We had a WONDERFUL visit to Sevilla during the first week of April! Lauren met us at the airport and it was sooooooo great to see her and give her a huge hug!
After nearly 30 weary hours of traveling, we were very happy to be in one place for a while. A huge highlight was the WAY COOL ZIPPY WHITE BMW we got to drive all over Spain!!! It was a fantastic motoring car, which purred on the highways and Dad got to remember how do drive a manual transmission: “being ‘one’ with the car!”
Lauren showed us all the sights in gorgeous Sevilla: meeting her host family was great, and visiting their lovely apartment in the Triana district, on Calle Pages Del Corro. Many of the streets are only wide enough for only 1 European sized car to get through! Easter weekend in Sevilla with all of the parades and floats, the Alcazar, the City Centre, the Cathedral, eating by the river, Lauren showing us her Universidad, having gelato and crepes on the busy street, Road trips included: Portugal, Gibraltar, Granada and Jerez to sample sherry and see the Andalusian horses and olive orchards. We saw both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Seas and the countryside is simply beautiful.
We dined on the delicious Andalusian fare, tapas nearly every evening…LATE! A special evening included taking Lauren’s friends out to dinner, and the EASTER BUNNY came to the table! American chocolate doesn’t compare to the delicious European chocolate, but I think they enjoyed something from America and I don’t think the Easter Bunny comes to Spain!!! Kelli, Becky, Caroline and Lauren showed us what to order and we had a super time: THANK YOU LADIES!!! We can see that this semester in Spain agrees with you!!! AND, we even went to a flamenco bar which opened at midnight and closed at 2:00 a.m., which is MUCH later than we ever stay awake…but the city of Sevilla was still going strong at 2:00 a.m.!!!
Anyway, now we’re home and back to our regular lives and routines, and this trip is a delightful memory. WE LOVED SPAIN, and especially seeing Lauren and Sevilla!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
River Reflections.....
Sitting in the sun by the river yesterday, I was reflecting and discovered the following things:
1. I haven't written a blog in forever...oops!
2. There will be a "Mom Blog" to follow this.
3. Birthdays in foreign countries are exciting--YAY 21!
4. I'm going home 3 weeks from today.
5. Morocco, Semana Santa, the parents being here, Rome, Portugal, Malaga, London, Feria, Granada.
6. Homework is NO fun whatsoever.
7. I have some of the best friends in the whole wide world.
8. I miss my Homaha, but can't yet imagine leaving sevilla.
9. "Hippie" clothes are becoming more and more prevalent in my wardrobe--I LOVE it!
10. I'd better get to writing!
So-Morocco was absolutely FABULOUS! From the nice people, to the lush green rolling hills, the country defied all my expectations. And now back in Spain, I definitely wouldn't consider myself an expert haggler, but I can get by! The whole trip was unforgettable, but right now, I think the best memory was riding into the Sahara desert on camels! My first camel's name was Marilyn, because she was blonde. She wasn't really a stinker, but Barbara Ann, who took me back to the hotel the next day was absolutely disgusting. They throw up their cud to have something to chew on during the long ride...and it reeks. Also, James Dean, the camel behind me liked to come up next to me so I could scratch his ears...kind of like a cat! But the close vicinity meant that I could smell HIS cud as well as Barbara's. Not pleasant, but it was such a great experience!
Semana Santa was a sight to behold. So different from any Easter or Holy Week celebration that we have in the United States. The Nazerenos dress something like KKK members...definitely an interesting sight to behold. According to Wikipedia, a great discovery sorce...,
"Those members who wish to do so wear these penitential robes with conical hats, or capirotes, used to conceal the face of the wearer (these robes intentionally served as the basis for the traditional uniform for members of the Ku Klux Klan in the United States). These "Nazarenos" carry processional candles, may walk the city streets barefoot, and may carry shackles and chains in their feet as penance. A brass band may accompany the group, playing funereal religious hymns or "saetas" written for the occasion."
