Alicante y la Pijamada

I started off the morning with no concrete plans other than that Sandy and I wanted to go on a daytrip. Plans for Cieza (and some UNESCO World Heritage cave paintings) fell through. We talked about Lorca. Lorca planning got complicated, then Sandy got into contact with her long-time best friend Rosi from Orihuela (the town where the two grew up together). We hopped on a train to Orihuela to meet Rosi and her girlfriend Encarni.

We changed our minds from Elche to Alicante...so the day was full of spontaneity and me never knowing exactly what we might do next. I've finally gotten accustomed to flying by the seat of my pants and really letting whatever happens happen. In Spain, at least as a study abroad student, you really feel as if you have been stripped of control. Whatever artificial control you thought you might have had is usually bogged down by bureaucracy, Spanish time customs (think siesta), or other weird things happening that you never would have expected. I'm finally learning to go with the flow.

Upon arrival in Alicante, we took some photos of the beach and went on a bathroom search. I used yet another toilet-seat-less bathroom that didn't even have a holder where toilet paper might go. Another great cultural difference..

We even got to go to a castle! The view of the beach was pretty neat and the weather was perfect--a tad on the cloudy side, but thankfully not too hot. It felt like we were on top of the worrrld!

Me, Rosi and Encarni

How I feel about Alicante

cactus with little cacti growing on it

Alas, sweet, sweet McDonalds...

After we filled our tummies with some health food, we stopped by Rosi's house to grab sleepover gear. It was a really neat experience to get to see another Spanish home.

Outside were a host of pet peacocks (including a white one), terrifying (but chained) dogs, some chickens, and other various animals. Their mini-farm was nestled at the foot of a mountain in a relatively rural setting. I took the video just to show what it sounded like outside-->

Inside on the couch sat Rosi's mother, aunt, and grandmother; multi-generational, friendly, and very Spanish! Catholic candles and other effects accented the living room. On the TV was some intense, very bizarre Spanish show where a doctor pulled out some unwilling guy's teeth. The room was bursting with family photos and memorabilia.

Just a huge flower arrangement on the kitchen table (Bowl of fresh apples: not pictured)

 I asked if it would be appropriate for me to take a photo of this altar. Rosi's brother had recently passed away so I wanted to make sure it wouldn't upset the family.

An altar dedicated to those family members who have passed away.
To me, it was both sad and beautiful; definitely Catholic.

Some orange trees and various potted plants

I can't resist you, flowers!

Me and my chiqui  with our flores!

We came back to my place for my first Spanish "pijamada" or sleepover! Rosi and Encarni cooked us some delicious fajitas (Cinco de Mayo?) and mixed us some fun Spanish drinks that I'd never heard of.

So dang tasty

Having trouble...

As if I didn't already think Spaniards were crazy...then this whipped out this bad boy.

With a little liquid courage, I began to ask about the Spanish government and current economic situation. I learned so many interesting things and it was great to get the view of young people who seemed to be so knowledgeable!

Here is what I gathered*:

• Spain's government is technically a  monarchy, but the rey does little more than represent the Spanish people symbolically (think: Queen of England). Sandy called it "marketing." 
• There is also a parliament and a president. The current political party is PP or Partido Popular and is rivaled by the PSOE or Partido Socialista Obrero Español. The former (current) government is conservative right. The latter is liberal left. 
• Elections took place in November of last year, but the new government began in January 2012. 
• The Republic is an idea that many Spanish would like to see replace the monarchy. It is symbolized by a flag similar to the actual one, but with a purple stripe:

She's carrying the flag of la Segunda Reublica Española
source: http://pcastell.blogspot.com.es/2011/04/la-ii-republica-espanola-mas-que-una.html

•  One reason the people are upset is because the current Presidente del Gobierno has failed to fulfill the promises he made in his campaign (among others: not to make budget cuts on the two most important things--health and education).
• They also explained the change from pesetas to euros in 2001. Apparently everyday items like bread and milk nearly tripled in price! 

It seems as if there is quite a bit of political/social unrest here in Spain right now, though all that I have seen has been totally nonviolent. I'm curious to see how the situation develops (and I'm hopeful for Spain)!  *What I gathered is not guaranteed to be right, or really even represent what the people actually think. This could be entirely misinterpreted.

Feria del Turismo

Yesterday I took my first school field trip in Spain! It was an optional field trip organized through the Tourism School, so naturally we went to the Turismur Tourism Fair.

I think Sandy likes my weird poses

The fair, about a forty-minute bus from campus, was totally paid for by the school (bus ticket and admission). The idea behind the fair is to showcase what tourism opportunities are available throughout the Region of Murcia.

Credit: http://www.ifepaweb.es/blog/?p=2078

Each small city or pueblo in Murcia has its own booth set up with pamphlets, video presentations, and representatives there to answer any questions. There was a huge section of mobile homes and cars on display for consumers. I noticed that there were a lot of rural and adventure tourism "vendors" showing off their offers of spelunking, rafting, senderismo or hiking, mountain climbing, canoeing/kayaking, etc.

