Saturday, June 23, 2007
me and kynan.... on antifighting day in venice
here is me and kynan on antifighting day in venice..... many weird things were seen and heard during our day... one that stuck with us was a mom and her 4 kids.. probably all under the age of 6... she said, "there is no fighting today. Today is antifighting day."
Friday, June 22, 2007
Venice... with my cousin Kynan
On Thursday, June 21, my cousin, Kynan, and I boarded a train to Venice. It only took about 2 hours... once we were there.. we walked and walked and walked and walked...up and down, up and down.... Venice is just like all teh pictures you see. and as my cousin, Michael, describes it, 'It's like Las Vegas.. you just have to go to see it once.' So here are some pictures....
Everything in Italy has been wonderful.... Michael and Cinzia have been very generous and took me to get my first real italian pizza and gelato.. all wonderful. kynan has been making me food which i will be very deprived of when i leave on monday. Monday i go to Torino, then on a 3 days Italian Riveria Tour and get to see Then i move into my housing on friday, with school starting monday. I will be going to Rome on the 7th with friends from Bilbao who will then come to visit me!! I will also hopefully be going to Nice and Florence sometime in the next 5-6 weeks. after August 3.. school is offically over.. maybe earlier for me since i dont have to take the final, and then its Europe!!! ahh.. where should i go? so many choices and only 15 days!
and of course i cant get away from PR stuff while i'm abroad... this ad drove me crazy everytime i saw it.. do me a favor and DONT HYPHENATE!
Everything in Italy has been wonderful.... Michael and Cinzia have been very generous and took me to get my first real italian pizza and gelato.. all wonderful. kynan has been making me food which i will be very deprived of when i leave on monday. Monday i go to Torino, then on a 3 days Italian Riveria Tour and get to see Then i move into my housing on friday, with school starting monday. I will be going to Rome on the 7th with friends from Bilbao who will then come to visit me!! I will also hopefully be going to Nice and Florence sometime in the next 5-6 weeks. after August 3.. school is offically over.. maybe earlier for me since i dont have to take the final, and then its Europe!!! ahh.. where should i go? so many choices and only 15 days!
and of course i cant get away from PR stuff while i'm abroad... this ad drove me crazy everytime i saw it.. do me a favor and DONT HYPHENATE!
Leaving Spain
Wow... as i make my way to the metro station in Barcelona.. i had very mixed feelings about leaving. i was sad to leave all the friends i had made in the last 3-4 weeks. Yea, doesnt sound like a long time, but when you are pretty much forced to make friends.. sometimes they turn out to be very good friends... Like James and Katie who i went to Lisbao with... or Colt who i helped study for his final. Or laney, ashely and kim who, when stuck in a hotel room together, you bond very quickly. Preston of course will always be in my heart...He is my 'spanish-american' brother. My family in spain was wonderful and couldnt of asked for more! 
Thank you to everyone in the USAC bilbao program... staff, students and my teacher Estela... i couldnt have made the memories myself. I love you guys!
Ok, so getting to the airport in barcelona wasnt easy.. the lady told me the wrong train, some spanish dude busts out his guitar and starts to sing....i finally get to the airport about 7:20 when my flight was at 7:30.. and turns out.. I'M AT THE WRONG AIRPORT!!!!! and little minutes left on my phone, so i booked another flight, called my mom, and got on the new flight at about 10 pm... the plane only had about 40 or so seats, and only 25 people on it... maybe it was worth getting to the wrong airport! oh well... i made it to italy!!!
Thank you to everyone in the USAC bilbao program... staff, students and my teacher Estela... i couldnt have made the memories myself. I love you guys!
Ok, so getting to the airport in barcelona wasnt easy.. the lady told me the wrong train, some spanish dude busts out his guitar and starts to sing....i finally get to the airport about 7:20 when my flight was at 7:30.. and turns out.. I'M AT THE WRONG AIRPORT!!!!! and little minutes left on my phone, so i booked another flight, called my mom, and got on the new flight at about 10 pm... the plane only had about 40 or so seats, and only 25 people on it... maybe it was worth getting to the wrong airport! oh well... i made it to italy!!!
Barcelona... June 16 - June 18
I know,I know... it has been a while... so here is my barcelona update.
