One Month Later...

Ok, so it hasn't been quite a month since my last blog post, but enough has happened in these past few weeks that I could be writing blog posts for the next year.

Because I could write page after page on my spring break trip and the places I went, I've decided to structure this post to give you all a little snippet of each city. I'm including some of the more important and humurous things that I learned at each city, along with a few of the 1100 pictures that I took that best depict it :)

Valencia, Spain (During the fiesta, Las Fallas)

1. Spaniards know how to have a fiesta--I've never seen streets so filled in my life.

2. Fire is fun

3. Coastal Spain actually gets cold

4. Saving money comes at the cost of comfortability
5. Doner Kebabs are the best things in the world

I thought only a video could show and explain what Las Fallas is all about. This is during the last night of the Fiesta, where they burn the paper mache figures. These "Fallas" are placed all over the city, and this was one of the last ones burned. It's actually one of the smaller ones and not many people showed up to watch, but it gives you the idea :)

Paris, France

1. $$ -- And I thought Spain was expensive...

2. I don't like the Paris Metro

3. Not to be hypocritical...but tourists do really bother me

4. Those French kings knew how to live (Versailles)
5. Crepes really are what they're cracked up to be, especially with Nutella

Prague, Czech Republic

1. Mexicans know how to cook

2. Shops, shops, shops

3. I wish I lived like a real international student

4. Those sugar-coated round bread things are AMAZING

5. Most beautiful city I've seen so far

Krakow, Poland

1. Underground bomb-shelters and tunnels make good cafe's and bars

2. Auschwitz-Birkenau. Yeah.

3. Milk bars! State-subsidized "bars" that sell soups and misc. traditional foods. The most bland and ugly places you'll ever see but the food is ridiculously cheap and very good.

4. Knowing people that know people who know people can come in handy

5. Communism was ridiculous

Budapest, Hungary

1. Hungarians know how to relax--Turkish baths

2. Nazi and Soviet control = bad

3. Budapest is actually 2 cities: Buda and Pest

4. I like impressionist art

5. I've never felt more like Leonardo D'Caprio in the Titanic when I went to an Opera at the State Opera House and was one of the underdressed tourists with a good seat in the middle of all the upper-class snobby rich people.

Malaga, Spain

1. Southern Spain beaches are exactly what you think they are

2. I love beaches and oceans

3. I'm in love with Picasso

4. I need to come back to Southern Spain

Here is a video that shows a typical "Procesion" of Semana Santa here in Spain. The processions run almost all night, every night during Semana Santa. The "Imagenes" which are carried by a large group of people, portray images that represent Easter. They are marched through the streets, and watched by many as seen in the video. This particular procession occurred at about 3AM on good friday, when the streets were still filled with people of all ages watching the processions.

So overall, my trip was amazing. I'm giving the best city award to Budapest, due to it's modern feel, beautiful scenery, cultural depth, and nice people. I really wish I had more that I could say to explain my trip, but that would just take too long. Plus, it gives you a good excuse to talk to me after I come back :)

The last week in Salamanca has been lovely. Every day has been clear skies, a high temp of about 75 degrees. Every afternoon this week I went outside to do some activity for a large amount of time. Tourists have taken over the city, the Plaza Mayor is filled with people relaxing and having an ice cream cone, and I haven't felt more content with my day-to-day life in a long time.

I have lots more to say about this weekend, but I think this post is sufficient for now. I miss you all!

Nick