"Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love."

It's been quite a fortnight here in Madrid. You can probably tell from the lack of updates. I'm going to try to avoid going into great detail, but as you know, and as you can see currently, I tend to babble. I apologize in advance.

Mom and Janet came on Thursday morning Oct 12. I went to collect them from the airport, it was exciting. I waited for about an hour which isn't bad considering recollecting your bags from baggage claim takes something like 45 minutes. We took a taxi to their hotel and dropped off their stuff then we went to my residencia. I showed them my room and such, and then we tried to go to lunch. I don't quite remember why, but I couldn't find my intended restaurant so we ate at the Café Oriental, or something like that, the café that's right next to the Palacio Real. After that we took the metro back to their hotel and they pretty much went to bed, understandably so because of jet lag. They decided I could be on my own for dinner that night because they were going to sleep. And I do remember this quite well, the residencia had the yummiest chicken and little pizzas for dinner. It was delicious. Most all my friends were in Morocco for the weekend, so Laura and I went to Red Sprint for some entertainment magazines, soda, chips, and dip. I'm not sure why but we went to the park at Plaza de España to eat and drink and chat. It was nice.

On Friday we went to the Prado, I repeated the things I'd heard from the tour guide in August and translated a few signs. Then we walked up through Sol and did minimal shopping, I got some coooooooool bronze ballerina flats that feel almost like slippers, and a winter coat which I have recently been using quite a bit. While in the shoe store, Rita Puerto called me to offer to take us to Segovia the next day. As I was caught off guard and shoe-shopping, I'm sure my Spanish was rather pathetic, but we managed to work everything out. Mom, Janet and I went to dinner in Sol I think and then went to Chocolatería San Ginés for churros con chocolate.

Saturday we got up bright and early to meet the Puertos at 9am (ohh, sooo early!!!!) for Segovia. Rafa and Lucía came and we went in their car, Marta and Rita went in Marta's car. We would've split up to make it more comfortable but I think it was that we weren't sure how it would work with the language barrier. Segovia is cool becausee it was a Roman city, and it has an aqueduct that is still perfect. It's also home to the castle from which Walt Disney got the idea for Cinderella's castle. PRETTY! At lunch, Mom and Janet ordered baby pig with Marta and Rafa. Mom's and Rafa's had a hoof on it, with claws or whatever. Marta's had an ear. Janet's had nothing... yikes. On the way home, Rafa suggested "las jóvenes" ride together since he and Rita were communicating okay in English. So Marta taught me car vocabulary, Lucía slept, and I felt super cool!! Rafa dropped us at the hotel and Rita told me she would call the next day to give me ideas for what to do with Mom and Janet in the afternoon.

Sunday we went to El Rastro and Retiro. El Rastro is Madrid's Sunday open-air flea market type thing. It's not very much of a flea market and there was no food, so it wasn't that great. But I got a scarf and a Spain fútbol shirt. Then we went to lunch at a tapas bar (by the way, when I say bar in reference to Spain, it also means café; but café does not always mean bar) and I ordered 3 raciones, which are plates for the whole table to share. I thought I did a pretty good job except I accidentally ordered one with ham and I meant to order it without. Rita called me and said she'd get us tickets to a flamenco show that night. EXCITING! Then we went to Parque del Retiro, saw a bit of a street show, and went to move on but I was incredibly tired and started to feel a bit sick. I went home to take a nap, and left Janet and Mom. We met at the Plaza Tirso de Molina at 8, and there were Rita, Marta, Lucía, Rita's sister Isabel, and her daughters Isabel and Marina. So --maybe only I thought this-- it was kind of like a family girls' night out. 4 sisters, 5 daughters... so what if 2 of the sisters aren't related to the other 2?! Anyway, the flamenco show was in a theater and it was incredibly popular because Sara Baras, the lead dancer I guess of the show, is famous in Spain. It was my first flamenco experience, it was amazing. I would so love to learn how to do it just a little bit. After the show all us girls went to a pizzeria in La Latina, which Isabel the elder kept badgering Marta about how well she knew the area because she was a bit worried about it's safeness. The pizza was yummy and the conversation was interesting. Rita invited us to dinner the next night.

