Last Night in Alicante

 

Today, I got to sleep in.  I had slept through part of the fireworks last night and then fallen fast asleep afterwards.  At 845 this morning, I woke up and realized how late I had slept.  I grabbed my computer, threw a couple of things into my suitcase that I wouldn’t need, and ate breakfast (activia with fiber J)  I walked to the café and sat down inside since I could tell it was going to be a hot day.  It was already warm outside.  I ordered a coffee—my last one while here L…it was so strong it gave me the shakes for the next hour and a half—and talked to Madre, talked to some friends, and posted pictures and blogs.  I caught up on the important information before being shipped back home L

I headed back to the apartment and waited for our expection.  Cynthia came later than expected and told us everything was A-OKAY!  Once done, we all dispersed.  We split up and headed to the internet café and I headed to the beach to soak up the last bit of sunshine and beach air.  The waves crashing, the people sunbathing, and the sand beneath my toes were all memories that I will have to absorb all I can today before leaving.  The beach within walking distance has been so great and I will miss it.  So, my hour on the beach of flip and dip (every so long you get in the water and then flip sides)  Hopefully, I got all the sun I could and darkened up a bit before being shunned from the sun in Flagstaff hahah J

After my hour of sunshine and sand, I came back to the apartment and slowly got around.  I took a shower, blow dried my hair, and got dressed with breaks of sitting by the fan because it was super hot here today.  I watched some tv and finished packing all of my stuff which made my room and apartment look alien and bare L  Packing is the worst just because it reminds you that you’ll be gone within 24 hours L

Later after being lazy and vegging out at home finished of all food that I had bought because I can manage amounts well, I headed back to the café for internet.  I chatted with Madre and enjoyed a hot chocolate J, the last one while I’m here so I enjoyed every bit of it…

We ended our night on the Beach Bar grabbing drinks and soaking up the last of the beach and hot server that does the double kiss on the cheek that makes about all the girls on our trip weak at the knees ahahahhah J  Sam and I chatted for a bit enjoying the scenery and discussing what we would miss most.  I got a pina colada and she got a sangria.  We took a walk along the shore when the sun had set and said our goodbyes to the Spanish waiter (who gave me his card of information….EGO BOOST!) In less than a couple of hours, we will be bound for the airport and onto the 13 plusish hour plain flights home.

 

The breeze in brings back memories of all that I have accomplished in Spain.  The memories, the adventures, and the time I’ve spend here has been amazing.  I couldn’t have asked for a better summer.  Oh summer nights…. àhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoxEsqwJjXM

Cooking in Denia

 

Oh boy…my alarm went off way to freaking early after another late night of fireworks L I had planned on walking all the way to the bus station but 615am was not looking like my friend.  So, I opted to sleep in and use the tram and walk halfway with the rest of the crew going to the cooking class today. 

We took the tram line to Luceros a couple stops down and walked down the Rambla to the bus station.  We purchased tickets at 20 euros each and then waited for our bus to arrive.  At 9am, we got on the bus in which we all had assigned seats but people were sitting wherever so I got lucky enough to have my own seat the entire drive up.  We had 1 hour before dropping people off in Benidorm and then another hour ride to Denia.  The ride was pretty miserable the second half because we were winding back and forth through mountains and the stopping and starting motion sent my stomach into panic L, but the views were pretty and I had some fun with my camara while everyone was sleeping J

Once we got off the bus in Denia, we met Lorenzo and Hugo, the father and son helping with the cooking class.  Lorenzo spoke no Enlgish and Hugo spoke a little bit that he had been learning in England.  We split up and took two cars that they drove over to the park area by their home so that we could get our cooking skill ready.  We met Rosario, the mother and cooking teacher, and began immediately.  They already had a display of food being prepared and getting cut up.  The first dish was a beef meatball.  She had made the meatballs prior to coming out because of the heat (beef with dried bread soaked in milk).  She cut up onions, almonds, garlic, and parsley adding them to the skillet.  After some time sizzling she added a white wine and let the juices begin to really cook.  After some cooking time, she added the meatballs and cook them along in the sauce.  Then, she served us the first course which was big enough to be a meal in itself.  They were yummy, but a little salty.  However, I used the bread to soak up the sauce because it was to die for. 

