Megan in Spain, Part II: Cadiz and Madrid

After two nights in Granada, Megan and I took the five hour bus to Cadiz, the oldest town in Western Europe. It's also where my friend Jane has been living this past year, along with her fantastic roommate Rosie, whom I met in Salamanca. Rosie met us at the bus station, and both she and Jane were very gracious in letting us stay in their apartment (Jane was traveling through Italy). It was so nice to hang out with Rosie and to not have to have my face in a map while we walked around.

Since Cadiz is on the beach, we took advantage of that. Our first day there, the weather was cloudy until about 6 or 7 pm, so we ate lunch and had a coffee and then made a salad for dinner at Rosie's and Jane's apartment. We also opened one of the bottles of 2001 Rioja that my students gave me and it was quite good. Oh, and we watched Say Anything, which I had never seen before.

The next day, we went to the market in the morning, had crepes for lunch, and were on the beach by 3:30. We stayed out there until about 7:30, which is still sun time in Cadiz. Then we ate dinner on the Cathedral plaza and had more crepes for dessert.

On our last day, we people watched for a while at a cafe and then Rosie had to leave us to say goodbye to her Belgian friend and pack to meet her mom in Sevilla the next day. So Megan and I ate lunch outside and went to the beach until about 7:00. We said goodbye to Rosie and made a pizza for dinner and watched Across the Universe. Our whole time in Cadiz was very much a beach vacation. We just ate, slept, walked around, and laid in the sand. It was amazing.

the cathedral

the beach on our first day; we saw a dead body being pulled to shore, which was terrifying.

Rosie and Megan people watching.

pretty little balconies

a park on the way to the beach

walking up to the apartment

our beautiful pizza

We spent 3 nights in Cadiz and departed on Friday morning at 5:45 am. Our train arrived in Madrid at 11:15 am so we promptly found our hostal and fed ourselves paella. We did an abbreviated trip to the Prado, paying attention only to Velazquez, Goya, and El Greco, before meeting David for coffee and shopping. Exhausted, we made it back to our hostal and amazingly back out again for beers and a light dinner in Malasana before heading back to bed. Megan left on Saturday, so we spent that day getting her to the airport and then me to the bus station. And now I'm back in Logrono, missing southern Spain.

an illegal photo of Las Meninas

a beautiful day in Madrid

coffee

antiques

a ton of potato chips

Megan in Spain, Part I: Granada

This week I had the pleasure of my friend Megan's company in Granada and Cadiz with two nights in Madrid at the beginning and the end. Since there was so much to see, I am starting with Granada. We rented an apartment there, and it pretty much made our trip. As previously mentioned, the owners gave us a discounted rate on the penthouse apartment complete with a rooftop terrace. It turns out that the owners are a married couple, the wife from Seattle and the husband Spanish. The woman wasn't that much older than us, and they were both so nice and adorable.

Our first day in Granada, Megan and I celebrated our birthdays with a full 2.5 hour lunch at a restaurant with a lush patio and attractive wait staff. We ordered every course and were very Spanish about things. There's a photograph of each dish below. Afterwards, we enjoyed our terrace with beer, strawberries, and brie before venturing out for tapas, which in Granada are free with the purchase of a drink. Afterwards we had the best gelato I may have had anywhere. Dark chocolate and hazelnut. Amazing.

on the way to lunch

getting ready to celebrate

the patio

our first appetizer, a spinach salad

our second appetizer, tabouli with eggs, shrimp, and a curry sauce

my entree, garlic cod with potatoes

and chocolate crepes for dessert

the terrace

snacks

a self-timed photo on the terrace

a cafe and the cathedral; note the cloth that is hung to keep the street cool in the summer

Our second day in Granada was spent at the Alhambra, the Moorish palace. We toured the main palace and walked around a little bit before eating lunch outside again and returning to our terrace. Just before sunset, we climbed the hill of the Albaicin, a picturesque neighborhood of white washed houses on a hill that faces the Alhambra. We made it to the lookout after quite a hike, and then made our way down to the Realito, the former Jewish quarter. It was an adorable neighborhood with several cute tapas places where I ate migas for the first time.

approaching the Alhambra

in the palace

I wish you could see the scale here; this arch is maybe 1.5 feet tall so the carving is small and of course extremely ornate

me and the city/Albaicin from the Alhambra

the Alhambra from the Albaicin; behind us were several groups of hippy-types weaving bracelets or making charms out of coins.

from our table at a Realito tapas bar

Granada might be in my top 2 favorite places that I've been in Spain this year. Still to come: Cadiz and a last day in Madrid.

