Hola Madrid

Hola! Today we checked into our hotel in Madrid (hotel Santo Domingo) and began our whirlwind tour. We started at the Prado museum. Our guide was fantastic and showed us a selection of masterpieces that kept even the tiredest of tourists plugged in. Christina is now wondering if she is related to the master painter Hieronymus Bosch.

After the Museum we visited el parque del Buen Retiro to relax for a while. Then, the kiddos had some free time to go shopping and eat lunch and we met up later for dinner and then a waking tour of Puerta del Sol (the center of the country) and the historical Plaza Mayor.

Tomorrow we get to see some modern art and shop and eat and alas, say goodbye.

Hasta mañana.

Adios Córdoba

Early rise! On our way to Madrid.

Córdoba

So, I’m just now realizing that yesterday’s post didn’t go through after all, so today there are too!

This morning we left Granada early and took the bus ride to Córdoba where we immediately left again to go see the famous mezquita – a mosque that was converted into a cathedral after the Spanish conquest.

The students are off having some free time now, eating lunch and strolling about. In an hour we’ll meet up to visit the turkish baths where we’ll relax and get massages.

Tonight will be our third to last dinner together and tomorrow we’re off to Madrid.

Hasta pronto.

Granada

Sorry for the delay everyone! Our hotel (Hotel Carmen) is super fancy, but newly renovated and their wifi routers are not up yet, so today I’m taking advantage of our free time in another hotel that has free wifi in the lobby.

We all arrived safe by bus and were very tired as we walked around the city yesterday. However, we all managed to stay awake long enough for a delicious dinner and some impressive flamenco performances in one of Granada’s famous caves.

Today we visited the Alhambra, the last stronghold of Muslim civilization to fall to Spanish conquest in 1492. It is a beautiful compound of palaces, gardens and architectural geometry.

Right now the students are scouring the city for souvenirs And tapas, and tonight we’ll have another dinner in the old Arab quarter and then take tea in the amber glow of the windy cobblestone maze of narrow alleys known as the Albaizín.

More soon!

Almost done

Yesterday I spoke on the phone with all of the students. They all report that they’re having a fun immersion week and that they’re also looking forward to meeting up again for the last travel portion of our stay in Spain.

I’ll post again when we arrive at the hotel in Granada.

Hasta mañana.

Last night we all arrived safely to the Sevilla airport and with enough time to still watch the end of the game and see the winning goal that made Spain the World Champions of FIFA soccer! The kids were nervous about meeting their new families, but it seems like everyone has been well matched and is going to enjoy their week. I’ll post the next update in Granada.

¡Adios!

(above) The group at our final dinner in San Sebastián

Hola.

The San Sebastián portion of our trip is almost over. Tomorrow we’ll be getting on a pair of planes that will take us first to Madrid and then to Sevilla, where we will hopefully be able to catch the last few minutes of the World Cup Final.

Yesterday was the last day of classes for our group and they all had to give group presentations in front  of the rest of the school. They were silly skits involving teenage comedy, pop music, dancing and, of course, Spanish language.

Last night the teens met up with their language partners for one last time and they all attended the Donosti Cup party at the beach. (Donostia is the Basque name for San Sebastián, and the Donosti Cup is a youth world soccer championship that hosts juvenile teams from over 20 countries from around the world – including thr US).

Today is Christina’s birthday and to celebrate we went on a boat ride around the bay and all had ice cream together on the Boulevard. Tonight we’re also having a farewell dinner at a local restaurant and will surely be toasting to what a great time we’ve had here.

Tomorrow once we are all settled into our host family immersion setting, I will post again to say so. However, after that the blog will stop for about a week until we all reunite to explore Granada, Cordoba and Madrid together.

Any burning questions should be directed to my email during this coming week (11-17).

Hope all is well in the U S of A.

Hasta el 17.

Beth, Jefferey and Alexandra’s group presenting in front of the school (The photos of Lindsay and Remi’s group did not come out)

Catherine’s group presenting

Our students at the Donosti Cup party at the beach

Jeff, Sam, Christine and Alli on our boat ride.

Sorry about those few days of radio silence! My laptop went on the fritz, but the apple gods have smiled on me and I am back in business.