Next, she was preparing sardines (fish).  I was in mid picture when Rosario picked one up bent the head back and degutted it with her fingers.  I think I am forever tramatized.  She said they were fresh and now I really believe her.  She added them to an oil/win sauce with whole garlics.  I didn’t pay much attention to this one after the degutting.  She brought them over, again enough to make a meal, and we tried them.  I tried one because the faces were staring at me and yelling “Please don’t eat me. Save me!”  They were good but you had to eat them right off the bones which meant holding the head with the eyes and all.  Kat, Anne’s daughter, popped an eyeball while trying to grab one, so picture that!

The next course was a cod and potato course.  She had prepared most of it while we were stuffing our faces, so I missed some of it.  I do know that it looked like a potato pancake before you fry it, but had a thicker consistency and had been cooked.  It was probably the best dish I had had thus far.  Again there was more than enough, so we made the family sit down and eat some with us.  They were a great bunch; they were very engaging and they made us laugh.  The parents were so cute and you could see the love they had shining through.  They had met when they were young at a discotech J 

Once we were done with those courses, they started with the main dish the paella.  They added vegetable oil to the pan and the cut veggies (red pepper, snap peas, and eggplant—all of this had been grown on like steroids because they were enormous).  After letting the veggies cook a little so they had dark marks, she took them out and added the meat, rabbit and chicken (bones and all).  Again, she let them simmer and cook before adding the veggies back in.  She said one key was switching every 5ish minutes from hot to medium heat to keep the flavors.  The next step was adding the rice (1 laddle of rice for every 2 laddles of water).  She added the rice and let it fry and cook a little before adding the water 5 minutes later.  She said this was the key for having the rice hard and not mushy.  After some time cooking, she was ready to serve.  It had been interesting to see the difference in before and after the paella was cooking to see how it had transformed.  She filled our plates to the brim and we were all sweating before we knew it from being full, heat of outside, and heat of the dish.  It was delicious though and I will be making it at home.  The eggplant was to die for and I had a bit of rabbit in mine.  The rice was perfect and I have to say it was the best paella I’ve had in my life.  During this entire time, we had drinks as well.  We had a white wine, sangria, water, beer, coke, and all you could think of.  The beer cracked me up even though I didn’t try it because it had a sign on it that said if you are pregnant that you shouldn’t be drinking it….AHAHAHHA!!  The sangria tasted like fruit juice and not a bit like alcohol as other places might have which meant it could be very dangerous.  The father had made it with sugar, bananas, mango, apples, lines, and lemons that he let soak in rum, gin, and vodka.  After soaking, he added the red wine and let it sit a little more so that the flavors all combined.  Ergo, DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! J

 

Once we were stuffed to the brim, we added dessert which was a pear that had been soaked and slowly cooked with red wine, cinnamon, and lemon and lime skins.  It was delicious even though I’m not a fan of pears.  Once completely stuffed, we decided to hit the road and catch the 430pm bus because if not we would have to wait another hour and half and the trip would be longer for the bus.  We said our goodbyes and got on the bus.  As soon as the bus took off, we were all asleep within minutes.  We woke up at each station but we were pretty silent.  We walked back to the tram station at Luceros and took the tram back home.  Once home, I packed my bags L and took a shower.  Stuffed I opted out on dinner and just headed to bed.  At midnight, I was awaken by the sound of fireworks and headed outside the balcony to see them.  They were mediocre since the other ones had been so amazing.  I guess I am becoming a firework snob J  Once the fireworks were over I went back to bed and put the fan right on my face because it was a hot day and hot night.  I would sleep like a baby until the morning sun woke me up.

 

The breeze was full of delicious aromas today.  The cooking class has to be ranked in top five adventures I have had in Spain.  If you come to Spain, I would highly suggest reaching out to that family.  For 67 Euros, we got more than our fair share of food and fun.  They were never pushy and the food was to die for.  I loved today and with no drama and lots of laughs I can say that it was a good day and a great ending to my adventures.  Only one day left and it feels like I haven’t been here long enough…now to close my eyes and enjoy all that tomorrow has to offer.


I've had the time of my life....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bTdLi0YUVM

Last Day of Classes

Well today I got to sleep in.  Thank goodness 9am sounds more reasonable after being up past midnight from fireworks and the Spain football game which went into like triple overtime (Spain won!!!!)  it was intense and as people started filing out toward the fireworks which they postponed because of the game that is how much of a national game it is.  People crowded the street and all across Spain you could tell if we were winning or losing as it went to penalty kicks because of the crowd.  After waking up, I ate breakfast (cheerios and milk), took a while getting dressed, and watched some lame shows that kept me entertained on Disney channel since nothing else was on in English.  I also put some stuff in the wash so that it could get hung before lunch.