I went to classes on Monday. Then Mom and Janet came and saw the tiniest, most pathetic excuse for a school ever. LE ODIO! Then we ate lunch at VIP'S, and walked down C/ Princesa for some shopping. I got mixed up because we named the dinner time for 7pm, which is just so early to me now, so I sort of lost track of time and left us just enough time to hurry back to our respective places to get ready for dinner. I had meant to leave time for me to get some work done. But we went to the Puerto's apartment relatively on time. Mom and Janet met Ana and got the tour of the house, which was much longer than mine because Rita gave it and they asked questions like good guests. I'm incurious. We ate a dinner of tapas (refer to webshots pictures) which was pretty good even with the ham, for which I think I've developed a tolerance. Marta asked about Area 51, Lucía, Ana, and Rita looked very interested. Mom answered surprised because we didn't realize that people would wonder about it. We also explained about (I'm sorry) "Dumbfuckistan". They explained about their immigration laws. It's easy to forget that Spain does not have political-correctness but you're reminded, ever-so-slightly, when you converse. Lucía showed her photo albums to Mom and Janet, then I heard Marta and Ana talking about how the Sevillanas wouldn't download or transfer or something. Sevillanas is a type of Flamenco. Rita used to be quite the flamenco dancer, and all her girls took lessons. I knew we were gonna see some Puerto flamenco. Sure enough, out came the shoes, the skirts (IMPOSSIBLY TINY!), and the castanets. The girls danced, Rafa looked proud. Then they tried to teach us! I'm convinced that years of soccer have left me incapable of appearing graceful or trying to move my arms in legs in any kind of coordinated manner. I think Janet got it, but I was really focusing on my own feet. Spaniards are not self-concious. It was raining when it was time to go, so Rafa got us umbrellas and he and Lucía walked us to the Metro.

The next day I went to my literature class and then booked it home to get stuff to send home with Mom, and then went to the hotel. We got a taxi to take us to Barradas where I was dropped off and Mom and Janet went on their way to the airport. It was a very nice weekend for the most part. By the end, Mom and Janet were starting to understand some Spanish. And since we were with the Puertos so much, I practiced a lot of Spanish, and I think it improved a little. Ana told me it sounded like I'd improved a lot since the last time I was there which was only about 2 weeks before, so that's encouraging.

The rest of the week in terms of classes was not fun. First week of midterms, loaded down with commentaries, essays, books, stories, translations, research. More work than I've ever had at Mary Wash. I'm still in the midst of it, a week later.

Thursday night I was supposed to have a midterm in my Span Cultural Studies class, but I scheduled my flight to Dublin at that time. I told my professor (who's Irish, coincidentally) and he worked it out for me to take the exam Monday. He's great.

Took a flight from Madrid to Dublin, got there and took the best taxi ride ever to my hostel in the Temple Bar. The taxi driver heard my American accent and was so excited. He immediately started in with "Your man is bastard." He meant George W. He explained to me that Europeans, or at least the Irish, have nothing against Americans, just our president. He said George wants us to think that Europeans don't like us. I told him I got a less than warm welcome in Madrid, and he said don't worry about it because it's city-folk and you just have to be you. The hostel was quite an experience. I was in a room with I think 15 other people who I obviously didn't know. Bunk beds and a tiny bathroom. It wasn't dirty or cold or smelly so it was juuuuust fine.

Friday morning I went to the Book of Kells at Trinity College's library. It's an exhibit of this ancient text written in Ireland for a saint or something. It was REALLY COOL. And the library itself was amazing. We couldn't take pictures though, and you have to follow the rules in Ireland, so I'll google a picture or something. Then I went to St. Stephen's park and meandered through. I was looking at the lake from the little stone bridge and 2 cops came up to me and said, "Don't Jump! It's too cold for us to save you." Then they heard the accent and it got them talking even more. The Irish are the nicest people ever. Then I went to a little grocery store and got some apples, bread, cheese, and Starbursts for lunch and the busride to Galway. I got my stuff from the hostel and walked over to the bus stop and boarded. I got a window seat and shared with a lady from Galway, her husband was sitting in front of her. I felt the urge to offer my seat so they could sit next to each other, but I can't nap in an aisle seat. So I didn't, but I did offer her Starbursts, which she seemed grateful for. And we had a nice little chat too. I liked her.
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I got to Galway around 5 or 6, Molly came and we walked to her apartment. She shares with 3 Irish girls who go home on the weekends and another American girl, Emma. Then we 3 and their friend Patterson, who also plays rugby, went to the Connacht rugby game. Connacht is their "province" sort of. They were playing a team from England. It was really cool to actually see a real rugby game in person and listen to the team's fans with their respective accents. Then Molly and I went out to dinner in downtown Galway, which is very much like downtown Fredericksburg. As Molly put it, it's what downtown Fredericksburg tries to be but isn't. Then we met her friends at a pub and I had my first half-pint of Guinness, and as much as I hate beer, it wasn't too bad but it still tasted like beer. I'm not a genuine rugby player if I can't even like beer in Ireland.

