Santander

After leaving Picos de Europa, we drove to the nearby city of Santander. Located near the Mar Cantábrico (which is part of the Atlantic Ocean), it offers beautiful vistas of the Sea, with great beaches. The seafood here is extremely fresh; the fisherman go out in the mornings and bring back the daily catch to be served in the restaurants. While in Cudillero (see previous post), we ate Paella. However, here in Santander, the Paella was much, much better. After the Paella, we had a second course, of which my share was Cod. I think I could eat seafood every day of my life and be just fine. Other than the beach and the seafood, we didn’t do much in Santander. We did however say goodbye to Jorge. We’ll be seeing him again, though, as he has already bought his ticket to return to Louisiana in April 2011. Now, back to Segovia for the night, and then Madrid on Sunday for the final. ¡¡¡Viva España!!!

Los Picos de Europa

After Los Lagos, we went to a different part of the same mountain range, called Picos de Europa. We were debating whether to take the train through the middle of the mountain to the pueblo near the peak or walk; we decided to walk, and I’m glad we did. Not only did we save the twenty Euros for the train ride, we were surrounded by mountains for the entire hike up. The trail leading to the top follows a river that has cut a nice valley between two peaks. The hike probably took a little more than an hour, but it was well worth it. Once we reached the top, we sat and had a couple of beers and lunch in the pueblo (named Bulnes, the residents live relatively tax-free because the government wants that the pueblo remain as it is, which is great). The hike down was easier but a bit more nerve wrecking, as the rocks can be a bit slippery (and maybe Toms aren’t the best shoes in which to go hiking).

Los Lagos de Covadonga (a.k.a. God’s House)

Los Lagos de Covadonga may be the most magical place I’ve ever been. We took a nice long drive up a mountain in the car, which offered its own beautiful views. However, once we reached the top, it was even better than I can probably describe. At the top of the mountains, there are three lakes, two of which we saw. In the surrounding fields cows lazily graze while tourists and locals wander around taking photos, trying to capture the beauty. Being an adventurous person, I went wandering and found a few little peaks to climb. I was watching out for bulls, because I didn’t want them to think that I wanted their cows; Jesus said they can be very aggressive, very territorial. I think I will remember most the sound of the cowbells ringing constantly as the cattle grazed.

¡¡¡Viva España!!! ¡¡¡Viva Puyol!!!

Wow. What a night. After Cudillero, we ventured back to Gijón to watch the Spain vs. Germany game. The German Squid Paul picked the Spanish team to win, which seems a little backward. But nevertheless, it was an amazing night. As my Facebook status said, Spanish goal + Spanish bar = crazy. It was like I was back in Tiger Stadium when LSU scored a touchdown against Florida...but not quite (because that will always be close to my heart). I really couldn't have asked for a better night.

Cudillero

Wednesday brought a new adventure: the fishing village of Cudillero. Like Segovia, the streets here are very narrow (I don't know how two cars pass at the same time, but they do...even when people are walking). It really reminded me of an older version of a town just north of San Francisco called Sausilito (Brian, thanks for taking me there on a bike ride across the Golden Gate). Located on the coast, the seafood here is extremely fresh; whatever fish they catch for the day is on the plate later in the evening.

Asturias

Tuesday we spent most of the day in the car, driving north to the region of Asturias, which is very different from the rest of Spain. The mountain chain in the North (which lies just to the South of Asturias) keeps the rain from the sea in Asturias, making everything very green. The people here really love and respect their environment, and it's clear to see why. The vistas once we entered Asturias are beautiful. We were making our way to Gijón. On the way, however, we stopped for a late lunch in Leon. I wish we would have had more time to stay here, because, like every other place we've visited, it has it's own charm which probably would required a week in and of itself to fully discover. Back in the car, we were almost to Asturias. I was looking forward to seeing Jorge, a friend who visited us in Lake Charles last year. Jorge is full of life and an extremely fun person to be around. Always happy, Jorge will make you laugh with his love of American Country Music and Lady GaGa.

Jorge is a great tour guide. He showed us Gijón, a very different city that the others that we've visited so far. It seems a bit more modern (especially more so than Segovia). After checking into our hotel and a much needed shower, we got dressed and headed out for dinner. I must say, boiled Squid is one of my favorite things I've eaten here. The texture is just chewy enough, but not too chewy. The sight of the "suction cups" (I'm sure there's a technical name, but I don't know it) was a bit off-putting at first, but I dove in and I can say that I'm glad I did; it's delicious. With our meal, we drank a bit of Sidras (alcoholic apple cider) which is the typical drink here in Asturias. It has a nice bite, but it's not too bad. Drank in "shots," it added a nice local touch to our dinner.

stay thirsty my friends

Monday brought another beautiful day in Segovia. We got a nice start to the day, lazily walking around Segovia viewing the sights. We sat with Palomo, one of Jesus' friends, and had a glass of white wine with him on his break from studying. The white wine was perfect for the hot day. After we finished, we were heading back to the house for a siesta when we ran across Jesus' parents. They were sitting with Moro, a man who can best be described as "the most interesting man in the world" from the Dos XX commercials. He is about 5' tall and walks with a cane (but is surprisingly agile for 77 years old). Sitting with him and Jesus' parents, we had another drink and then Moro invited us back to his house for lunch. He wanted to bring us to his castle (!), but alas, there was not enough time that day. Moro's house was like a dream in a hobbit hole. With low ceilings, many different levels, and artwork everywhere, we sat around a table and drank more wine from glass goblets. I really felt like I was in a medieval mead hall; it was pretty incredible.