 

At 2pm, we left for lunch.  We headed down the esplanada and grabbed lunch at this Indian restaurant.  I know what are we thinking getting Indian in Spain?! But, hey, it was delicious so don’t judge :P Anyways, Kat and I split the meal for two and Sam since she is a veggie got the menu del dia.  We got a started of a giant, potato chip-like crisp and the choice of four dipping sauces.  The white dipping sauce tasted like watered-down ranch.  The green one tasted like watered-down ranch with mint.  The red one was spicy, ergo I stayed away from touching it.  The favorite of the table was the orange one that tasted super sweet, so the crisp added the salt to the sweet (sweet and salty…eh, eh, eh J).  Our first course consisted of an onion hash brown that had garlic and a puff pastry that was stuffed with meat and rice.  It was yummy!  Then we got our main course which was Chicken Tikka Masala (chicken in a tomato based butter sauce) and a lamb with a butter/oil sauce with peppers and onions.  We also got served naan (bread) and rice.  Sam was given a vegetarian curry.  Once we had stuffed our faces, we were rewarded with an on-the-house mango ice cream.  It was literally mango ice and cream (like a dreamcicle)  We devoured it and didn’t know if the ice cream was to reward us for being nice, coming, or just being pigs cuz we had eaten so much J BUT IT WAS FREEE….and we like free so no complaints.

 

After our lunch, we walked back to the apartments (to make ourselves feel like not such fatties) and headed to Plaza Mar, the grocery store/mall on the hill.  We walked around looking at stores and made our rounds to scope out the goodies for purchase.  After trying some clothes on, I opted on splurging on a mustard colored, long shirt and a complimenting tinted, white, floral scarf.  I also got a blue dress that cinches at the waist and has a collared V-neck.  My last purchase was a floral, coral wallet for when I come home J  Two and a half hours later we ended by grabbing some breakfast groceries for the next few days we are here and headed home.

Once home, I grabbed my computer and bolted to the café to catch Madre and Jp while they were available.  We chatted for a bit and I showed them my purchases (which they approved)  I ordered a hot chocolate and did some facebook updates and e-mail sending since I had severally been slacking in that department.  Spain is not very set on being so dependent on technology although they are more technologically advanced than us, which is prevalent in checking out at stores or the number of awesome TVs they have hanging in bars and cafés.  Anyways, my computer died while I was there cutting my visit shorter than I had expected and so I headed home to take a shower and grab some dinner (an apple and activia with fiber…I was still stuffed from lunch and it was 9pm)  I hopped in the shower before chatting with Sam about frivolous things (Wendi—she reminds me of you—in a good way J…both are great people and I am so grateful to have them J)  We ended our chat session with our usual Rummy game and listened to some music.  I was excited to hear that she liked Owl City and Mumford & Sons.  Thus, we could listen to soft music play in the background to drive away our crazy minds. 

Then, BANG!!!!! We both scream and I grab my chest thinking I was going to suffer a cardiac arrest.  I look at Sam and she looks at me before looking at the time and realizing that the BANG was the first warning for the fireworks to begin (usually we are given 3 to show they are beginning and 3 to show they have ended).  I was so relieved because I was picturing the scenes from Taken once I heard that noise.  Let’s agree that the other night when I thought the fireworks couldn’t be louder, I was wrong.  Not only were they loud enough to make me go deaf, but the deaf could most definitely hear these and I could feel the reverberations through every bone in my body.  Although the display was amazing and so fluid that it could have given my favorite display on Tuesday a run for its money, the smoky haze from the fireworks prevented me from thoroughly enjoying or taking relatively good photos.  However, just imagine the best fireworks display times 20 with more smoke.  It makes the nights here that much more enjoyable.  I did get lucky with a few shots and like the others you can tell my favorite are the willow treeish fireworks the leave a trail of pixie dust or shooting starts on the sky.  At one point, I did snap a picture of the fireworks that looked like stars in the sky.  The fireworks were louder and bigger (trying to drown their competition since every night is a different company that puts off the production)  The finale was insane.  There were not only a massive amount of fireworks going off, but the fireworks were bright: they lit up the whole city! 

