Can one really ever have too much Turron or Marzipan?

This week has been crazy, and i can't believe tomorrow is already Thursday! I have been turning in final projects all week, and am hurriedly studying for finals that start Friday. For a quick break yesterday evening, i went down to Sol and looked at the amazing Christmas Light displays, and then walked over to see the Christmas market in the Plaza Mayor. I then finished my diversion by buying a few boxes of Turron and marzipan to bring home for Christmas. I am so excited to get through finals and get to see my family for Christmas.

The Royal Treatment

As everyone is finishing their final projects and studying for finals, including me, the day trip to the Palacio Real of Madrid was perfectly timed for a diversion. This past Friday, after presenting a movie about Celiac Disease at the first annual SUMC Film Festival headed by Dr. de la Fuente Marcos, i headed down to the center of the city, grabbed a coffee at Starbucks with my cheque gourmet, and met the small group in front of the Opera House that faces the Palace. Our guide was Prof. Angel whose hysterical side-notes to Spanish history made the impressive state rooms and furniture alive. He was an absolute encyclopedia, knowing almost everything about every room we saw in the palace. When we finished, he took us across the courtyard and through a small door to the royal armory. The armory was fantastic, with full suits of armor set-up, and a pleasure for even those of us who did not like jousting and war memorabilia. Every kind of armor was there from almost every era of Spanish royalty, everything from horse and dog armor, to armor for children. When the tour finished i crossed the courtyard to see the royal pharmacy. Great blue and white porcelain jars contained the herbs used for the royal family, some still with the original herbs inside. I spent the rest of the day doing the end of my Christmas shopping, later heading to El Corte Ingles Castellan for Mazapan de Soto and Turron for Christmas and some gluten free cookies for me.

The Blitz...

This last week and a half has been great, but at the same time I have 2 1/2 weeks of class left, with my finals shortly after. I have been preparing for finals and semester projects for the last few weeks, but now it´s crunch time. This last week my mom and aunt came to Madrid to see me. It was awesome having family in Madrid and going to their apartment every night to unwind, chat, and have dinner together. During their stay, we were able to see so much together- the main museums, Retiro Park, and even have dinner with my host family. Thursday morning, i went to a government building with the school to have my appointment for my residence visa. The appointment went smoothly after i had to leave to get better pictures with more white space from a booth down the street. The legal work done, I was able to go back to my mom and aunt´s apartment to spend the day with them.  Back in September, we had planned to spend a day in Segovia, but when we arrived at the train station to get our tickets, all of the trains were full until three hours later. We quickly changed our plans and hopped on a train for El Escorial, an enormous palace/monastery, about 1 1/2 hours from Madrid on the Cercanias commuter train. El Escorial was amazing, nestled in the mountains and filled with hundreds of rooms. We spent the entire afternoon there, amazed by the Basilica, royal crypt, and library, grabbed some food from a local market and hopped on the bus that drives passengers from the train station up the strenuous hill to the bus station within walking distance to El Escorial. We were planning on buying our tickets and having a late lunch on the platform while waiting for the next train, when we couldn´t understand the time tables and went to the attendant to ask for the next train to Madrid. He looks at us and taps on the glass that separates us, there was hung a paper stating that the next train to Madrid left at 5:15, we immediately looked at our watches- it was exactly 5:15. In a rush of English, Spanish, and exaggerated hand gestures, we asked if we could make the train and he immediately printed 3 tickets for us. We quickly exchanged the euros, ran through the turnstiles, up the stairs, and onto the platform where the train was blowing its warning whistle. My aunt and i were about to hop onto the train, when we turned to find that my mother was not with us. The stairs down to the station were empty, and the seconds we waited passed slowly, the whistle blew again and i quickly ran down the stairs to find that she had only just got through the turnstile, her ticket having been demagnetized. We quickly threw ourselves onto the train, just as the door closed, and the train started on the trek back to Madrid. We snacked on the train, arriving in Atocha that night. We quickly made our way to the Starbucks by the Reina Sofia, and made plans to go shopping and to see Retiro Park. The next day, i easily signed up for classes via MY SUFFOLK and spent the last day with my family shopping and chatting. The weekend was spent getting ready for final projects and finals...

Busy, Busy, Busy...My Family in Madrid

This past weekend went by quickly, but quite enjoyably. My mother and aunt came to Madrid to see me for a week and so, early Friday morning, i woke up, checked that their plane had landed and then headed off on the pink line to get them. It was wonderful to see them both again, though they were exhausted from their flight. We took the metro down to where they were staying and finally they were able to relax...until i got them out into the city for a walking tour. We later went to the market to pick up some essentials and snacks and came back the apartment to have a light dinner before they both went to bed. The next morning we headed out to see the National Library, Plaza de Colon, and the newly opened Archaeology Museum. We passed by the Madrid´s famous Alcala gate where MTV´s European Music Awards concerts were taking place, and ended up across from the Neptune fountain at Starbucks. I later brought them to the Thyssen-Bornemiszma museum and that night we took a walk around the Plaza Mayor, and crowded Sol, to see the city lit up at night. On Sunday, we headed out early to see the Rastro Market before the crowds became unbearable. The timing was perfect as we arrived at La Latina metro stop at 915, walked down the main street browsing, and then, around 945 walked back up the hill, knowing exactly what we wanted to purchase, and where the best prices were. We reached the top of the hill right when the market began to get too crowded, and, after the last few purchases, went back to the apartment. Sunday afternoon, as the clouds began to roll in, we went to the Sorolla Museum, which i have spoken of before, and spent the rest of the afternoon at El Corte Ingles Castellana. Last night we spent out, the wind becoming much cooler, browsing through shops around the Barrio de las Letras. I wholeheartedly recommend experiencing a new culture with friends or family...wandering alone may be enjoyable, but it is always better when there is someone to share  it with.

