Rome

It was finally time to say goodbye to Spain and take advantage of the relatively cheap international travel in western Europe.  With the fact that I chose Spain for my study abroad program because I knew some Spanish prior, I was a little worried about going to countries where I did not know any of the language!  However, it really wasn't too bad.  Luckily, Lindsay had taken some Italian courses before so she knew the basics so that was extremely helpful.  She actually was able to hold an impressive conversation with the taxi driver when we got to Rome!

Our route of choice to Rome from Barcelona was by Ryan Air.  A word of advice too, they really are STRICT on their baggage weights!  No more than 55cm x 40cm x 20cm (21.6 in X 15.7 in x 7.8) and can only weigh 10 kilograms (or 22 pounds).  So, if you're taking a lengthy trip, as we were, that's a hard standard to meet!  Of course, people find all sorts of ways around this rule...

1) Wearing a pocket-vest and stuffing your pockets,
2) LAYERING (which is what we ended up doing...photos to come)
3) Simply just buy a stowaway, so you don't get charged a ridiculous amount if you are over 10 kilo (I'm taking a crazy fee, like more than the price of your plane ticket...)

So plan ahead if you're taking RyanAir!  Don't ruin your day by getting charged by not meeting the requirements.  Another thought:

If you're not a broke college student like us, and you would rather pay a little extra to have a more comfortable flight without so many restrictions, just go for a different airlines than RyanAir.

Anyways, this is what we ended up looking like on the plane to Rome:

Left:  Lindsay rocking 7 shirts
Right:  Jacque sporting 5 skirts and 2 shirts

Once we finally got our stowaway luggage to the exact kilo amount, our trip went quite smoothly after that.  The airport we flew into was about 50 minutes away from the heart of Rome, where we were staying: "Campo di Fiori".  I would recommend anyone to stay in Campo--it is within walking distance to all of the main tourist sites in Rome including:

-The Colosseum
-The Roman Forum
-The Trevi Fountain
-The Pantheon
-The Spanish Steps
-The Vatican (which is its own entity--so you can easily visit another country in walking distance!)
       Which includes:
        -The Sistine Chapel
        -St. Peter's Basilica
        -Vatican Musem
        -Services held by the Pope (every Wednesday)

From the airport, we took a bus (which is a pretty good deal as compared to taxi) to get to the Roma Termini station (main train station of Rome) and from there, we took a taxi to our Airbnb stay in Campo di Fiori.

We stayed in Rome for about a week, which was more than enough time to get all of the sight seeing done, so you could stay for less.  I would recommend at least 3 or 4 days so you're not exhausted from all of the navigating, walking, etc...

Firstly, we hit up the Colosseum and the Roman Forum.  You will notice that there are scads of tour guides (or Guidas in Italian).  Some are honestly just overpriced... but the closer you get to the colloseum, you will find tour guides that are registered to give tours of the Colosseum and Roman Forum that are decently priced (~25 EUR).  Having a tour guide who spoke English was a great idea.  It really enhanced by experience in visiting these infamous places.  The tour guides had great senses of humor and told very interesting stories about the sites.  I would definitely reccommend getting a tour guide for these two attractions.

The Colosseum

The Gladiator Stage inside the Colosseum

Part of the ruins of the Roman Empire Palace

Statue in the Forum

The Roman Forum

Barcelona

First, a little background about Barcelona:

• Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, where they speak Catalan--yes, they don't speak normal Spanish in Barcelona  
• 2nd largest city in Spain--behind Madrid--with 4.5 million inhabitants
• Largest metropolis on the Mediterranean sea
• World Heritage Center by UNESCO with attractions such as Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia along with his other architecture dispersed throughout the city, the famous street of La Rambla, La Boqueria, and of course, the beaches of Barcelona. 