Now that it’s getting late, or early, I’ll have to say goodnight or good morning J  The breeze will hopefully make the bus move faster tomorrow as we take to a 2 hour ride for an all day cooking class and wine tour!!!! The days are numbered and I cannot believe that this paradise is slowly, but surely coming to an end.  If only the breeze could work in reverse, and push back time….Hasta Luego!

Just Another Day in Sunshine

MERP! MERP! MERP!  Well when that alarm clock went off at 645am this morning I did not want to get up.  I half asleep pushed myself out of bed, got dressed, ate breakfast (the last of my variously flavored activia yogurt L) and headed out the door.  Today, I headed in the opposite direction and caught the tram over to the school.  I think it was an even pay off because I had to wake up earlier, but I didn’t have to walk as far.  I think I’d rather take the walking route, but I did pay for the tram stops….so I’m darn tooting gonna use them :P

When I got to my stop, I got off and took the street straight to the university, about a 5 minute walk.  I plopped down and began chatting and catching up on the gossip from the day before.  Not having internet at your convenience has been nice and a pain all in one.  But, it’s always the best when you don’t get overloaded on facebook or other so it’s peaceful.  Classes were a blur as I half paid attention like everyone else from sleep deprivation and they passed slowly.  But the great news is I’M DONE!!!!!!!! J oh it feels so good to be done with two classes and have known that I completed them not only in 4 weeks, but in SPAIN!!!!  It’s bitter sweet.  No homework, but it’s a reminder that we are slowly coming to a close in the Spain chapter L although I can say that I’m slowly coming to be okay with coming home hahaha I miss my little noodle boy and his crazy antics (I might even miss fatty patty Zoe)  However, I’ll miss the 2 minute walk to the beach and reading in the sand while tanning for 45 minutes everyday.  I’ll miss the mom and pop stores and restaurants that have delicious food and great characters for waiters.  Ergo, I’m gonna live up the next few days to their full expense (bring on the pounds hahahah J)

Once class was let out, I got back to the apartment and ate lunch (leftover pizza…see even in Spain I have to suffer through delicious leftovers J) and relaxed for a bit.  Then, I lay out at the beach and met Sam on the sand for some sun tanning.  We lay out for an hour before coming home and jumping in the shower.  It was nice out with just enough breeze to keep you cool but strong sun to keep you baking.  The water was just as inviting with a warm current and clear waters.  I went in today and cooled off intermittently at 20 minute intervals.  After tanning, we came back and took a shower.  Showering was pointless because as soon as I got out I was swelter and Sam and I fought over sitting in front of the fan in the living room…hahah…we took out time changing between blow drying, getting dressed, and fanning off.  Once I was ready, I made dinner (pasta with tomato sauce and steamed cauliflower)  Our plan of action was to take the metro over to the hotel with one of the highest views of the city and get a drink.  We managed to get on the tram, walk to the building, and realize that this wasn’t the hotel.  So we walked over to where the hotel really was and headed to the restaurant which was not only empty but you could only get dinner not a just a drink.  Considering all of us had already eaten we left empty handed and photo less.  I decided that Saturday, our last day, I’m going there for dinner and to enjoy the views in a last hurrah for myself J  On the way back, Sam and Kat took to the barrio for a drink and I decided to go back and clean off considering the sweat from humidity had been piling on and I was practically drenched L ewwww L

 

Not long after, Sam came back and we chatted, played Rummy—which I just learned and is pretty fun—and watched the Spain versus Portugal football game.  At 1130pm, we left our apartment and headed down to the beach to watch the fireworks.  We brought our towels and sat in the sand front and center to watch the display take place.  Every night a different company puts off the display so that each night is unique.  Again, the nights just keep getting better…that or I’m just a firework junkie (could be both J)  We watched the display and then headed back to the apartment ready to pass out from being tired.  Tomorrow we have a late start at 1130am, so I can sleep in and catch up on my needed sleep. 

