Looking Forward To Future Trips

April 12th,

I woke up around 10am and after a quick breakfast and shower, I organized my desk and wrote out the tasks I will have to do in the last month and a half of school.  I needed to make a more disciplined regimen, especially as my year long classes will make or break me in the end.  I then looked a lot at future trips.  I bought my ticket to Paris for July 12th.  I'll be meeting up with Melissa in Paris before heading to Greece and Turkey to start our summer travel plans.  I debated on buying a ticket to Berlin, but decided to wait.  I wanted to go for a long weekend and although I could have just purchased it by myself, I decided to wait and see if anyone else wanted to go.  I wasted some time on facebook before going into the kitchen to make lunch.

After lunch I did some studying for my classes and then took a siesta.  I had certainly been lazy this Semana Santa.  For dinner, I made some pasta with cured manchego cheese.  I've been eating a lot more of the different sheep and goat cheeses available here in Spain and love their strong flavors. 

Since a lot of my friends were out of Granada, traveling, I wasn't sure who was home. I  received a call from Yessie and I went out with her and her cousin.  We went to Aliatar cafe and then to an Irish pub.  I hung out with them until about 2:00am before coming back home.

Rain On the Parade And The Perfecting Of An Image

April 11th,

Waking up, I immediately turned on my computer and began updating my blog.  I would dedicate another whole day to updating it.  I had finally completed my trip with my mom and was beginning to write about Egypt.

It was just Antonio and me in the piso today as Heiko and Karo had gone to Sevilla to see the biggest Semana Santa festival in Andalucía.  We went grocery shopping and came back to make a shared lunch.  The day was cold and threatening to rain.  I received a call from Jenny inviting me to see the biggest day of Semana Santa.  Today there would be a procession that only happened every 100 years.   I said I would meet her at the flag pole by Triunfo.

Navigating through the multitude of people jammed to the max on Mesones and by the Cathedral, I squeezed my way through to San Juan de Dios eventually making it to the flag pole.  The cold weather had allowed me to wear my heavy coat some more before putting it away for good.  I met Jenny and Kevin and we headed back the way I had just came, deciding to wait a the alleyway by the cathedral to try and get the best view of the processions.  We were soon committed to our location whether we wanted to stay or not as thousands of people blocked us in, each one trying to get the position available. 

For the next two hours we watched the once in a 100 years procession, our necks stretching to see above the crowd.  The "floats" with scenes of the Passion were exquisitely decorated with candles, flowers, gold and silver.  We were standing next to a another group of Americans from Lenguas Modernas.  The whole crowd was jealous of the people in the pisos overlooking the plaza with their perfect views of the procession.  The procession kept being delayed as the weather would turn bad.  I guess the rain was not good for the floats as the bearers would run them back to the church despite the heavy weight.  Once all of the floats were back in the church, the sun would come out.  Once the floats came back out, it would start to rain again.  God was playing a cruel joke on this weekend before Easter.  People in the front of the crowd would put up their umbrellas and everyone in the back would yell to close them.  

I stayed until 7:00pm before leading the way to escape the crowd, Jenny behind me.  It took me a while to get back home as I had to go out onto Gran Vía and take a lot of side streets back.  I sat in the living room with Antonio and loaded up the rest of my photos from Egypt onto facebook.  Like that, my trip had officially ended and processed for the world to see.  I worked a little more on my blog before going to bed.

When You Live On Calle San Antón, Granada Comes To You

April 10th,

I woke up at 10:00am with the intentions of writing in my blog.  Almost a month behind, I wrote all about my mom's trip and the adventure in Egypt.  Keeping a daily blog is a challenge but something that I've committed to and don't want to let slip away.

Having spent almost the entire day writing, I needed a break.  At 8:00pm, Heiko, Antonio and I put on our nice clothes and went for a "Calle San Antón," tapas route.  I live right in the center of Granada and I think I will never be able to appreciate how incredible of a  location I lucked out in finding.  Walking a total of 100 meters the entire night, we went to the restaurant next door for some great tapas and then went to the fanciest bar in Granada, Aliatar Café, at the end of our street.  Sitting with Heiko, Antonio and Karo at a private table in the corner of the converted theater I smiled, realizing how privileged and fortunate I was to have a year like this while I was still young.  I enjoyed hanging out with my roommates.  They are great guys.  We stayed until 2am before leaving to walk the 50 meters back to our apartment.

Living The Good Life In Granada

April 9th,

I woke up late, eating breakfast in the kitchen and going out on my balcony to write with my shirt off at my table.  I was feeling a little sick but the warm sun felt nice. 

For lunch, Antonio and I had some of the risotto that Heiko had made.  Antonio made some after lunch coffee and we relaxed in our sunny living room in our white, IKEA chairs.  Living it up in Granada.

We went to a tetería, tea house, for a second tea at a place we'd been meaning to go to the whole year.  A beautiful tea house with ivy covering the walls.  The dark wood interior was inviting.  Quiet corners and low tables.  We sat at one with a beautiful view of the street outside.  We ordered our drinks and a hookah and relaxed as the afternoon came and went.