Halloween and Gluten Free Success

This weekend was the Halloween party orchestrated by student council. The time everyone had together was great and the costumes that many of the students created were amazing. Everyone from Cleopatra to the French Army to Superman was there. The party ended around midnight, most extremely reluctant to change into more accepted street attire. On Friday, i decided to get a jump-start on my impending due dates and final projects. I spent the entire day working besides a short trip with my host parents to buy food at El Corte Ingles. I had asked for Gluten Free cereal in the mornings as well as a few other things, which i was not too sure that El Corte Ingles would have. I had been to the department store in Sol many times before, only finding a few boxes of Gluten Free cookies, so i expected the same from El Corte Ingles Castellana. In the first few minutes of entering the store, i was entirely lost because of its massive size, but as we turned a corner (finally in the grocery section) I almost sat down and cried for sheer joy. Standing before me was an enormous aisle completely devoted to Gluten Free food. In the aisle was everything i had ever desired to have out of a Spanish bakery, cookies, cake, and even GF Turron was nearby. Not only was i able to get gluten free cereal, but also cookies and i will definitely go back every few weeks to try something new. Now to go back to that bothersome term paper...

There and Back Again...but much too quick

San Sebastian is one of the most beautiful seacoast cities in all of Europe...and also one of the furthest away from Madrid. Our group, ready to go on a weekend trip to San Sebastian, arrived slowly, each new arrival appearing with his suitcases out of the darkness to join the ever-increasing mass sitting under the streetlamp. About 830, we were all on our way, though the excitement soon gave way to utter exhaustion and the bus became quiet. After several breaks and hundreds of kilometers, the bus made its first stop, Biarritz an amazing French seaside town in the Basque region. The views were spectacular and the town was also quaint and still bustling even though the tourist season is ending. We then drove a bit longer until we reached the French mountain town of Epelette, which is known for its famous peppers, festooned on the facades of village houses to dry. That night, we finally arrived at San Sebastian, going to dinner in a restaurant with enormous cider barrels, and four courses of everything from salad with eels and anchovies, to grilled steak, to the famous local cider. That evening, most crashed at the hotel, tired from an entire day in the bus, ready to conquer San Sebastian beach and old town tomorrow. Around 10 the next morning, the group walked down the hill to the beaches below. Two mountains act as beacons guarding the harbor, and both were scaled that day, the first in a funicular the other by foot to the castle and statue above. The old town was centered around the town hall, formerly a casino on the beach, and filled with local bars famed for their regional tapas and cider. We were even able to see the Aquarium and then relaxed on the beach till the sun fell from view. At the hotel, many changed their day clothes in preparation for the clubs, but not me. I decided with three friends (around half past one in morning) to walk down to the beach with a blanket and to sit and talk because it was our final night there. The beach was entirely deserted when Chrissy, Soraya, Hieu, and me arrived at the beach and, the blanket laid out, we all took off our shoes and socks, rolled up our jeans and waded into the water. The only sound we could hear was the crashing of the waves and we all went back to the blanket to lie down, breathing the fresh sea air and relishing a weekend free from any responsibility. Around 3 am the wind picked up and it began to rain, so the four of us decided to head back to the hotel, excited about taking hot showers and sleeping until noon. The following day, we left the hotel, a bit mournful, and headed back towards Madrid, stopping at the medieval town of Burgos for lunch on the way. The rest of the trip back was quiet, many students anticipating the return to Madrid with excitement, but, for me, the trip back was quite saddening. San Sebastian and Southern France have such a magic about them, that it is hard not to regret leaving them so soon.

All in the Name of Adventure and Gluten Free Cookies

Midterms are officially over and the SUMC students have all participated in a collective sigh of relief. Now, to relax for the weekend before preparation for finals begins. Some went on trips to Lisbon or Paris, but not me. I decided the best activity, for me, would be to sleep-in and just chill for the weekend. But, as you know, i have an insatiable appetite for wandering that transcends any desire to relax and recuperate. So, Friday afternoon i took the Metro to Atocha, planning to walk around the museum district, but, instead, hopped onto a bus that i assumed was going to circuit around the city and leave me off at the Atocha Metro station. This way, i could wander the city without wearing myself out. But, as i am not blessed with the wisdom of being able to navigate the bus system of Madrid, i soon was lost, REALLY lost. But, even as the half hour journey turned to one and a half i stayed on the bus, believing it would go in a circuit and, in time, would drop me back at Atocha. Soon i was the only passenger left on the bus, in a neighborhood about an hour and half bus ride from Madrid proper. To make matters worse, the bus stopped and the driver turned around to tell me it was the end of the line. So, in a neighborhood far from the city, of which i had never been to before, and where there were no more Metros, i began to walk, and walk, and walk....until i found a bus that was heading towards the Madrid Opera House that would allow me to take the Metro home. So, today, i decided, that i would stay around the apartment and relax, but, yet again, i had to get out and do something. So, i went to Carrefour’s, only a few Metro stops away, and bought some Gluten Free Cookies and other munchies to get me through the week. But, there was this lively street with Tapas goers that i just had to walk down, and yes, you guessed it, i got lost...again. I found my way home after a few hours of taking wrong streets, and settled down to eat my munchies while video chatting with my Mother. It was quite the weekend, even with two mishaps in a row, but Madrid is a very interesting city so even when you are completely, honestly, lost, it´s almost like you´re still pleasantly, purposefully, wandering.