Un Fin De Semana En Barcelona

Thursday Jan 27

8pm - Karrah and I leave class and eagerly start our journey towards Barcelona.

8:45pm – The bus that normally runs every 10 minutes from Camino de Ronda to the bus station is regrettably now 30 min late. Our bus for the Malaga airport leaves at 9:30pm. Panic insues.

9:02 pm – Bus #10 spotted!

9:25 – We run off the bus and arrive at the bus station with no more than 5 minutes to spare. I wish I could tell you that this was gonna be the last time Karrah and I ran to catch a bus, plane or train this weekend but that would be a boldface lie.

Much to my surprise we depart promptly at 9:30 and arrive at the Malaga bus station around 11:20. The Malaga bus terminal is small and dark, there are a few people sleeping on benches but for the most part the place is empty. Immediately upon arrival we do the most logical thing buy a Kit Kat bar.

I was slightly disappointed with my purchase when it did not taste just like American Kit Kat bars ☹ even the chocolate here is healthier for you… less sugar I guess?

At this point we decided that we would be better of if we headed to the Malaga Airport and just wait for our early flight departure there. Only problem was we weren’t 100% sure how to get there. We walk around and see there’s a line of taxis lined up but neither of us dared approach them. They seemed sketchy. All of them had drivers in the front seat but the drivers were sleeping. We come to the realization that we are gonna have to knock on one of their windows and ask them for a ride to the airport because there was no way we were gonna stay at the bus terminal much longer.

Before we ask though we decided that we need to throw away our kit kat wrappers, an obvious ploy to put off the creepy taxi ride that was about to ensue. It was at this point that we noticed a small sign advertising 2 Euro bus rides from the terminal to the airport we were so excited and then we noticed that the last bus of the night left the terminal at 11:45. It was 11:44… we ran to the bus.

Friday Jan 28

We arrived at the Malaga Airport a little after midnight. Their airport was surprisingly large and even featured a very nice outdoor waiting area addition. We now had the pleasure of waiting 7 hours for our flight from Malaga to Barcelona. WooOOoOooOo At first we didn’t think it would be that bad because both of our senoras had told us that the Malaga Airport was international, so we had made the foolish assumption of thinking it would be like O’hare were the restaurant and stores are always open.

The reality was that once inside the Malaga Airport, as large as it was Karrah and I could have counted the number of people there on our hands alone. We find a bench and decided to set camp there. I look at the enormous clock mounted on the wall 12:15am … cool we only had 6hours and 45 min more to kill. Karrah starts writing in her Spanish diary and I continue reading Bergdorf Blondes by Plum Skyes, a book that I had started a few days prior due to the fact that I am currently Internet less at home. To amuse myself I tell Karrah what time it is every ten minutes. She wants’ to kill me after I do thins twice to her and openly admits it in her Spanish diary… I wonder what Naria will think of her when she reads it?

OMG How will we EVVVER Find SEATS?

12:45 am - I decided now would be a good time to work on internship applications.

1 am – Karrah and I are approached by a very happy traveler. He has a very childish face and for some reason reminds me of a lawn gnome.... the most awkward moment of either of our lives ensues. The guy starts the conversation with a friendly Hola do you speak English? We both respond si. At this point he proceeds to tell us he’s bored and has a lot of time to kill before his 6:30 am flight to his home in Berlin.

Awkward silence… it was at this time that it occurred to both Karrah and I that this guy wanted to sit and chat with us for the next 6 hours. Something that neither of us were really in the mood to do.

The awkward silence continued on for what seemed like forever and you could see the poor guys expression go from super happy to smile to just straight up confusion as to why the two of us seemed incapable of speaking.

I broke the silence in the most suave way possible… I lifted the blank piece of paper in front of me and said. I’m sorry I’m working on this. After that he just kinda said oh and walked away. I realize this was incredibly rude but in my defense I had been working on that piece of paper, I was trying to write and internship essay I just hadn’t managed to write it down & the thought of having to talk to this stranger for the next 6 hours seemed rather exhausting.

the exact piece of paper (aka back of my ticket) that i was 'working' on

2 am - Karrah and I have successfully entertained ourselves for another hour reading dear blank please blank and text from last night. We decided that it would be smart if we try to get some sleep so that we can be awake during the day on Friday and immediately go sightseeing with Alyssa upon our arrival.

2:30 am- It is at this time that Karrah and I hit an all time low. We make a bed using a Starbucks coffee table and 6 chairs.

5 am – Starbucks is gonna open in 30 min so we get out of our bed and make our way to the actual sitting room. Neither us actually slept. I would say maybe MAYBE we got 30min a piece while we were there.

5:15 am- Karrahs bag is searched after it goes through he x ray machine. The guard thinks she has a knife… it’s actually a rather large nail clipper.

7 am – Board the plane. I pass out 5 min after only to be woken up at 8:20 am once we reach Barcelona.

9:30am- We make it to Alyssa apartment, a feat which would not have been possible had Alyssa not given us the most detailed instructions on how to take the metro.

Once in Barcelona with Alyssa we immediately go sightseeing!!!