The next day we went downtown to the weekend open air market. It was a little thing, not too crowded, but it felt like Fall and it felt like I could have been in Jacksonville except for the accents. There were a bunch of food stalls, and Molly had advised me not to eat breakfast, so I had a brunch of sorts at the market. There were fresh-made doughnuts, bagels, Indian food (which I tried and didn't mind), pumpkins, fruit, apples, banana bread, apple cider, hot chocolate, muffins, everything which makes Fall for me (except the Indian food). It smelled like Fall, it looked like Fall, it was even Fall weather. Madrid does not have Fall, or even Halloween, so I was very very grateful for this and I savoured every second. Molly and Emma decided that on Saturday they were going to go the shore and jump in the Galway Bay. It's cold in Ireland. I went with them and took pictures for them. I'm a chicken, I know it, I don't care, it was freezing even while dry. There were some little boys jumping in, and then Molly and Emma. After they got out, there were a couple of mid-20s-ish Irish guys who said, well if those 2 did it, we HAVE to so they jumped in too. We went home, Molly made a scrumptrulescent vegetarian dinner and we carved pumpkins. Mine and Molly's was a jack-o-lantern but he had an evil face. Then we all went "pub-crawling", but we actually only went to 2 pubs. The first one had some live Irish music. Just 4 guys sitting in a corner with their little instruments, improving away. And I had a pint of Smithwick's, Miss Lauren Rock's favorite beer from when she studied abroad in Dublin. Smithwick's is probably my favorite beer, but I still don't really like beer. Then we went to another pub which had a DJ and a dancing area, and we danced! Oh and also I met their Irish friend Jane who was 18, but I swear these Europeans don't age the same as we do, because they always seem way older. She was really nice, and so very stereotypically Irish. I loved it. We went home to bed because I had to get up at 7am to leave for the bus station to catch the bus at 8am to Dublin airport for my flight at 3pm. I got there about 3 or 4 hours before the flight so they didn't even know my gate yet. I got into Madrid at about 7 and got to my dorm at about 8. I ate dinner and went to bed to start the next week of enraging classes and papers.

This is not fully updated to the day but that's all you get for now. Molly is now here in Madrid, and I must be a good hostess and show her the sights. So read all this mess and then wait a while for the next update.

"The time has come," the Walrus said, / "To talk of many things: / Of shoes-- and ships-- and sealing-wax-- / Of cabbages-- and kings..."

I haven't posted in a while. Not because I'm falling out of the habit, but because I've been quite busy. This week (and next week somewhat) is midterms week, Mom and Janet were here from Thursday til today, and I'm going to Ireland for the weekend on Thursday. LOTS for me to do, not much time, so I'll have to take a short hiatus from recounting stories in order to tend to more important things. I've just put my photos onto my computer though so I should be making a huge photo post soon, look for that. The problem I believe is that the voltage of my camera is too high for the outlets I think, or it's at least my camera's fault anyway.

My next update will probably not be until next week. I'm sorry.

"To sit in the shade on a fine day, and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment."