  

  Gaudi Park

We arrived in Barcelona by bus from Madrid and it took around 8 hours and our tickets only costed ~35 EUR.  This was far cheaper than any flight we could find at the time.  So, if you plan on making the trip from Madrid to Barcelona, compare ryanair.com and alsa.com (buses) for the cheapest option.  The buses in Europe are very comfortable and I actually prefer riding the bus as opposed to ryanair!  Since our bus trip was on the lengthy side, there were 2 rest stops--one quick one for a snack/facilities and another one for lunch.  Overall, my experience was pleasant and would recommend taking a bus trip to anyone!  There are several bus stations throughout Madrid that are easily assessable by the Metro so you don't have to take a taxi to get there.  We chose to depart from Avenida de America station/metro area--which is one of the major bus departure stations of Madrid.  

About to board the 8 hour bus to Barcelona from Avenida de America in Madrid

For most of our stays we booked rooms with airbnb -- which we found to be much cheaper than hostels, especially since it was just the two of us and we did not have a large group.  So, if you have a bigger group, I would probably recommend a hostel, but airbnb is great for 2-3 people!  Airbnb is basically The company is an online service that provides a platform for individuals referred to as “hosts”, to rent unoccupied living space and other short-term lodging to guests.  So, each time you stay somewhere, the experience is totally different from the last--which could be a good or bad thing depending on your preferences.  However, we got lucky with Barcelona!  

We ended up staying in Barri Gotic--the old town of Barcelona, which is also called the Gothic Quarter.  There are plenty of beautiful, historical buildings and streets to wonder and it is very close to the beach!  I would recommend anyone to stay in Barri Gotic.  It is also very close to La Rambla and any other historical, touristy sights you would want to see.  We stayed in a newly married couple's apartment, which was so cute and perfect for our needs!  The street we stayed on is actually a tourist attraction in itself--Named Carrer de Perot Lo Lladre, which means "Peter the Thief", a historical Catalan outlaw.  One of my favorite things about the apartment was the expresso machine that was free for our use :) Such a nice perk!

Our second day in Barcelona was spend at an electronic concert, Piknic Elecronik.  I stubled across it online simply by looking up "what to do in Barcelona today"--honestly not a bad idea if you don't know what to do!  You can also find tons of free stuff to do that way as well.  The concert reminded me of something you might find in Austin, TX--it was an outside venue with around 5 electronic/house DJs, tons of people, a token system, beer sales, food trucks, bean bags for lounging and even a family area for people to bring their kids!  Supposedly these concerts happen every weekend in the Summer in Barcelona, and entry is around 15 EUR (or less--I forgot).  

Chilling on one of the bean bags

Here are a few photos of the apartment we stayed in:

Note the expresso machine :)

It's always nice (to me at least) when the place you are staying at has a kitchen!  Cooking on vacation has several benefits:  1) You save money--LOTS of money in touristy areas 2) You know what you're eating and how it was prepared--nobody wants to be sick on vacation, especially while abroad 3) You have new, authentic ingredients to work with!  I was especially excited about cooking Barcelona because I kept hearing about the infamous "Boqueria".  La Boqueria is a huge public market filled with everything from fresh fish, chocolate, fruit and vegetables to hand-picked wild mushrooms--a culinary haven.  The market supposedly dates back to 1217!  It is a must-see in Barcelona.  I would recommend going early in the morning or late in the afternoon because it gets awfully crowded.  

Selection of Wild Mushrooms

Our dinner made from Boqueria ingredients--fresh Salmon and a tomato, garlic, and onion salsa

The entrance facing La Rambla

Let's not forget about the beaches of Barcelona.  There are 4.2 km of sandy beaches in Barcelona, and there are 4 main beaches, along with minor ones inbetween.  The first and most populated beach is Barceloneta, which makes sense because it is nearest to La Rambla and many hotels.  After Barceloneta comes Icaria beach, which is easy to tell where it starts because of the large wale-like structure--Frank Gehry's Peix.  Next, you have the nudist beach, Mar Bella.  Lastly, there are the Sitges beaches.  It is really up to you which one you choose, whether you want to have the populus, touristy feel of Barceloneta, the care-free feel of Mar Bella or the less populated beaches of Sitges.

