesCASBDJ9U.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vi1nGmcFsC0/UQfnQyd9vMI/AAAAAAAABP4/WYgKW0pe-CQ/s1600/imagesCASBDJ9U.jpg" /></a></div>
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<strong>3. Gasoline</strong>; I've been without my car for 4 months. I've done this before but I'm happy to say I don't miss it. Now to be fair, it is possible to walk around my city here in Spain. This country is about the size of Texas. However in the states, not the case. Public transportation is almost looked down upon in some parts of the USA. Having a car at the age of 16 is almost an expectation, I just wish everyone would realize how fortunate we are to have these luxuries. The legal driving age in Spain is 18, but most young adults take the bus or walk. I remember in high school I used to drive around just because I had nothing to do- a Spaniard would think that is crazy! Gasoline is super expensive here and a lot of people carpool to work. <br />
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<strong>4. Grocery shopping</strong>; Spaniards don't waste food. They cook and eat nearly every part of the pig...no thank you :( I was served PIG CHEEKS in a restaurant a couple weeks ago- I barely like ham as it is (to us Americans). I hope to start being cautious of how much food I use and what I <em>need</em>. Anyways...my point here is that Spaniards frequent small and local grocers, fruit shops, bread shops, butchers, etc. Most women can be seen with their own grocery bag on wheels. The bigger markets charge you if you choose to use their bags for your food. Most people "go green" and bring their own bags. This has been a trend in the states for years now but almost 90% of Spaniards bring their own bags to the store. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-82ZSh75dgsI/UQfnR0GuPYI/AAAAAAAABQE/-5-RLgFjiR0/s1600/bag.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-82ZSh75dgsI/UQfnR0GuPYI/AAAAAAAABQE/-5-RLgFjiR0/s320/bag.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is an example of their grocery bags the women wheel around</td></tr>
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<strong>5. Buying produce</strong>; I hope I never catch myself buying produce in a Wal- Mart ever...again. I enjoy grocery shopping here way too much. Every Monday, I go to the same local produce shop and load up on fruits and veggies. It is SO cheap! I spent 20-30 euros a week on food. Most of this food can last me almost two weeks sometimes. I might cry when I go back home and remember how expensive food has gotten. I was so impressed with my last trip to the store that I thought I'd show y'all. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cunQb-GAlm4/UQfm0FdpXyI/AAAAAAAABPk/tdEhJx88qAs/s1600/IMG_1768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cunQb-GAlm4/UQfm0FdpXyI/AAAAAAAABPk/tdEhJx88qAs/s400/IMG_1768.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">11 euros (15 dollars) worth of produce; this is a lot of food for cheap! It's also better quality </td></tr>
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They say traveling opens your eyes and mind to a lot of new things. It's definitely true. I've changed my perspective on a lot of things because of the fact I've been fortunate to live abroad and see them through the eyes of other people in the world. Maybe this post could influence other people to start living more with less :) <br />
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senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-40078846463314202572013-01-23T13:18:00.000-08:002013-01-23T13:22:04.751-08:00Ronda (Rown-dah) <span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong>Day trip #2 was to Ronda. A very mountainous city in the province of Malaga. Ronda is home to the oldest bullfighting ring in Spain and the famous "Puente Nuevo", which spans a gorge over 300 feet deep. Puente Nuevo means "New Bridge" yet it was built in 1793! Which gives you an idea of how unchanged Ronda has been over the years.</strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AroyId1XIks/UP_0oPOk3QI/AAAAAAAABN0/AbbKG4EWGCs/s1600/356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AroyId1XIks/UP_0oPOk3QI/AAAAAAAABN0/AbbKG4EWGCs/s400/356.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>The countryside of Ronda</strong></span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T6_QuX-EK9A/UP_0yHP08HI/AAAAAAAABOI/dIsTHn9BwQA/s1600/359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T6_QuX-EK9A/UP_0yHP08HI/AAAAAAAABOI/dIsTHn9BwQA/s400/359.