Friday, March 25, 2011
My parents are here! My parents are here!
The title speaks for itself. It was a typical airport reunion, complete with tears. I almost missed their arrival because buses are so unreliable here, but all is well. I am successfully fed, have Trader Joe's trail mix and oatmeal in my bag, and my parents to show around. Life doesn't get any better than this.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Spain trip: Leg 2: Malaga
This is quite late, but I still want to tell you all about my adventures in Spain. After spending 4 days in Barcelona, Adrianna, Sandy, Lea and I headed to the most southern point of Spain--Malaga. Malaga is a small beach town, 30 minutes by ferry to Morocco.
Here, we caught up on sleep, made some yummy salads and enjoyed wearing shorts. Our hostel was beautiful and cheap. The four of us shared a room, the kitchen was down the hall and the bathroom was clean. We were the only ones there for the first night (then a French couple showed up...the husband did not believe in wearing clothes in the hallway or shutting their door...you can fill in the rest of this image). The first day, we explored a little bit at night. The city was alive on a Wednesday night and the lights around the city were gorgeous. We all decided to call it a night around 10pm and got some much-needed sleep.
Day two consisted of castle hiking and bush-whacking. We walked up the mote to the castle that overlooks the port and all the mountains that surround Malaga. There was a Spanish guy playing the acoustic guitar at the top. The castle was a maze of gardens and lookout towers. Adrianna and I put on an impromptu tap performance on the stage. Then Adrianna and I, being the adventurous ones, decided that we knew a shortcut down the castle so we wouldn't have to walk the circumference again. We ended up leading Lea and Sandy down the mountain, on a footpath that the bums use, over broken bottles and down to....the road half way to the bottom aka the road we should've taken originally but Adrianna and I insisted our way was faster. Oops.
The bottom of the mountain meant the beginning of the search for pizza. We had been craving pizza all day and had seen many pizzerias the night before with cheap pies. We did not, however, know what street they were on. After circling the town a few times, we were about to give up. Enter angel #1 of the trip: coco. A woman approached us and asked if we wanted to eat at her restaurant. We explained that we were craving pizza and thanked her anyways. She then showed us her flyers--it was the pizza place right down from the street our hostel was on and the one we were looking for. Coco the angel saved us.
We ventured to the beach, napped, talked to some other study abroad kids from Vermont and decompressed. That night, we ate tapas and made tea and played games in the hotel. Good girl bonding time.
Day 3 was spent getting our bus tickets to Madrid then venturing to the beach again. We bought our routine picnic materials of bread, cheese, bell peppers, salami, apples, oranges and lemonade and played games in the sun. It was a lovely day that was only made better when we stumbled upon a renaissance fair by the greek theatre. It was the first annual, which was apparent because everything was very makeshift, but it was still quite fun. That night, we decided that we ought to see what the Malaga nightlife was all about. We ate a wonderful Spanish meal of real kebobs, seafood and sangria and stubbled upon a tiny square of locals. There were 3 bars surrounding the square, but all the tables were outside so it essentially felt like one big outdoor restaurant. Very neat. I wish these existed back in the States.
The next day we boarded the bus, with heavy hearts, we put back on our layers, packed our bags and faced the 7 hour bus ride that would take us away from the beach and to Spain's capital city: Madrid.
Here, we caught up on sleep, made some yummy salads and enjoyed wearing shorts. Our hostel was beautiful and cheap. The four of us shared a room, the kitchen was down the hall and the bathroom was clean. We were the only ones there for the first night (then a French couple showed up...the husband did not believe in wearing clothes in the hallway or shutting their door...you can fill in the rest of this image). The first day, we explored a little bit at night. The city was alive on a Wednesday night and the lights around the city were gorgeous. We all decided to call it a night around 10pm and got some much-needed sleep.
Day two consisted of castle hiking and bush-whacking. We walked up the mote to the castle that overlooks the port and all the mountains that surround Malaga. There was a Spanish guy playing the acoustic guitar at the top. The castle was a maze of gardens and lookout towers. Adrianna and I put on an impromptu tap performance on the stage. Then Adrianna and I, being the adventurous ones, decided that we knew a shortcut down the castle so we wouldn't have to walk the circumference again. We ended up leading Lea and Sandy down the mountain, on a footpath that the bums use, over broken bottles and down to....the road half way to the bottom aka the road we should've taken originally but Adrianna and I insisted our way was faster. Oops.
