Italiaaaa

During the end of February and the beginning of March, Andalusia has a week off. Why you ask? Well, the rest of Spain celebrates carnival in which they get a week off before, during, or after the time of Semana Blanca. Since this holiday is not in Malaga, Malaga decides to take a week off too. (Because, why should they work harder than anyone else in the country? That's not fair!)


Jen and Allison planned a trip to Italia for a week, and they asked me if I wanted tag along. We started off the journey with a 6 1/2 hour bus ride from Malaga to Madrid. We crashed at Jen's friend's apartment in Madrid and took a taxi to catch our 6 am flight to Venice. During this week it is carnivale so it was impossible for us to stay in Venice. We hung out and had a delicious breakfast of cappuchinos and calzones. We watched the people go by in costumes, saw the water taxis go by, and took in the view of the start of carivale.

We caught a train to Florence for the weekend and started looking for our hostel. We were told we were staying at one, then it changed to another, then when we got there they had switched us back to the first. We ended up having, not only a whole room to ourselves, but basically the whole hostel. It was warm, there was a hairdryer and decent internet. The man that ran it was so helpful and accomodating.


The first day in Florence we walked around and took pictures like a tourist. Yes, we were those people in the middle of the plaza taking pictures of birds and every statue that we saw (there were tons!). We also took the opportunity to get out of the rainy, very cold weather to go the Uffizi museum. There we saw The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli and some famous and some not-so-famous works of art by Leonard di Vinci and a few others. We interspersed our days with slices of pizza, authentic italian gelato and cappuchinos and tried to try as many italian pastries as we could. Tip: If pastries are what you're in search of in Europe, go to Italy. They're better than Spain. I suspect that France may have better ones than Italy. Just a guess.



Our next day, I convinced the girls to go see the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It was a short train ride away. How could we miss this!? We saw the Tower, took some touristy pictures, and sat down and ate our lunch and watched other people try to get the perfect picture of the leaning towner. You'd be surprised. It was a little harder than I thought to take the 'I'm holding up the tower/ I'm pushing the tower over' picture. That night we went up to the top of the city to watch the sunset over Florence. It was a long way up, but it was worth the walk. They city was gorgeous. As the sun set, all the lights of the city came on. We sat on the steps, talking of our study abroad experiences, drinking cheap wine.


The next day was not so rainy, so we walked around and took our final pictures of Florence and some re-do's of ones from the rainy days. Then we boarded our train to Venice. We left from a different train station than we arrived in so we wanted to make sure we got there in time. We waited for a very long, long time in the cold. The wind was blowing and whipping around, straight through our jackets because there was a storm rolling in. We were glad to be on the train. As the train entered Venice it was storming. We were over a canal and the wind was blowing so much that the train was rocking back and forth. Apparently no one else seemed worried, but to me it looked like the beginning of a scary movie. We followed our very complex directions to our hostel and made it in due time. (If you don't know, Venice is a city of winding streets. They say the best way to see Venice is to get lost and find your way back, basically because it'll happen anyway.)

We were pleasantly surprised when we reached our hostel. (We were nervous about this one, because there wasn't a lot of information provided online.) The room we booked for three could sleep 8 people. We suspected this place was rented out for the week of carnavale because it was complete with a kitchen, coffee, a washing machine, and a living room. It was a little house and we loved it. We talked with the innkeeper a bit. It was a dream for him to have a hostel. He and is wife both work outside the house during different shifts, and the shifts they're home, the watch the hostel and do work for it. He says it's worth it and we should try it in the states. He was very nice and gave us directions to the nearest plaza. We went and found an Italian place to eat (go figure) and had pizza and wine. It was delicious and definitely appreciated after a cold, long day of siteseeing and travelling. The next day we explored Venice. Of course we had our usual pastry, pizza and cappuchino for the day. We did some shopping and took lots of pictures.

Jen's dad owns a liquor store back in the States. When she told him we were going to Italy, he suggested that we contact a vender to see if we could get a tour. We did. So we loaded up in a rented car and went to Verona. If you ever have a chance, drive through Italy. It is just like the movies with vineyards on both sides of the street. Acres and acres of grape vines. We were in wine country, and it was cool. After driving around lost we asked for directions from a couple people: a man with a wheel-barrel who drew us a map in the dirt on the ground and a lady with a dog who let us through a gate that led us right there.


The lady from Cesari gave us a tour. The place we saw was the smaller bottling plant. There was a bigger one where the most popular wines were bottled. She showed us the new barrels they had just ordered from France, and tried to explain to us novices all the details that went into making wine. There were two other Italian guys touring the facility with us. We all stood around while they talked Italian. Italian is easy enough to understand with a few words translated. She gave us each a bottle of wine, one of which was the new wine that was just presented to the market. YUM!


