Visca Catalunya- Long Live Catalunya!
Rebaixes- Sales
Si, su plau- Yes please
Porxos- Bar
Carrer- Street
Xocolata- Chocolate
Salsixters- Hot Dogs
Adeu- Goodbye
La Platja- Beach
Amb- And
Xarxa- Metro Map
In a sentence: Senor, Necesito comprar algunos zapatos para la platja amb para la carrer.
In English: Sir, I need to buy some shoes for the beach and for the street.
Monday, February 23, 2009
We Came, We Saw, We Conquered....Barcelona (Pt. 2)
Day 2 started off with another whirlwind adventure before we had to leave and catch a bus from Barcelona to the airport in Reus to fly back to Sevilla. I forgot to mention in my last post, that I have a new favorite ethnic culinary delight, kababs. Not the ones on skewers, but basically an Indian/Pakistani version of a burrito. AWESOME.
On Sunday, we went to the Barrio Gotic or the Gothic Quarter where the Cathedral of Barcelona was located. I wanted to take some exterior shots of the building, however the front was under renovation. I think the whole world is underconstruction sometimes. While we were in the Cathedral looking, we got to see part of of a Mass. It was interesting and amazing to see these friars and priests singing in a very large space, but their voices resonated through out the entirety. It was my first experience of a Catholic service and a Spanish one. I wanted to stay longer, but we had to move on to other destinations.
Our next stop was the Sagrada Familia, designed by Gaudi and overseen by him until his untimely death after being hit by a trolley car on his way to Mass. He died two days later. The project has been overseen since then and is scheduled for completion in 2026. This is considered one of the last great cathedrals of Christianity. The Sagrada is such a magnificient site to see, because once you understand the idea and simplicity behind the design, it's quite powerful to witness. All of Gaudi's designs were based on geometry found in nature. The Sagrada has a very natural feel about to it and it's designed that way for a reason, the columns supporting the building are supposed to be like tree trunks. Besides the Sagrada, itself, they had a nice museum that had models and sketches of the cathedral through the years and during the Spanish Civil War.
Finally we ended at Park Guell, once a gated enclave designed by Gaudi but it ended up failing, however the mansions are still there and the enclave is now a park with peddlers, tourists, and eclectic people running about. It offers a great view of the city and the Mediterreanean.
After all was said and done, we hurried back to the hostel in Badalona and rode to the Sants Station and boarded a bus back to Reus. Getting a seat on the bus arduous and sometimes scary, there was more people than seats, so we devised a plan to have one of the group members get crushed in line and buy 6 tickets for us all. We made it back into Sevilla at around 9:15 and decided to get some much needed grub for the night.
Whew. 4 days in Lisboa, Portugal this weekend.
On Sunday, we went to the Barrio Gotic or the Gothic Quarter where the Cathedral of Barcelona was located. I wanted to take some exterior shots of the building, however the front was under renovation. I think the whole world is underconstruction sometimes. While we were in the Cathedral looking, we got to see part of of a Mass. It was interesting and amazing to see these friars and priests singing in a very large space, but their voices resonated through out the entirety. It was my first experience of a Catholic service and a Spanish one. I wanted to stay longer, but we had to move on to other destinations.
Our next stop was the Sagrada Familia, designed by Gaudi and overseen by him until his untimely death after being hit by a trolley car on his way to Mass. He died two days later. The project has been overseen since then and is scheduled for completion in 2026. This is considered one of the last great cathedrals of Christianity. The Sagrada is such a magnificient site to see, because once you understand the idea and simplicity behind the design, it's quite powerful to witness. All of Gaudi's designs were based on geometry found in nature. The Sagrada has a very natural feel about to it and it's designed that way for a reason, the columns supporting the building are supposed to be like tree trunks. Besides the Sagrada, itself, they had a nice museum that had models and sketches of the cathedral through the years and during the Spanish Civil War.
Finally we ended at Park Guell, once a gated enclave designed by Gaudi but it ended up failing, however the mansions are still there and the enclave is now a park with peddlers, tourists, and eclectic people running about. It offers a great view of the city and the Mediterreanean.
After all was said and done, we hurried back to the hostel in Badalona and rode to the Sants Station and boarded a bus back to Reus. Getting a seat on the bus arduous and sometimes scary, there was more people than seats, so we devised a plan to have one of the group members get crushed in line and buy 6 tickets for us all. We made it back into Sevilla at around 9:15 and decided to get some much needed grub for the night.