Before leaving for Barcelona, we had to finish school. Since I am auditing, I didnt have to take the final exam on June 15. So, after my 2 other classmates finished their exams, our teacher Estela, took us to her home town of Durango, about 40 minutes from where we lived in Getxo.
Durango is a calm, peaceful and quiet town. Estela made us lunch... tortilla with potatoes, salad with pasta, fresh bread and spanish style fried rice with ham. All was delicious. We then went and had some coffee.. cafe con leche... no more iced vanilla lattes from starbucks for me... im boycotting starbucks in europe.. they only belong in the states.. and took too much money from me since the new drive thru opened in chico.
Estela then took us to the mountains near by where we stopped to take pictures of the view and a hotel and restuarant. We had a great time!! Thank you Estela.. and come visit the states again.. only this time come to California.. dont worry I'll talk to Félix.
So, Friday, June 15th, we (Ashley, Laney, Kim and I) left for Barcelona at about 11:30 pm on the bus.
On Saturday, June 16th, we arrived in Barcelona around 7 am, dropped our stuff off at the hotel and went to see La Sagrada Familia.
This catholic basilica which has been under construction for 100 years.. crazy!! anyways, the outside has alot of details, and inside is just a lot of scaffolding since it is still under construction. It will be neat to go back once it is finished (in the year 3000! haha) and see how it really came to life. The inside columns are made of different stone and meant to resemble trees with the burst at the tops like knots of a tree and then above that, the branches. 
We went up in the evelator to the top of one of the towers... and saw the view... the people looked like ants!! There were 427 stairs that we then had to climb down, in a spiral.
After La Sagrada Familia, we checked into the hotel, took one of our last spainsh siestas, then went to find Las Ramblas and Colon. We walked in the wrong direction about three times, got to see some of the houses that Gaudi helped build and design
and finally made it to see Colon. 
We decided to have some sangria at an outisde patio restuarant, and ran into some friends from Bilbao... but the waiter wouldnt let us just order drinks and appeitizers for 7 people.. so we got up, left and went to another bar where the sangria was really strong!! We ended up just hanging out that night and then went home and to bed.
Sunday, June 17th: Ashley had to leave us so she could fly to Rome. So, Laney, Kim and I went to Park Guell and the Olymipc Village area. Guell had purchased the land and Gaudi built on it.
At the main gates are the houses of Hansel and Grettle,
then up the main path are a few founatins (the most famous is of a lizard.)
There are many arch ways which Gaudi built...
The olympic area wasnt very impressive.. but this thing was pretty cool lookin.
and so was the beach.... 
Later that day we met up with the guys form bilbao again... by the 'dirty fountain'
this founatin was yellow, but the one next to it was white... something funky was going on... These are the guys from bilbao we met up with!
and had some more drinks!! we ended up going to the beach so i got to touch the Mediterrian Sea!!!!
Monday, June 18th: Laney and Kim left early in the morning to go back to Bilbao... so i was alone in Barcelona.. i got to people watch all day long! it was great! This is some of what i saw...
Durango and Barcelona are very cool and enjoyable. Hope you enjoyed them too!!
Before leaving for Barcelona, we had to finish school. Since I am auditing, I didnt have to take the final exam on June 15. So, after my 2 other classmates finished their exams, our teacher Estela, took us to her home town of Durango, about 40 minutes from where we lived in Getxo.
Durango is a calm, peaceful and quiet town. Estela made us lunch... tortilla with potatoes, salad with pasta, fresh bread and spanish style fried rice with ham. All was delicious. We then went and had some coffee.. cafe con leche... no more iced vanilla lattes from starbucks for me... im boycotting starbucks in europe.. they only belong in the states.. and took too much money from me since the new drive thru opened in chico.
Estela then took us to the mountains near by where we stopped to take pictures of the view and a hotel and restuarant. We had a great time!! Thank you Estela.. and come visit the states again.. only this time come to California.. dont worry I'll talk to Félix.So, Friday, June 15th, we (Ashley, Laney, Kim and I) left for Barcelona at about 11:30 pm on the bus.
On Saturday, June 16th, we arrived in Barcelona around 7 am, dropped our stuff off at the hotel and went to see La Sagrada Familia.