With no breeze, hot sun, and high humidity today was not a day for the fainthearted.  It was our last day of actual lecture so classes are over.  Tomorrow we are meeting just to go over last minute information about when we leave L  So, goodnight or good morning depending on what time zone YOU are in.  Hopefully you’re day was a little more enjoyable than mine or more eventful I should say because how can you beat the beach in Spain…it’s just another day I enjoy in sunshine J J J

Beginning of the End

Well…waking up this morning was pretty brutal.  I didn’t want to make myself get up, but getting class over meant that I was free after today because all of my assignments and presentations are done…now, it rests in the hands of the teachers (fingers crossed)  I got up and got dressed in my new outfit J  I ate breakfast (peach activia) and packed my bags, then headed out the door to school.  Once at school, I updated my blog which was in desperate need of attention since my lack of internet over the weekend.  I chatted with Madre giving her the update from Spain and how her future morning would look J hahahah J

Class started and I finished my presentation in the Social Work 450.  Glad to have it off my chest, I ran to get my paper for my next class printed during our break.  Once the next group had gone and we had gotten some notes we got our half hour break.  In that time, I thought I would be an over achiever and run to the Museo de Fogueres to grab a poster of the festival.  I underestimate the distance and ended up running part of the way.  I looked like a man women sweating and running trying to keep my jumpsuit outfit top from falling off.  It was a continuous pattern of two step run-yank up my top.  I did make it to the museo where I ran to the back to be disappointed to the lack of posters.  Luckily the woman who was working in the front was taking one down and I was there to ask her for it.  She took her good old time taking it down which meant that on the way back my process of running back was even fast and even funnier.  I’m pretty sure that I got some weird looks, but whatever right? because I got a POSTER YAY!!!! J  After running back to class, I threw myself into my chair and pumped my arm ridiculously to get air moving and cool me down with my hand fan.

Finally, class was dismissed.  I headed back home with Sam and we headed to the pizzeria down the street for the menu del dia.  I ordered the first course of a tuna salad that was very delicious.  The second course was a massive veggie pizza that I ended up taking some home.  It was super yummy with grilled zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, and celery (all of which were yummy considering I don’t usually like them J)  Then, I had vanilla ice cream for dessert.  After such a good meal, we headed back to our apartment around the corner and I took a little siesta.  I read my book (which I finished and now I’m drooling for more) and watched some Big Bang Theory which always makes me laugh.  Once Sam got back from the beach we headed to Al Campo, the grocery store, for some last minute groceries to help us survive for the next few days.

Later, I went to the café and ordered a chocolate caliente….it was Muy BIEN!!!!! And I cannot believe I waited this long to try it.  Unlike hot chocolate in the US, it is thicker and creamier (I don’t  know why) but it is so much yummier.  I watched the sunset over the mountains while chatting with my mom and enjoyed the evening air that is much cooler than it is during the afternoon thank goodness.  After my chat, I headed back home and watched yet another display of amazing fireworks take over the sky at midnight.  While waiting for the display, Sam and I played 500 Gin Rumi and I kicked her butt J  We played one game and drank some wine before the loudest of booms went off.  The Spanish must had heard me commenting on their display yesterday and wanted to show off once again.  This display was louder and the fireworks were bigger.  From our balcony, it looks as if I am watching a 3D movie and the fireworks are coming right at me.  It’s an experience, like many other I’ve had here, that you have to see to understand. After the display, I headed to bed and snuggled in before having to wake up again early tomorrow morning. 

The breeze is calm; the sun is down; the days are flying by.  It is the beginning of another week, but the end of our trip is coming closer.  I’m going to miss Alicante and my Spanish adventures.  The good and the bad it has been an amazing trip.  Hopefully the wind brings more adventures tomorrow as shopping, drinks at the hotel, and fireworks on the beach call my name.  Goodnight until the sun rises in the morning J

Spanish Independence

Well after a long night out and morning hahah, I woke up at 1130ish this afternoon.  It felt so good to sleep in.  I grabbed a small breakfast (rice cake) and read a chapter in my book after getting dressed for the beach.  I waited to go out until 130 to grab lunch downtown.  All of the Fugeras had been cleaned up and the streets were their next attempt.  The cleaning crews do pretty good at keeping up after the mess of the city.  I got lunch at a small café (seafood paella that was alright but I burnt my tongue because I was starving at this point)  I then headed to the beach and laid out again today for 45 minutes.  I have to keep my tan somehow before becoming a ghost again in the non-existent Flagstaff sun tanning.  Today, I did get in the water.  It was nice and clear and cool compared to the heat of the day.  After my time, I came back to the apartment, took a much needed shower to wash off the sand, caught some lame TV time, and caught up on my blogs that I had been seriously lacking on.

Later, I made my dinner (shaved chicken sandwich with avocado and spinach, an apple, and green tea.  After my extra packed weekend, it has been nice to just sit back and relax today. 

