Hello Followers! (as I've now left Spain, I can't call you blogueros anymore and as I've not hit Switzerland yet I can't say 'blogeurs' yet, so live with being called a sensible name for a few weeks)
Well yes, the end happened. The last few weeks in Bilbao got a bit mad, hence the lack of blogging, but I had one last exam (which wasn't all that fun, but this time last year there'd have been no way I could even attempt to write three essays in Spanish on Medieval Literature in an hour and a half. So even if I fail that exam, it's still a victory). The rest of the time was spent meeting up with people, and showing Kate around (as we had about a week's cross-over between her coming out to Bilbao and me leaving). Pintxos (Basque tapas) happened, as did Txacoli (Basque white wine), and chocolate con churros. I feel like I spent a week eating!
So I said 'agur' for the last time while leaving the Chinese shop that had practically set me up for the semester with mugs and teapots and such, and rammed as much into my hand luggage as possible due to Easyjet's rules on weight limit (basically, your hold luggage has to be 20kg or less, but your hand luggage can weigh anything as long as you can lift it. So a blanket, 3 jumpers, all my electricals and work went into one rucksack with a bit of brute force). I was still 1.5kg over when I got to the airport, but the nice lady didn't charge me so I consider that an epic win, given just how many clothes I brought back!
Right now I'm in Lancaster, chilling my beans in the Learning Zone and even working on my dissertation (shock, horror!) It's hilarious that I'm procrastinating from looking at DELC310 by doing 6000 words of translation, but this is the way I roll these days. So hard-core. I'm having a nice time though, I just feel a bit useless as everyone else is so busy and I have no idea what they're going through anymore, not having done final year yet.
Reverse-culture-shock is also a condition I feel I should probably write a self-help guide for in the near future. It's an interesting phenomenon that no one ever talks about, so I'll get round to it soon.
Right, dissertation time. See you soon people!
Monday, 23 January 2012
Monday, 9 January 2012
The trip to the home of Manuel!
Hola blogueros!
So I went to Barcelona (hence the title of this post - Manuel from Fawlty Towers was from Barcelona)! I was met by the AMAZING Laura and Liria, and we had a disgustingly decadent brekkie of waffles with choccy sauce! We found my hotel, which was right down by the Sagrada Familia (you know, that great big church designed by Gaudí which hasn't yet been finished...) and it's so impressive I can't even describe... you should all book a ticket and go see it, you have to be there!
Anyway, we had some amazing tapas for lunch, then Liria and I went to Casa Batllo (another of Gaudí's creations). We think we might buy it when we have enough money! After, we met up with Laura again and we did something else. But right now, it escapes my memory!
On Thursday we went to the gothic quarter and had an amazing tour round by one of Laura's friends who knew lots about the history - he should really get a job as a tour guide. We also went to the port for some lunch, and a crepe. Hilariously, a bird chose this moment to poo on me and Laura nearly killed herself laughing at me. Typical! Anyway, no harm done and the good luck came true as after, Laura and I went to the Sagrada Familia (as in, inside it!) It was impressive, what can I say? You do really have to go to see it in person! But the more impressive thing is that we managed to walk straight in, which was incredible as the day before there was at least a 2 hour queue when we walked past it. See what I mean about good luck?
We went to watch the parade for Reyes, which I found brilliant! Such a novelty to see the Three Kings come in a parade and throw sweets out for the children. Dinner followed, then we all collapsed into bed!
Friday was my 21st, so I had a nice lie-in, then called big sis (as it's her birthday on the same day). Then I went to meet Erin for coffee (the same Erin that came to Bilbao a few blog posts back!) and we had a Starbucks - well when in Spain! Laura then took me to her house where her mum had done a lovely dinner for us, with a birthday cake and everything, it was lovely to spend time with a family too. We went to Park Guell (another Gaudí creation... anyone spot the theme emerging?) and wandered round there, then we all went to see these fountains in another park which have different coloured lights put on them, and music plays, and the fountains put on a little show! It was amazing! Sadly, they only did one performance because there was a technical issue so they had to cancel the rest, but what we did see was brilliant! From there we went for a birthday drink in a bar on top of the old bull fighting ring (as bull fighting's been outlawed in Catalonia they turned the Plaza de Toros into a shopping centre). There was a great view over the city, and we took advantage of a last few hours to chat as I had to leave ridiculously early the next day to get my flight back to Bilbao.