Last day in Albelda

Today was my last day in C.P. San Prudencia, the school where I teach in Albelda. It also happens to be my favorite school. On a normal Wednesday, I teach 2 classes of sixth graders, have a coffee break, and then teach a class of third graders. After lunch/siesta, I teach another third grade class, and in these last two classes, we have been working on a play since the beginning of March at least. It's in English, so most of the kids have no idea what's going on, and there's a semi-complicated plot twist involving a pot, a rooster, and a golden harp. The words, "Can you help? Can you help? Can you find the harp?" are now stamped into my brain for good.

Today, the sixth graders gave me letters they had written and several gifts, and the third graders performed their play which was hilarious. Their costumes were made of colored garbage bags so there was a constant rustling sound even when they weren't talking (which is literally never). The teachers also gave me this bracelet where each section of beads represent a part of the story of winemaking in La Rioja. See photographs below.

My first class of sixth graders.

My second class.

Some of the gifts the sixth graders gave me: chorizo and pate made by one of the girl's grandfather; mascara, eyeliner, mango and green tea perfume, white and red nail polish, and a makeup case; a mug; eau de toilette; and a keychain. Not pictured, 3 bottles of aged Rioja wine.

The third graders "in the castle."

More of the play, this time in Freddy Redfoot's house. I really wanted to take that poster home with me.

This is on the way back from El Cortijo, where I tutor C.P. San Prudencia's vice principal's children after school.

Headed back to Logrono.

I'll miss Albelda. The teachers there are really nice too. But tomorrow is my last day of teaching (!!!!!!). And then Megan arrives in Madrid on Saturday and we're headed to Granada on Sunday to stay here: http://www.casamartingranada.com/apartments.php?l=en. We got apartment number five for half the price because the owners are already awesome. And then off to Cadiz to get tan and then one week and then home!

Birthday/Tapas

Yesterday, I celebrated my birthday here in Logrono by going out for tapas with Rosa, the teacher at my Tuesday school who has been incredibly helpful, Kelly, Jennis, and an English teacher with whom Kelly works who's also friends with Rosa. I took it as an opportunity to photograph some tapas, something I always say I'm going to do and then I forget to take out my camera.

Before going out, my roommates and I devoured the amazing brownies that Sylvie made (see above and below). Decent baked goods don't exist in Spain, and the brownies were amazing.

Unrelated, but I'm trying to draw more and I drew this this week, and I kind of like it.

me, Rosa, Kelly, and Jennis at the mushrooms place, La Cueva (The Cave).

These are mushrooms ("champis") covered in garlicy olive oil and held together by a toothpick. There's also a small shrimp on top. So delicious, and the best part is when you're done eating the mushrooms, you have a garlicy greasy piece of bread to eat.

Here we are at 9 pm (notice the light/the perfect weather), being nerds. That's Kelly's teacher, Isabel, on the far right. Hilarious.

I'm not sure what's on the far left; something in a shell. Next is a croquette and then 3 Sublimes, a chicken and tomato skewer with guacamole. It's one of my favorites.

Patatas Bravas are all over Spain, but I think they're the best in Logrono. They're fried potato slices covered with mayonaisse (that magically doesn't look or taste like mayonaisse) and brava sauce, a semi-spicy tomato-based sauce.

I didn't eat this but I took a picture anyways. I think it's green pepper and anchovies. I got a piece of toast topped with goat cheese, jamon serano, and raspberry jam.

And then we end every tapas experience with Sorbette, limon sorbet and champagne blended. I'm going to take photographs next time I go out of more tapas.

Valencia

Last Friday, I met Jane in Valencia for three nights. Here are some photos.

the royal gardens

the cathedral

The arm of "San Vicente." He died in 380 AD. Questionable.

Fluorescent lighting and fuschia walls in the cathedral's museum. Also questionable.

But perhaps the most questionable: the Holy Grail. Adorned with pearls and lacking accompanying literature.

The view from the tower of the cathedral.

The tapestry is made of flowers.

City of Arts and Sciences

A mola mola at the City's aquarium, L'oceanografic. Even stranger looking in person.

In the shark tunnel. You can pay to have a slumber party in here on Friday nights. I want one.

Aquarium

Sea anemone. The only one stuck to the glass.

a Beluga whale watching it's reflection

more of the City of Arts and Sciences

out

paella and sangria by the beach