This catholic basilica which has been under construction for 100 years.. crazy!! anyways, the outside has alot of details, and inside is just a lot of scaffolding since it is still under construction. It will be neat to go back once it is finished (in the year 3000! haha) and see how it really came to life. The inside columns are made of different stone and meant to resemble trees with the burst at the tops like knots of a tree and then above that, the branches. 
We went up in the evelator to the top of one of the towers... and saw the view... the people looked like ants!! There were 427 stairs that we then had to climb down, in a spiral.
After La Sagrada Familia, we checked into the hotel, took one of our last spainsh siestas, then went to find Las Ramblas and Colon. We walked in the wrong direction about three times, got to see some of the houses that Gaudi helped build and design
and finally made it to see Colon. 
We decided to have some sangria at an outisde patio restuarant, and ran into some friends from Bilbao... but the waiter wouldnt let us just order drinks and appeitizers for 7 people.. so we got up, left and went to another bar where the sangria was really strong!! We ended up just hanging out that night and then went home and to bed.Sunday, June 17th: Ashley had to leave us so she could fly to Rome. So, Laney, Kim and I went to Park Guell and the Olymipc Village area. Guell had purchased the land and Gaudi built on it.
At the main gates are the houses of Hansel and Grettle,
then up the main path are a few founatins (the most famous is of a lizard.)
There are many arch ways which Gaudi built...
The olympic area wasnt very impressive.. but this thing was pretty cool lookin.
and so was the beach.... 
Later that day we met up with the guys form bilbao again... by the 'dirty fountain'
this founatin was yellow, but the one next to it was white... something funky was going on... These are the guys from bilbao we met up with!
and had some more drinks!! we ended up going to the beach so i got to touch the Mediterrian Sea!!!!
Monday, June 18th: Laney and Kim left early in the morning to go back to Bilbao... so i was alone in Barcelona.. i got to people watch all day long! it was great! This is some of what i saw...
Durango and Barcelona are very cool and enjoyable. Hope you enjoyed them too!!
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Portugal!
Thursday, June 7: Left Bilbao to Vitoria .... Well we missed the 8:45 bus so we had to get on the 9:15 pm bus. James and Katie went with me. We arrived in Vitoria, got our train tickets to Lisboa then went and had a beer. We boarded the train.. and we got a sleeper car.. those things are great!!!! A few stops later, we had a new friend join us... he was Portuguese and spoke some Spanish.. Taught us how to say Off and On for the lights! But then we still didn’t know if he wanted them on or off! Oh well.. slept until about 10 am .. our train got in about 11am... then we went to the Hostel...
Friday, June 8: arrived at the Hostel and then went to a Chinese place to eat... got sweet and sour pork, fried rice, noodles with Three Delight!, spring rolls and scallops with garlic... all very good! So whats three delight? We were wondering the same thing. But it turns out it is shrimp, chicken and some beef... so good!!! Then we checked into the hostel... and then went to check out the city... All the streets are made of small black stones while the sidewalks are made of small white stones with black stones making designs
. They also had all these little trees that were painted by people.. it was really neat to see all the different ones... 
We went to the oceanarium, the castle and then ate dinner at a small cafe. The oceanairium was built for Expo 98... and it was very cool... the castle had great views of the city.
and great views within the castle... 
For dinner we had cod, pizza and paella.. sharing it all. The paella had huge shrimp.. with eyeballs included! haha!.. that was interesting cleaning them! we then headed home....
Saturday, June 9: we woke up.. ate headed to the tower..
then we walked around some more and then went to the zoo.. we saw a dolphin show.. all in Portuguese! haha! very interesting.. and then they played YMCA in PORTUGESE!! After the zoo we went to a British bar.. Where they didn’t speak English! But we had a few drinks then headed back to the hotel. Sunday, June 10: We woke up.. Then headed down to the main squares we found by a metro stop... we took a funicular (elevator) and got great views of the city and the castle
.... the we headed to the train station and headed home around 4 pm.. we didnt get a sleeper train this time.. and should of. we had 2 big leather benches... trying to sleep- YEA! our train got in around 4:30 am...Monday, June 11: Train got in around 4:30 am.. then had to wait at the bus station till 6am when we got our bus.. that we almost missed!!!! Got back to Bilbao about 7.. then went to class!!!! after that i went to the beach.. where i was supposed to take my siesta... but ended up just reading! oh well...