We continued into town to eat lunch. I had parmesan risotto which I have vowed to learn to make upon my return to the states because it was sooooooo good. I had to stop myself from inhaling it. That night was my last night in Venice. We went looking around for food to eat. We found some pasta and sauce in the grocery story, along with cannolis that went perfect with the wine we had acquired that day.



After dinner we could hear music, so we went in search of it. We found it at the same plaza we were at the day before. There was a stand selling beverages, so we bought some vin brulé (which I have also vowed to learn how to make) and watched the concert and the gypsies dancing. We went wondering through the streets while we listened to the music. We croseed many bridges and turned many corners, all of which looked the same. We did the usual Venice thing and got lost. It was enjoyable, but eventually it got too cold so we retired to our warm little house.

The next day I left to go back to Spain. When I left the hostel, it was snowing and I was a little glad I was going back. Spain is cold, but not as cold as Italy and I was tired of wearing every piece of clothing I brought all at once.

Just kidding...

It has been so cold here. I know, I know it’s not a foot of snow or single digit degrees outside (actually it is because we use celcius). Malaga’s version of winter is rain. It has been rainy, cloudy and foggy almost every day for three weeks.

My school doesn’t have heating. They have small space heaters in the rooms that barely take off the chill. The entire building is made of stone and brick, which does not lend itself well to heating. This doesn’t seem to be the main problem, though. For some reason the doors and windows are always open. Everyone talks about how cold it is, and then I see them open the windows. No one seems concerned that the front doors are completely open and the chilling wind is whipping through the school’s wind tunnels. I wonder how cold it has to be to keep the windows and doors shut. Whatever it is, we haven’t reached that low yet.

Valentine's Day!!

Today my wonderful fiance sent me flowers....from across the ocean!!! Well, not exactly. He called my friend and asked her to pick up something and told her what to write on the card. He also sent me a card that just happened to arrive on Valentine's day and was waiting for me when I got home from school. I was very surprised. I couldn't stop smiling.

El Restaurante Chipriota

One of my roommates, Maria, is Greek. She has another Greek friend named Elena (although she'll scoff at you if you call her Greek.) She is actually from an island off of Greece called Cyprus (Chipre, in Spanish). She found a Chipriota restaurant in Fuengirola and wanted to get everyone together to go eat.

On Sunday we loaded up on the Metro to go to Fuengirola. The restaurant didn't open until 8:30 so we thought we'd have some drinks. We hung out in a cafe by the sea and waited for the sun to set and the restaurant to open.

The restaurant had sampler menus set up by the number of people. We were 9 people so we ordered 7 menus and a bottle of white wine. The first few dishes were plates that I have seen before. Salads, hummus, cucumber and tomatoe salad. I was in heaven. I like Greek food. I said this also and was scolded. Then came more food. Greek food that I have never seen before. There were a lot of dishes with different kinds of beans: garbonzos, kidney beans, some with corn. A lot were covered in a delicious tomatoe sauce. These were followed by 3 or 4 more meat dishes. I don't know the names of any of the dishes I ate or what they had in them, but I'll give a piece of advice: don't EVER turn down Greek/Chipriota food. It could change your life. This was a taste of home for Maria and Elena. They kept saying "Oh this is just like my mom's!" or "My mom makes this, except she...." It was cool for them, I think.

This particular restaurant had Turkish coffee! Yeah, yeah, I know there's coffee everywhere in this country, but this coffee is special. It tells your fortune. I'm not a big believer in astrology and don't put much weight on these types of things, but I was a little curious to see what my coffee had in store for me.
Step 1: Drink coffee as normal, except for leaving a little bit of liquid in the bottom.
Step 2: Put saucer on top of coffee cup and flip over.
Step 3: Place both hands on top of coffee cup, left under right, for 5 minutes.
Step 4: Call over the fortune reader to see hear your destiny
Once we had followed our steps, the grandpa came over to tell us what they said. (This was a family restaurant with 4 generations working and the grandpa was the one who started it and reads the fortunes.) Some of the fortunes were somewhat true, and some were a little off (we hope!), but mine.....


My coffee was in the shape of a big heart! He told me my heart was full of love and that's the only thing that I have in my life right now. I was so happy. They were all ooohhing and aaahhing over it. I was a little pleased, I must say. Everyone here reacts a little negatively towards the getting married part because they think I'm soooo young. It was nice to hear a little affirmation from a random cup of coffee.