API took us to Santander this weekend. Santander is a northern coastal town on the Bay of Biscay. It's way closer to France than it is to Madrid and our bus ride took 6 hours. The way up was absolutely grueling because we woke up early, so I hadn't much sleep and my body hurt, and I couldn't get to sleep on the bus so I was very uncomfortable. The weather when we got there on Saturday was not beach weather, obviously. It was cloudy and in the mid-60s. Nevertheless, the beach was GORGEOUS. I love being on a beach in a sweater, jeans, and flip-flops, it's just so comfy. I did run through the waves on the shore and the water was probably warmer than the water in New Jersey has ever been. Everyone in the water was a surfer and wearing those body suits, and then one guy who was alone with no surfboard and wearing a speedo went in the water. He kept stealing looks at the group of 15 of us (male and female) as though he wanted to make sure we were watching him so he could show off. We were, of course, watching him, mostly because we were all waiting for a big wave to annihilate him and his speedo. So that was weird. I took some lovely pictures. Then there was an optional visit to Magdalena Park to see some animals: seals, penguins, flamingos. I skipped that because of the book I have to read in one week. I felt bad skipping it, but I'm pretty sure I've seen all that at the Baltimore Aquarium and Zoo. Everyone thought the seals and penguins were sooooo cool, but again, I've seen them many times so I didn't feel that bad missing it. And I got a lot of reading done. API treated us to dinner (paella... yumyum!) at a restaurant which was nice. After dinner, a lot of people went out in the center of the city. It was too far to walk back, and my hotel roommate Laura (the Italian from Long Island, I love her!) said she went there earlier and there wasn't much going on. So she and Courtney and I stayed in. Actually we went to the beach for a little bit and then sat and had rather in depth girl talk for a few hours: the political future of America. Courtney thinks we're going socialist, but I argued that we were heading for fascism. I don't actually know where I got my information or how I was able to put it together to form an argument against Courtney, queen of arguing especially about politics, but I held my own. Laura didn't really care so she put in information where she saw fit.

The next day we set out for the prehistoric caves of Altamira containing cave drawing from the beginning of the line of Homo sapiens sapiens, our evolutionary equals. It was actually a reproduction of the caves because the caves are starting to fall apart so they need to restrict access. It was still cool. It was on top of a mountainous hill that had such a fine prospect of the little country town below. I was enchanted, I kept thinking of the quote which I made the title of this entry, except there was little shade. I took a lot of pictures of that. I felt so at home. I don't think I'm a city girl, although I don't hate it, I just really like the country. Then we had the bus ride home, which was better because it covered siesta time, so we were all sleeping for a while and then we woke up and chatted and had fun. We got back around 7:30, and I ate dinner and then opened up Microsoft Word to write my 4 page essay that was due today at 12:30. I wrote 2 pages last night (finally at about 1am) and the other 2 today at 10am. I even had time to revise it, which for some reason I never do, probably because I'm a combination of lazy and cocky. But I'm glad I revised it and I think I deserve an A+.

Speaking of A+, I got another translation back today on which I got another 9.5/10. AND I really enjoy translating, like REALLLY. In Hisp Culture, we watched Pedro Almodóvar's "High Heels". It's a crazy movie, set in Madrid, and at one point one of the main character's is in jail and she's wearing a sweater with the design of the Maryland flag (except the black and I think the white are changed to blue). THAT WAS SO COOL! Of course, no one else in the class cared but I was floored. My guess is that, since the movie came out in '91, involves transvestites and ridiculous situations, it was Pedro's nod to John Waters?? I don't know. On Wednesday, we're going to see Pedro's newest movie "Volver" with Pé!!! Pé is Spain's nickname for Penelope Cruz, and they don't really like her at all. I like her, though, just because she's Spanish and she speaks about 4 languages and she's a good actress.

Mom and Janet come in 3 days! Lucia has suggested taking a trip outside of Madrid, not really sure what that means yet. I have to start making an itinerary. But I have the feeling I'm gonna be that person who gets really stressed out when the itinerary isn't followed, maybe I can make a loose itinerary... hmmph.

Next weekend (Oct 19-22) I am going to visit Molly in Ireland! I fly into Dublin Thurs night, where I will stay in a hostel and then see some sights in the morning by myself, which I'm excited about. Then I'm going to take a train or a bus to the other coast of Ireland to Galway to see Molly. Then I suppose I'll have to take a train or bus back to Dublin on Sunday. Woohoo! My first trip out of Spain! Okay, I have that book to read.