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong> Ronda is known as the modern birthplace of bullfighting, even though the ring is only used once a year. Bullfighting has come to be a very controversial sport in Spain and not everyone agrees with it. Although when most people think of Spain they think of 1. Bullfighting 2. Flameno 3. Maybe Paellla.... but no, I figured out a long time ago that these "images of Spain" do not come close to reflecting the various regions of the country.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong>Kate, Tara, and I didn't have much interest in going to the bullfighting museum so we headed straight for the bridge. It was hard to get a good picture of it at first because it's so tall, so we walked around a bit to get a good view. </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bmUizTJ5iLE/UP_0x9U-QqI/AAAAAAAABOE/ymo9e5tR4FQ/s1600/366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bmUizTJ5iLE/UP_0x9U-QqI/AAAAAAAABOE/ymo9e5tR4FQ/s400/366.JPG" width="300" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>The gorge is called El Tajo and it carries the Guadalevín River through its center</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-searTkvJMqQ/UP_0vZoo28I/AAAAAAAABN8/s-8o6JjNNQY/s1600/371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" height="290" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-searTkvJMqQ/UP_0vZoo28I/AAAAAAAABN8/s-8o6JjNNQY/s400/371.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>Ronda is known to be one of Andalucia's loveliest towns</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--uuuiyd7U1U/UP_03Tc93nI/AAAAAAAABOU/Afq0ScwuEnc/s1600/376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--uuuiyd7U1U/UP_03Tc93nI/AAAAAAAABOU/Afq0ScwuEnc/s400/376.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>Miss Kate and I</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7qOWngrAN0U/UP_04GqwT8I/AAAAAAAABOY/7Yihiu1Wc4g/s1600/377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" height="268" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7qOWngrAN0U/UP_04GqwT8I/AAAAAAAABOY/7Yihiu1Wc4g/s400/377.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gAoT2ryWzSw/UP_06AgKPgI/AAAAAAAABOk/eirQURnLo74/s1600/381.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gAoT2ryWzSw/UP_06AgKPgI/AAAAAAAABOk/eirQURnLo74/s400/381.JPG" width="300" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>Miss Tara and I</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--4k0u0vjIVI/UP_0R4wP2nI/AAAAAAAABM8/RcwMHKJnICY/s1600/340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--4k0u0vjIVI/UP_0R4wP2nI/AAAAAAAABM8/RcwMHKJnICY/s400/340.JPG" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>I love this picture. The countryside is very peaceful and the fleur de lis gate reminds me of New Orleans</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong>The bridge and the countryside were pretty much all there was to see in Ronda, which made for a relaxing trip. We had ourselves a nice lunch and some drinks in the sun before heading back to Malaga for the night. </strong></span>senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-11308226350117804122013-01-23T12:36:00.004-08:002013-01-23T12:44:14.726-08:00Nerja <span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>Nerja, often referred to as the "Jewel of La Costa del Sol" is about an hour and half away from Málaga. Nerja has fame for it's caves, a series of huge caverns stretching for almost five kilometres and home to the world’s largest stalagmite. Now to be honest, I've never been in a cave before so I had no idea what to expect but woah these caves are super impressive! In 1959 some little village boys were playing and searching for bats when they stumbled upon these caves. In 1960 they were open to the public. We weren't allowed to have our flash on inside the caves so these pictures are the best I could do. </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kate and I messing around in the caves</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had nothing to do in the caves except do a photo shoot</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These caves are massive</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>The caves are pretty much what put Nerja on the map as far as tourism goes. What else does Nerja have to offer? Um, gorgeous, beautiful, and outstanding views of the ocean. </strong><strong>Nerja has a population of around 25,000, of which about 25% are foreign residents. It was easy to spot who was Spanish and who was a foreigner who relocated themselves to this beach town. Clue number #1, blonde hair. Clue #2, wearing shorts and flip flops in January. Clue #3, All of the British accents, German and French being spoken.