Note Frank Gehry's Peix (wale-structure) that marks the end of Barceloneta

We made sure to spend several days at the beach, of course.  The other days were spent exploring the city, shopping, seeing La Sagrada Familia, going on a Bar Crawl and checking out restaurants.

If you've ever heard of Barcelona, you've heard of la Sagrada Familia.  It is a large Roman Catholic church designed by Antoni Gaudi, and since 1882, it has still been under construction!  In 2010 is was claimed as a minor basicica by Pope Benedict XVI.  However, in 1926, Gaudi died leaving less than a quarter of the project complete.  The construction has progressed very slowly, based on private contributions and being disrupted by the Spanish Civil War.  The anticipated completion date is set to be in 2026!  

The original design calls for 18 "spires", basically pinnacles--what most people would recognize of the Sagrada Familia.  Currently there are only 8 built...so they have a ways to go!  Supposedly the tallest spire will be 560 feet and will have a giant cross with Jesus Christ surmounted on it.  

It is a little strange seeing a historical site still under construction but it is quite impressive!  What is also impressive is the line to get inside...we waited a little over an hour and paid 11 EUR (that's with the student discount) to get inside.  A bit tedious, but it is a must-do when in Barcelona.  My favorite part was inside the basilica.  Here are some photos:

Proof of the 100+ year construction

The end of the line..

I would recommend bringing a cold and refreshing drink for the long lines...

One of the 8 Spires

Inside

A model of the floorplan

A Madrileño Weekend - Un Fin de Semana Madrileño

Parks, Pubs, Clubs, and Bullfights

This past weekend, our friends David and Andy came in from Barcelona.  They just graduated from Texas State and only had 2 classes left for their degrees so they were able to walk at graduation and go to Barcelona to take their last classes--what an awesome deal.

Our weekend consisted of a day in Parque de Oeste (West Park near our apartment in Moncloa), a swim at the IES pool, a night at a pub, an evening at Parque de Retiro, a night at Kapital (the infamous 7-story club), a bullfight and a trip to the oldest restaurant in the world to finish it off.  Successful weekend I'd say and now I'm paying for the lost sleep by having a lovely cold!

I never got around to posting photos of the IES center, so I'll give a photo tour here:

Courtyard

Pool in the courtyard--the building behind it is where the classrooms are

The Lounge/Cafe area

The guys were set to come to Madrid on Friday and we told them we would be waiting on top of the Moncloa Metro Station at 1PM...Which we now realize is much too vague for a couple of American students without phones to reach each other--word of advice:  be very specific when meeting up with friends!  After around an hour and a half of waiting, giving up and grabbing coffee and checking to see if they were there one last time, we walked right into each other!  Lucky! The rest of the day was spent at the park tanning, "Botellón-ing" (a common Madrileño thing to do: bringing beer to the park), and swimming at the IES pool.  It was a very relaxing day to say the least.

That night we went to an Irish Pub called "Dubliners" and met all sorts of people--Spaniards, a group of Englishmen in for a bachelor party, Australians, geography teachers, you name it.  Who doesn't like a pub I suppose?

After recuperating from the night before and a relaxing evening in Parque de Retiro, we went to the infamous club in Madrid, Kapital.  It is a 7-story club that we have been told time after time to go to--so we finally got around to it.  We got to the club around 1:30 AM and did not leave until 6:15 AM... I've never danced so long in my life!  My feet were swollen for ~2 days after, too...So I must have done something right!  The main dance floor was jam packed, with barely any space to dance, but it was still a great time.  The music they played was mainly American and techno/electronic mixed in.  Each floor has at least 1 or 2 bars, lounge areas, televisions, and restrooms.  Overall, it was very enjoyable but I don't think I would go every weekend because 1) Its rather "caro" (expensive) - 20 Euro for entrance + 1 drink unless you get a card outside from a promoter for 15 Euro + 1 drink and 2) It is a commitment!  If you're going to Kapital, expect to be there until the next morning, because at 6:00 AM, the dance floor was still as packed at it was at 2:00 AM.