I took the rest of the day to just stay inside and read, write some notes, and make sure everything was ready for this week…the last week L…*tears* 

At midnight the night turned around from boring and lazy to exotic and crazy!!!!....they have a fireworks display at the end of our beach every night this week and tonight was the first night.  It was slow at first, but quickly picked up the pace and made any Fourth of July or large celebration with fireworks in America look pitiful.  They Spanish definitely know how to go all out and even in their current recession one would never know it because it was a display of pure amazement—so much so that I called my mom to rehash it, watched the video that I’ll upload hopefully sometime soon 3 times, and had goosebumps for the next 5 minutes—for a FULL 20 MINUTES!!!!...Like everything else in Spain it never ceases to amaze me that it gets better and better.  I can’t count the amount of times that I thought it was the finale and it kept going.  My favorite part was the willow fireworks that fall after exploding like someone threw pixie dust and made the city see like it was under a meteor shower.  Sam and I were like giggling girls that were seeing fireworks for the first time (although compared to America, we really were seeing them for the first time…Spain might give Texas a ride for their money for bigger and better)  After that little show, which was loud and quite honestly one will never or would ever want to sleep through it because even the deaf could have probably hear the ear popping noise of the fireworks, my adrenaline level was pumping and I had to clean my mind before falling asleep.  The Spanish have it right…what a great way to end a great month…a week of amazing firework displays J

  

Again the wind was pretty lax.  I kept the fans on all day and cooled next to the water.  It seems to be getting closer to their hotter months which means I am not so much of a fan of the hot, hot temperatures, no wind, and lack of humidity unless you are by the beach at night.  Now, to get a good night’s sleep and wake up bright and early for class tomorrow J

Burn Baby Burn

After deciding to sleep in so that I could catch up on some needed sleep, I lazily got up and ate breakfast (peach yogurt and pistachios).  I got dressed and headed to the beach for a quick tan J (I am gonna miss walking 3 minutes to the beach everyday J)…I laid out only for 45 mins because it was super hot and that sun was brutal.  Like most times I didn’t go in the water because I didn’t want to have sand stuck to all of my skin.  When I got back home, I had a small lunch (PB&J) and read a little more in my book.  Most of the gang had gone out to the Island of Tobarca…I opted out because I have snorkeled enough in my life and a 50 minute boat ride both ways did not seem pleasant.  They said it was pretty nice and, like me, they had been at the beach all day (that’s really all there is to do there).  Before they got back, I took a long siesta by watching some American TV shows from way in the past which was funny to look back on and snoozed on the couch for about 2 hours.  It was super nice to just relax and take a break from the heat and rush of the weekend plus I knew it was going to be a long night and into the morning…which it was J…

I decided to get a shower and get dressed…I opted in a tank top and skirt with flip flops since I was probably going to be on the beach at some point.  I waited for Sam to get ready by reading my book (The Girl who Plays with Fire!!!!!!...it gets amazingly good after chapter 11 and I’m super addicted that I have read a majority of the book in the last 3 days and am super sad that I didn’t bring the next one in the series—The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest—so I am trying to span it out…and failing J)…then, once she was ready we headed out to grab dinner…I was super bad and my dinner was churros that you can dip in chocolate.  I had been craving them.  To my disappointment, they weren’t as good as I had imagined so I didn’t eat “as many.” Hahaha…Then we walked back so that Sam could grab dinner at the Italian place (I know right Italian in Spain is kind of an oxymoron, but to her defense they have great food).  She got the black ricotta-filled ravioli with an olive oil, onion, and sun-dried tomato sauce.  I tried some and it was pretty good.  We each got a glass of wine that was pretty strong because we were feeling it within the half hour it took us to walk back and put the leftovers in the fridge.  Along the way I bought an outfit for 7 euros…pretty good deal if you ask me.  It is a one piece jumpsuit that is sleeveless.  It is multi-colored with emphasizes in blues and brown hues.  The pants are puffy Aladdin style so I was pretty excited hahaha J

Once home we took a little break before heading out to the Beach Bar to get a drink and wait for the Fugeras to start burning.  We met up with some friends from the other trips and different schools and headed down the beach to watch fireworks from the castle.  Once the fireworks had gone off we booked it to the first Fugeras to burn.

