St Patricks Day, Las Fallas + Sunshine!

So basically, last wednesday night was just awesome. Brilliant people, brilliant memories. Chocolate y Churros in the early hours of the morning, then watching the sunrise as you wait for a cafe to open at 7am, then the bus journey home trying desperately not to fall asleep and miss your stop! Lush. AND to make everything just that little bit more exciting, we got free hats! Which is amazing. AND I tried guiness, and I liked it. Be proud! The other exciting thing which happened, was on the way down to the metro Felicia very cleverly managed to kick her shoe off, and narrowly missed hitting two or three people on the head! Funniest moment ever. Ever.

So that was Wednesday night and Thursday morning, which obviously meant Thursday was spent in bed, all day. Beautiful. I feasted on diet coke and chocolate :) Friday was looking to be another exhausting day, so I thought I should get my rest... and I was right!

We took the bus at midday to Valencia, planning to meet at the bus station 11am I set off proudly ten minutes early to catch my bus.. waited.. and waited.. then realised that it was Fathers Day+El Día de San Jose.. so a public holiday.. so a different bus timetable, oops. Thankfully I was only 30minutes late! And we were all there on time to catch the bus. Exciting. Sarah and I were on a different bus to the rest of the group (luckily for them!) we entertained ourselves by talking loudly, laughing and general ipod singing along! Classic. The bus ride was 4ish hours long, and then a half hour stop at a service station, thankfully.

When we finally got to Valencia we were sort of a bit disorientated, no idea where to go, however we did get free maps.. but they weren't much use! We decided to follow the crowd and we stumbled upon our first tastes of Las Fallas, which really were nothing at all compared to what we were going to experience later that day. All over the streets people were setting of fireworks, throwing Catherine Wheels up in the air, basically there was noise everywhere. It was crazy.

We decided to head in a different direction, towards a section of the city wall we'd spotted earlier. Along the way we bumped into way more fallas. Each time they seemed to be getting bigger and bigger! The amount of work that is obviously put into them is astonishing.. just to burn them to the ground. Why bother!? Later on we also stumbled across the winning Falla, which isn't burned, it's saved and put into a museum (although actually they do burn it, just save one little bit of it to put in the museum, I should've been able to work this out, the size of the building they'd need to keep one every year.....!).

So after a LOT of walking, and not much food, we decided (mmkay I nagged) to get some food. It was decided Paella should probably be the choice of food, since we were visiting it's home! So we found a cute little cafe, sat and watched the world go by, and munched on paella. yum.

After this it was getting a bit dark, so we set off in search of some possible fire. We found a small falla that had already been burnt, and just along the road was another one, that we were told would be burnt at 2130. We arrived at 2115 and thought brilliant, not long to wait. However in true Spanish fashion, things didn't get started properly until 2230ish! It was incredible though, I really wish I could explain it but I just can't do it justice. They poked holes in it then added explosives, poured fuel all over it, wrapped firecrackers around it. Quite exciting to watch really. And then they brought six big boxes infront of it (they appeared out of nowhere thinking about it....!) and the show was ready to start! They set off the impressive fireworks which signalled the start, and when the fireworks had stopped going off they lit the firecracker fuse. Wow. It went BANG. Like, really really really went bang. We'd been warned it was going to but honestly nothing could've prepared me for it! Amazing. Then a scurry back to get away from the incredible heat of the fire, (we were stood surprisingly close to it...) laughter, screams.. and we thought it was all over. But oh no, just as we were getting ready to go, thinking that was it now, there was another totally unexpected bang! Which made everyone jump all over again.... and that was just the small one!

Afterwards we went toilet hunting (okay again, in reality I nagged everyone that I needed the toilet, isn't it nice to know I'm still the same person?) and then just walked around for a bit longer. We saw a few more impressive fallas and then the hunt was on for the cheapest chocolate y churros! We never found the place we were looking for where we'd stopped earlier to watch, but there was really a LOT of options, although some places were ridiculously expensive... €6 for JUST the churros, no chocolate?!!

We then went to a big fallas, of a magician with various things surrounding him. I pretty much loved him, he was really awesome and scary looking! The build up to this was more or less the same as the smaller one but obviously on a bigger scale, and there were a lot more people milling around infront of the fences. Unfortunately after all the fireworks went off (although they were very impressive) this falla didn't seem to catch on fire as easily! But when it did, the smoke was black, very black, creating a totally eerie look around the magician, who was already creepy! Loved it. No surprise bangs this time though, but a very big and very hot fire!

After watching this we headed to another big falla just up the road.. however after waiting for over an hour (and Jeremy sat in a tree) we decided it was time to give up and leave. It was about 0230 and nothing seemed to be happening much. And it was freezing. We headed back to the bus station and remarkably they changed our bus tickets from the 0630 bus to the 0300 bus-no hastle and free of charge! Incredible.

The bus journey home was actually disgusting. I was too hot then too cold. Tired then wide awake. Hungry then thirsy. Awful! I was so happy when I got into my bed on Saturday morning... and just collapsed.. for about 36hours!

Anyway, was going to write about what I've done since then, but to be honest I wrote more than I thought I was going to then.. and I'm tired, and I want to get some reading done, and I need to sleep at a normal time tonight!

All you need to know, is the sun has been shining.

:)

I'm not sure blogging is my thing...

I always start posts and then get bored! But I'll try finish this one.
I'd also love to say I haven't updated my blog because I've just been tooooooooo busy but I don't like to lie!!