Doodles by Picasso

Around 2pm we decided to have lunch at this place that according to Alyssa has the best burgers in the world. (I know how American of us) But seriously these were amazing. Alyssa and I ate them like normal people & then there’s karrah who cut her burger into about 16 different pieces and ate it with a fork and a knife.

We topped of a great day of sightseeing with a trip to the Happy Pills store where both Karrah and I got a delicious prescription & did some shopping.

Saturday Jan 29

We wake up bright and early and make our way to the La Sagrada Familia and Park Guell

La Sagrada Familia

Park Guell as seen on ANTM

Today for lunch we are moth authentic and purchase fruit from the market. Where we eat the most delicious smoothies and mango ever.

After lunch we walk down to the pier and make our way to the beach. It drizzles a little while we are on our way their but stops just as we get there. I’m happy it rained because because of that we were able to see this beautiful sight.

Rainbow

Later that night the three of us walked over to a small supermarket that was close to alyssas apartment. There we bought some chicken and vegetables to make a stir fry for dinner. I was really surprised when all the food we bought came out to only 7 Euro, vegetables are really cheap in Barcelona.

Sunday Jan 30th

We stayed up till 4:30 that night, I considered staying up till 6 because we had to b up then anyway to make our flight that left at 9am. But we all decided on a quick nap instead.

Karrah set her alarm for 6:15 so that we could make the 6:45 train and get to airport with enough time to get through security and make our 8:30 boarding time.

6:45am - Karrahs alarm goes off. She says five more minutes. I reply okay just make sure you set another alarm. She says she already has…

7:42am - I wake up…… and immediately yell OMG its 7:42. Karrah and I shot out of bed and literally RAN to the metro. We needed to get there before 7:50 because that was our last absolutely last chance for making it to the airport on time.

7:50am - At metro station looking completely disheveled and freaking out because the train is not here yet.

8 am- still no train

8:02am - Train arrives

8:31 am- Train arrives at airport. Relief? No… we just remember we still have to take a get to the correct terminal

8:42 am- We are finally at the airport, karrah and I literally sprint of the bus and run into the airport. We get STUCK in a revolving door because one of her suitcases gets caught. At this point we were literally trapped in a glass box. We did not like this woman in the least. As soon as we are released we run to airport security which thank the lord was not overly crowded.

Had it been as crowded as the one in Madrid that we went through on our initial flight to Spain there is no way we would have made it. This time we went through security without a problem. I don’t think either of us had ever put our shoes on as fast as we did after that cause in the blink of an eye we were running again frantically looking for our departure gate.

8:50 we arrive at our departure gate and are shuttled to the airplane which I guess had been moved elsewhere on the runway.

9am we depart for Granada

Great travels with some of my favorite people loved barcelona

Hamba Hamba Y Hamba

I have been living with my senora now since saturday, since then i have only seen her eat 3 chicken nuggets, once slice of cheese and coffe. Meanwhile I have been getting feed 3 course meals at every meal.

Each meal starts off with a salad, it's not your typical salad es un ensalada Espanola! This first course consist of lettuce, a whole fresh cut tomato, corn & shredded carrots. All of which is beautifully blended and swimming in olive oil. YUM

The second course of the meal is always ridiculously large. Take today for example, after nomming my delicious salad I was presented with not one but TWO plates. The first held 3 Hot Dogs and a Hamburger which of course us 'americans' cannot eat without a mountain of French Fries argo, the second plate. Also to keep up with proper american customs I was presented with two bottles of ketchup, a generic spanish one & good old Heinz. ( Yes I did take the Heinz... it only seemed right). As if that meal were already not healthy enough i was also given, as I have been given with every meal since I've been here.. yes breakfast included.. a piece of bread wooo

After the main portion of the meal I am always offered dessert too which is much lighter than everything else and is almost always fruit and yogurt.

I have enjoyed all the food that my senora has cooked for me thus far, especially la tortilla espanola but these ridiculous food portions are kind of alot to handle.. especially when you have a senora who does not eat.. and tells you that you dont eat enough

Today when I failed to consume all three hot dogs, the burger etc.. she said " AYE nina tu deverdad que no comos mucho".

I felt bad like I had let her down but if I ACTUALLY ate everything she gave me I would come back to the USA loooking like this.

Y Al Piso Me Voy

Bienvenidos a Casa

Since my arrival in Granada I have been staying at the Hostel Athenas until TODAY when I got picked up by my Host mama. My Host mom's name is ... ready for it....Maria Amparo de Blas Santiusted . She is a very lovely woman who's energetic outgoing and is very passionate about Granada and her daughter Beatrice. But it gets better, my senora is an artist :) she's a phenomenal painter and host painting lessons at her place twice a week! Which is something I plan on defiantly being a part of! And as luck would have it I am only a 5 min walk away from the University and live in a very popular part of the city, by block is home to a various tapas bars, dulcerias y panaredias. Yum.

Que Vista

Que Onda Granada

So after a long day filled with reenactments of Home Alone at O'Hare. Sitting. Sitting. Sitting. Telling people that unlike KeSha I did in fact have Jesus on my neck-a-lace-lace-lace. Sitting. Sitting. Sitting. Eating a well balanced breakfast which consisted of Honey do melon & a Kit Kat bar. Sitting Sitting Sitting. I am FINALLY in Granada!!!