After lunch, we went home and ate crepes in Jesus' mother's restaurant (ZasCandil). Monday night brought much needed rest and relaxation. We were prepared for our next adventure.

Domingo

Sunday brought a little bit of a rest, which was well received. We packed up our things and took Jesus' car toward Segovia (which is where I'm posting these from). On the way, we stopped in La Granja, a pueblo just outside of Segovia. This place is absolutely beautiful. There is a Palace, which of course is nice; but even more impressive are the gardens surrounding the palace. At times, it felt more like a small forest than a garden. Sculptures and fountains meet the eye at seemingly every turn; swans gracefully swim in the ponds and lakes found on the grounds. This would be the place to be for young royalty, perhaps playing "Caballeros y Indios" or "Españoles y Mexicanos" to run around and release their "huevos" (anyone whose seen Nacho Libre will appreciate that last line). We stumbled across a sculpture of Perseus saving Andromeda, which is perfect for me because I can show this to my class when we read the Perseus myth.

Around 7:00pm, we got back in the car and continued on to Segovia. Ok, I'm not sure if I can really explain how amazing Segovia is, but I'll try. It's an old Medieval village, with a Templar Church built down in a valley. With around 60,000 residents, it feels more homely than Madrid does, especially for a kid from Sulphur. But most importantly for me, there is an intact Roman Aqueduct. I can't really describe the feeling I got when I saw it from the car. Imagine being a kid on Christmas morning and finding EXACTLY what you asked for from Santa. This may help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFlcqWQVVuU. But just seeing it from the car was the beginning. We walked down to the square where the Aqueduct is located and I was surrounded by 2,000 years of history. When I touched the stones, I honestly felt the history running through my body. That may sound cheesy, but for someone who loves history, especially Roman history, and a Latin teacher at that, it was pretty incredible. So now we are in the library in the University of Valladolid, Segovia Campus. I haven't had internet access for a few days, so that's why there are so many posts from Monday. I'll keep them coming as much as I can. Keep checking. Until then, ¡Viva España!

Sabado en el parque del Retiro

Before the game, we ventured out into Madrid once again, visiting the main train station, where there was a terrorist attack on March 11, 2004. Needless to say, there were very many security guards everywhere and we weren't allowed access to where the trains were. Nevertheless, the visit was nice. There is a memorial set up with the names of all the victims and a very interesting all-blue room with a plastic globe-like structure rising from the ceiling into the sky. After walking around the train station, we went to El parque del Retiro (The park of the Retired). This huge park is a testament to the importance of trees here in Madrid. Jesus and I strolled around the park like it was a lazy Sunday and I was completely enamored by the sights. We visited El Palacio de Crystal (The Glass Palace) and stumbled upon a random art exhibition, in which it felt like an Alice in Wonderland-induced dream.

¡Villa, Villa, Maravilla!

After arriving home at 7:30am (and subsequently eating one of the tastiest hamburgers in my life, with beef, ham, lettuce, tomato, and an egg on top), we had a nice long sleep (until about 2:30). We went out for a late lunch (which really is only late for the US; everyone eats lunch around 2:00 or 3:00 here), then back to the house for a siesta, and then to the supermarket for some supplies: German beers, paté, anchovies, queso, and a pizza. On our way back to the apartment, we came across Pride (which I'm sure most of you know is the Gay Pride parade). The one here in Madrid is the largest in the world, so there were quite a few people on the streets, many of them very interesting, to say the least. Back at Jesus' apartment, we watched Spain vs. Paraguay, in which (as I'm sure most of you saw) there were two penalties with no goals! But, as the title of this post indicates, David Villa was in the right time at the right place once again (Brian, your pick for most goals is panning out is seems). It really felt like it did when the Saints won the Super Bowl. When Villa scored, I leaned out the window and could hear shouts, horns blowing, and just general euphoria throughout the entire city. Needless to say, there was a buzz in the air that night and we went out to celebrate. After the previous night lasted until 7:30am, this second night was a little less crazy (we got home around 4:00am).

EuroClub

Ok, so I'd always heard stories of EuroClubs and the all night dance fests and parties, but now I know from experience. Madrid is an incredible place with an even more incredible night life. Friday night, after a couple of siestas (from the jet lag), we went out on the town. Friday night quickly turned into Saturday morning, as I had four great hosts: Jesus (my Spanish brother), Gonzalo, Brian, and Palomo. It was an awesome night that included mini (and many) beers, a jaeger bomb, and a (failed) attempt at dancing. But hey, I'll try anything when I've had enough to drink.

Madrid!

Well I have arrived in Madrid safely. The flights weren't too bad. I took some Benadryl and a couple glasses of wine from New York to Madrid, so that helped me sleep. The city is beautiful so far, but I haven't gotten to see much yet. I'm about to honor the Spanish siesta for a couple of hours and then shower and go out for some food. More to come.

Derrick S