The bottom of the mountain meant the beginning of the search for pizza. We had been craving pizza all day and had seen many pizzerias the night before with cheap pies. We did not, however, know what street they were on. After circling the town a few times, we were about to give up. Enter angel #1 of the trip: coco. A woman approached us and asked if we wanted to eat at her restaurant. We explained that we were craving pizza and thanked her anyways. She then showed us her flyers--it was the pizza place right down from the street our hostel was on and the one we were looking for. Coco the angel saved us.
We ventured to the beach, napped, talked to some other study abroad kids from Vermont and decompressed. That night, we ate tapas and made tea and played games in the hotel. Good girl bonding time.
Day 3 was spent getting our bus tickets to Madrid then venturing to the beach again. We bought our routine picnic materials of bread, cheese, bell peppers, salami, apples, oranges and lemonade and played games in the sun. It was a lovely day that was only made better when we stumbled upon a renaissance fair by the greek theatre. It was the first annual, which was apparent because everything was very makeshift, but it was still quite fun. That night, we decided that we ought to see what the Malaga nightlife was all about. We ate a wonderful Spanish meal of real kebobs, seafood and sangria and stubbled upon a tiny square of locals. There were 3 bars surrounding the square, but all the tables were outside so it essentially felt like one big outdoor restaurant. Very neat. I wish these existed back in the States.
Adrianna's new life goal: jump into every ocean/sea and I am going to blog about it
Malaga
Renaissance Fair
I fell off the bed.
The next day we boarded the bus, with heavy hearts, we put back on our layers, packed our bags and faced the 7 hour bus ride that would take us away from the beach and to Spain's capital city: Madrid.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
The day there was no tram
This morning started as any other morning. Getting out of bed at 6h40, making some extra strong coffee and catching the bus. To get to my university, I take a 10 minute bus ride (made longer by the fact that is normally 10-25 minutes late) and then the tram from the Pessac Centre terminal. As I walked towards the tram this morning, I noticed an odd presence of police cars.
Now, I have not mentioned this is past posts mainly because I thought my parents would think that Bordeaux was unsafe, but there is hardly a police presence here. People drink in public, jaywalk, litter everywhere and there are normally any police in sight--even if they are in the area, they won't do anything. Needless to say, I knew something was up as I continued towards the tram.
I noticed that there was yellow tape around the whole tram station, which had a tram at the platform, and people were looking confused and frustrated. Meanwhile, I was kind of excited, thinking it was a protest or walk out or strike. Yippee! I was experiencing another Frenchy-French thing--striking. However, much to my dismay, that was not the case. As I stared at the complicated bus map at the station, an officer approached me, told me to get to the university I needed to take bus 45 that departed (insert French ambiguous arm wave that does not tell you whatsoever which direction to go) and walked away. I guessed and started walking. Couldn't find the bus stop.
I returned to the station just in time to see bus 45 pulling up to the stop. I asked the driver if that bus would take me to Unitec to which he said no, and told me I had to take the 36 (I KNOW I didn't confuse the numbers). 10 minutes later, I was on the over crowded bus, hoping I was going to the right place. I was already 15 minutes late to class.
A guy sat down next to me, asked if it was normal that the floor was wet (I think...) and started a conversation. As it turns out, he is a law student at a branch of Bordeaux 4 named Alexandre and was taking the TOEFL (English as a foreign language test) in Bordeaux because he wants to study in England next year. We talked about Alizée who is ultimately doing the same thing, and about the fact that it was a bomb threat that stopped the tram, not a strike or a suicide. A bomb threat. They apparently found an unattended suitcase and had to shut down that part of Line B. Of course.
Anyways, Alexandre, Lea, Adrianna and I had lunch together and continued about our Wednesday's. I went to an Ash Wednesday mass in the Cathedral downtown tonight which was a neat experience. Very cool to hear mass in French and the songs were gorgeous.
Today just goes to show that there is honestly never a dull day in Bordeaux. I now know that it is bus 36 that takes me to my school when there is a bomb threat and you can't take the tram, that you just have to sit on the bus looking confused and you will make French friends, mass in a Cathedral is freezing and that I am completely infatuated with this city. Peace out.
Now, I have not mentioned this is past posts mainly because I thought my parents would think that Bordeaux was unsafe, but there is hardly a police presence here. People drink in public, jaywalk, litter everywhere and there are normally any police in sight--even if they are in the area, they won't do anything. Needless to say, I knew something was up as I continued towards the tram.
