La Catedral, Capilla Real y La Corrida de Toros

The beginning of La Corrida de Toros with horses!

A matador, with his capote (cape) attempting to control the bull!

Some of the matadors.

A matador with his red cape (called a muleta).

Me at the arena before La Corrida started.


La Catedral y Capilla Real:

Me in La Catedral in front of the columns. They are huge!

La Catedral.

La Catedral.

The outside of La Capilla Real.

The outside of La Capilla Real.

Hello!

As of today I am finished with Intensivo!! Yay! I took the test for that class today and had my other test yesterday, so I am done :) On Thursday Oct 1 our fall break begins and I leave for Pais Vasco (Basque Country) for 6 days! I am super stoked to go :) When I get back next week we start our classes. I am going to be taking Art History (from Baroque to present) and Politics of the European Union, along with a required grammer Spanish class. For the rest of the semester I will be taking these classes along with the Spanish Culture class I have been taking from day one.

So as for the happenings of the past week, besides studying I found time for fun! Libby and I went to a market that was about a block from our house where they were selling fruit, dried fruit, nuts, candy and pastries! Yum! I bought some nuts and a pastry! So good :) On Saturday we had our last "paseo" or walk with Alfonso to La Catedral in Granada (the Cathedral) and La Capilla Real (which is a church where the Catholic kings are buried). They are both amazing buildings and the art and archetecture are awesome. Unfortunatly we couldn't take pictures inside La Capilla Real, but I have lots of pictures from La Catedral!

Then on Sunday Libby and I, along with some other people, went to La Corrida de Toros in Granda. La Corrida is a bull fight, with matadors (bull fighters) and fancy costumes. It's also quite a controversial event because it involves the killing of 6 bulls. For the most part I enjoyed myself. The killing of the bulls and the blood was hard to watch, but having learned about the event in my culture class, I was mentally prepared for it. The coolest parts were the matadores' costumes and how they used the capes (or capotes) to control the bull. It was also helpful that we had some native Spaniards next to us that knew all about the Corrida and they helped to explain to us what was going on some of the time and why certain things happened certain ways. For example, after one bull was killed, two horses dragged it in a circle around the arena. It was a little odd, but the Spaniards said it was a way of commemerating the bull because it had been a good bull. Huh! It's a strange way to commemorate the bull, but I guess it was something! Oh and there was another exciting part! One of the matadors tripped and fell and the bull chased him and knocked him in circles a few times with his horns before the other matadores distracted the bull. The matador got gored in the leg! It wasn't too bad, but he was bleeding. That was in the beginning and but he continued! It was crazy! The whole crowd gasped when it happened! So did I! The matador that got hurt is the one in the orange outfit in my photos (if you look close you can see blood a little above his knee). Anyways, overall I am glad I went because it was an experience I will remember forever.

That was the most exciting event of the weekend because most of it was filled with studying! This week will be crazy busy with travelling. If I don't have time I might not be able to write a post in between my trip to San Sebastian and my trip to Valencia the following weekend. So look forward to a post about my trips in a few weeks!

Un Abrazo (A hug),

Annie

Cordoba and La Alhambra

Me at the top of La Alhambra looking out over the city.

La Alhambra

La Alhambra

La Mezquita in Cordoba.

La Mezquita in Cordoba.

La Mezquita in Cordoba.

A statue of Christopher Columbus with the Catholic Kings in the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos.

Me in the beautiful gardens in La Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos.

Hello,

S0 this week is the last week of my intensive Spanish class. Yay! Next week we take the test for that class and a test for my culture class and then I am on break! Break starts next Thursday the 1st of October. I am going to Pais Vasco with some friends. I am pretty sure I already mentioned it but now it's right around the corner. This week will consist of studying for my tests, recovering from my cold and going to a bull fight on Sunday. Yes, on Sunday I am going to a bull fight at La Plaza de Toros in Granada. I am not super excited for the blood and cruelty of it, but I am excited to go for the experience. I will tell you all about it in my next post!

On Sunday I went to Cordoba with my group. It was really neat. We started the day with some free time so I went to La Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos, which is basically a fancy house with lots of beautiful gardens. Later we went to La Mezquita/Catedral. It is a beautiful amazing cathedral/mosque that was built a long time ago! Then we got to experience what it would be like to hang out in an ancient arab bathroom. It was super cool. There were three rooms: one with a cold pool, one with a temperate pool and the other with a hot tub! And we got a massage!! It was super relaxing and lots of fun and the massage was super!

Yesterday (Monday), I went with my group to La Alhambra. If you don't remember La Alhambra is the ancient arab castle in Granada. Since it has been restored and such. We were given a tour of it by Alfonso, one of our professors. It was really beautiful.

Well, I am off to study for my two tests! I will keep you updated about all the exciting events to come!

-Annie

Sierra Nevadas, Albaycin and My 20th Birthday!

Me on my birthday with ice cream! Yum!

The beautiful Albaycin neighborhood.

Me with the view of La Alhambra from the Albaycin neighborhood.

Me, Libby and Kailey in the Sierra Nevadas. It sort of looks like we are flying!

Me in the Sierra Nevadas.

Me at the top of our hike!

Most of the gang at the Sierra Nevadas.

Hola Mis Amigos!!

Much has happened since I last wrote including a four hour hike up a mountain, thunderstorms, amazing views, and a celebration. But I am getting ahead of myself!