</strong></span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong>It was perfect weather during our entire break but not "flip flop and swimsuit weather"...maybe to the English it was. I hear they have terrible weather up there. Needless to say Spaniards have a very low tolerance for the cold and they wouldn't be seen wearing beach wear in January. </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My mid day coffee in Nerja :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, this is from my own (new) camera! (thanks Kyle!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This area is called the "Balcony of Europe" and was formerly a fortress designed to keep out British pirates and privateers</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Balcony of Europe again</td></tr>
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Although I only spent an afternoon in Nerja, it has to be one of the most beautiful beach towns I've seen yet in Spain. There are plenty of cute shops and restaurants to choose from as well. Kate and I sat down to have lunch over looking this view. It was delicious and super cheap (the perks of living in Spain = cheap food and coffee). <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wouldn't mind living in one of these cute little white apartments, you?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These orange flowers are spread out throughout this area, not sure what they are </td></tr>
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senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-68628994770055023902013-01-23T06:11:00.001-08:002013-01-23T06:11:30.243-08:00Málaga<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong>Málaga will forever be one of my most memorable vacations of all time. Not only was it the starting and ending point of our trip, but it's a gorgeous port city with sunshine and mountains. Mom and I had a beautiful hotel over looking the ocean on Christmas Day. I can't think of a better way to celebrate our first Christmas abroad. Although we had a poor internet connection, we were still able to Skype with our family in Iowa. This Christmas wasn't about presents for us, it was about being together and enjoying a well deserved vacation in a beautiful country. To be perfectly honest our Christmas dinner consisted of champagne and the free nuts served along side it. You know one of the reasons why I love my mom so much? Because she was perfectly okay with that :)</strong></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>It was super windy up there!</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>The gorgeous view thanks to the Marriot Malaga hotel </strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong>We spent Christmas Day walking around Málaga. The boardwalk, the park, the town square, pretty much everywhere worth seeing. After we left Granada, we were back in Málaga on January 1. </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>The Cathedral isn't finished so they gave it the nickname "The One Armed Lady" because only one of it's two towers are complete. You are looking at the unfinished side. </strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>Málaga is the birthplace of Pablo Picasso (this is a statue of him) </strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong>After Mom flew out on January 3rd, I was lucky to have my friends Tara and Kate to travel with and distract me from the sadness I felt when she left. Since our Christmas vacation wasn't over yet, we decided to book a hostel for the next three nights and do day trips. The whole southern coast around Malaga is absolutely gorgeous with many little villages worth visiting. We decided to make a day trip to Nerja and another to Ronda, which will be in my next post. </strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><u>Random Facts about Málaga</u></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong>-The home of Antonio Banderes and Pablo Picasso</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong>- Where London Beefeater Gin is made (out of the oranges)</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong>- They get 330 days of sunshine out of the year.</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong>- 53,093 foreigners live in the Malaga provine, mainly on the costline </strong></span></div>
