Thursday we met 2 of Nuria´s friends, Leyre and Idoya, to ride bikes. We biked through Salburua, a park and wildlife area - we stopped at a wooden shelter where you can see ducks, storks, etc. Beautiful, reminded me of home and bike rides in our backyard forest. : ) I took lots of pictures.
Later we took a break on a bench and snacked on a mix ("frutos secos") of nuts, sunflower seeds, and huge baked corn kernels, and played the popular card game Come----.
We biked back to the apartment for lunch, which was HUGE... Salad, bread, fried octopus (same as yesterday), and crackers with pork pate to start.
Then pasta with cheese, tomato and ground beef. Again I couldn´t believe the rich taste of the meat from the local carniceria. I wish we had one!
For dessert we finished up the mango flan-like cake, and had some ice cream.
Nuria showed me some videos of her conservatory group (EIO) playing classical pieces - they´re SUPER good, and some have traveled to other countries to perform there. Nuria plays the violin.
Later for dinner we had paninis, more white melon (<3), membrillo with queso fresco, and flan.
What a day.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Day 6
Wednesday was the Dia de Santiago, when Vitoria celebrates Spain´s patron saint, Santiago de Compostela with music, dance, typical dress, (drinks), and strings of garlic. We had lunch at home around 2:30pm, which was steak filets, fried and breaded octopus (really good, like calamari), and pork pate on crackers. For dessert we tried a mango flavored, flan-like cake.
After this all of us went out to the main streets to see the parade. Small bands playing typical music and people dressed in traditional Basque costumes marched through the streets all day, with breaks here and there (the bands were paid).
We took lots of pictures, and even posed with a guy in costume at one point. We walked through "old Vitoria", which is higher up in the city. SO beautiful!
After some more walking and sightseeing, all the while looking for shade from the hot sun, Nuria and I left to meet some of her friends at their "lonja". It´s very popular for teens to rent a furnished room together (kind of like a garage) to hang out in. Different groups have their own. It´s kind of like a private meeting place.
I saw some of Nuria´s friends´ Americans again - a small group from a Catholic school in Idaho happened to be visiting with their international exchange students too. : ) It´s been fun meeting them all.
We went to see some of the guys join the parade (dressed in the typical costumes), but lost them in the crowds, so we went back home. There we ate hamburgers (so good, with ground beef from the local butcher! best everrrr) with ham added in, and their local white melon (so sweet, fresh).
Learned that Basques immigrated to the United States many years ago to meet a need for shepherds. Who knew. : )
After this all of us went out to the main streets to see the parade. Small bands playing typical music and people dressed in traditional Basque costumes marched through the streets all day, with breaks here and there (the bands were paid).
We took lots of pictures, and even posed with a guy in costume at one point. We walked through "old Vitoria", which is higher up in the city. SO beautiful!
After some more walking and sightseeing, all the while looking for shade from the hot sun, Nuria and I left to meet some of her friends at their "lonja". It´s very popular for teens to rent a furnished room together (kind of like a garage) to hang out in. Different groups have their own. It´s kind of like a private meeting place.
I saw some of Nuria´s friends´ Americans again - a small group from a Catholic school in Idaho happened to be visiting with their international exchange students too. : ) It´s been fun meeting them all.
We went to see some of the guys join the parade (dressed in the typical costumes), but lost them in the crowds, so we went back home. There we ate hamburgers (so good, with ground beef from the local butcher! best everrrr) with ham added in, and their local white melon (so sweet, fresh).
Learned that Basques immigrated to the United States many years ago to meet a need for shepherds. Who knew. : )
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Day 5
Tuesday we went to the carniceria (butcher) to get some pork and we tasted a bit of salted ham. Really good. Then we drove around the outer parts of Vitoria to see Nuria´s high school and a beautiful old Catholic church, where they were having a wedding. We walked down a long shaded walkway with trees and huge houses on either side. We passed a very old private school, the Fine Arts Museum, and the President of Vitoria´s mansion (complete with security cameras). ; )
For lunch we ate salad to start, and then white fish with fried potato slices and bread. YUM. We finished up with some yogurt, and I had everyone try the cinnamon hearts and Mary Jane´s that I brought.
Around 3pm Nuria and I met some of her friends from school, Paula, Ane and Mirari, who all had American girls visiting them too! They came in a group of about 9 teens (rising seniors) that came from a Catholic school in Idaho. We walked around and bought some souvenirs, and then went to a very busy ¨country club¨ type place with tennis courts, pools, and a cafe.
I talked a lot with Nuria´s friends, who were surprised that I spoke Spanish. It was great to practice.
At the pool a bunch of us played a popular card game called Come-----. I met some of Nuria´s guy friends and one American guy who was with the same group. It felt weird to speak English again; all of us agreed that after speaking halting Spanish for several days now, it was strange to speak English as fast as we normally do.