Very interesting. And really cool. Sometimes it makes me sad that we have nothing like this at home. Sure, we have Easter Egg hunts, but we don't have parades that the entire community gets involved in, or a special dessert that is only made during Lent and Holy Week. I know families have their own traditions but I think that there would be so much more feeling and emotion put into the holiday if everyone was involved. I realize that Spain is an extremely Catholic country...and that makes it a lot easier!
Having the parents here was definitely the highlight of my semester. Being able to take them to all my favorite places and show them around the city that I've come to love was SO much fun. And the experience of being in a stick-shift car driving through all the roundabouts in southern Spain with the fam was definitely that, an experience. This semester I have definitely realized that Lauren Taylor Anderson does in fact suffer from motion sickness...very easily. Bring on the Dramamine.
I'm sure there will be much more about the week with M, D, and A in the MomBlog! All-in-all, it definitely cured the homesickness that had started to grow, I don't think I'd realized how much until I first saw M & D in the airport and started crying!
Rome-I fell in love with it! The city had so much history and thanks to the two coins I threw in the Trevy Fountain, I know I will return. The three days we spent were definitely not enough. Cee and I chose to take tours around the main sights, and thank goodness we did! We could have been wandering around the ruins of Rome with no idea what was going on (...Rick Steves didn't come with us). I think one of the best parts of the trip was the amazing people we met. Some from Waco, TX, Wales, UK, Tennesse, and Australia! I think that has been one of the most interesting experiences I've had this semester, not only meeting the locals, but getting to know the other people who are traveling around, studying abroad, and enjoying Europe in the slow lane, taking time to relax and get to know stranger who become friends!
After we returned from Rome, we had one week of school and then it was off to Lagos, Portugal for the weekend. The beaches there were great and we even got to go see the place that was once thought to be the end of the world, at the tip corner of Portugal, the westernmost point of all Europe-minus the Canary Islands, etc... The weekend was pretty rainy, but we still took advantage of our time at the beach--even in the rain! The real adventure was getting home. We were supposed to take a bus, but instead, we took a train, a taxi, a bus, and another train...and arrived back in Sevilla 9 hours later, as opposed to a 5 hour bus ride...but once again, it was a good time and we met a bunch of people from England who were stuck in Portugal/Spain because of the Volcano.
The volcano...since we don't really follow the news here, I didn't hear about it until the next day! Oops! Can I say that I'm looking forward to watching the 10pm news when I get home!?
After the Lagos expedition, Kelli and I woke up early on Tuesday, the next day, to take a train to Malaga to meet her grandfather who was sailing in on a cruise ship. We had lunch with them and saw some of the sights of Malaga. It was really fun and her granddad reminded me of my own PopPop! K and I had some extra time before our train left, so we went to an street market and started talking to two guys from Morocco. It's crazy the kind of people you meet when you open your eyes and heart to changes and new experiences!
London was next on the trip, a two day excursion to see our friend Stephanie as well as the new Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Love Never Dies. Well, seeing Stephanie was amazing, but K and I both agree that Andrew has had MUCH better musicals. With good-ish music, it was memorable, but with the crazy twisted plot and complete personality changes of some main characters, we were very disappointed. Oh, did I say that Heathrow opened their airspace 9ish hours before our flight left!? Yay!
Feria, or the April Fair in Sevilla is where we spent the weekend. It was definitely a sight to behold. Most of the women wore traditional flamenco dresses, while all the men wore suits and ties. There was dancing and I admit, I was able to try and learn (ish) the first section of the Sevilliano style Flamenco. I even saw Ms.Massó there! My homeroom teacher from highschool is from Spain and we were able to meet up. My friends and I partied in her caseta until the wee hours! And my friend Katie came down from Madrid for the weekend! It was so fun to show her around my city, especially during this exciting time of year.
Needless to say, after that week, yes, Lagos to Feria was ONE week, all I did was sleep and school on Monday. Tuesday...well, Tuesday was my BIRTHDAY! Becky's parents took us out to dinner on the 27th, a very special night! A test on Wednesday put some serious celebrating on hold, but we saved it for Thursday. Tapas, 'botellon-ing' by the river, and a bar were in order for the evening, a club was on the list, but by the time we were leaving the bar, I was half asleep already! We finished out the evening with churros.