I noticed that there was yellow tape around the whole tram station, which had a tram at the platform, and people were looking confused and frustrated. Meanwhile, I was kind of excited, thinking it was a protest or walk out or strike. Yippee! I was experiencing another Frenchy-French thing--striking. However, much to my dismay, that was not the case. As I stared at the complicated bus map at the station, an officer approached me, told me to get to the university I needed to take bus 45 that departed (insert French ambiguous arm wave that does not tell you whatsoever which direction to go) and walked away. I guessed and started walking. Couldn't find the bus stop.
I returned to the station just in time to see bus 45 pulling up to the stop. I asked the driver if that bus would take me to Unitec to which he said no, and told me I had to take the 36 (I KNOW I didn't confuse the numbers). 10 minutes later, I was on the over crowded bus, hoping I was going to the right place. I was already 15 minutes late to class.
A guy sat down next to me, asked if it was normal that the floor was wet (I think...) and started a conversation. As it turns out, he is a law student at a branch of Bordeaux 4 named Alexandre and was taking the TOEFL (English as a foreign language test) in Bordeaux because he wants to study in England next year. We talked about Alizée who is ultimately doing the same thing, and about the fact that it was a bomb threat that stopped the tram, not a strike or a suicide. A bomb threat. They apparently found an unattended suitcase and had to shut down that part of Line B. Of course.
Anyways, Alexandre, Lea, Adrianna and I had lunch together and continued about our Wednesday's. I went to an Ash Wednesday mass in the Cathedral downtown tonight which was a neat experience. Very cool to hear mass in French and the songs were gorgeous.
Today just goes to show that there is honestly never a dull day in Bordeaux. I now know that it is bus 36 that takes me to my school when there is a bomb threat and you can't take the tram, that you just have to sit on the bus looking confused and you will make French friends, mass in a Cathedral is freezing and that I am completely infatuated with this city. Peace out.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Spain trip: Leg 1: Barthalona
I got on the TGV, by myself and sped off towards Paris on February 17th. I was going to visit the Portier's and some friends in Paris, before going to Spain for winter break. I got to see so many familiar faces which was much needed. Seeing Stephanie, Jason and Ana was a trip, and I loved having them, as locals showing me around the City of Lights. This is also when I met up with my cousin, Paul, who flew over earlier than my brother to see Paris. I was surrounded by so many people from California and was about to reunite with my brother. I knew that the next 10 days were going to be phenomenal. And that they were.
Paris was a whirlwind of tourist pictures and comparing study abroad stories. Andeville was more calming, and being able to carry a conversation in French with the Portier's made me happy. I love spending time at the Portier's house. They really do feel like family, even though I have seen them a total of 3 times in my life. The central heating in their house was broken which made cozying up in front of the TV with the whole family (except Alizée who is studying in London this semester) so much better. After spending a wonderful two days chez the Portier's, reconnecting with my original France family, it was time to head to warmer and crazier Spain.
Paul and I went to the Beauvais airport and met up with 3 other Bordeaux students who were on the same flight. After the short, 1 hour infomercial of a flight (they tried to see us cigarettes, perfumes, lotto cards, drinks), we were in the lively city of Barcelona. I was getting anxious to see the hostel, the girls and of course, Chris. We arrived at HelloBCN, our stellar hostel (compliments to Paul for finding it), sans problème. Even though my brother was fast asleep when we arrived, the speed of his rally was incredible. The Mertens clan was reunited in Spain, ready to hit Las Ramblas and the marina.
Day 2 we went to Parc Guell and the Sagrada Familia. Both made the top 5 favorite things to do in Spain for sure. The parc was multi-layered and was designed by Gaudi. He also designed the Sagrada Familia, which we went to only after getting a traditional Spanish afternoon drink of Vermouth and tapas at a local hangout. The Sagrada Familia was one of the most impressive, beautiful, modern and colorful churches I have ever seen. The attention Gaudi paid to how the sun would hit the stain-glass windows to create colorful and geometric shapes all around the dwarfing and pristine white walls of the church was unbelievable.
We then got Paella for dinner, only to have an accordion player serenade Chris. It was an amazing seafood and veggie meal for only 13€. We watched the end of the Barcelona soccer game at a bar and ended up walking around the Marina again.
Day 3: Monserrat. This mountain range that is one hour outside of Barcelona was such a different side of Barcelona to see. While the monastery was pretty, we set off to climb the highest peak- Sant Jeroni. In less than 2 hours, after water breaks, pictures, singing and flip videos, we made it to the top. Such a gorgeous view of Spain-I had no idea it was such a mountainous country!