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senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-73537029702867324862013-01-21T09:59:00.003-08:002013-01-21T09:59:26.313-08:00Granada & La Alhambra<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">After relaxing in Badajoz for two days, Mom and I drove 5 hours to Granada. The main attraction in the city of Granada is "La Alhambra". La Alhambra, meaning "Red Fortress" in Arabic, was built by the last Muslim state in the Iberian peninsula. It originally was built in the year 889 as a military defense and later in 1333 it was converted into a palace. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Why is it so important? La Alhambra is the most visited monument in the country of Spain, and the third most popular monument in Europe. I bought two tickets for us in November, buying tickets in advance is a must. It is such an impressive monument because first of all, it's huge. Second, you could never guess from the outside looking in how impressive the architecture and designs are. Third, it is a huge piece of history, marking the last expulsion of the Muslims from Spain. </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v9Are57v0Ic/UP1iJD2tRzI/AAAAAAAABEc/QnmPnHYsEsc/s1600/270356_10200300554184480_890231304_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v9Are57v0Ic/UP1iJD2tRzI/AAAAAAAABEc/QnmPnHYsEsc/s400/270356_10200300554184480_890231304_n.jpg" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">The sunrise behind the Sierra Nevada and La Alhambra</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"></span></strong><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">The city of Granada was the last to fall to the Catholic Monarchs in 1492, ending an 8 century long Arab rule. When you go to Granada you can just feel it's different vibes. Every corner of Spain differs from the next but Granada is verrryy different. There are streets lined up with Moroccan style jewlery, purses, clothes, etc. Mom and I bought 3 or 4 scarves from one of the vendors. There are also tons and tons of Hookah and tea spots. It felt like Granada was a mix of Spanish/Arab/Hippies and of course lots of tourists visiting. </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CXmjAVIAiWY/UP1n12MPMLI/AAAAAAAABHY/T-dKV_8kEDQ/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CXmjAVIAiWY/UP1n12MPMLI/AAAAAAAABHY/T-dKV_8kEDQ/s400/008.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Here it is again with a better view of the Sierra Nevada behind it</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Our hotel/house where we stayed was situated on top of a hill with a view of La Alhambra straight ahead. This neighborhood that we stayed in is called the "Albayzín" and it is an old gypsy neighborhood. The streets are very narrow and constructed in a way where nothing makes sense and getting lost is your best bet in seeing it all. </span></strong></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w_cNqKNAxEw/UP1oQ6QBsXI/AAAAAAAABHs/RtcQ4a8j_Zw/s1600/148507_4710281113291_488938800_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w_cNqKNAxEw/UP1oQ6QBsXI/AAAAAAAABHs/RtcQ4a8j_Zw/s400/148507_4710281113291_488938800_n.jpg" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">The view from our terrace</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">The following are pictures from inside La Alhambra. We spent around 3-4 hours inside of it but let me warn you, my pictures DO NOT at all capture the beauty of it. </span></strong><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-85NOs-6c9MM/UP1k_bOc0GI/AAAAAAAABF4/6k7RF_oNoE8/s1600/131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-85NOs-6c9MM/UP1k_bOc0GI/AAAAAAAABF4/6k7RF_oNoE8/s400/131.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R6oJeSmjVqE/UP1lQPnUYlI/AAAAAAAABGM/yZSskFYg-2w/s1600/141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="245" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R6oJeSmjVqE/UP1lQPnUYlI/AAAAAAAABGM/yZSskFYg-2w/s400/141.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">The Patio of Lions, the most famous part of La Alhambra</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span></strong><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z_QbgZNuL74/UP1lX29bvmI/AAAAAAAABGg/J-JLuJWx_X0/s1600/193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="292" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z_QbgZNuL74/UP1lX29bvmI/AAAAAAAABGg/J-JLuJWx_X0/s400/193.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ezOSkvNLjY/UP1lV4frA8I/AAAAAAAABGY/Ol5bmBUbLJE/s1600/234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="168" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ezOSkvNLjY/UP1lV4frA8I/AAAAAAAABGY/Ol5bmBUbLJE/s400/234.