Later back at the house we had tortilla espanola, which is basically ham, cheese, and potato stacked in a round omelette. VERY good. Then Nuria´s dad drove us into the center, where all the teens celebrate the night before El Dia de Santiago (for the patron saint of Spain, St. James of Compostela).
We first met up with some of the girls from earlier that day, and joined the rest of the group to hang out for a while before the main concert in the center of town. Finally the concert started: we heard typical Basque folk and modern songs, and everyone danced (more like jumped) and sang.
Eventually Nuria´s dad picked us up and drove us home.
For lunch we ate salad to start, and then white fish with fried potato slices and bread. YUM. We finished up with some yogurt, and I had everyone try the cinnamon hearts and Mary Jane´s that I brought.
Around 3pm Nuria and I met some of her friends from school, Paula, Ane and Mirari, who all had American girls visiting them too! They came in a group of about 9 teens (rising seniors) that came from a Catholic school in Idaho. We walked around and bought some souvenirs, and then went to a very busy ¨country club¨ type place with tennis courts, pools, and a cafe.
I talked a lot with Nuria´s friends, who were surprised that I spoke Spanish. It was great to practice.
At the pool a bunch of us played a popular card game called Come-----. I met some of Nuria´s guy friends and one American guy who was with the same group. It felt weird to speak English again; all of us agreed that after speaking halting Spanish for several days now, it was strange to speak English as fast as we normally do.
Later back at the house we had tortilla espanola, which is basically ham, cheese, and potato stacked in a round omelette. VERY good. Then Nuria´s dad drove us into the center, where all the teens celebrate the night before El Dia de Santiago (for the patron saint of Spain, St. James of Compostela).
We first met up with some of the girls from earlier that day, and joined the rest of the group to hang out for a while before the main concert in the center of town. Finally the concert started: we heard typical Basque folk and modern songs, and everyone danced (more like jumped) and sang.
Eventually Nuria´s dad picked us up and drove us home.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Day 4
Monday we slept in and then had breakfast (pastries, juice, tea). We all went to the supermarket, Carrefour, and got everything from tea (for me) to bread to fresh fish (they have MANY kinds) to little eels, a typical Basque dish, for me to try. We didn´t buy meat because they said they preferred a small butcher store near their house. We used reusable eco bags, as it costs money to use the disposable plastic ones in an effort to preserve the environment.
Everything is very modern.
The air is cool and fresh, without any humidity. It´s sunny and warm in the afternoons, but then gets colder in the evenings.
At home we ate salad with bits of ham, a balsamic vinegar sauce, tomatoes, cheese, and carrots. That was the ´primer plato´, or first course. Then we had meatballs in red sauce, little fried potatoes (they eat a lot of those), and fried squash related vegetable with cheese and ham. It´s all so good. Oh, and, of course, bread to sop up all the juices. They said I´m becoming Spanish, I´m learning. ; )
After this Nuria and I walked around town; we saw statues (most modern), parks, shops. It all has a very slow, leisurely pace, though it´s still a busy city and the capital of Basque Country.
Then we waited for the city bus (connected by cables, rails directly on ground). We met up with Nuria´s best friend Leire and went into the city center to meet up with her other conservatory friends (about 5 in all).
We walked around for 2 hours before seeing a concert together, some people got beer, some of us got some gelato; all youth from about 19 to 24 in one very good orchestra. It´s basically what Nuria plays in, just with older musicians.
The music was beautiful, and they finished with a mix of jazz music. So fun.
We talked about music, America, school... Most of them want to pursue music in the future.
When we got back around 11pm, we ate paninis with cheese and chorizo inside, chips, and flan (in little cups, from store).
Everything is very modern.
The air is cool and fresh, without any humidity. It´s sunny and warm in the afternoons, but then gets colder in the evenings.
At home we ate salad with bits of ham, a balsamic vinegar sauce, tomatoes, cheese, and carrots. That was the ´primer plato´, or first course. Then we had meatballs in red sauce, little fried potatoes (they eat a lot of those), and fried squash related vegetable with cheese and ham. It´s all so good. Oh, and, of course, bread to sop up all the juices. They said I´m becoming Spanish, I´m learning. ; )
After this Nuria and I walked around town; we saw statues (most modern), parks, shops. It all has a very slow, leisurely pace, though it´s still a busy city and the capital of Basque Country.
Then we waited for the city bus (connected by cables, rails directly on ground). We met up with Nuria´s best friend Leire and went into the city center to meet up with her other conservatory friends (about 5 in all).
We walked around for 2 hours before seeing a concert together, some people got beer, some of us got some gelato; all youth from about 19 to 24 in one very good orchestra. It´s basically what Nuria plays in, just with older musicians.
The music was beautiful, and they finished with a mix of jazz music. So fun.
We talked about music, America, school... Most of them want to pursue music in the future.