The day before yesterday we went to a shop that features all of the local products from this region (imagine a a tiny one room Whole Foods with a ton of free samples). The kiddos got to try all sorts of local goods and were probably too stuffed for dinner. That night we had a low-key hang-out-at-a-café-and-watch-the-game kind of night. The Netherlands won and we made our ways home to get some rest.

Yesterday we went to a neighboring town to do an amazing assortment of things. First, we were privileged enough to see a demonstration of traditional Basque sports (see photos below). These feats of strength coincided with the Spain vs. Germany game which was an outrageously good time attended by maybe too many people. There was constant yelling and disco lights whenever Spain had a good play. You could dip your bread in the atmosphere. When it was clear we had won, there was a 5 minute dance party, spirits couldn’t have been higher…

…until we discovered there was also a carnival in town. The kids had a few rides on some of the attractions, went shopping in the maze of knock-off kiosks and chotchka shops, and because the trains to go home stopped earlier than their schedules advertised, we were forced to arrive home like kings and queens: by taxi. (Thanks ECI).

Today Beth, Christina and Alexandra all gave top-notch presentations to fulfill one of their requirements for college credit, and we all took a trip to a nearby beach to check out a sculpture by the artist Chillida, native of San Sebastián.

We ended the night by sending the students off with their language partners with some money to spend on pintxos which is basically what tapas are called in this part of Spain. I didn’t get to witness it first hand, but I hear that they ate well and tried a plethora of new and mouth watering things.

That’s all for now, enjoy the pics.

PS: I just realized that despite our futbol-mania, we are going to miss (at least the first half of) the final game on Sunday because we will be flying from San Sebastián to Sevilla .

Chorizo, Jamón y Salchichón at our Basque food tasting

Chorizo al fuego (flambé)

A traditional Basque Country sport, literally translated “The lifting of stones”

Another traditional sport, very similar to American Woodsman’s competitions

Our group at the artists Chillida’s scuplture “The comb of the winds #15″ on playa Ondarreta at the foot of Mount Igueldo

Our 4th of July celebration was humble, but well intended. We dined on burgers, hot dogs and fries at a Chocolatería where we were able to order the traditional Spanish Churros y chocolate for dessert. We traipsed down the boulevard singing “Oh Beautiful” at the top of our lungs, and still made it home in time for curfew.

Today, the 5th, we went to Pamplona to take in the preparations for the famous San Fermines, known to us Unitedstatesians as the Runnign of the Bulls. We walked the same path that so many fools will be running for their lives on this coming week. We also got a peek at the Toros Bravos in their pens, quietly awaiting their chance at gore and glory.

After dinner we met up again to play some pool. Jefferey has a good eye, Catherine was a quick study, Christina brought excitement and humor to every shot, Beth was cool as a cucumber with a cue in her hand, Sam was straight shooter, Alexandra impressed even herself with some master-caliber shots, Lindsay cheered on the players and Remi was the undefeated champ of the evening.

Can’t mention enough how awesome this group is.

Hasta luego.

Today we met up at the port to go kayaking and realized that due to our constant good luck on this trip we were going to be sharing the water with one of the most important Basque traditions, the race of the traineras. About 200 years ago, when a whale was spotted off the coast of San Sebastián, the boats would all race out to it, the first to arrive earning the right to profit off of the hunt.

We were a little worried that we would be yelled at by the onlookers as we plopped out kayaks in right along side the competitors, but we were barely noticed and got to watch the race from the water. We were so in the middle of the action that we were on Basque TV in our Kayaks.

Not only did we leave at the start of the race, we also arrived with the winners- pulling our boats our of the water to the sounds of applause, whistles and cheers. We pretended it was all for us.

Below is a picture of us with the champion team form the town of Orio.

Afterwards the kids were divided in teams and did a scavenger hunt. The winning team (Sam and Alexandra) will receive a price tomorrow for having the most items correct.

Tonight, to celebrate the 4th of July, we are going to eat burgers and fries for dinner, and maybe sing some patriotic songs in the square. AND, just to keep it cultural, we will have churros y chocolate for dessert.

Hasta ahora.