Earlier this week I took a walk with my school group into Albaycin, which is a beautiful ancient neighborhood in Granada. There are so many beautiful places to see in Granada with amazing views. This neightborhood used to be an ancient arab neighborhood back when the arabs controlled Granda. It is really awesome cause they have kept the new buildings in the same style and there is a gorgeous plaza at the top that looks out of La Alhambra (ps I get to visit La Alhambra next monday!). At night La Alhambra is lit up with lights. I really want to go up there at night to see that view! Gosh everything I see here is beyond amazing.

On Saturday some friends and I went to the Sierra Nevadas. It was quite the adventure. Our bus broke down on the way up the mountain so we had to hang out and wait for about an hour while they sent another bus up! It was fine though cause we played silly games and made new friends with Spainairds and another guy who is from Seattle. What a small world! After we finally made it to the mountain we hiked up the steep incline to reach the summit. It was sunny in the morning, but it started getting cloudy in the afternoon and cold. We weren't prepared for the cold weather so we didn't go all the way to the top of the mountain. It would have been frigid! It did start hailing on us a little when we were making our way down!! It was tons of fun but the bext day I was tired and sore!! And my new tennis shoes are no longer white...I guess it was only a matter of time!

Here in Granada fall weather has finally begun. It cooled down considerably this weekend and actually rained on Sunday. Today it is thundering and raining off and on. It reminds me of Portland :)

On Saturday we went to a carnival--yes there was a carnival in the middle of Granada! Lots of food venders, clothing and jewelry venders and of course rides! We went around and listened to the music and browsed the items for sale. There were some funny rides and interesting people. It kinda reminded me of Saturday Market...same atmosphere and fun!

So on Monday it was my birthday. I had class most of the day, but at night my friends and I went out for ice cream and hung out! It was a lot of fun. I have met some really awesome people here and they made my birthday special.

This weekend I am going to Cordoba with my group. We have a week break at the beginning of October and some friends and I ar going to the Basque Country--to San Sebastian and Bilbao.

I miss you and hope all is well!

-Annie

Nerja and The Mediterranean Sea!

Me and Libby in Nerja on the beach of the Mediterranean Sea!

Me overlooking the beach and the sea.

Another beautiful view of the beach!

Super cool sailboat sailing in the sea!

Me again!

Hola,

On Saturday I went to Nerja, a small costal town about two hours from Granda. It was so beautiful and I swam in the Mediterranean Sea! How cool! It was really hot but the view was amazing and the water was cool, but not nearly as cold as the Oregon Coast. It was fun and relaxing.

Intensivo classes continue and I like both my professors. They are really good and I am learning a lot. Ana is a teaches a lot to the visual learners (ME!) which is awesome. I understand some things that I have never been able to grasp before!

So for the week ahead, I have class everyday and then over the weekend my friends and I are going to celebrate my upcoming birthday (Monday the 14th). Also we are planning on going to El Parque de Las Ciencias, which is a museum in Granada that is totally awesome. So we are going! Plus it is so close to my house I can walk there! Yay!

It is STILL hot here. Hopefully it will get cooler soon. Fall officially starts on the 21st so cross your fingers it gets cooler than!

I hope all is well with you all! I miss you!

-Annie

And the Classes Begin

Sacramonte, an antique Arab section of Granda.

Me in The Archaeological Museum with The Alhambra behind me!

At The Archeaological Museum with some ancient pottery from The Bronze Age.

Me with a statue in The Archaeological Museum.

Me with Sole, Ana's granddaughter.

Hola,

So the last time I wrote I told you about the placement exam we had to take. Well it's over and wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I am right where I should be. Today we started El Intensivo, which is an intensive Spanish class that lasts for four hours every morning for the rest of the month. Whew! But the first one went well. We have two professors for the class so they each teach half of it. We get a break in between and the time actually went by quicker than I expected! We just did ice breaker stuff today and other activities to get us talking and listening to Spanish. My professor said that we will be reviewing the past tenses and subjunctive in the class, which are the parts I need the most practice in, so I feel pretty good about the class so far. Once the intensive class is over we will begin regular classes. If things keep going well I will get to choose two classes to take starting in October besides the required Culture class (which actually started last week), and another class focused on writing, speaking, and comprehending Spanish. So that's the run down on all the technical stuff that I am actually here to learn! But there is fun stuff too :)

Yesterday we went on another walk with Alfonso around Granda. This time we went to the ancient neighborhood of Sacramonte, the Archaeological Museum, and an ancient Arab bathrooom. The bathroom was actually a place of congregation where people would gather to converse. A little odd but ok! The museum was cool, lots of old pottery and statues, and Sacramonte is beautiful! And there is an amazing view of the rest of Granada from Sacramonte because it is situated high up. This is because when the Arabs controlled Granda many years ago they built their town up high for defensive purposes so that they could see all around them.

Ana's (my host mom's) grandchildren were over for lunch and dinner the other day! They are so cute. Juan Antonio is the oldest, he is six. Sole is the youngest and she is three. They are precious and talk a mile a minute! I understood them for the most part. Sole really lached onto Libby and I and would come into our room to color while we were working on homework. She had a couple of phrases that she said all of the time (she is quite the outgoing and headstrong little girl): damelo (give it to me), ven aqui (come here), and abuela (grandma). I would hear her little voice in the house yelling "Abuela, abuela! Ven aqui" It's quite entertaining!

On Saturday some friends and I are going to Nerja. It's a beautiful town along the Mediterranean coast. According to Ana (my host mom) and other people, it's one of the places you have to go see in the south of Spain. So we are going! It's about a two hour bus ride there and back, so not too far. And it has a beach! Yeah! I will tell you all about it and post pictures of course next week.

I can't believe how fast the time has flow. It has already been almost two weeks since I left the states. I have already had some great adventures and learned a lot! I am so excited for what is to come!

Hasta Luego,

Annie