When we got back around 11pm, we ate paninis with cheese and chorizo inside, chips, and flan (in little cups, from store).
Pictures 2
Nuria and I, Museo de Bellas Artes, Vitoria (Day 5, Tues.)
Palace in Madrid (Day 1, Fri.)
Nuria (and I) eating frozen yogurt, Madrid (Day 2, Sat.)
Nuria and I, Madrid (Day 2, Sat.)
Pictures 1
Nuria and I at the La Granja gardens (Day 2, Sat.)
Nuria, Senor Fernandez, and me, Segovia (Day 3, Sun.)
Our hotel room view, La Granja (Days 2 & 3)
Nuria and I, park in Madrid (Day 2, Sat.)
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Day 3
Sunday we had a buffet breakfast similar to the one at the last hotel. We took one more tour of the town, stopping to see the souvenirs (painted plates, crystal from a crystal factory in the town, and jars). Then we loaded up the car and hit the road. We stopped for about an hour and a half in Segovia.
There were beautiful red clay roofs - they´re everywhere - and cobblestone streets. We saw the famous aquaduct there - one of the oldest and most complete left over from the Romans - and the fort and cathedral (Gothic with a bit of Roman and Arab influence). Later we had some cold drinks at an open air restaurant, and then headed back to the car.
After some more driving (and a nap) we stopped one last time in Burgos, not too far from Vitoria.
We entered into the main part through the beautiful Burgos cathedral, and shared some pork and patatas bravas (fried potato squares) with bread for a lunchtime snack. I´m loving the mineral water in glass bottles (usually blue) served with every meal. So much better than tap water.
After rebuilding our energy a bit, we took some pictures with a statue of a ´Pelegrino´or pilgrim. The Burgos cathedral was one of the stops along the ancient prilgrimage route called the Camino de Santiago (de Compostela). When devout Christians had completed the route (starting in France and ending in the north-west corner of Spain), they received a certificate of sorts granting them religious blessings or pardons.
We walked the streets - almost everything was closed because it was Sunday - and saw statue after statue, one in particular of del Cid, a medieval military hero who triumphed against the invading Moors.
You can tell I love history. ; ) Nuria´s dad has been telling me the stories of the places we visit.
After finishing our visit with a walk under the willow trees along the river, we drove up to Vitoria-Gasteiz.
It´s a very modern, very green city, especially compared to the little pueblos (towns) and fields and mountains we´ve passed. Even though all of Basque Country speaks the ancient Basque language in addition to Spanish, most of the signs have both on them and most people speak Spanish. Basque is mostly spoken in schools to reinforce the preservation and continuation of the language.
We took our bags up to the 12th and last floor of the apartment building where Nuria´s family lives. After settling in, we ordered some pizza. And now I´m blogging. : )
I´m writing down every new Spanish word I´m hearing, and trying to incorporate them into my vocabulary (although I´m getting annoyed that I can´t seem to substitute "vale" for "ok"!)
There were beautiful red clay roofs - they´re everywhere - and cobblestone streets. We saw the famous aquaduct there - one of the oldest and most complete left over from the Romans - and the fort and cathedral (Gothic with a bit of Roman and Arab influence). Later we had some cold drinks at an open air restaurant, and then headed back to the car.
After some more driving (and a nap) we stopped one last time in Burgos, not too far from Vitoria.
We entered into the main part through the beautiful Burgos cathedral, and shared some pork and patatas bravas (fried potato squares) with bread for a lunchtime snack. I´m loving the mineral water in glass bottles (usually blue) served with every meal. So much better than tap water.
After rebuilding our energy a bit, we took some pictures with a statue of a ´Pelegrino´or pilgrim. The Burgos cathedral was one of the stops along the ancient prilgrimage route called the Camino de Santiago (de Compostela). When devout Christians had completed the route (starting in France and ending in the north-west corner of Spain), they received a certificate of sorts granting them religious blessings or pardons.
We walked the streets - almost everything was closed because it was Sunday - and saw statue after statue, one in particular of del Cid, a medieval military hero who triumphed against the invading Moors.
You can tell I love history. ; ) Nuria´s dad has been telling me the stories of the places we visit.
After finishing our visit with a walk under the willow trees along the river, we drove up to Vitoria-Gasteiz.
It´s a very modern, very green city, especially compared to the little pueblos (towns) and fields and mountains we´ve passed. Even though all of Basque Country speaks the ancient Basque language in addition to Spanish, most of the signs have both on them and most people speak Spanish. Basque is mostly spoken in schools to reinforce the preservation and continuation of the language.
We took our bags up to the 12th and last floor of the apartment building where Nuria´s family lives. After settling in, we ordered some pizza. And now I´m blogging. : )
I´m writing down every new Spanish word I´m hearing, and trying to incorporate them into my vocabulary (although I´m getting annoyed that I can´t seem to substitute "vale" for "ok"!)
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