Whew. 4 days in Lisboa, Portugal this weekend.
Life is One Big Carnaval (Barcelona Weekend) Part 1
Wow, what can I say, Barcelona is my favorite city in Spain that I have seen thus far. It's a very cosmopolitan, urban hub. The city is so expansive, but easy to get around with the Xarxa de Metro (Metro System in Catalan). You could lose yourself in Barcelona and wander around and see something new everyday, in terms of global cities, it's the more refined, less abrasive, less towering building-cousin to any major city in the US. Barcelona is a very different city, where people talk slower and people speak Catalan, Castellano or even Euskera compared to the fast talking Sevillanos. Catalunya as a region is quite a contrast from the laid back atmosphere of Andalucia. The language of Catalan itself is part French and part Spanish.
The weekend started with a late flight from Sevilla to Reus, a city 66 miles southwest of Barcelona. Flying out on a low-cost carrier such as Ryan Air, it was very non-descript. So far every plane I have been on in Europe I've had to walk across the tarmac to board the plane, quite different than the airports I've been too. My group stayed at this hostel called, Hostes Potau. This was a very no frills, family-run hostel that looked like it came out of the Franco-era, however it was a place to lay our heads for the evening after a long day of traveling. Friday night was lo-key by just going to a bar and getting some drinks and just discussing about the trip.
On Saturday, we took the RENFE from Reus to the Barcelona-Sants station to grab the Metro or in Catalan, the Xarxa. Our started off with us hitting the ground running and seeing as much as we could in a day. We went to Montjuic, literally translated-"Mount of the Jews" which has a view of the city to where you can see the Sagrada Familia. Montjuic is where the Jews in Barcelona had to live because they weren't allowed to anywhere else in Barcelona at the time. Near the area was the Olympic Museum for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona and the Estadio Olympico which hosts one of the football teams in Barcelona, The Estadio Olympico while not as visually arresting as the Bird's Nest in China or the Water Cube, the Estadio Olympic is based on Roman architecture and an homage the legendary colliseums of that time period. The Olympics help put Barcelona back on the map not only for themselves but for the people of Spain.
In the time of the Spanish Civil War or Guerra Civil, Barcelona was one of the major non-Franco cities. Speaking of the Civil War, the Basilica of Santa Maria, a Gothic structure was set on fire and the wood burned, leaving the stone where you can still see the charred marks on the walls and ceiling.
One of the other many things we saw and conquered was the Picasso Museum. This was Picasso Museum #2 for me. You might remember from a previous post where I went to his town of birth, Malaga. Barcelona was home to Picasso from 1894-1907. The Picasso Museum was gigantic compared to the one in Malaga, but personally I liked the collection of art of Picasso's in Malaga better, however it was neat to see things Picasso painted that were not Cubist or surreal, but everyday life such as his academic figure studies or his paintings of friends and family.
Towards the end of the evening we walked around Barcelona in search of buildings by Antoni Gaudi, one of the most famous architects of the 20th Century. Very impressive and surreal compared to his American contemporary, Frank Lloyd Wright.
The night ended with us going to eat dinner at a Catalan restaurant, where everyone either got grilled chicken or sausage. I decided to be the adventurous one and said, "Hey that sounds like that might be good." I ordered "conejo a la brasa." For those of you who don't speak Spanish, it was a rabbit grilled on the BBQ. I got served part of a rabbit, with the half being the head still attached, no floppy ears or eyes still intact though. It was really good actually, white meat so it automatically tastes like chicken, The night culminated with us heading down to the beach in Badalona( a town across the river from Barcelona) where our hostel was and a 15 minute metro ride from the city center. We sat and talked by the water till 2 or 3am before we decided to back and get some sleep and continue on the next morning. The hostel in Badalona was funky, eclectic, and super cheap. This one is in tie for the hostel in Malaga. Six of us shared a room, where as the night before it was three to a room.
That was Day 1. Read on for Day 2.
The weekend started with a late flight from Sevilla to Reus, a city 66 miles southwest of Barcelona. Flying out on a low-cost carrier such as Ryan Air, it was very non-descript. So far every plane I have been on in Europe I've had to walk across the tarmac to board the plane, quite different than the airports I've been too. My group stayed at this hostel called, Hostes Potau. This was a very no frills, family-run hostel that looked like it came out of the Franco-era, however it was a place to lay our heads for the evening after a long day of traveling. Friday night was lo-key by just going to a bar and getting some drinks and just discussing about the trip.
