Hello again from Spain! Once again, I write this blog post while on a train. We just finished up our time exploring Granada and are making our way to Seville. Granada exceeded our expectations in terms of beauty and culture. We were not aware of the huge Arab influence in this city and loved trying new foods and cuisines. Everywhere you went, there were amazing artisanal shops full of embroidered fabrics and mosaics and most restaurants offered a variety of international food including Arabian, Spanish, and Mediterranean. We are so looking forward to Seville as we have only heard great things. We will be staying right next to the cathedral where Christopher Columbus is buried and have a flamenco show on our itinerary.
Other than this great weekend of traveling, I have had many great experiences this week and learned a lot. For one, Spain airports are hectic and unorganized. It is vital that you arrive super early and be prepared to wait in long lines. I find this very interesting because their airport security is extremely lenient compared to ours in the U.S. I suppose they never endured a tragedy like 9/11 and therefore don?t take airport security as serious. This week we have also learned that sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and make the long walk. Many times, we have wanted to call a taxi because it is hot and there is still 20 minutes to go, but taxis can be pretty expensive for five people and after all the croissants we eat, we could use the walking. Once we get to the location, we are always glad we chose to walk.
Something my roommates and I have talked a lot about this week are the number of stares we get. No matter where we go, we always get stared down by locals. I?d say that this week, we finally accepted it and finally began to understand. When you think about it, we are five English speaking, blonde girls. Just as they are to us, we are super interesting and foreign. In America, I would try to be a little more discrete when staring at a foreigner, but here, we?ve learned that they just don?t see staring as rude or insulting like we do.
A big highlight of this week was our tour of Valencia?s natural waterfalls and hot springs. We got to explore Valencia last weekend and loved the city but getting to explore its natural beauty in the city?s outskirts was the icing on the cake. Our tour guide was an expert on the area and took us to all the hidden gems. Overall, this week was full of great experiences. Although I am getting pretty antsy about getting back to College Station, I am making sure I soak up each second I have left here in Spain. The tight living and dirty streets are slowly starting to get on my nerves, but I know this is a once in a lifetime experience that I need to make the absolute most of.