Sunday was a day for recuperation, A Bullfight, and Botín (the oldest restaurant in the world).  The bullfight was by far my favorite part of the whole weekend.  It is unlike anything I had ever seen before.

CORRIDA DE TOROS

The correct term in Spain for "bullfight" is Corrida de Toros.  Before going, I made a point to be at least somewhat knowledgable of what actually goes down at a bullfight--and I'm glad I did!  Though bullfights can be very controversial and thought of as cruel, there is another side to it much different than many would think.  Some even call it a 'fine art', and I now see why.  Here is what happens at a Spanish bullfight:

• There are three different toreros/matadors who fight 2 bulls each--totaling in 6 bulls--each of which are between 4-6 years old and must be at a certain weight.  

• Each torero/matador has six assistants which comprise a unit called "cuadrilla": 2 picadores (lancers on horseback), 3 banderilleros/subalternos (torero who plants the baderillas into the bulls' back), and a mozo de espadas (sword page).  To tell which one is the main "torero",  look at the sizes of the banduras:  the main torero has the smallest bandura.  Also, the torero will typically have a distinct suit--usually embroidered in gold.  

• There are a total of 6 bulls fought.  Each "fight" is broken down into 3 stages or "tercios".  The beginning of each stage is marked by the sound of a bugle horn.  

• The participants first enter the arena in a parade, called the paseíllo, during which, band music is played. Next, the bull enters the ring to be tested for ferocity. This is the first stage, the tercio de varas ("the lancing third"), and the matador first confronts the bull with the capote, performing a series of passes with his cape to get a feel for the bull's behaviors.  
Next, a picador enters the arena on horseback armed with a vara ("lance"). Don't worry, the horses wear a protective armor, called "peto". However, before 1930, horses did not wear this--which would be really hard to watch.  Supposedly during this time, the number of horses killed during a fight was higher than the number of bulls killed.  The picador stabs just behind the morrillo, a mound of muscle on the fighting bull's neck, weakening the neck muscles and initiating blood loss. 

• In the next stage, the tercio de banderillas ("the third of banderillas"), each of the three banderilleros attempts to stab sharp barbed sticks into the bull's shoulders, called banderillas.  These get the bull agitated and they help to further weaken the bull for the final fill by the torero.  

• In the final stage, the tercio de muerte ("the third of death"), the matador re-enters the ring alone with a small red cape, and a sword.  Interesting fact--people always think of a torero with a red cape, however bulls are color blind so they are not particularly attracted to red.  It is thought that they use red capes to mask the bulls blood that ends up being on the capes.   The matador uses the cape for passes and to wear the bull out--this is called a faena.  Finally, the torero gets the bull into a position to stab it between the shoulder blades and through the aorta.  

• Unfortunately, many times the bull doesn't get pierced through the heart initially and repeated efforts must be made to finally bring the bull down and end his life.

The last bull--about 10 minutes after this photo was taken, I was holding this bull's ear!

La Bodega de Botin, The Oldest Restaurant in the World

After the bullfight, we had to hit up the oldest restaurant in the world (according to the Guinness Book of World Records at least).  Also, it is said that Ernest Hemingway ate here a time or two.  Hemingway definitely mentioned it in his book, Sun Also Rises.  

We lunched upstairs at Botin’s. It is one of the best restaurants in the world. We had roast young suckling pig and drank rioja alta. Brett did not eat much. She never ate much. I ate a very big meal and drank three bottles of rioja alta. 

—Ernest Hemingway

Being serenaded in Botin  by music students of Madrid's Compultense University

Some Spanish Rioja for the table

My meal -- Chicken Fricassee in Creamy Almond Sauce