THANKS EVERYONE!

I seem to have been misled by having a card and flowers delivered to my room on separate occasions by the cleaning lady (whose name I'm still trying to figure out). Someone told me today that I had a bunch of envelopes in the computer lab office. Apparently that's where you check for mail. I got Katie's, Kenzie's, Grandmom's, Memere's, and Mommom's today. Kenzie's card was dated September 29th in Baltimore, MD, and it obviously came sometime this week, so that should give you who have been asking about how long delivery takes an idea. Thank you all so very much and I'm sorry I'm such a nitwit as to have been misled by the previous mail deliveries. Okay brace yourselves for corniness:

^^That's what you all put on my face^^

"Silly things do cease to be silly if they are done by sensible people in an impudent way."

My apologies for the long interval since my last update. I just didn't feel like writing anything, there's no other excuse.

First off, Salsa dancing was amazingly fun! I can't believe how much fun I let myself have. I'm not one of the millions who enjoys dancing, let alone learning a new dance in a public place wearing high heels, very silly idea indeed. But, I won't lie, I had a few drinks and I let the self-awareness sliiiiiiiiiiide away. I mean I was still aware that I looked a little goose-ish, no soy ninguna cisne, but I didn't feel like caring that I looked goose-ish. I started out doing my own latin kind of variation of the Jitterbug, thank goodness for cotillion: I do so enjoy the Jitterbug, Foxtrot and Waltz, and they looked ever so refined when dancing at Las Tres Flamencas, but I was unable to don my white gloves as I had spilled the paté on them earlier in the evening. My attempt at a latinized Jitterbug obviously caught someone's attention, because within a few minutes my dancing partner Álvaro presented his hand and undertook the most likely arduous task of teaching me how to salsa. He must have felt really embarrassed for me, because the entire night he persevered through my lack of rhythm, balance, and good dancing shoes and genuinely wanted me to learn how to salsa. I think I learned a thing or two. He also had me doing the merengue, but I honestly couldn't tell you the difference between the two. I do know that the merengue was easier, I just don't know why or what I was doing differently. I kept dancing until about 4:30am because I knew if I stopped to sit, use the restroom, drink, or cool off, that my feet would envelope into 2 balls of fire and I would whine to my friends and be miserable. So I sat at 4:30, took my heels off and --wait for it, my smartest move ever!-- pulled out my Chinese Laundry slipper-like flats that clashed horribly with my dress. Ahhhh comfort. We set out for Barradas at around 5:15, got home around 6am, but not before stopping at RedSprint for Double Chocolate Magnums (yes, like the Milk Chocolate Magnum Baby Spice accepts as a bribe from Clifford to work the next day in Spice World).

Lucia had called me as I was on my way out for our night of salsa and said she'd meet me in front of my residencia at 1m the next day, and then we'd go to the Puerto's piso (apartment) for comida (lunch). Lucia came at 1pm and we walked to her piso, which is about a mile away. I was really really excited because I hadn't seen them in a month, and I was going to meet Ana, the middle sister. When we walked in the door, which was so cool because it was one of those huge European doors with the knob in the middle of the door but the lock is where it always is, Ana came rushing over to greet us. That made me feel special, like she couldn't wait to meet me so she hurried over as soon as she heard the door. I greeted Marta, Rafa, and Rita, and then Lucia and Ana gave me a little tour of their piso, complete with a quick review of the messy, disorganized storage area that you don't normally show people (unless you're at our house, in which case it's hard to hide it since it IS the house, maybe minus the entrance floor), I'll try to get a picture of it in the future for you Mom. Ana and Lucia share a room AND their beds fold up into the wall so that it looks like a closet or armoire!!!!! Their apartment is sort of the size of a moderate rancher house, I guess, so it's pretty nice. Then I gave them all their presents. I had to say "Ravens" about 4 times so Rafa could pronounce the name on his purple coffee mug correctly. Haha, I don't think he's too in to sports. He LOVED the Old Bay, though. Then we sat down for lunch, Rita made lasagna but without meat (thank goodness because it probably would have been with ham) and lemon chicken! Rafa told me that Lucia had made some sort of a dessert but that it was supposed to be a surprise, and Lucia went into the kitchen to "prepare" it. Marta had pulled out her camera and was taking pictures, Ana made her re-do a few of her because she wasn't happy with the result, then Lucia and Rita came into the dining room with a cake made of what I guess I'll call lady-fingers but they're galletas in Spanish and chocolate icing. The cake had candles on it. They sang Happy Birthday to me. Marta took pictures of the entrance and my face. The dessert, as it turns out, was only a surprise to me but Lucia did make it. I felt very special at that point, and it completely made up for nearly dying on my birthday (I exaggerate because I'm re-telling a story, it happens). I blew out the 8 candles but Marta didn't get it on the camera so Ana re-lit them and I did it again. It was really nice. The cake was delicious, you can never go wrong with chocolate, but I was so stuffed from the lasagne and chicken so sadly, I only ate 1 tiny piece of cake. Oh well, it was the affection behind it that made the entire day taste so good.