Sandy and me chillin' inside a motor-home

It made me really want to get out and do some adventure tourism before I go home in less than two months! It's really getting down to the wire, so I made a mini bucket list of ideas from the fair, just to keep me on track.

• camping
• rafting
• hiking (senderismo) 
• cueva sima de la Serreta (Cieza)--planned for Saturday 
• Mula (my classmate Vero's pueblo)--planned for Friday
• Museo Salzillo, by the bus station in Murcia
• Mueseo de la Ciudad (Murcia City Museum) 
• Sierra Espuña (mountain range/national park)
• a cementary? They look really cool, like the above-ground ones in New Orleans

I was very happy that Sandy introduced me to Vero, a girl in our tourism classes--it was nice to meet a new friend and practice my español!

Mari recommended that we try a "picardia," one of the sweets famous from her pueblo of Abaran. It looked like a fried egg, but it tasted like caramel! 

It's got a little nut inside!

Marta, Sandy, Vero and me

Vero, Sandy, and me :)

Vero and me inside a motor-home!

Loving Sandy in front of Fortuna's pueblo booth.

El Pueblito de Abaran

Mari, Sandy, Kayla and me after a yummy chocolate crepe! (Before leaving Murcia)

Today, I took a wonderful daytrip to Abarán, a small town about an hour's bus ride from Murcia. My classmate Mari was very excited to show Sandy, Kayla and me around her pueblo.

I have noticed that many Spaniards have an immense sense of pride about where they're from. My landlady constantly presents me with ideas for where to eat and explore around Murcia, cab drivers and cashiers have been more than willing to tell us which sites to see, and many of my classmates talk about their small towns as if they were glamorous tourist destinations, often referring to attractions as "precioso!"

Me 'n Kayla on the bus to Abaran

Finally in Abaran!

Upon arrival in the pueblo, our first stop was a convenience store owned by Mari's grandfather. He was friendly, so I decided to buy something. I sifted through the magazines and opted for a Cosmo. The Cosmo is not always sold by itself like in the States, but often comes in a pack: a few things attached to a big, square piece of cardboard and wrapped in saran wrap. For only €3,50 I got a pretty thick Cosmo, a supplement Cosmo Beauty issue, and a full-length DVD of Una Pareja de Tres (Marley & Me) in Spanish and English. When I later paged through my magazines, I found that they had wayyy less advertisements! I wonder if there are more subtle advertisements (make-up & clothes in articles, that don't look like ads)? 

There were two birds in hanging cages outside the store. Their names are Pimpón (ping-pong) and Happy!

Then it was just about lunchtime, so Mari gave us a few options and we decided on a Chinese restaurant. It's a cuisine that I have so rarely indulged in while in Spain (I've heard that the Chinese restaurants are hit-or-miss in Murcia). This place, however, was good and cheap! We split two bowls of mixed rice and veggies, and each got a coke, for €3 per person. 

Kayla with our food. Yum!

I did get to meet Mari's cobaya or, guinea pig!

 After a tasty lunch, Mari invited us inside her apartment where she lives with her parents and sixteen-year-old sister. When we met her mother, she offered us a variety of drinks and snacks, but we settled on tea (of course, after we politely declined several times). Sandy, Kayla, Mari and I chatted with her mom and sister over red tea and Kit-Kats. I wish I had taken a picture! They were so sweet and really nice to talk to. We discussed lots of cultural differences in schooling, our countries' respective geographical organization/ city-planning, festivals, television, language, and ages to drive, drink, and attend university. 

Done with lunch and tea, we grabbed Mari's sister and set out to explore Abarán. We climbed and descended several steep streets in order to reach the Ermita (hermitage) and beautiful view of the land. Mari assured us that these streets were "nothing" and that she was sparing us from the truly steep ones!

 There was a little below-ground convenience store set up beneath the church. We took full advantage of the granizados de limon, basically lemon slushies.

Sandy 'n Me at the overlook

Kayla and me with our granizados

I love seeing new places :)

 Our next stop was one of the Norias of Abaran, waterwheels that the town is famous for. According to Wikipedia, Abaran has four of the seven Norias that still function in the region of Murcia and the Noria Grande is the largest functioning waterwheel in Europe!

We had just enough time left to wander along the river Rio Segura, coincidentally the same river that runs through Murcia and right past the Tourism School!

I begged Mari to show us some nature since I've been so deprived of it, living in a city for the past few months. Rio Segura sparkled in the afternoon sunlight and the sky was just the clearest, perfect blue. The river was lined with little white and yellow daisies, golden wheat that gently swayed with the breeze, and bright red poppies that really popped out from the surrounding earth tones. I love flowers (especially poppies), so I really enjoyed our walk. No wonder Sandy calls me "Flor!"

I love poppies because they are so silky and fragile,
but they still really pop with color

Sunshine sparkling on the Rio Segura

Golden wheat swaying in the breeze

Incredible blue sky

Eucalyptus trees' leaves are green on top and white on the bottom.
It looks sort of mystical when they blow in the wind!

Sandy, me and Mari on a mini-pier

A wide, shallow section of the river--there's a little pier for fishing