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

Pamplona and Santander with Jane

Jane, a friend of mine from UGA, made the monstrous journey north from Cadiz this weekend. She's teaching English in the same program as I. On Friday, we traveled to Pamplona for about 4 hours. It was several degrees colder there, and everything was closed because it was Spain's Labor Day. We visited the cathedral and the archives. On the way back to the bus station, we saw several groups of police, many wearing masks and carrying those plastic riot shields. They and some firemen were searching the large green dumpsters on the streets. We asked the guy who sold us postcards what was going on and he said sarcastically that it was just the police's daily parade around town. After turning a few corners, however, we learned that someone lit a dumpster on fire in honor of Labor Day. For some reason, we saw several Basque independence flags even though Pamplona is in Navarre, not the Basque Country. I guess that's the explanaition for the police insanity.

pretty handwriting in the archives

the police: note the giant gun and potential silencer on the far right

I really liked this K bar sign.

springish

On Saturday evening, I met Jane in Santander after she spent the day in Bilbao. Parts of Santander are run down and composed of these square buildings that you find all over the new parts of Spanish cities and wonder who ever thought they looked good (sadly, they're still building this way). But the part that was cute was actually really cute. We walked along the beach on Saturday and then met a professional basketball team Saturday night, including a man named Charles from Milwalkee who played for the team. On Sunday, we enjoyed the good weather for a portion of the day and visited the Magdalena, a palace on a peninsula. The water was absolutely gorgeous. We ate lunch in the cute area of town at a restaurant with great interior decoration, a rarity in Spain. The food was good, but slow and when we left two hours later, the weather had soured. We spent the rest of the time reading outside, walking around the cathedral, and waiting for our respective buses.

on the way

there

a distant golf course

us

a pretty plaza

view from the Magdalena

the palace itself

behind the palace

the view from a bench

tapas