Soup of the Day

Spring Break: Granada

            Once again, I found myself in an unfamiliar city and country with strangers passing through my view, and knowing that I will most likely never see them every again. Michael and I had to wait about 2 hours until our 5 hour bus ride from Madrid to Granada, we passed the by me eating a lunch and also oversee Michael as he enjoyed a nice nap. The time came for us to head towards our bus gate and embark on and another long bus ride. As we left Madrid and travelled through the countryside, it reminded me of the Valley (Central California) it was very flat, dry, hot, and acres and acres of space. This view lasted about 2 and half hours. Then the last half of bus ride was weaving through the mountainside of Spain, and it reminded me of the drive from San Diego to Prescott, Arizona, especially when we were in the mountains.

            We arrived in Granada around 7 pm the both of us had no idea where to go so we asked the info lady about best way of transportation to our hostel, she said take a bus ride to City Center and just walk down a the main street for 5 minutes and the Hostel would be on our left. Thirty minutes later we were in hostel, and another half hour, later Michael and I were walking the streets of Granada with the renowned traveler and Granada expert, Felipe Escalera, my roommate from Loma. Once again we were reunited and this time we were in Spain. We were able to met up with Felipe because he studying there, we headed to house because he needed to drop off his backpack and change his clothes, after this little delay, we back roaming Granada, we grabbed some Tapas, where you get any drink and a free Tapas, basically free food. The food is great and its free, I only needed to pay for my drink. Michael and I ate at mostly Tapas places. After dinner, we met up with most of Felipe’s friends in the program, and Felipe being Felipe was just bragging about mine and his history, how we met, stuff we been through, and talking smack to non Dodgers and Lakers fan because I would have his back. The night came to an end; we came home early because everyone had class and test the next day. Since everyone had class and it was essential to see tour The Alhambra, one of my favorite things I saw on my Spring Break.

            We woke up around 6 am because we didn’t reserve a ticket and needed to by our ticket early. So got to the Alhambra around 6:45 and waited a little over a half hour till we were able to buy our ticket, as the sun was climbing over the Sierra Nevada’s to dazzle Granada with sun light we paced through the Alhambra. The weather played in our favor with sunshine and a cool breeze once in a while. I wandered through out the Alhambra in amazement, the location it was on, the scenery around it and the history it embrace. A few hours later we headed down from the mountaintop, we grabbed some food, and then took a nap. Around 3 we were going to meet up with Felipe, Michael decided to go off and do his own thing, so basically Felipe just showed me his school, some street art, and the court where he expresses he, “balls it up!” We walked around for a few hours until he had to leave to go eat dinner with his host family, but he told me around at 9 pm a group of his friends and him were playing in their intramural basketball final, so we ventured to the court and watched a historic game, they ended up winning; and as champions everyone went to Dominoes and got all you can eat for only about 8 euros. I ate about 20 euros worth of pizza, after dinner we went back out once again.

            Next afternoon Felipe, Michael, and I went around the city again, we managed to go a park and later found another breathtaking view of the city as well as the Alhambra and the mountains in the background. We made our way back down the hill, stopping by shops and I was looking for anything that would catch my eye, I ended up with some green slippers, totally worth the 3 euros! Anon the tree of us met up with our friend Morgan Johnson, who studies at Loma as well, and also in Granada. She took the three of us to a few of her favorite tapas restaurant, and once again they were amazing. Morgan informed me of her travels and stories along with good company we were able to pass four hours of our day. We parted ways I said my good byes to Morgan. Felipe and I hung out a little longer, just chatting some more before I had, again to wake up early, to catch my bus to Malaga then a plane from Malaga to Geneva, Switerzland. I hugged Felipe and told him he needed to come out to Prague, and this weekend it looks like he is coming out!

Spring Break: MADRID

I was finally ready to get on the plane and head to Madrid, one because I wanted and needed some sleep, two I wanted to see another country, three I was going to meet up with another Loma friend named Hannah, who is studying there, and four I was going to meet up with my roommate Michael from Prague. As I put my backpack in the overhead storage, strapped seat built, and turned on my iPod within 3 minutes I was asleep. To me it felt like 30 seconds had passed when the flight attendant told me that we were about to land, so I had the unpleasant surprise waiting for as a I took my head phones off, two babies behind me screaming at the top of their lungs. At this point in life, I wanted anything but a baby crying on plane. When the gate opened, I got off the plane as soon as possible. Earlier in the week Hannah told me she would meet me at the metro station, but with me being half awake and not having phone an extensive period of time past until I got to the metro station. As I made my way to Metro I thought I would see my friend Hannah but I was wrong, I considered that I made Hannah leave because I took so long, so next best option was to head to my hostel and eventually meet up with her later that day. I got a 3 day metro pass and directions to my hostel from the nice lady working at the metro office and the hope of meeting up with my friend later that day.