That night, everyone was exhausted but Sandy, Adrianna and Lea were able to cook a huge pasta feed for the group before setting out to Moog to enjoy some minimalist techno Chris was stoked on listening to. Moog in a sentence: minimalist techno is not so good, but we sure know how to start the dance party at a club.
Day 4 Chris, Paul and I met up with a friend from Stone Church, Dan, who is studying there for the semester. He took us to his favorite sandwich place, the beach, another old church, the Olympic stadium, Parc Montjuic and the castle to watch the sunset over the city. It was so neat to reunite with part of my real family and my church family all the way in Europe. It just goes to show what a close-knit community Stone Church is.
That night, everyone went out, but I stayed behind due to some lagging food poisoning. All was well, however, because I got to sleep it off and get ready for Malaga and the 9AM flight we had the next morning.
Barcelona was such a blast--I can't believe Chris and Paul have already came and left. It was truly amazing to see them and really spend time with them. I miss you both already!
Paris was a whirlwind of tourist pictures and comparing study abroad stories. Andeville was more calming, and being able to carry a conversation in French with the Portier's made me happy. I love spending time at the Portier's house. They really do feel like family, even though I have seen them a total of 3 times in my life. The central heating in their house was broken which made cozying up in front of the TV with the whole family (except Alizée who is studying in London this semester) so much better. After spending a wonderful two days chez the Portier's, reconnecting with my original France family, it was time to head to warmer and crazier Spain.
10 days of travel= 3 boarding passes, 2 train tickets, 1 bus ticket
Jason and I in Paris
Ana and I repping 106!
Portiers meet Mertens'
Paul and I went to the Beauvais airport and met up with 3 other Bordeaux students who were on the same flight. After the short, 1 hour infomercial of a flight (they tried to see us cigarettes, perfumes, lotto cards, drinks), we were in the lively city of Barcelona. I was getting anxious to see the hostel, the girls and of course, Chris. We arrived at HelloBCN, our stellar hostel (compliments to Paul for finding it), sans problème. Even though my brother was fast asleep when we arrived, the speed of his rally was incredible. The Mertens clan was reunited in Spain, ready to hit Las Ramblas and the marina.
Day 2 we went to Parc Guell and the Sagrada Familia. Both made the top 5 favorite things to do in Spain for sure. The parc was multi-layered and was designed by Gaudi. He also designed the Sagrada Familia, which we went to only after getting a traditional Spanish afternoon drink of Vermouth and tapas at a local hangout. The Sagrada Familia was one of the most impressive, beautiful, modern and colorful churches I have ever seen. The attention Gaudi paid to how the sun would hit the stain-glass windows to create colorful and geometric shapes all around the dwarfing and pristine white walls of the church was unbelievable.
Mertens clan
View from Parc Guell
Sagrada familia
We then got Paella for dinner, only to have an accordion player serenade Chris. It was an amazing seafood and veggie meal for only 13€. We watched the end of the Barcelona soccer game at a bar and ended up walking around the Marina again.
Day 3: Monserrat. This mountain range that is one hour outside of Barcelona was such a different side of Barcelona to see. While the monastery was pretty, we set off to climb the highest peak- Sant Jeroni. In less than 2 hours, after water breaks, pictures, singing and flip videos, we made it to the top. Such a gorgeous view of Spain-I had no idea it was such a mountainous country!
That night, everyone was exhausted but Sandy, Adrianna and Lea were able to cook a huge pasta feed for the group before setting out to Moog to enjoy some minimalist techno Chris was stoked on listening to. Moog in a sentence: minimalist techno is not so good, but we sure know how to start the dance party at a club.
Day 4 Chris, Paul and I met up with a friend from Stone Church, Dan, who is studying there for the semester. He took us to his favorite sandwich place, the beach, another old church, the Olympic stadium, Parc Montjuic and the castle to watch the sunset over the city. It was so neat to reunite with part of my real family and my church family all the way in Europe. It just goes to show what a close-knit community Stone Church is.
Stone Church reunion
That night, everyone went out, but I stayed behind due to some lagging food poisoning. All was well, however, because I got to sleep it off and get ready for Malaga and the 9AM flight we had the next morning.
Barcelona was such a blast--I can't believe Chris and Paul have already came and left. It was truly amazing to see them and really spend time with them. I miss you both already!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Espagne!
I know I owe a long blog post. I will get to that after I finish uploading some pics to facebook. In the mean time, check it:
Barcelona
Look who came to visit? Chris and Paul!
Malaga
Adrianna, Me, Sandy, Lea
Madrid
Madrid
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