When they burn they just don’t catch on fire.  The process starts with them dowsing the statues in gasoline that smells pretty strong.  Then, they make the crowd back up because they light the end of a rope.  As the fire moves up the side of the ropes fire crackers go off which trigger fire works and then the final piece is the statue catching on fire.  Once the statue is on fire, it takes to the flames like crazy and the fire crews standing along the sides dowse the statue with water.  The combination of fire and water makes a dark smoky cloud and debris goes flying.  After watching the first, I understood why you stand back so far.  In the main square the women’s head was the first to be burned and it looked like a smoking volcano.  The women’s face fell in a slow melting motion and then the whole think became engulfed in flames.  It was crazy to realize that the flames were so high and the space so small and packed with people.  Several people were taken to the hospital with some burns.  The crowd started yelling things at the firefighters that were rather unpleasant in order to be sprayed with the hoses because the heat from the fires were so strong.  The firefighters appeased the crowd and fireworks went off.

After about 2am when the last of the figures were burned (they started at midnight), we met up with everyone again and headed out for a night on the town which consisted of grabbing some drinks and just hanging out.  It seemed that once the figures were burned and people were sopping wet that they all went home opposed to every other night.  So, we called it a night and I headed home to crawl in bed and sleep!

The wind blew a dark cloud of smoke around the city.  All the figures that burned left the sitting looking like it had been set on fire (which it had in some way) and left to burn.  In the Mercado, the Fugeras really did catch the building on fire and some people’s curtains were melted away before the firefighters took out the flames.  All in all it was a very neat experience and one for the books.  Tomorrow will be a day of resting and relaxation…Happy Independence Day Spain!

Round 2

Well my morning started at midnight when I was still up out on the town and kept going until 430 this morning hitting the streets (which was early to go home here J)…then I slept until 830 and tossed and turned until I finally got up at 1130 and ate a bowl of cheerios with milk.  Then, I walked down the Rambla to see if the museo was open to grab a pamphlet and poster, but again it was closed.  I walked by the printing area which was closed as well so that means Tuesday morning I’ll have to run by and print my information out.  On the walk back, I watched a small parade where various people wore different head pieces of different characters.

I laid out at the beach for a little bit which was not only hot, but super crowded it seems like everyone had the same idea.  After only 45 mins, I headed back and ate a PB&J and had tea.  The Girl Who Plays with Fire is getting really good I would just like to say because I am getting to the point where I fall asleep reading it before bed and cannot put it down AHHH! J….Then I headed to the internet café to work with my group since now that it is only 2 days away the procrastinators what to work on it….grrr :P

In the evening, we took to the castle.  We walked around to the side of the mountain that it sits up on and took the elevator on the way up.  It had 360 degree views of the city and ocean that like every other site I have seen has been gorgeous.  You could see the city from the wing of the birds.  The wind kept it cool with the sun shining down.  The grounds you could tell were older which gave it a charm.  There was an area that was used as a dungeon that was only tall enough for someone short like me…it would suck to be tall and be put in the dungeon because you would become a hunchbackJ.  We snapped picture after picture and took in the sites that I could live up there.  Between the views of the ocean and the city they would be able to see any attack coming for miles.  The top view also showed you how large city actually is.  On the way down, we twisted through the castle grounds giving us different views of the city at each aspect.  We passed some cannons that were probably used to stop any intruding forces.  The walk up the road was pretty short only about 20 minutes which got us back in front of our apartment, thus we had a made a complete circle since we had left.

We decided to have tapas (appetizer sized meals that give you a variety of all the restaurant has to offer because each person gets 1 bite)…we had a cheese, ham, salmon, anchovies, and crab all served on bread slices.  They were pretty yummy and the convenience of having the restaurant across from our apartment was nice.  After dinner, Kat and I split ways as she headed into town to watch the game and I opted to watch the game from the comfort of my own apartment and give myself a break.  Staying up all night and morning yesterday/today made my energy level low...I’m such a old person stuck in a younger body hahah J

 

At a quarter to midnight, all of us left the apartment and headed to the beach to watch the bonfires.  According to the locals, tonight they made fires on the beach (which I don’t think is the smartest idea considering how everyone is drinking plus fires just seems like a bad mix hahaha) and they write down bad things, bring clothes from a somber time, or just anything sad that people want to forget and they drop it in the fire as a way to release the ideas behind them and move onto the future.  The fires were individual fires so I just watched for a few minutes before heading back home and going to bed.

  

Luckily the breeze was minimal so the fires were not raging out of control, but it meant like the nights have been it was time for my fan to go to work.  I snuggled in and slept until the sun came up J