On Friday, two days ago, I took the train with the UPO choir to Granada, where we performed with a choir from Granada. Heels were a bad decision for the concert, but I sang much better than I thought I would! K and Becky came to Granada to behold the sight, and made it so special! On Saturday morning, we rushed to through the Alhambra but I don't think we were able to give it the attention it deserved. Oh well, Dad and I have already made a pact to return and spend the day there!
Now it is Sunday, I'm out of money, and have accepted the fact that I will have to return home soon! The homework is almost over, exams are on the way, and I'm actually excited to see Omaha again. More than just seeing it, I'm excited to spend the entire summer there this year! On the other hand, I don't really know how I will be reacting to not walking everywhere, having food at normal hours, or being able to completely understand what everyone is saying. I'm a little scared at how it will all turn out. But if I've learned anything this semester, it's to go with the flow, change will come..whether good or bad and you've got to fly with it!
More to come soon...and I actually mean that this time!
Love, hugs, and besos (kisses) from Sevilla,
Lauren
1. I haven't written a blog in forever...oops!
2. There will be a "Mom Blog" to follow this.
3. Birthdays in foreign countries are exciting--YAY 21!
4. I'm going home 3 weeks from today.
5. Morocco, Semana Santa, the parents being here, Rome, Portugal, Malaga, London, Feria, Granada.
6. Homework is NO fun whatsoever.
7. I have some of the best friends in the whole wide world.
8. I miss my Homaha, but can't yet imagine leaving sevilla.
9. "Hippie" clothes are becoming more and more prevalent in my wardrobe--I LOVE it!
10. I'd better get to writing!
So-Morocco was absolutely FABULOUS! From the nice people, to the lush green rolling hills, the country defied all my expectations. And now back in Spain, I definitely wouldn't consider myself an expert haggler, but I can get by! The whole trip was unforgettable, but right now, I think the best memory was riding into the Sahara desert on camels! My first camel's name was Marilyn, because she was blonde. She wasn't really a stinker, but Barbara Ann, who took me back to the hotel the next day was absolutely disgusting. They throw up their cud to have something to chew on during the long ride...and it reeks. Also, James Dean, the camel behind me liked to come up next to me so I could scratch his ears...kind of like a cat! But the close vicinity meant that I could smell HIS cud as well as Barbara's. Not pleasant, but it was such a great experience!
Semana Santa was a sight to behold. So different from any Easter or Holy Week celebration that we have in the United States. The Nazerenos dress something like KKK members...definitely an interesting sight to behold. According to Wikipedia, a great discovery sorce...,
"Those members who wish to do so wear these penitential robes with conical hats, or capirotes, used to conceal the face of the wearer (these robes intentionally served as the basis for the traditional uniform for members of the Ku Klux Klan in the United States). These "Nazarenos" carry processional candles, may walk the city streets barefoot, and may carry shackles and chains in their feet as penance. A brass band may accompany the group, playing funereal religious hymns or "saetas" written for the occasion."
Very interesting. And really cool. Sometimes it makes me sad that we have nothing like this at home. Sure, we have Easter Egg hunts, but we don't have parades that the entire community gets involved in, or a special dessert that is only made during Lent and Holy Week. I know families have their own traditions but I think that there would be so much more feeling and emotion put into the holiday if everyone was involved. I realize that Spain is an extremely Catholic country...and that makes it a lot easier!
Having the parents here was definitely the highlight of my semester. Being able to take them to all my favorite places and show them around the city that I've come to love was SO much fun. And the experience of being in a stick-shift car driving through all the roundabouts in southern Spain with the fam was definitely that, an experience. This semester I have definitely realized that Lauren Taylor Anderson does in fact suffer from motion sickness...very easily. Bring on the Dramamine.
I'm sure there will be much more about the week with M, D, and A in the MomBlog! All-in-all, it definitely cured the homesickness that had started to grow, I don't think I'd realized how much until I first saw M & D in the airport and started crying!
