Hola Espana!

I'm in Spain!!!!

 

Yesterday was quite an adventure! Once we were cleared and allowed to debark from the ship, my friends and I walked a LOOOOONG way through Las Ramblas (the main "touristy" area in Barcelona) looking for bicycles to rent to explore the city. We hopped on the subway and went to see Sagrada Familia, a phenomenal, intricately detailed, unfinished church 100 years in the making. It was incredible. It is still be constructed today. I have never seen more detail in a piece of architecture in my life. I can't wait to post pictures.

 

After visiting the Sagrada Familia, we went and got lunch at a local cafe. Tasty! While we were waiting for our food, I ran down the street to a Starbucks to pick up wifi so I could call my parents with Skype Mobile. It made me so happy! I was getting a little homesick not being able to talk to them at all. My friends finally found bikes to rent, but I had to leave early to be back on the ship for my field program. I took the subway back to Las Ramblas, and wandered around by myself for a little while. It was nice. I had some time to myself to take everything around me in and reflect on what it all means for me. I hopped on the shuttle and got back on the ship.

 

The field program I went on last night was the flamenco performance with dinner. PHENOMENAL. I had the best time. The food was delicious, and it just kept coming! First they started out with salad, followed by paella, then chicken and vegetables, and finally dessert. They served wine with the meal, and then a glass of champagne with dessert. The paella was amazing. So delicious! The dancing was incredible! It was so fast paced, so colorful, so impressive. They used the castanettes! These dancers were so talented. Great food and great dancing, what more could a girl want?

 

After the flamenco show we came back to the ship just as our friends were going out to dinner (they eat dinner after 10pm in Spain!!), so we tagged along, and ended up eating ANOTHER paella dinner! There was a huge group of us eating paella and drinking sangria outside by the sea. It was wonderful. We got back to the ship around 2:30am, and I crashed. It was a fabulous day in a fabulous city.

 

I just got back from a busy morning/afternoon. I really need to take a nap, so I don't crash and burn, but I will update later tonight about my adventure to Montserrat today! I am loving Spain!