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Mom and I on the watch tower of La Alhambra, over looking the city</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BHpaiZ_wVCo/UP1lPEML6FI/AAAAAAAABGI/hnm6R-LQYjk/s1600/149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BHpaiZ_wVCo/UP1lPEML6FI/AAAAAAAABGI/hnm6R-LQYjk/s400/149.JPG" width="257" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">There are 124 white marble columns in the Patio of Lions </span></strong></td></tr>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a55_GjjbG_U/UP1shBm41RI/AAAAAAAABIQ/friuzRgdIvM/s1600/082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a55_GjjbG_U/UP1shBm41RI/AAAAAAAABIQ/friuzRgdIvM/s400/082.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span></strong><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PX5Y2lFnbUs/UP1sdnQb2rI/AAAAAAAABII/xbHSxXOj-Bc/s1600/121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PX5Y2lFnbUs/UP1sdnQb2rI/AAAAAAAABII/xbHSxXOj-Bc/s400/121.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-34kDJ0FhtiU/UP1taf6fy0I/AAAAAAAABIk/qCXbck3QYlY/s1600/127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-34kDJ0FhtiU/UP1taf6fy0I/AAAAAAAABIk/qCXbck3QYlY/s400/127.JPG" width="300" /></span></strong></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OLOQ1iRHXw4/UP1tY5m0qaI/AAAAAAAABIc/pcPItYxQiDM/s1600/129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OLOQ1iRHXw4/UP1tY5m0qaI/AAAAAAAABIc/pcPItYxQiDM/s400/129.JPG" width="300" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">One of the ceilings, the picture doesn't capture how gorgeous it is</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lo1-dNiigdU/UP1tcRPDFRI/AAAAAAAABIo/K4C-FdjkMgU/s1600/137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lo1-dNiigdU/UP1tcRPDFRI/AAAAAAAABIo/K4C-FdjkMgU/s400/137.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Patio of Lions</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span></strong><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-szUlKe9uKIM/UP1t9EXDxNI/AAAAAAAABJM/gcMhWRDoFig/s1600/138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-szUlKe9uKIM/UP1t9EXDxNI/AAAAAAAABJM/gcMhWRDoFig/s400/138.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o_yYY5tZRfE/UP1tsliaUiI/AAAAAAAABJA/2Aad0w5VGKc/s1600/158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o_yYY5tZRfE/UP1tsliaUiI/AAAAAAAABJA/2Aad0w5VGKc/s400/158.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Another ceiling</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span></strong><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q7ouqelx8fw/UP1tmcB2tII/AAAAAAAABI4/XaBPkxcqNj0/s1600/182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q7ouqelx8fw/UP1tmcB2tII/AAAAAAAABI4/XaBPkxcqNj0/s400/182.JPG" width="400" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">The Alhambra is located on a strategic point, with a view over the whole city</span></strong></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">The day we toured La Alhambra was New Years Eve Day. Afterwards we went to find something to eat and relax before we went out. We didn't really have set plans for NYE but we ended up at an Irish Pub eating 12 grapes at midnight with some Spaniards. Let's just say that was a first! I'm glad we got the chance to eat the 12 grapes because it is Spanish tradition to do so at the 12 chimes of midnight- it brings you good luck. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Even though we only had two days in Granada, we got to explore many things- here are my recommendations :)</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"><u>Top 7 things to do in Granada</u> </span></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">1. La Alhambra. Buy your tickets in advance and stretch beforehand if you plan on walking up and down the hills to reach it</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">2. Visit the cathedral and La Capilla Real (where Isabel and Fernando are buried) </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">3. Eat a kebab- a delicious sandwich filled with chicken or beef/lamb mixture</span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">4. Shop on the Moroccan streets. You can buy anything from scarves, rings, hookahs, purses, etc.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">5. Go see the gypsy caves of Sacramonte, real caves that are built into the mountains that people can live in rent free. Some of them are for Flamenco performances or Flamenco museums. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">6. Get lost in the Albayzín and go to the viewpoints of La Alhambra. Mirador San Nicolas is the biggest one. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">7. Go order drinks at any restaurant and get FREE tapas! Yes, free :) It's a law in Granada for restaurants to serve you free plates of food when you order any drink. </span></strong><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">If you are planning a trip to Granada, I recommend staying at La Casa Bombo. It's kind of like a bed and breakfast type of accommodation. You can't beat the view!