Tuesday, june 12: went to school.. and hung out.
Wednesday, June 13: didnt go to school--- slept through my alarms.. woke up at 2:30 pm!! i guess it was needed after my crazy weekend...
this weekend i am headed to a small town nearby called Durango with my teacher.. then to Barcelona for a few days, and then headed to Bologna on Monday to see my cousins Michael and Cinzia.. and kynan... then i go to Torino on the 25th-- and start my tour on the 26 for 3 or 4 days.. then my classes start!!
Sorry about my spelling! i cant figure out the spell check on here because it is all in spanish!!!
Miss you love you!
Thursday, June 7, 2007
June 4 ~ June 7
Monday: Today i actually got to go in the ocean and go SURFING! i am so glad the weather has cleared up .. and by that i mean no rain!! and its like highs of 27*! haha.. anyways! the waves (olas) were great.. but i just had fun sitting in the water hanging out.. in the ocean where i belong!! After surfing we got cheap candy and pizza! the surf school we go to is cheap and sponsored by quiksilver and roxy!! Cant wait to go again!
Tuesday: I didnt go to school today becuase we had a midterm and since i am auditing i didint have to go!! So, i again slept until 1:30 pm!!! It was great! later that night a few of us just hung out!
Wednesday: After school, James, Ashley and I went to San Sebastian.. about an hour bus ride ( where apparently there are assigned seats on the bus!) there we meet up with some USAC people we met on the Madrid tour. we went up to this mountain (Monte Igelo) where there is a spectatular view. there is also a small amusement park build in 1912.. we rode the small roller coaster (montana suiza) and the log/boat ride where it was supposed to be like ´its a small world.´ They had huge cardboard cut outs of peter pan, quazimoto, hercules, mermaids, captain hook..... it was sooo funny! Nice try spain! we then went to dinner and then ice cream.. and then headed bakc on the bus. It was a wonderful day!
Thursday: Thats today!! I have gone to school, now i am in the lab.. and will catch the bus at 1 or 2.. depending on how much i write!! Also, today i will go home for lunch, then surfing then to PORTUGAL!!!!!!!!! we leave tonight around 9 or 10 to take a bus to Vitoria. then the train leaves at 0:15 to go to lisboa.. and arrives there at 12 noon.. we will be there until sunday at 4 pm when the train leaves to vitoria arriving at 4:30 am.. the bus will pick us up at 6 am arriving in bilbao at 7am with school at 8... thank god they have siestas in spain.. i will definiately be using them this next week!!
Tuesday: I didnt go to school today becuase we had a midterm and since i am auditing i didint have to go!! So, i again slept until 1:30 pm!!! It was great! later that night a few of us just hung out!
Wednesday: After school, James, Ashley and I went to San Sebastian.. about an hour bus ride ( where apparently there are assigned seats on the bus!) there we meet up with some USAC people we met on the Madrid tour. we went up to this mountain (Monte Igelo) where there is a spectatular view. there is also a small amusement park build in 1912.. we rode the small roller coaster (montana suiza) and the log/boat ride where it was supposed to be like ´its a small world.´ They had huge cardboard cut outs of peter pan, quazimoto, hercules, mermaids, captain hook..... it was sooo funny! Nice try spain! we then went to dinner and then ice cream.. and then headed bakc on the bus. It was a wonderful day!
Thursday: Thats today!! I have gone to school, now i am in the lab.. and will catch the bus at 1 or 2.. depending on how much i write!! Also, today i will go home for lunch, then surfing then to PORTUGAL!!!!!!!!! we leave tonight around 9 or 10 to take a bus to Vitoria. then the train leaves at 0:15 to go to lisboa.. and arrives there at 12 noon.. we will be there until sunday at 4 pm when the train leaves to vitoria arriving at 4:30 am.. the bus will pick us up at 6 am arriving in bilbao at 7am with school at 8... thank god they have siestas in spain.. i will definiately be using them this next week!!
my weekend (1 junio - 3 junio)
Sorry i havent kept up... Spain has kept me busy.
