Barcelona Update 2

More pics! Me, when I climbed allll the way up to the top at Parc Guell and Barcelona in the background, a small bit of Gaudi's famous bench (where people actually weren't sitting for 2 seconds), MNAC museum (Museu Nacional d'Arte de Catalunya- my Catalan is rusty lol) which was beautiful outside and in, the Mediterranean, and Minu (isn't she cute?)

OK, more later!

Rach:)

Barcelona Update

OK, so for now I'm just gonna start with pictures and write later- I'll let you form your own opinions first haha!

All are works from Antoni Gaudi- the unfinished church La Sagrada Familia (and me, in awe), Casa Mila (or La Pedrera) and Parc Guell, and the famous Salamander.

Rach:)

Commenting

OK, so I found out that the settings on my blog made it so that not everyone could comment- I fixed it so you should all be able to comment now- but let me know if you still can´t!

More updates later!! :)

Barcelona!!

Oh my God. Ok, I have a ton of pictures but I can't post them yet, so I will when I can!



Anyway, Barcelona is AH-MAY-ZING. I don't have the slightest idea of how I'm gonna be expected to leave (but I'll deal with that when I get to it haha!).
I'm staying with my cousin John, who is SO funny! We're really having a great time- he has 4 cats, which my allergies are taking surprisingly well!
I got here Friday night, met up with John, and took a walk near his apartment (he lives about 15 mins walking from the Mediterranean-amazing)- Saturday we got some breakfast and I explored around, Sunday we took a walk in Montjuic in the gardens, which are beautiful, and Monday I went to La Sagrada Familia (I cried a bit, it's just incredible) and La Pedrera, and helped John with translation, and Tuesday (today) I went to Parc Guell (also very amazing) and now I'm in John´s translation office, just updating a bit!

La Sagrada Familia is a beautiful unfinished church that the artist Gaudi started (its expected to be done in 2040 something hahaha!) and he also made the Parc Guell, which is a huge, popular garden. I can explain a little more later (or you can look it up lol), and La Pedrera- a really awesome building with no straight lines.

The architecture of Barcelona in general is also very beautiful- the wrought iron on balconies, decoration on the sides of buildings, bay windows on buildings-everything has its own special touch! There are so many amazing shops, and sights, and people, and I´ve just barely started looking around! OK, so when I can I´ll get some pictures on here, just wanted to let you know I´m doing well and having a great time, John says "hi!" and I´ll write more later! Besos y abrazos!

Rachel :D

Going to Barcelona!!

Hey!

Just letting you all know that I won't have any internet until July 28th- I'm going to Barcelona to visit family and friends, and most likely won't be able to update this blog- but I'll have a super mega update when I get back! Woo!! Ok see ya soon!

Rachel :D

Santillana del Mar

Hey again! I finally got to Santillana del Mar yesterday- I was lucky it wasn't raining there at all because when I got on the bus to go it was pooouring! Anyway, there were tons of tourists and people selling stuff, so I just ran around trying to take pictures- it's really nice there though, everyone has tons of flowers hanging off their porches, and it was really hard not to buy all the yummy food people were selling. I'll post some pictures!

Also, I'm wondering how this must be going in in the States: Michael Jackson's funeral was on like 5 channels here last night- is that all people are talking about there? Haha!

Also, Sanfermines (the bull runs) are going on now- no one has been hurt yet, so here's hoping it stays that way!

Ok, that's all for now! :)

4th of July

Hey! So I hope everyone had an awesome 4th of July weekend! Nati's niece Seila's birthday is on the 4th (but there were no fireworks for her birthday, unfortunately) so we had a barbecue/sleepover to celebrate- I ate SO much; I wish I could send some of this delicious food home! Especially tortilla de patata and chorizo. It is sooo good. Anyway, I'm going to Santillana del Mar to take some photos for the project I'm working on- hopefully it doesn't rain because I have to use a very expensive, very not-mine camera haha! It should be interesting- Santillana is cool though, it's a medieval city that has become rather touristy (much to the chagrin of the people who live there)- but it's beautiful, with cobblestone streets and flowers on the window panes- I'm looking forward to it!

I also started tutoring Miguel Angel's son, Diego, who is 10- I'm really glad to be able to, maybe I'll like it so much that I'll be a teacher, who knows? Amaya, his mother, told me that he has some learning issues, so it'll be a VERY good experience for me, haha! I'm looking forward to it though.

Also I bought my plane ticket to visit Barcelona and I'm SO excited! I've been wanting to go since I started this whole Spanish endeavor 8 years ago. John (my mom's cousin) seems excited to see me too, and I think I'll get to see his translation office, and maybe get to translate a bit myself, which I'm really glad about too. Plus, my friend Cristina will be in so I can visit her too! I just wish ya'll could come with too!! Haha!

Man, I can't believe I've been here more than a month already! Jeez! I must really be having fun! Anyway, I'll keep you all posted, let me know if there's anything you want to know, I'm happy to tell ya! Here's a few things I can tell you:

Mullets=fashionable (apparently)

Despite the decoratively carved sidewalks, it seems like EVERYONE wears heels/stilettos (except me haha)

Spaniards clean a lot- a LOT. For instance, Nati mops the kitchen floor once or twice a day, irons EVERYTHING (including socks and underwear) and even picks up my room- and makes my bed! I told her she didn't need to iron my sheets, but she shook her head like “yes, I do” (even though she told me she HATES ironing!)

There is a Spanish saying for literally everything you could want to say, and many of them have religious connotations. Hence, why I have trouble understanding what's going on at times hahaha!

So my pictures for this post are a sculpture of a cathedral on the Alameda (a nice place to walk), seals and penguins near Magdalena beach and palace, Magdalena beach, and some dessert from Seila's party (yum).

Ok, I guess that's all for now- see ya later!

Rach :)

4th

Happy 4th of July everyone! Hope you´re having a great day filled with barbecues, fireworks and smores! :)