On Saturday, we took the RENFE from Reus to the Barcelona-Sants station to grab the Metro or in Catalan, the Xarxa. Our started off with us hitting the ground running and seeing as much as we could in a day. We went to Montjuic, literally translated-"Mount of the Jews" which has a view of the city to where you can see the Sagrada Familia. Montjuic is where the Jews in Barcelona had to live because they weren't allowed to anywhere else in Barcelona at the time. Near the area was the Olympic Museum for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona and the Estadio Olympico which hosts one of the football teams in Barcelona, The Estadio Olympico while not as visually arresting as the Bird's Nest in China or the Water Cube, the Estadio Olympic is based on Roman architecture and an homage the legendary colliseums of that time period. The Olympics help put Barcelona back on the map not only for themselves but for the people of Spain.
In the time of the Spanish Civil War or Guerra Civil, Barcelona was one of the major non-Franco cities. Speaking of the Civil War, the Basilica of Santa Maria, a Gothic structure was set on fire and the wood burned, leaving the stone where you can still see the charred marks on the walls and ceiling.
One of the other many things we saw and conquered was the Picasso Museum. This was Picasso Museum #2 for me. You might remember from a previous post where I went to his town of birth, Malaga. Barcelona was home to Picasso from 1894-1907. The Picasso Museum was gigantic compared to the one in Malaga, but personally I liked the collection of art of Picasso's in Malaga better, however it was neat to see things Picasso painted that were not Cubist or surreal, but everyday life such as his academic figure studies or his paintings of friends and family.
Towards the end of the evening we walked around Barcelona in search of buildings by Antoni Gaudi, one of the most famous architects of the 20th Century. Very impressive and surreal compared to his American contemporary, Frank Lloyd Wright.
The night ended with us going to eat dinner at a Catalan restaurant, where everyone either got grilled chicken or sausage. I decided to be the adventurous one and said, "Hey that sounds like that might be good." I ordered "conejo a la brasa." For those of you who don't speak Spanish, it was a rabbit grilled on the BBQ. I got served part of a rabbit, with the half being the head still attached, no floppy ears or eyes still intact though. It was really good actually, white meat so it automatically tastes like chicken, The night culminated with us heading down to the beach in Badalona( a town across the river from Barcelona) where our hostel was and a 15 minute metro ride from the city center. We sat and talked by the water till 2 or 3am before we decided to back and get some sleep and continue on the next morning. The hostel in Badalona was funky, eclectic, and super cheap. This one is in tie for the hostel in Malaga. Six of us shared a room, where as the night before it was three to a room.
That was Day 1. Read on for Day 2.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Love is Battlefield (The V-Day Post)
I hate Valentine's Day. I absolutely hate it. I don't understand the point of it, if you want to do something nice for someone you love or like, there's plenty other days in the year to do it. But I regress.
For Valentine's Day instead of sitting around, I went back to the beach town Matalascanas. Matalascanas is only a hop, skip, and a step from Sevilla. In fact, it's a very short 1 and 15 minute bus ride and it was super cheap, 12.43 euro in fact! The beach was nice and relaxing with not that many people on the beach, since it's off-season. It was nice to enjoy the quiet of the beach and just sit and watch the tide come in and watch the waves roll in endlessly. I got back into the water again and it was still REALLY cold. Nothing was better in the day than just sitting on the sand and watching the waves and eating an ice cream and not worrying about anything. I like days like that. Most of the town was more of apartments, chiringuitos, and houses than an urban setting, quite a contrast from Malaga.
That night when I got back in town I went out again with my friends after a long relaxing back at the beach. Too bad everyday can't be like that.
For Valentine's Day instead of sitting around, I went back to the beach town Matalascanas. Matalascanas is only a hop, skip, and a step from Sevilla. In fact, it's a very short 1 and 15 minute bus ride and it was super cheap, 12.43 euro in fact! The beach was nice and relaxing with not that many people on the beach, since it's off-season. It was nice to enjoy the quiet of the beach and just sit and watch the tide come in and watch the waves roll in endlessly. I got back into the water again and it was still REALLY cold. Nothing was better in the day than just sitting on the sand and watching the waves and eating an ice cream and not worrying about anything. I like days like that. Most of the town was more of apartments, chiringuitos, and houses than an urban setting, quite a contrast from Malaga.