Oh, did I mention it was the day before Valentine's Day! :)

The Checklist

When I went home for Christmas I was able to get a lot of things done for the wedding. I've been reading things online, and I realize I have way more to do than I thought. Weddings are stressful and I don't think anyone can realize this until they do one.
Done:
dress
reception location
ceremony reception
photographer
DJ
caterer-still need to do details
Cake maker-still need to do details
bridesmaid dresses

To Do:
invitations
hammer out details with caterer and for the cake
wedding favors
seating at the wedding
flowers
tuxes
cumberbund/ascot situation
decorations for ceremony and reception
headpiece/shoes
honeymoon
rehearsal dinner
wedding counseling
programs
details of ceremony
find bartender (if you know anyone, let me know!)
wedding party gifts

There is so much to do! I will be a busy girl in June.

Paco Makes Paella

The professors from my school that I go to lunch/intercambio with os Thursdays invited me to a paella day!! I was so excited because this is everything that I hoped for. Cristi and Paco have a son, Noa, who is turning 4 years old on Thursday. Paco was born and raised in Alhauring el Grande and his brother lives in a very, very small town outside Alhaurin. On Saturday I boarded the bus to learn how to make paella. I took the same bus that I take to school everyday, except today I had to ask the bus driver for the stop I needed. I sat up front next to him and talked to him for a little bit. Now the bus driver and I are friends.

Paco and Cristi picked me up from the bus stop and we headed to Paco's brother's house. They bought a HUGE paellera for this day and brought everything needed to make paella. Paco prides himself in his paella skills, so he was ready to teach me and instruct me on how to make the perfect paella....according to him. As I talked withthe family members, I learned that there are tons of types of paella. Paco's aunt puts chicken in hers. Someone else puts seafood and chicken. Paco himself only uses seafood, and no one here had eaten his paella before. So we were all experiencing this together.

It had been raining the night before so the wood that we were using for the fire was a little damp. He explained to me that the temperature under the paella was a very important aspect of a good paella. I wondered how this was going to work with damp wood. Since we needed a hot fire first and then a smaller fire later, I couldn't see this working well.
As Paco got the fire started, I helped Cristi blow up balloons and decorate for the birthday party to follow. Noa ran around with the other toddlers playing. I met Paco's WHOLE family and most of Cristi's that live near by. There were aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews, and the husbands, wives and children of all these people. I think at one point I counted and there was 25 people there.

We snacked on salchiccon, bread, and potato chips while the paella was cooking. Paco warned me that this was not the way to eat paella. " You need to be dying of hunger when you eat paella so you can eat lots of eat and it tastes better." I could not wait 4 more hourse to eat lunch. It was already 2 and I had skipped breakfast in preparation for this.
I stood nearby the cook and watched diligently, asking questions and jotting down notes so that some day I can replicate this. After hours of waiting, being the gopher running between the house and the fire, the paella was finally ready. The wood started burning correctly just as the rice was added, which is when the heat should be reduced, so the paella was a little burnt. It was good, but I think it would have been better if it wasn't burnt. I think everyone there thought the same thing, but they didn't tell Paco. No one wanted to make him feel bad.
When I had stuffed myself full with paella (and all the other food) we sat for a while and talked. Then the ladies of the family started doing something. They were frying what looked like bread dough. They made homemade chocolate and churros. (They called this something else, but the name escapes me right now.) These were way better than any others I've had at a restaurant. Me, full again.

As more family started arriving, the cake arrived. Cake? After all this food? Noa's cake was not an American birthday cake, as we are in Spain, but it did have Bob esponja (Spongebob) on it. Noa had no idea what was going on. Cristi showed him his toys to interest him a little. He paid a little attention but mostly just wanted to play with the sticks on the ground. I concluded the evening, stuffed, with a nice ride back to Malaga from Cristi. It was a cool day. A LOT of Spanish, maybe a couple new friends (Crisit's sister lives in Malaga), and a new recipe to try someday. It's coming. I need to translate it and make it ledgible.

Felia Año Nuevo

During Christmas vacation, and after the torture that was the 'Month of the Thesis' in our house, Maria went to Germany for a week or so to spend time with her friend Mateas, before heading on to Athens. She is returning the favor by lending him her room with she is in Greece. When Corey and I arrived to Malaga, he had already been here a week with his girlfriend (who is Russian). We were planning on dining out for New Year's, but they asked us if we wanted to eat with them for New Year's. We had some traditional Russian food, made by her mom, and some other delicious appetizers.
We all went to Plaza de la Constitcion for the countdown. There was a band playing and people everywhere. It is traditional to eat one grape on each second of the countdown for buena suerte. I asked people about this before New Year's and they all said it's not really common anymore, so I forewent (is this a word) the grapes. On the countdown, I wished I had bought grapes. But also, they don't have seedless grapes here and the ones with the seeds gross me out a little. It would've been a cool thing to do.
We hung out and had champagne in the plaza and we all continued the Spanish tradition of staying out until late hours of the morning. We got home at 6 and slept for most of the rest of the day. It was a fun night. The night just kind of got away from me. I yawned and looked at the clock, and it was time to go home. ¡Feliz año nuevo!