That night we met up with our Erasmus friends and went for tapas in the center.  I will miss how easily social Granada is next year.  

Walking back home from tapas, we headed down Calle Mesones.  There were lines  of people on both sides of the street, silent.  We walked through the middle before realizing that it was one of the processions.  Had I just come to Granada, I would have been a little scared as hundreds of hooded figures in black KKK robes held long red candles that dripped hot wax on the street.  We watched them, the entire street silent.  A constant drum beat from a solitary drummer reverberated between the buildings.  A surreal scene.  

Tired, we cut back past the cathedral and came home, Puerta Real and Recogidas packed with people.

Semana Santa In Granada

April 8th,

I woke up at 10am having slept for about 9 and a half hours  I dedicated the majority of the day to cleaning, getting organized and settling back into Granada.

Heiko woke up around the same time and we shared stories from our trips.  He had been in Italy visiting our Italian friend Federica.  We went to the store and then Heiko left to go to Malaga to pick up his girlfriend from the airport.

Despite a seemingly lazy day, the night was a lot of fun.  At 8:30 I met up with Miranda, Leighanne and Alanna, my friends from Morocco Exchange to see the Semana Santa processions.  

This week is Semana Santa in Granada.  Throughout Holy Week, all of Andalucía celebrates the story of Jesus with large processions, huge floats and penitents wearing multi-colored robes that look like Ku Klux Klan hoods.  It is almost unique to southern Spain and something that I shouldn't miss while living here in Granada.

The city was filled with tourists from all over Europe and Spain.  The streets were jam packed.  In the plazas by the town hall and cathedral there was stadium seating bleachers and vendors were all over the place selling food and trinkets. 

Each night there would be 5 or 6 processions passing through designated routes throughout the city.  We actually ended up seeing all of them despite not having a real plan.  The processions are slow and showy.  Huge, extravagant, ornate floats are carried by a dozen men.  The floats, with flowers or gold have a statue of the Virgin or Jesus.  Each church has a fraternity that is in charge of carrying the float.  The floats were followed by penitents in colored uniforms with large pointy hoods.  We had good spots next to the processions by the Cathedral and Puerta Real.  We had some ice cream after watching the last procession.  

Back home by midnight, I talked with Antonio, Heiko and his girlfriend, Karo.  I skyped my friends studying abroad in London and talked to my dad.  He and Hunter will be coming out to visit when I finish finals in June.  I went to bed around 2am.

Lunch In Barcelona. Dinner in Granada

April 7th,

I woke up at 9:00am and took a shower.  For breakfast I had some muffins and juice that Alex and Vanessa had put in the kitchen for my visit.  

I began to write in my journal trying to get got up from the Egypt trip.  Vanessa came over to the apartment to begin her work.  It was cold and rainy in Barcelona, the exact opposite of the hot weather in Egypt.  I called Veronica and Melissa at 10:00 as they had said  yesterday that they would be down to meet up for lunch.  Just waking up they said they would call me when they were ready.  

At 12:20 the girls called me and we agreed to meet up at the Plaza Catalonia and then go to "4 Cats," the restaurant from "Vicky, Christina, Barcelona."  I said goodbye to Vanessa and then went to the taxi stop to hail a cab.  I was glad I had brought a jacket as it was cold.  

I didn't arrive in Plaza de Catalonia until almost 1pm.  I was easy to spot in my fedora and green back pack.  I was happy to see the girls.  They were tired, but had rested a little at their couchsurfer's house.  We walked down form Plaza Catalonia, passing a lot of the retail stores and heading in the direction of the gothic quarter.  We came just before it got really crowded, finding a table for the three of us.

4 Cats had been featured in the scene in Vicky, Christina Barcelona, when Javier Bardem's character asks the girls to come away with him for the weekend.  They had an excellent lunch menu that came with wine, appetizers and a main course.  I had to keep looking at my watch as I  had to be at the airport by 2:30.  We still had a nice lunch, already reminiscing a little over Egypt.  Melissa received a call from Ramon Piñon, the director of the program inviting us over to dinner as our study abroad advisor, Molly Ann McCaren was visiting Granada during Semana Santa.  Melissa couldn't make it due to her Italy trip but I told Ramon that I would there for dinner. 

I left my money on the table, said goodbye to the girls and left the restaurant.  I caught a taxi and I talked with the driver on the way over to the airport.

At the airport, I didn't have to wait very long before boarding my flight.  The flight was easy and we made it safely back to Granada.  On the ground, I met one of my old ILP professors and I told him about my year and my trips.  I was able to catch a micro-bus back to the center and was back home by 6:30pm.  

Back home in my apartment, I talked to Antonio and got settled in.  We put in some of the videos Antonio had taken from the trip which were hilarious.  If I have time I'll edit a movie.  I called Ramon and was told to come over.  I went over to their house around 8:30 arriving as they were making dinner.