When I arrived the weather was pretty miserable, it had been raining constantly but it stopped when I arrived, but was still pretty rubbish and cold, but this week it's totally turned around, and the Spanish sun is finally making an appearance :)

So far I've met lots and lots of people, and everyone is very friendly and helpful and nice. I guess either they are in the same posistion of just arriving, or they remember how scary it was to arrive in a strange city all alone!

Last week I spent one day just walking around the city on my own, getting my bearings. I really enjoyed it, I think the city as a whole just has a lovely kind feeling to it.. strange. Everything is so pretty, and it's actually quite impressively clean! I proper love the metro system.. Ha I sound like such a geek!! But really, it is just amaaazing. Loves. It.

Also visited the Cathedral last Thursday, or was it Wednesday.. anyway. Visited the Cathedral (it's free, we like free things). Very pretty, it's a relatively new cathedral, wikipedia tells me construction started in 1879! Lot's of white and gold, v catholic.

Friday was my first night experience in Madrid, brilliant. Lots of free drinks, shots and dancing :)

Spent the weekend being tired and pretty much doing nothing.. which was good.. everyone knows how I like to relaxxx! Sleep and watching TV online- fantastic.

Yesterday went into the centre to meet Sarah, and we went searching for a form so that I can apply for the travel card here. I've got the form now, and my passport pictures.. just need to fill it out. Something I can put off although I really shouldn't... so not sure when that's going to get sorted!

Today we tried to visit the Palacio Real, but irratatingly it was closed for some official ceremony so we couldn't go in. I'd read that they sometimes close it.. but I didn't expect it to be the day I wanted to go! So instead we set off to Parque del Buen Retiro for a picnic, got a picnic at the museo del jamón, €2 for a bocadillo, drink and fruit-bargain! It was the perfect day for a picnic, absolutely beautiful weather, about 18 degrees I think. Sat in the shade by the boating pond talking about everything ever.

Home now, teaching and then heading out for St. Patricks Day.

Hope everyone is well :)

Estoy aquí!

Can you believe it? Second post in two days.. what's going on!

I am safe and sound in my new home for the next 3 months and the family are absolutely lovely although I am slightly terrified.. but excited because I know it's going to get easier and funnerer :)

I do however miss Nerja.. another thing to add to my long line of things to miss! Anyone want to pay for me to go back in summer?

The train journey was scary! Well not the actual journey but waiting in the station. I had my suitcase, a small hand luggage suitcase and my big red handbag! It was such effort to go anywhere and by the time I got onto the train into my seat-crikey I was tired...!

Anyway, sleepy time now, I'm absolutely knackered as 1-Couldn't sleep last night and 2-Didn't go home til 230 when I planned to be in bed asleep by 130!

Buenos noches!

Last few hours in Nerja!

So today is my final day in Nerja.. packing is an absolute nightmare. Thank you times a GAZILLION to Grandma+Pamps for their help.

Had a very good weekend last weekend, although I spent most of it extremely tired/hungover and still don't think I've recovered! It was a 3 day weekend because of Andalusia Day on the Monday. Went out Friday/Sunday night then spent the days relaxing. It was really quite sunny over the weekend, especially Monday so spent quite a few hours on the beach.. no sign of a tan though. I think I'm paler than when I left England!

I've really enjoyed classes this week, I really can tell my confidence has improved ten fold and all the grammar I'd forgotten seems to have come flooding back, I really didn't think that was going to happen!

Because of not going back to school til Tuesday this week really has flown by, I'm really struggling to remember what I've done!

Anna came to mine on Wednesday after school and we were planning to go out and do something but when we got outside WOW the rain. It was bouncing off the pavements everywhere I couldn't believe it!

I'm really sorry this post is all over the place.. I just keep remembering things that I haven't added!

Anna and I did go for tapas last week, we went to Sevillanos + El Pulguilla. Was nice/exciting. Anna had never had real tapas before! The waiter spoke to us a bit in Sevillanos and we saw him in the street another day and he stopped and talked to us-it was like being at home bumping into people!

Forgot to mention in the other post I'd been for lunch with a Spanish Host Family.. I guess it was an interesting experience but I wouldn't say it was a new experience. It was a bit strange though- it's mentioned all the time that lunch is the main 'family meal' for Spaniards but they didn't seem to be family orientated at all. They pretty much just sat turning around to look at the TV.. which I guess I was grateful for because it was the Spanish version of Come Dine With Me! However they all did seem really nice, and the food was no different to things I'd experienced in Salamanca.. so... you know. I left full as a pie but not satisfied! (I'm not sure if 'full as a pie' is a phrase-someone please let me know what you can be 'as full as'!)

Also forgot to mention the excitement we experienced at Grandma and Pamps' apartment! A flood! Of sorts. I've actually just realised that to explain it it is going to sound boring and weird but really, it was exciting! Basically when we were going back to G+Ps, we noticed there was water on the floor! And that it seemed to be coming from an apartment across the corridor! Eek! So we rang the bell and knocked but unforunately no response.. So off we popped downstairs to try find help. We did, and then we returned back upstairs and there was water everywhere!! I can't really explain how much there was unless you know the place.. but it was everywhere! And we spent the best part of an hour and a half mopping up (wet feet!) and getting the water out of g+p's apartment!

Oh.. everything is happening in Nerja.

ANYWAY. I need to go do thingss. I shall update when I am settled in Madrid/when enough of you start hassling me!

WISH ME LUCK. KEEP SAFE.

besosss, abbie x x x x x