Rome-I fell in love with it! The city had so much history and thanks to the two coins I threw in the Trevy Fountain, I know I will return. The three days we spent were definitely not enough. Cee and I chose to take tours around the main sights, and thank goodness we did! We could have been wandering around the ruins of Rome with no idea what was going on (...Rick Steves didn't come with us). I think one of the best parts of the trip was the amazing people we met. Some from Waco, TX, Wales, UK, Tennesse, and Australia! I think that has been one of the most interesting experiences I've had this semester, not only meeting the locals, but getting to know the other people who are traveling around, studying abroad, and enjoying Europe in the slow lane, taking time to relax and get to know stranger who become friends!
After we returned from Rome, we had one week of school and then it was off to Lagos, Portugal for the weekend. The beaches there were great and we even got to go see the place that was once thought to be the end of the world, at the tip corner of Portugal, the westernmost point of all Europe-minus the Canary Islands, etc... The weekend was pretty rainy, but we still took advantage of our time at the beach--even in the rain! The real adventure was getting home. We were supposed to take a bus, but instead, we took a train, a taxi, a bus, and another train...and arrived back in Sevilla 9 hours later, as opposed to a 5 hour bus ride...but once again, it was a good time and we met a bunch of people from England who were stuck in Portugal/Spain because of the Volcano.
The volcano...since we don't really follow the news here, I didn't hear about it until the next day! Oops! Can I say that I'm looking forward to watching the 10pm news when I get home!?
After the Lagos expedition, Kelli and I woke up early on Tuesday, the next day, to take a train to Malaga to meet her grandfather who was sailing in on a cruise ship. We had lunch with them and saw some of the sights of Malaga. It was really fun and her granddad reminded me of my own PopPop! K and I had some extra time before our train left, so we went to an street market and started talking to two guys from Morocco. It's crazy the kind of people you meet when you open your eyes and heart to changes and new experiences!
London was next on the trip, a two day excursion to see our friend Stephanie as well as the new Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, Love Never Dies. Well, seeing Stephanie was amazing, but K and I both agree that Andrew has had MUCH better musicals. With good-ish music, it was memorable, but with the crazy twisted plot and complete personality changes of some main characters, we were very disappointed. Oh, did I say that Heathrow opened their airspace 9ish hours before our flight left!? Yay!
Feria, or the April Fair in Sevilla is where we spent the weekend. It was definitely a sight to behold. Most of the women wore traditional flamenco dresses, while all the men wore suits and ties. There was dancing and I admit, I was able to try and learn (ish) the first section of the Sevilliano style Flamenco. I even saw Ms.Massó there! My homeroom teacher from highschool is from Spain and we were able to meet up. My friends and I partied in her caseta until the wee hours! And my friend Katie came down from Madrid for the weekend! It was so fun to show her around my city, especially during this exciting time of year.
Needless to say, after that week, yes, Lagos to Feria was ONE week, all I did was sleep and school on Monday. Tuesday...well, Tuesday was my BIRTHDAY! Becky's parents took us out to dinner on the 27th, a very special night! A test on Wednesday put some serious celebrating on hold, but we saved it for Thursday. Tapas, 'botellon-ing' by the river, and a bar were in order for the evening, a club was on the list, but by the time we were leaving the bar, I was half asleep already! We finished out the evening with churros.
On Friday, two days ago, I took the train with the UPO choir to Granada, where we performed with a choir from Granada. Heels were a bad decision for the concert, but I sang much better than I thought I would! K and Becky came to Granada to behold the sight, and made it so special! On Saturday morning, we rushed to through the Alhambra but I don't think we were able to give it the attention it deserved. Oh well, Dad and I have already made a pact to return and spend the day there!
Now it is Sunday, I'm out of money, and have accepted the fact that I will have to return home soon! The homework is almost over, exams are on the way, and I'm actually excited to see Omaha again. More than just seeing it, I'm excited to spend the entire summer there this year! On the other hand, I don't really know how I will be reacting to not walking everywhere, having food at normal hours, or being able to completely understand what everyone is saying. I'm a little scared at how it will all turn out. But if I've learned anything this semester, it's to go with the flow, change will come..whether good or bad and you've got to fly with it!
More to come soon...and I actually mean that this time!
Love, hugs, and besos (kisses) from Sevilla,
Lauren
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