I talked with Molly Ann, her son Matthew, the Piñons and their daughter Becca and her college friend from NYU, telling them about my year.  It was a great dinner full of interesting conversation.  It was nice to have been invited.  Outside we could hear the Semana Santa processions.  I said goodnight and thank you and left the piso with Becca who was going to watch the procession.  I went home to prepare for the next day and get some much needed sleep.

From Egypt to Spain With Love

April 6th,

Antonio woke me up at 3:45 from my sleep on the balcony of the hotel.  I had 15 minutes to pack my bag and quickly exit the room.  Everyone from the group was downstairs, groggy from lack of sleep.  We were handed white lunch boxes with some bread and juice and told to put our bags on the bus. Leaving the hotel to the Cairo airport, we were given directions of how to make it thorugh secuirty and get to our flight on time. 

The security at the airport wasn't that strict, just annoying as there were two distinct checkpoints.  I checked in my big green backpack and then went with the group to sit down in the cafe.  Melissa and I spoke with the couple from Peru who were waiting by the gate.

We were supposed to board the plane, but it was delayed a half an hour as there was something wrong with the electronics.  On the flight back to Barcelona, I mostly slept, waking up for a mediocre breakfast.  The landing was a little rocky, but like that we had made it safely back to Barcelona.

We passed through Spanish security and picked up our bags very quickly with the exception of Jennifer.  She had lost her passport somewhere between Egypt and Spain.  I called Alex and Vanessa and coordinated to meet up with them later.  We waited in the airport as Jenny tried to find her passport.  Antonio and Chupi hadn't bought return tickets back to Granada and after looking at the expensive airline tickets during Semana Santa, they decided to take the cheaper but tedious 12 hour bus back.

I went with the group to the train station where we would be parting ways.  It was a tough saying goodbye to everyone especially after such an unbelievable trip.  Veronica and Melissa would be spending the night in Barcelona and heading to Milan the next day to begin a second week long trip through Italy (crazy) and Jenny, Antonio and Chupi would be heading back to Granada on the bus.  I would be spending the evening withe Alex and Vanessa and then trying to find a flight back to Granada tomorrow.  I gave everyone a big hug and left the train station looking for  a taxi.  I was sad to leave such an incredible trip behind, but happy to return to Spain and continue with my year abroad.

The taxi ride took a long route through sunny Barcelona.  It was a culture shock to be in a country that had traffic laws.  The mere fact that this taxi had seat belts was a huge difference from Cairo.  

Arriving  at the guest apartment/office, I was greeted by Alex and Vanessa who were busy at work.  I got settled into my little guest room and ate some food that they had saved for me for lunch.  I was feeling tired and sick.  I talked to Vanessa while checking my email and buying an airline ticket to return home the next day.  I then took a much needed siesta.

At 7:30 Vanessa woke me up to go to martial arts training.  Just recently completed since my last visit to Barcelona the month before, Alex's dojo was incredible.  Decorated with all of his photos and artifacts from Japan, the dojo had a great feel.  Open and spacious, the dojo could be converted to give lectures and classes.  He had had the tatami mats shipped over form Japan.  I borrowed one of Alex's suits and used it for training.  I am always rusty, considering I don't train in Granada, and feeling a little sick didn't help.  Still, I managed to do OK.

Training lasted until 10:00pm.  Alex and Vanessa drove me back to their house for a quick dinner.  They have been so kind to me this whole year.  Alex drove me back to the guest apartment after dinner.  He told me to study hard and get ready for more trips.  I went upstairs to the piso and immediately fell asleep.

Half Way Through May

May 16th,

Spring in Spain (and in Europe for that matter) is truly incredible.  From perfect weather, spring festivals and a last few trips before finals come beginning of June, May has proven to be a great "last real Spanish month."  May has absolutely flown by, and writing this on May 16th, the second half of the month, I realize how little time left I have here in Granada.

Portugal was a fantastic trip.  Heiko, Antonio and I spent 4 days in Lisbon at one of the world's best hostels, Traveler's House, and did day trips to the wonderful cities of Cascais and Sintra.  In Cascais we did an all day bike tour along the national park and in Sintra we toured beautiful palaces and gardens.  I loved traveling with my Spanish and German roommates.  I really look up to both of them and we had some polemic, critical, deep and eye opening conversations throughout the trip.

In the last two weeks before finals, I have been busy with school and end of the year activities.  

One way or the other I'll have this blog updated soon in its normal fashion with daily entries and pictures.

Portugal For The Weekend

May 7th,

I'll be visiting Lisbon, Portugal this weekend from May 8th-11th.  I'll hope to have my blog and pictures updated soon.

May Is Here And I'm Behind On My Blog

May 5th,

¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!  I am unfortunately very far behind on my blog due to the inset of large projects, incredible weather and the seemingly incessant Spring Festivals here in Andalucía.  April was an absolutely incredible month and May is shaping up to be as good if not even better. I'll be in Lisbon, Portugal this weekend to visit another country on the Iberian Peninsula.