Let´s see... first of all, i believe i have posted about my host mom´s dad dying.. so i had to move. my new home is wonderful. I live with my madre, her son Jon (but pronouned Yawn) who is 14 and her 17 year old daughter, Ane, is there every once in a while. I also live with a USAC student from Idaho.. his name is preston. He is mean to be but it is just because he is my brother! haha! we get along good and are learning alot of spanish because our mom doesnt speak a word of english.
well.. last weekend we were out until about 4:30 am in Bilbao... My friend james and i decided to go home-- others were out until about 7 am... the next morning we had an excursion along the coast.
we went to gernika.. where there is a really really old oak tree.. i guess it survived a war here and they treasure it. there is now the grandson of the old tree where it used to be.. the dad of that tree died and is going to be put out side in a ´shrine´thingie like the grandfather... weird... they really like their trees or something!
then we went to this place where there is a church on a hill in the ocean with a little pass with 231 steps to the church. it was very pretty... pictures to come!
then we went to a church and an outdorr market.. the cheese there was AMAZING!!! i felt like i was at costco with the free samples though. in the nearby church there were 3 weddings going on.. and of corse i felt i had to go in and take pictures! haha! i guess there is a 2 or 3 year waiting list to get married in this church.. and you haveto get married the same day with the same decor as the other brides... none of my future bride´s will be getting married there.
we ate lunch at a nice restuarnte.. had sopa de potatos and atun (tuna) and then salad with atun and then a breaded fish.. all very good and finished with a wonderful desert of a thin layer of creme burle on top of a whipcream like substance all on a pie crust.. it was like heaven in your mouth!
then we went to another church where there are 3 huge rocks inside.. they believe the rocks grew up from the ground.. then they built the church.. there is no way anyone could have moved these rocks.. nor are they meadiorites or from the mountain becuase the are not the same compsite.
after our return to getxo.. a few of us went to play ultimate frisbee.. i got a good workout and my buttkicked!
Then on sunday i slept until 1:30 pm and then went to the beach. and then just hung out!
it has been a wonderful trip so far!
Let´s see... first of all, i believe i have posted about my host mom´s dad dying.. so i had to move. my new home is wonderful. I live with my madre, her son Jon (but pronouned Yawn) who is 14 and her 17 year old daughter, Ane, is there every once in a while. I also live with a USAC student from Idaho.. his name is preston. He is mean to be but it is just because he is my brother! haha! we get along good and are learning alot of spanish because our mom doesnt speak a word of english.
well.. last weekend we were out until about 4:30 am in Bilbao... My friend james and i decided to go home-- others were out until about 7 am... the next morning we had an excursion along the coast.
we went to gernika.. where there is a really really old oak tree.. i guess it survived a war here and they treasure it. there is now the grandson of the old tree where it used to be.. the dad of that tree died and is going to be put out side in a ´shrine´thingie like the grandfather... weird... they really like their trees or something!
then we went to this place where there is a church on a hill in the ocean with a little pass with 231 steps to the church. it was very pretty... pictures to come!
then we went to a church and an outdorr market.. the cheese there was AMAZING!!! i felt like i was at costco with the free samples though. in the nearby church there were 3 weddings going on.. and of corse i felt i had to go in and take pictures! haha! i guess there is a 2 or 3 year waiting list to get married in this church.. and you haveto get married the same day with the same decor as the other brides... none of my future bride´s will be getting married there.
we ate lunch at a nice restuarnte.. had sopa de potatos and atun (tuna) and then salad with atun and then a breaded fish.. all very good and finished with a wonderful desert of a thin layer of creme burle on top of a whipcream like substance all on a pie crust.. it was like heaven in your mouth!
then we went to another church where there are 3 huge rocks inside.. they believe the rocks grew up from the ground.. then they built the church.. there is no way anyone could have moved these rocks.. nor are they meadiorites or from the mountain becuase the are not the same compsite.
after our return to getxo.. a few of us went to play ultimate frisbee.. i got a good workout and my buttkicked!
Then on sunday i slept until 1:30 pm and then went to the beach. and then just hung out!
it has been a wonderful trip so far!
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