Ana works as "una azafata" stewardess/hostess in the VIP section at Santiago Bernabeu stadium. In case you didn't know, that's the REAL MADRID FUTBOL STADIUM!! She serves the VIPs drink and things, and stands around looking pretty... gorgeous. I think Ana's the sister that's the model. She had to eat her cake quickly and get ready for work. She came out in her little blue skirt-suit with an ascot, her hair all done in big bouncy curls, and her makeup done flawlessly. I've yet to see a Spanish girl who needs to wear makeup. But Ana looked like she was a 28 year old supermodel, and she's 21. While she was getting ready, she was playing rather loud music (Nelly Furtado, Pussycat Dolls) and Marta rolled her eyes at its volume and genre, Lucia didn't mind it at all, Rita sort of looked like "well, that's Ana," and Rafa went to his study/office. It kind of reminded me of my house. Lucia showed me her 2 huge photo albums from the month she was with us last summer, Marta was sort of looking with us but occasionally leaving to do whatever. Rita came in and out a few times, sort of like she wanted to sit and look, but didn't want to intrude, and she'd already seen them anyway. Then Marta rented "Elizabethtown" (in Spanish) from whatever their on demand tv is for Lucia and I, and once again was in and out, as was Rita. After the movie-- which was GREAT, I wanna see it in English!!-- Lucia walked me back home. I showed her my room, and introduced her to Gisella. Gisella is much more outgoing and talkative than I am, so she really livened up the conversation. It's not that Lucia and I aren't interested in each other. We're both kind of quiet people, and probably didn't know what to say to each other. Gisella asked Lucia tons of questions, which I was kicking myself for not having thought of, and got the 3 of us joking and talking. I felt bad for being so dumb, in both senses of the word. Lucia had to go home to study for her 2nd chemistry test in a month, so I walked her out and that was Sunday.

I was supposed to get a roommate on Sunday. It didn't happen. It's now Wednesday and I'm not sure of the status of my roommate. I should probably ask someone. Tons of kids have moved in and the meal times are quite full now. Sooooo, I don't really know what's going on. I also think that the laundry lady lost a few pieces of my clothing this week. I'm almost positive I has a shirt or 2 in there, and I KNOW I had a washcloth. They were not on my bed when she returned the laundry, but I can't just ask about clothes I'm not sure I even put in there. I would like the washcloth, though. Tuesday we had the API Welcome Dinner at a mexican restaurant. Once again, they just had us all meet at this place and we sat down, and not a word was said about how20 of us didn't know the other 20 and maybe we should play a meet your fellow students game. And even if I were the kind of person to walk around and introduce myself, 20 people is way too much. I did introduce myself to the people who were sitting around me, though, of they didn't get to it first. There are a lot of blonde girls in the other group, there's 1 in our group. I don't know how I feel about this other API group. We're supposed to go to Santander Saturday and Sunday, and we'll be getting assigned to hotel rooms, so I can only imagine they'll mix us up. Maybe we can meet that way. Only I wouldn't be surprised if they keep us segregated, as they seem to have no care to help us meet each other anyway.

I must go to class now. I love this class so I'm not even sad about it.
My mother and aunt, Janet, arrive in 1 week!!!

Oh and in case you're interested at all, here is a picture of (l to r) Marta, Lucia, and Ana at some fancy summer party.