Córdoba Day #1

Last weekend was a three day weekend so we headed out for some site seeing. We arrived in Córdoba around 11am and checked into our hotel. Our hotel was inside the old city walls and a minutes walk from la mezquita. We were feeling pretty lazy so after walking around for a bit and having lunch we took a nap.

Later we went to el alcázar. They don't have much of the castle on display for visitors but you can still see the old wall and walk around the gardens which are absolutely beautiful! Next we tried to go to la sinagoga but it had already closed for the day. On the way back to the hotel we passed a Salón de té. It looked really fun inside and we weren't quite ready to sit around in the hotel so we headed in and ordered a pot of té Baghdad and some pasteries. Delicious! The side rooms had little couches with people relaxing with some hookah. We continued to walk around and window shop and then got ready for dinner.

After diner we headed back to el alcázar for a light, music and historical re-telling of the history of Córdoba. It was pretty entertaining. After the show we walked arcoss the bridge to get some night shots of the city.

Real Madrid Estudiantes vs. C.B. Valladolid

Last Saturday, Ben and I had the chance to go to a university basketball game here in Madrid. A teacher that I work with had some extra tickets and they were passed on to me. It was fun to go experience something new here and to be quite honest, I was a little surprised at the number of people at the game. Also, we won!

Tapapiés

Last Friday Ben and I went to check out an International Tapas Tour, called Tapapiés, in Lavapiés, a neighborhood near ours. Almost every single bar on Calle Lavapiés was participating in the fair. We got to go from bar to bar trying different tapas and they were only one euro each. It was a lot of fun and we got to try a lot of good stuff. Some of it we weren't quite sure what it was but out of the 6 or 7 places we went to, we got to try a large variety of tapas. As we were walking from place to place, I realized what a blessing it has been to live abroad for a bit and to be able to experience a different culture.

It is nights like that one that will make me miss living here. Where in the States can you go to a bar and get a good sized portion of food for a dollar?!

Settling In

Well, Ben and I have been back for about a month and a half now. It is hard to believe it has only been a month and a half. It almost feels like we never left. Our summer back home in the States seems like a distant memory. I think it is because, after spending a year here and making good friends and finally figuring out the layout of the city, well... Ben figured it out, I just follow him, Madrid feels like home.

Most of you know we have moved to a new neighborhood. We love it! Everything we could possibly need is a five minute walk away including, three grocery stores, a church, a gym, Retiro Park and the metro and train station. This new neighborhood has been a blessing. Although, we went and visited a friend in our old neighborhood and it made me kind of miss living so close to the center. However, it is nice to know we are only a couple of metro stops away.

All in all, life is going well over here. Ben finally started school at the beginning of October and while he is still waiting on a permanent schedule, he really enjoys his new school and the students he has met so far. I have a lot of different classes this year. Last year I was in all English language classes. This year I am in a variety of PE, music, technology and English classes. It is fun to have some variety to my classes and to interact with the students in a different classroom setting. I am continuing with the oragami class. The other day we made a cardinal. Also this year one of the teachers is teaching Sevillana dance. It is a part of flamenco which I really wanted to learn last year but never had the chance. It is a little difficult but a lot of fun too.

Other than work, we are beginning to settle into some semblance of a routine. Work during the week, we try to go to gym in the afternoon and the mercado on the weekend for groceries. Now that we found a church a five minute walk from our house, it is easier for us to go to church too. A friend that I meet with to practice Spanish goes to the church and told me about it. It is nice for Ben because he gets a good dose of Spanish but the service is only an hour long and it is good for me because the pastor has an Andalucian accent so iI get to practice listening to a new accent. Although he is more difficult to understand when we leave, I feel like I've gotten something out of the sermon but my head isn't about to explode!

Over all, things are going well here for us. We have planned some trips to Córdoba, Valencia and Amsterdam and are in the process of trying to plan a trip to Greece. The weather is awesome, it still gets to the 70s in the afternoons so I really can't complain. Life is good. :)