I finally found my way from the Airport to me hostel, however I couldn’t get into my room because I was there to early, so I put my backpack in storage, grabbed a map and on a mission to find a place to eat. I stumbled upon a little café where I ordered some eggs, bacon, a pastry, and a coffee, I was a little disappointed on the eggs and bacon; my eggs were a watery and my bacon was not even cooked. However I ate it all and ordered another pastry and coffee. After I paid I just walked around the town to get my feet used to the area around me, I managed to find my way back to the hostel where I got a message from Hannah saying that her and her grandparents were going to go to Segovia and asked me to join them, so I got the directions to the hotel of her grandparents and was finally going to meet up with my friend. I entered the hotel and took a seat on the couch until I met up with Hannah. The elevator doors opened and stood Hannah with her grandparents, we exchanged hellos and then I met the grandparents. We made our way to car that Hannah’s grandparents rented and were on our way to Segovia.

I sat in the back and told Hannah about all my travels throughout Europe as we progressed through the countryside of Spain towards Segovia and some dark clouds that hovered over the mountain range. Within 30 minutes leaving Madrid and about 30 min out of Segovia we entered a snowstorm! When we were in Madrid it was pleasant weather and sunny but now we were engulfed by a snowstorm, one would think we were in Alaska, Colorado, or Montana due to the snow being poured over the land and our tiny car. We all agreed to head back to Madrid and try to go on another day.

We arrived back in Madrid with a full day ahead of us, with me have not seen any of the city they gave a tour of the city, but first we had to eat some food. They took me to this French type restaurant were I got an excellent lunch spin of Eggs Benedict. After lunch we headed to the city center and some famous market. We just walked around this area to pass the time. We stopped by this building which was a inside food market; stands with ranging from fish, meat, ice cream, cheese, and varieties of beverages, I enjoyed a nice homemade lemonade that one of the best I’ve had. We ambled through plazas and streets until we went back to the hotel. We returned in one piece but once again we were in need of food, and again the three of them took me to this restaurant were they pleasured me with fries and steak. Dinner came to a close and it was time for me to head back to my hostel. As Hannah walked back to the metro we tried to arrange a time to meet up, we said for sure Sunday, and we would try to head back to Segovia and hopefully see it, but the next day I was going to do my own thing with Michael and get a tour of Madrid.

I got back to my Hostel and there posted in chair was Michael, he told me he just got in. I decided not to go out because I was too tired.

The next morning, Saturday, came upon us Michael and I got breakfast and ready to embarked on our free city tour provided by our hostel. Our tour guide was a very small Argentinean, who has lived in Madrid the last ten years and was giving his 1,234 tours, that’s what he told us. Our tour took about 3 hours and we saw all the building that makes Madrid a tour destination. After our tour, Michael and I set out to find some lunch and return back to the Hostel. After lunch we both enjoyed a few hour nap, until 5 pm. Michael found out there was an art museum that was going to have free admission, due the Easter weekend, so we arrived to the gallery and had to wait in line for about 2o minutes. As the doors opened and swarm of people merging into one another creating no personal space. The art gallery only gave people 2 hours to see as much as possible, Michael and I saw heaps of art work, but probably only saw a sixth of the art work, this gallery was massive. We exited the building in the same matter, no personal space and everyone pressed against one another. We strolled around the city some more as the sun was saying its last goodbye to the city of Madrid and us. We went back to the hostel and meet some guys, two buddies from Ireland and on guy from South Africa, the five of us agreed to go out and get some food.

Next morning (Sunday morning) was Easter Sunday. If I was back in the states I would have received a call and a text from my loving mother saying, “He is Risen….He is Risen indeed.” I can just image her expressing these words not only to me but everyone she lays on, and she would have a radiant smile on her face as well. After breakfast, Hannah and I started to message one another and we agreed that I’ll meet her and her grand parents at the hotel and we would spend our day at Segovia, so once again we all headed out to Segovia. We followed the road up and through the mountains until we came to Segovia, the drive up was breath taking, since there was a blizzard basically a few days ago all the mountains had white crowns from the snow, and along with the blue sky. I could have sat in the field and looked at the mountains all day. The town was tiny but we were able to walk everywhere, we arrived to the castle of Segovia, unfortunately Hannah grandma feet were hurting, so her and Hannah decided to rest and allow her Grandpa and I go up into the castle, we basically had man time. We climbed to the top of the castle and saw a stunning examination of the city of Segovia and the mountains in the distance. It was wonderful to see God’s work and beauty in Easter Sunday; once again I was blessed to be in this position I was in.

We left Segovia and arrived back to the hotel, I said my goodbyes to all them and made my way back to the hostel where Michael was waiting for me because we would go get food and watch the Real Madrid soccer match. The next morning we packed our bags, checked out and headed to the bus station, where would embark on a 5 hour bus ride to Granada.