</span></strong>senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-531835068468253116.post-67617308130157345162013-01-16T06:17:00.000-08:002013-01-16T06:20:47.104-08:00Sevilla (Seville) <span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong>The second city of our trip was Sevilla. The capital of Andalucia, which is home to the biggest Gothic Cathedral in Europe. Mom and I rented out an apartment in the city center which happened to be very cozy. By the time we found it and got situated, we were pretty worn out. The next day we made up for it by doing a FOUR hour walking tour of the city. I've done quite a few free walking tours but four hours is by far the longest tour out of all of them. Nonetheless, it was a great tour led by a Moroccan man named Medi. He was fun and super smart. </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong></strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K_bEZYJcV5w/UPWHROlMOqI/AAAAAAAABDs/0v8iqKXJ_h8/s1600/IMG_1605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K_bEZYJcV5w/UPWHROlMOqI/AAAAAAAABDs/0v8iqKXJ_h8/s1600/IMG_1605.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>This is Medi teaching us how the women use to flirt with these fans</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Medi had all of the dates on point in regards to Spanish history. He spoke mainly of Isabel & Fernando (los reyes catolicos) who took control of Spain in 1492, the year Columbus sailed the ocean blue :) My favorite part of the tour was towards the end in La Plaza de España. I've been to "La Plaza de España" (all Spanish cities have main town squares called this) in Madrid, Salamanca, Badajoz, Caceres, Barcelona, etc. but Sevilla is my favorite so far. Why? Because its HUGE, beautiful, and detailed. It is also not a "square" its open, facing a major park in Sevilla (María Luisa Park) .</span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">This plaza was finished in 1928 in order to show off for the <span dir="auto">Ibero-American Exposition in 1929 which hosted guests from Portugal, the United States, Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Chile, the Republic of Colombia, Cuba, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Bolivia, Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Ecuador. Each Spanish region and province of Andalusia were represented as well. The Exposition was held in order to improve the relations among the countries, most of which were former Spanish territories. The reason the plaza is open is to embrace the relationship among Spain and it's former colonies. The plaza is also facing the main river in Sevilla, in respect to "The Path to America". </span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><span dir="auto"><strong></strong></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JMq6Ee8gH5Q/UPWGovAaT3I/AAAAAAAABCQ/mZiUbsC12MQ/s1600/IMG_1547.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JMq6Ee8gH5Q/UPWGovAaT3I/AAAAAAAABCQ/mZiUbsC12MQ/s1600/IMG_1547.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">Here it is :) La Plaza de España</span></strong></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong></strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vvIxVXfU-h0/UPWG1M5LPXI/AAAAAAAABCc/IrAQkNHmPsc/s1600/IMG_1548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vvIxVXfU-h0/UPWG1M5LPXI/AAAAAAAABCc/IrAQkNHmPsc/s1600/IMG_1548.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>A shot of the detailed art you see throughout the plaza</strong></span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RsxsUc7TPvI/UO3wfUASHjI/AAAAAAAAA0E/lj5glova19A/s1600/IMG_1565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RsxsUc7TPvI/UO3wfUASHjI/AAAAAAAAA0E/lj5glova19A/s1600/IMG_1565.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></strong></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--KU7cNAifAA/UO3wEX7kjGI/AAAAAAAAAyY/jX_p2Kqrm24/s1600/545532_10200274312728460_2139855165_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--KU7cNAifAA/UO3wEX7kjGI/AAAAAAAAAyY/jX_p2Kqrm24/s1600/545532_10200274312728460_2139855165_n.jpg" height="278" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>The fountain in the middle of it had a rainbow :)</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S6FeQPB9FKQ/UO3v9An1t-I/AAAAAAAAAxI/OQxiA8xdDnQ/s1600/407561_10200274308448353_360723142_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S6FeQPB9FKQ/UO3v9An1t-I/AAAAAAAAAxI/OQxiA8xdDnQ/s1600/407561_10200274308448353_360723142_n.jpg" height="271" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>There