SPAIN

Blog time! Sorry to have kept you all out of the loop, but I went out of the country 

So to finish Friday, the spa was neat! There were pools with bubbles and a freezing tub if people wanted an ice bath (which a couple of us tried and RAN out of), and we all did water aerobics…very difficult, my arms were burning, and then I had a Turkish bath. It is like a sauna but it smells like vix and makes you feel like your body has no muscles or something, it was SO relaxing!

Then Friday night a group of us met up with a group and another group lol and we all found dinner at a French restaurant downtown! I had duck, rice and fig/honey sauce it was fantastic, vanilla ice cream for dessert, and of course a bottle of wine was split with me and a friend. It was Juracon, which is a specialty in Pau and one day soon we all want to go wine tasting it at this one place..anyway, we ate a dinner, I enjoyed the wine LOTS and then we split up but most of us went to an irish pub for some cold, german beers and some chatting. It was delightful!

Then I went to bed about…2ish? Then I woke up 3 hours later (haha it was awful) to pack and myself and three other girls met up at the gare, or train station. Apparently, you cant always buy things with American visas so we ran into some trouble but not too much b/c we bought tickets on the train. Then we had a stop in bayonne, where we ate camembert (I think…it’s like brie it’s a cheese) and butter sandwiches on French bread and coffee for lunch. Then we picked up the next train to hendaye (sp?) for another metro-like train to donostia or st.sebastien oh yeah it’s in SPAIN. Viva l’espagne! It was insanely gorgeous, my friends took lots of pics cuz my camera didn’t fit in my bag and it needed to be charged. We arrived about 2ish, met up with our 2 guy friends who stayed Friday and went off to find a hostel. Our hostel lady was insane! She slapped my butt a million and one times and was so touchy it was hilarious and our rooms were super nice.

We all got ready and and left the hostel for the beach, some tapas, red wine ( for 1 euro!!!) and ice cream and sheer relaxation. I fell asleep on the beach actually! It was soooo nice. The view from the ocean of the city took my breath away. A Jesus statue was atop the hill too, so beautiful.

After the beach, we all went back to the city to wash up and wash out sand lol, and then we hit up some shops. Post cards, pistachio pastries, a gift for our host moms for mothers day (it is today in france I got my host mom a mug and she said I’m not your mom though, but thanks so much! Lol), and then we all bought insanely beautiful scarves. I also got 2 belts for 8 euro, insanely cheap. Also, we got GELATO for the 1st time OH MY GOODNESSSSSSS it was beyond, just beyond. I had pistachio and chocolate and I died a little. so tasty!

The Spanish people = SO nice even though I sound kind of silly speaking Spanish. One of the guys with us was fluent, so he helped us a lot.

After some shopping, most of us passed out at the hostel for 2 hours b/c dinner in spain isn’t until like 10pm and siestas are built into the day anyway cuz most shops close from 2-5 for naps. So we were being cultural in sleeping lol.

When we woke up, refreshed and got ready for dinner and a night out! Had more tapas for dinner, I adore them officially, and started off the night at 10 30 at a place with happy hour 2 for 1 sangria. I officially love the night life of spain. The dancing, the drinks that were so fruity and refreshing, it was a great time. Plus, I don’t know if you know this, but I’m a hot commodity in spain and everyone wanted to dance with me! It was a blast, we met English men celebrating their friend’s bachelor party in an orange head-toe costume, loads of Spanish men and just had a blast together. I pooped out about 3 but most everyone stayed out until 6am, I just need to sleep more the night before spain lol.

At about 7am, a festival of trumpets played outside our hostel and most of us slept through it until 10am. Garbage trucks were being loud too and then these people started dancing outside our window in a parade with those clapping instruments…the black ones that look like clams? Yeah…so fun to watch.

We said a long goodbye to the lady who owns the hostel, more butt-slaps were fondly given and we took a picture with her. Then, we grabbed baguettes and chocolate croissants for breakfast and orangina for me. we got on two trains, including my 1st TGV, and then journeyed home. I love the people I am friends with SO much here, I can already see missing them in five weeks.

I’m home now, doing hmwk and going to see a French theatrical piece later on. Spent possibly too much money on food and post cards and travel is mildly expensive, but it was SO worth it. I love spain!!!! Its good to be back, not for the hmwk though haha. This week we have an excursion to the pays basque for beach time with the usac so I’m looking forward to that this week! I’m just looking forward to more adventures! Not so much class…but it’s okay. I’m learning French, which I love. I’m happy, healthy and exhausted.