The flight wasn't too stressful, though my body clock is all confused after eating McDonalds at 6am (I know, weird!), falling asleep on the flight (which is only about 40mins long) and being woken up by an air-hostess telling me I had to turn my MP3 player off for landing. That would have been fine, but she spoke to me in Catalan first and I was genuinely sure for a moment that I'd forgotten all my Spanish! But by the time I'd got off the flight, waited for the bus, taken the metro and got to my flat, I was past being tired so just watched TV and napped a little bit for the rest of the day!
Anyone who wants to go to Barcelona, give me a yell, I'm up for a second visit! And it was a GREAT way to spend my 21st :) BIG THANKS to Laura and Liria for making it so wonderful and helping me to see as much as possible in very little time!
Till next time blogueros x
So I went to Barcelona (hence the title of this post - Manuel from Fawlty Towers was from Barcelona)! I was met by the AMAZING Laura and Liria, and we had a disgustingly decadent brekkie of waffles with choccy sauce! We found my hotel, which was right down by the Sagrada Familia (you know, that great big church designed by Gaudí which hasn't yet been finished...) and it's so impressive I can't even describe... you should all book a ticket and go see it, you have to be there!
Anyway, we had some amazing tapas for lunch, then Liria and I went to Casa Batllo (another of Gaudí's creations). We think we might buy it when we have enough money! After, we met up with Laura again and we did something else. But right now, it escapes my memory!
On Thursday we went to the gothic quarter and had an amazing tour round by one of Laura's friends who knew lots about the history - he should really get a job as a tour guide. We also went to the port for some lunch, and a crepe. Hilariously, a bird chose this moment to poo on me and Laura nearly killed herself laughing at me. Typical! Anyway, no harm done and the good luck came true as after, Laura and I went to the Sagrada Familia (as in, inside it!) It was impressive, what can I say? You do really have to go to see it in person! But the more impressive thing is that we managed to walk straight in, which was incredible as the day before there was at least a 2 hour queue when we walked past it. See what I mean about good luck?
We went to watch the parade for Reyes, which I found brilliant! Such a novelty to see the Three Kings come in a parade and throw sweets out for the children. Dinner followed, then we all collapsed into bed!
Friday was my 21st, so I had a nice lie-in, then called big sis (as it's her birthday on the same day). Then I went to meet Erin for coffee (the same Erin that came to Bilbao a few blog posts back!) and we had a Starbucks - well when in Spain! Laura then took me to her house where her mum had done a lovely dinner for us, with a birthday cake and everything, it was lovely to spend time with a family too. We went to Park Guell (another Gaudí creation... anyone spot the theme emerging?) and wandered round there, then we all went to see these fountains in another park which have different coloured lights put on them, and music plays, and the fountains put on a little show! It was amazing! Sadly, they only did one performance because there was a technical issue so they had to cancel the rest, but what we did see was brilliant! From there we went for a birthday drink in a bar on top of the old bull fighting ring (as bull fighting's been outlawed in Catalonia they turned the Plaza de Toros into a shopping centre). There was a great view over the city, and we took advantage of a last few hours to chat as I had to leave ridiculously early the next day to get my flight back to Bilbao.
The flight wasn't too stressful, though my body clock is all confused after eating McDonalds at 6am (I know, weird!), falling asleep on the flight (which is only about 40mins long) and being woken up by an air-hostess telling me I had to turn my MP3 player off for landing. That would have been fine, but she spoke to me in Catalan first and I was genuinely sure for a moment that I'd forgotten all my Spanish! But by the time I'd got off the flight, waited for the bus, taken the metro and got to my flat, I was past being tired so just watched TV and napped a little bit for the rest of the day!
Anyone who wants to go to Barcelona, give me a yell, I'm up for a second visit! And it was a GREAT way to spend my 21st :) BIG THANKS to Laura and Liria for making it so wonderful and helping me to see as much as possible in very little time!
Till next time blogueros x
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