That night when I got back in town I went out again with my friends after a long relaxing back at the beach. Too bad everyday can't be like that.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
1492
This Friday was a day trip to the town of La Rabida and Moguer, Spain. La Rabida is home to a famous monastery where Columbus or Cristobal Colon( has he's known over here) validated and provided evidence that world was indeed round. He discussed such matters with a Friar named
Perez. I got to go into the room where such discussions took place. La Rabida is also a still functioning monastery with 6 monks. I did not see any monks, however i'm sure they were around. This was the trip that I took the least amount of pictures because, we were not allowed to take pictures inside the monastery. However, there was a very well preserved Art Deco mural done during the 1929 Iberian-American fair at the monastery to commorate Colon and the New World.
In Moguer, it was a quick trip and visited a monument to the 1956 Nobel Literature winner, Juan Jimenez. Trivia #2: If you can tell me his most well known work, send me the answer.
And the surprise of the day was going to the beach at Matalascanas. It's near Huelva and Almonte. I liked this beach a tad better than the one in Malaga because it's a tiny town and not overly developed, very calm since it's not the middle of summer. I braved the water and was one of the few hearty souls to take on the Atlantic. More about Matalascanas in the next post.
Perez. I got to go into the room where such discussions took place. La Rabida is also a still functioning monastery with 6 monks. I did not see any monks, however i'm sure they were around. This was the trip that I took the least amount of pictures because, we were not allowed to take pictures inside the monastery. However, there was a very well preserved Art Deco mural done during the 1929 Iberian-American fair at the monastery to commorate Colon and the New World.
In Moguer, it was a quick trip and visited a monument to the 1956 Nobel Literature winner, Juan Jimenez. Trivia #2: If you can tell me his most well known work, send me the answer.
And the surprise of the day was going to the beach at Matalascanas. It's near Huelva and Almonte. I liked this beach a tad better than the one in Malaga because it's a tiny town and not overly developed, very calm since it's not the middle of summer. I braved the water and was one of the few hearty souls to take on the Atlantic. More about Matalascanas in the next post.
Three Lions Without a Mane
The big game was Thursday. Spain and England played in a one sided game with Spain being the champions winning 2-0. However, I went for the atmosphere and experience of being around crazy fans and the stories are true of the British football fans and I'm here to validate that. Yes it's true. I was at a bar/restaurant next to the stadium and sitting there, just lazily talking to some Americans I had befriended along the way. The next thing you know I hear a lot of commotion and noise outside, turns out two British fans got sent to the hospital after a skirmish with some Spanish fans. The difference between the Spanish fans and the British is that the Spaniards can still fight because they aren't so beligerently drunk. Another story from the day, I found out from a professor of mine and some other people in my class who were over at a bar near the Cathedral at this Irish pub called Flaherty's, there were some even more ridiculous British fans. Several British fans were outside naked, yelling and throwing things at cars and at a people on the street and probably singing "God Save the Queen" or any chants of England that has to do with soccer.
For the game itself, Spain had most of the ball possession and had more pep in their step and technique than England did. David Beckham came into the game with 20 minutes remaining and almost had an assist had it not been for an epic power save by a Spanish defender. So sorry England to rain on your parade. Spain obviously looked good after repeating as Euro Cup champions last year.
If you can tell me what the Three Lions are, shoot me a message on Facebook or email me. I'll be impressed that you took the time to research my title.
For the game itself, Spain had most of the ball possession and had more pep in their step and technique than England did. David Beckham came into the game with 20 minutes remaining and almost had an assist had it not been for an epic power save by a Spanish defender. So sorry England to rain on your parade. Spain obviously looked good after repeating as Euro Cup champions last year.
If you can tell me what the Three Lions are, shoot me a message on Facebook or email me. I'll be impressed that you took the time to research my title.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Are You Ready For Some Futbol?
The big game is tonight. Spain versus England in Sevilla at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium. I probably would be there except my debit card wouldn't work at "La Caixa". Oh well I'm gonna hang out some friends and people watch at Nervion Plaza and watch all the drunk Brits head to the game, then move over to a bar and actually watch the game. Should be interesting tonight and fun. Apparently there's supposed to be more police tonight. I think they are more for the Brits than for the Spaniards. All the girls from the school that are going to the game are going absolutely crazy about David Beckham, whatever. I just hope Spain beats down England tonight.
The "crises economica" has reached Spain. The workers of Renault and other organizations marched down Calle Recaredo over the economic crises in a strike. Economic crises aren't stopped by water or country borders, but it has now reached Spain. The Euro is dropping closer to the American dollar, so that's good I guess for the exchange rate. My host family apparently is really involved with forums and other things over human rights and the economy because they went to Osuna, Spain for a giant meeting.