is a series of 48 benches in the plaza that are dedicated to the provinces of Spain</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AZVaHEav4ro/UO3v4fU-XNI/AAAAAAAAAwk/BNNi0tju-3A/s1600/318519_10200274318568606_394297991_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AZVaHEav4ro/UO3v4fU-XNI/AAAAAAAAAwk/BNNi0tju-3A/s1600/318519_10200274318568606_394297991_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>La Plaza is a landmark example of the Renaissance Revival style in Spanish architecture</strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KZsp8Ft2KkU/UO3v6GO3sEI/AAAAAAAAAw0/ah4DgcplYyo/s1600/321112_10200274303888239_491578631_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KZsp8Ft2KkU/UO3v6GO3sEI/AAAAAAAAAw0/ah4DgcplYyo/s1600/321112_10200274303888239_491578631_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>Here I am sitting by the Badajoz bench, my home in Spain</strong></span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ELaylPUX1Eo/UO3v4NrtUSI/AAAAAAAAAwY/Q3V2CfDO2js/s1600/314010_10200274319688634_1733576223_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ELaylPUX1Eo/UO3v4NrtUSI/AAAAAAAAAwY/Q3V2CfDO2js/s1600/314010_10200274319688634_1733576223_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></strong></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong>After the tour Mom and I went back to the apartment to rest before we went to a professional flamenco performance. I had heard a little flamenco before but it was all brand new for Mom. After the show we were pretty speechless but let's just say it is very..... different. Major culture shock for someone who hasn't been exposed to it before. The show was comprised of a singer, guitar player, dancer, and clapper. When I say "different" I mean it is sung with a LOT of passion, sadness, and in a way it is it's own kind of beauty. The dancers did a lot of tapping while the others were off to the side clapping in a specific way. If I'm not doing a very good job of explaining it, youtube it because you have to see it for yourself to know :)</strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wBdXCMYC6-8/UPaxFuchGsI/AAAAAAAABEE/nSNxtaCykzg/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wBdXCMYC6-8/UPaxFuchGsI/AAAAAAAABEE/nSNxtaCykzg/s1600/images.jpg" height="400" width="307" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
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<span id="rg_hr"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>This is what the dancer's dress looked like<br />worldartswest.org</strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong>Other attractions that we saw include; the Santa Cruz neighborhood (the old Jewish Quarter full of beautiful apartments and tons of restaurants), La Catedral y La Giralda (Cathedral and the famous tall tower), Triana (the neighborhood across the river), and oh yeah..a massive and noisy demonstration (due to the crisis and high unemployment rates)</strong></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pan1vHMJLjY/UPWGkrv7eTI/AAAAAAAABCA/NIqOrziRsF8/s1600/IMG_1530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pan1vHMJLjY/UPWGkrv7eTI/AAAAAAAABCA/NIqOrziRsF8/s1600/IMG_1530.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>La Giralda</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tVwRCwd-htQ/UPWHPbuvigI/AAAAAAAABDc/EDgYCFpFk0Y/s1600/IMG_1596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tVwRCwd-htQ/UPWHPbuvigI/AAAAAAAABDc/EDgYCFpFk0Y/s1600/IMG_1596.JPG" height="400" width="298" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>La Giralda at night- we had a pretty view from our dinner table</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QLFG2TYYvi0/UPWHHHGLK6I/AAAAAAAABC8/N92NXSjyGkI/s1600/IMG_1593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><strong><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QLFG2TYYvi0/UPWHHHGLK6I/AAAAAAAABC8/N92NXSjyGkI/s1600/IMG_1593.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><strong>This piece of architecture is known as the "mushrooms"</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Us after going to the Christmas market underneath the "mushrooms"</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><span dir="auto"><strong>Sevilla seemed to have gone by the quickest out of all of the cities we saw. I will most likely be going back because it's only three hours away and is famous for it's "Holy Week" in March and "Feria" (Fair) in April. </strong></span></span>senoritapagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17143090279829536350noreply@blogger.com0