I forgot to mention I did some basic computer help with my host dad in Spanish to fix Microsoft Word 07 and fix his printer.
It's the little things...
The "crises economica" has reached Spain. The workers of Renault and other organizations marched down Calle Recaredo over the economic crises in a strike. Economic crises aren't stopped by water or country borders, but it has now reached Spain. The Euro is dropping closer to the American dollar, so that's good I guess for the exchange rate. My host family apparently is really involved with forums and other things over human rights and the economy because they went to Osuna, Spain for a giant meeting.
I forgot to mention I did some basic computer help with my host dad in Spanish to fix Microsoft Word 07 and fix his printer.
It's the little things...
Monday, February 9, 2009
Things About Me and Things About Spain
I wish I could write everyday about what happens, but somedays are like any other..just in a foreign country. Some days nothing happens. Well for the school aspect, I am doing great. I have an A in my first Spanish class of the year and hope I did well on my history exam.
Things that are going on in Spain right now...
- The weather is still wacky, Granada was the coldest spot in Spain.
- Spain plays England in a friendly match in Sevilla (wish I was going) on Wednesday
-Real Betis, one of the last place teams in La Liga, beat Sevilla in a complete shocker
Things that are going on in Spain right now...
- The weather is still wacky, Granada was the coldest spot in Spain.
- Spain plays England in a friendly match in Sevilla (wish I was going) on Wednesday
-Real Betis, one of the last place teams in La Liga, beat Sevilla in a complete shocker
Tales of the Alhambra (and then some)
Hello Again, family and friends. Welcome back to another edition of the Burning of the Midnight Lamp.
This past weekend's adventures was spent in a very cold, and a very damp city of Granada, Spain. For a little background on the city of Granada, let me take you back to the year of 1492. Yes, 1492, the Year of Columbus, but also more importantly, it was the year that Granada was the last hold out of the Moors in the Christian Reconquest of Spain. Not only were the Moors driven out of Spain, but Isabella drove the Jews out of Spain too.
The adventure started on a really early morning to a college student at 7 am as we boarded the bus and drove 3 hours to Granada. The town is at the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas which is home to some great skiing and was home to the coldest spot in Spain this weekend at 8 degrees celsius! The tour of the Alhambra was first, and the Alhambra is massive! It is comprised of 3 palaces, numerous fountains, and more. The Alhambra was actually saved due to The Tales of the Alhambra by Washington Irving. The recognition of the book paved a way for the Alhambra to be restored. Irving stayed at the Alhambra to write the book.
The gardens of the Generalife (pronounced hen-erah-leaf-ay) were next on the agenda. The gardens weren't the best I've seen in Spain so far, but had amazing views of the old city and the Albayzin or the Arab Quarter of town and the Alhambra. The Generalife was outside the city in Medieval Times.
Finally, was a visit to the Capilla Real or the Royal Chapel where King Ferdinand, Isabella, Juana La Loca, Charles the 5th, and their son are buried. It's kinda crazy to see the resting places of these famous people in history. No photos of that, we weren't allowed. Lame.
The rest of the weekend consisted of free time and sightseeing on our own. However, I just bummed around town because I was not feeling particularly well. I did, do karoake in a bar with some friends from the school. Yes, I sang Hotel California on duet with a buddy of mine named Jay. It was quite the experience and I think the Spaniards were making fun of us, but oh well it was a great time.
This past weekend's adventures was spent in a very cold, and a very damp city of Granada, Spain. For a little background on the city of Granada, let me take you back to the year of 1492. Yes, 1492, the Year of Columbus, but also more importantly, it was the year that Granada was the last hold out of the Moors in the Christian Reconquest of Spain. Not only were the Moors driven out of Spain, but Isabella drove the Jews out of Spain too.
The adventure started on a really early morning to a college student at 7 am as we boarded the bus and drove 3 hours to Granada. The town is at the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas which is home to some great skiing and was home to the coldest spot in Spain this weekend at 8 degrees celsius! The tour of the Alhambra was first, and the Alhambra is massive! It is comprised of 3 palaces, numerous fountains, and more. The Alhambra was actually saved due to The Tales of the Alhambra by Washington Irving. The recognition of the book paved a way for the Alhambra to be restored. Irving stayed at the Alhambra to write the book.
The gardens of the Generalife (pronounced hen-erah-leaf-ay) were next on the agenda. The gardens weren't the best I've seen in Spain so far, but had amazing views of the old city and the Albayzin or the Arab Quarter of town and the Alhambra. The Generalife was outside the city in Medieval Times.
Finally, was a visit to the Capilla Real or the Royal Chapel where King Ferdinand, Isabella, Juana La Loca, Charles the 5th, and their son are buried. It's kinda crazy to see the resting places of these famous people in history. No photos of that, we weren't allowed. Lame.
The rest of the weekend consisted of free time and sightseeing on our own. However, I just bummed around town because I was not feeling particularly well. I did, do karoake in a bar with some friends from the school. Yes, I sang Hotel California on duet with a buddy of mine named Jay. It was quite the experience and I think the Spaniards were making fun of us, but oh well it was a great time.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
The Old Man and the Sea.
This weekend, I went to Malaga, Spain. Malaga, Spain is on the Costa del Sol and the birthplace of Picasso and a home to Antonio Banderjas. I unfortuately did not get to see Antonio. However, I did go to the Picasso Musuem, set my two feet in the Mediterreanean Sea, visit a really cool Cathedral, take an exhausting hike up to this castle overlooking the sea, the city, and the mountains. Malaga is definitely a place I would go back too. I wore shorts on Friday, because the weather was THAT good. 70 degrees, sunny, and awesome. I stayed at this hostel called Casa Mata. This was my first time in a hostel, but I will judge every hostel from here on out on this one. The weekend was great, I even stumbled upon an AUTHENTIC Mexican food cafe on a side street in Malaga! The train ride over to Malaga was pretty wonderful, scenic with the terrain from rural, to mountainous, almost like Colorado and then back to the coast. Malaga reminded me a lot like the coast of California, very serene weather with mountains in the background. Next time I go I want to explore Marbella, Torremolinos, Nerja, and places in between. This was just a lazy, relaxed weekend. Sometimes you can still have fun and not go hard every weekend. Just make your own plans and see where the adventure takes you.
Vamos Sevilla!
Oh Man! What a weekend!
But first let me take you back to Thursday night to very loud and very rowdy Sevilla F.C and Valencia C.F. soccer game. I went to the game with several of my amigos from school and for the most part, we like dumb Americans, know nothing about soccer like the Europeans do. The game was a rematch of last week's come back victory by Valencia over Sevilla, however this time Sevilla won. Picture a tied match, 1-1 and Sevilla scores a goal in the last minute to win. How perfect was that? The game's intensity was matched by the fans. The fans make up the experience of the game with flag waving, chants and songs. I dont even understand soccer really and I was yelling and screaming like a Sevillano.
Observations I noticed from the night:
1. Alcohol is not sold at the stadium. Booze plus European football fans equals riots, so take out the booze beforehand and let people get liquored up before the game.
2. Any seat is a good seat in a soccer stadium.
3. Smoking is allowed in the seats of the stadium.
After the game, I took the bus and waited for another connection to El Centro, I talked to an
Italian guy from Palermo who needed directions to where I was headed. Trying speaking Spanish to someone who doesnt even speak English. Afterwards, I met some PR professionals from Mexico of all places at the bus stop. I make it to El Centro and eat at a rather good pizza place where I wind up meeting a Spanish student who is studying at Texas State in San Marcos.
But first let me take you back to Thursday night to very loud and very rowdy Sevilla F.C and Valencia C.F. soccer game. I went to the game with several of my amigos from school and for the most part, we like dumb Americans, know nothing about soccer like the Europeans do. The game was a rematch of last week's come back victory by Valencia over Sevilla, however this time Sevilla won. Picture a tied match, 1-1 and Sevilla scores a goal in the last minute to win. How perfect was that? The game's intensity was matched by the fans. The fans make up the experience of the game with flag waving, chants and songs. I dont even understand soccer really and I was yelling and screaming like a Sevillano.
Observations I noticed from the night:
1. Alcohol is not sold at the stadium. Booze plus European football fans equals riots, so take out the booze beforehand and let people get liquored up before the game.
2. Any seat is a good seat in a soccer stadium.
3. Smoking is allowed in the seats of the stadium.
After the game, I took the bus and waited for another connection to El Centro, I talked to an
Italian guy from Palermo who needed directions to where I was headed. Trying speaking Spanish to someone who doesnt even speak English. Afterwards, I met some PR professionals from Mexico of all places at the bus stop. I make it to El Centro and eat at a rather good pizza place where I wind up meeting a Spanish student who is studying at Texas State in San Marcos.
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