Author: browneyesandasmile

One Not So Quiet Last Weekend

As much as a quiet last weekend in Madrid did sound nice, I took my last traveling opportunity and left for England. Of all the countries I visited this semester, England was my favorite, followed by Spain and Brussels. Part of my love for England is likely due to the fact that I managed to leave London and see more of the country.

Tower Bridge (not to be confused with London Bridge, which is actually small and disappointing)

Without a doubt, we wanted to see London, so we spent the first day and night in the city center. We saw the major sites (Buckingham Palace, London Eye, Tower Bridge, etc.) and ate fish and chips. Before all this, we took a trip back to America. We ate Chipotle and I shopped at J. Crew and Anthropologie.

I proudly say I bought nothing!

Except then I bought a shirt at Anthropologie. After all, I had no hope of resisting both my favorite stores!

The next day, after scrambled eggs for breakfast, we took the train the Stratford to meet my friend’s friends. The family warmly welcomed us into their home, fed us and showed us around. We saw Shakespeare’s birthplace, which, by the way, is older than the United States (yes, my friend Christian asked that) and went to a cafe for afternoon tea.

The following day these friends took us to Birmingham for the Christmas market, which is the largest in Europe. It was indeed very large, and warm cocktails and sausages were the specialties.

Even though I’m somewhat still in denial that this was my last weekend, it was a pretty spectacular one.

A Different Kind of (Thanksgiving) Tradition

Though it was the strangest Thanksgiving thus far, I nevertheless enjoyed the day with family and delicious food. After my host family welcomed my United States family into their home for a traditional Spanish lunch, my immediate family did a little touring around Madrid and went to Ten Con Ten for dinner.

In the trendy Salamanca neighborhood of Madrid (which, even if not to eat here you should visit), Ten Con Ten almost always has a full bar and dining room. We ordered a complete meal, since it was Thanksgiving. To start we shared tomato and mozzarella salad, tuna tartar and sautéed vegetables. We enjoyed all of them, but the salad stood out, and we could tell it was made from fresh tomatoes and mozzarella. Then, I ordered the fish of the day, which was a cod with roasted apples. It was a pairing I wouldn’t have thought of, but one I will definitely try to replicate at home. Also to note was the oxtail hamburger, which my brother Andrew loved.

To finish off my most distinct Thanksgiving, I ordered the traditional: apple pie. As I unfortunately expected, I was a bit disappointed. The dish lacked flavor, and the pairing with chocolate chip ice cream was strange at best. On the other hand, the mango mousse that my dad ordered (and I obviously stole a bite of) was lovely.

Apple pie

Ten Con Ten is a bit pricey, as a dinner for four with wine easily soars into the 200 euro range. Though for a special occasion, this is the perfect place.

No turkey or stuffing was served, but we still ate more than we should have. After all, since Thanksgiving is all about food, family and being thankful, we celebrated the right way.

http://www.restaurantetenconten.com/index.html

Ten Con Ten

Calle de Ayala, 6

Madrid, Spain 28001

Eight Days of Family

My lovely family and I spent eight whole days together. Leave it to three months away to make you welcome a family visit. After all, running around Europe is fun, but nothing rivals time spent with family.

I am far from calling myself an expert, but I do know a little about Madrid, and I loved sharing. I kept my mom, dad and brother Andrew busy. When I wasn’t dragging them along to meals and activities, my dad took over to fill the schedule.

When they arrived on Saturday, I took them for a familiar American brunch at Carmencita Bar, where my mom and I enjoyed eggs bennedict, my dad French toast and eggs and Andrew, never one for brunch, a hamburger. I was a bit embarrassed to not have found something more Spanish for the first meal, but I miss breakfast food in Madrid, so I easily reconciled the choice.

Carmencita Bar

Calle de San Vincente Ferrer, 51

28015 Madrid, Spain

http://www.carmencitabar.com/

The next day we headed to Valencia, Spain. We saw the special Sunday market, the cathedral and a traditional dance festival. Then, of course, we ate paella for lunch.

Can you guess who ate which portions?

We returned Monday and stayed in Madrid until Thursday. I brought my mom, an academic at heart, to university with me and to volunteer with me and the family visited the Prado, Reina Sofia and el Palacio Royal while I was in class.

We also fit in a flamenco show and lunch at my wonderful hosts’ home. They served a Spanish meal with some of my favorites, including salmorejo, paella and Spanish wine, making sure each food item came right from Spain.

This woman, the owner, chose my dad as her crush for the night. She always turned back and smiled at him.

Unfortunately, the Christmas lights in Madrid turned on the weekend of December 1, and my family left that Friday morning. Luckily, we happened to be in Plaza Mayor one evening when the lights illuminated the street for only a moment, just long enough for them to witness the magnificence. I’ve been enthusiastic about Christmas light tours my entire life, so yes, magnificent.

We ended our time together in Paris. We went to the top of the Eiffel Tower, visited Notre Dame and ate delicious food, including crepes on the street and Café Constant. While my parents viewed the art museums, Andrew and I headed to Disneyland. We are Disney fanatics, so we could not wait. With a giant tree, decorations all along Main Street and a special Christmas parade, we loved it all. We found the rides similar to those in Disney World in Florida. The big difference was the weather, since Paris was cold and Florida rarely is. Regardless, we loved it.

My mom, dad and Andrew left for Minnesota from Paris Sunday morning, and I flew back to Madrid. I loved (almost) every minute of our time together. It wasn’t too sad to say goodbye, knowing I would be home in 19 days!

Oh, one more thing: my dad ate the largest paella portion, I ate middle one and my mom ate the little part.

Here’s to New Adventures

As I enter my final month in Spain (on another note, what happened to the other three months?), I find myself reflecting on the study abroad experience. I take away this: utilize every opportunity. At first I attributed my exciting chances, be it a trip to Paris or Morocco, a Real Madrid game, a hike in the mountains or a performance of El Rey Leon, to being in a new place, but I recently conceded that a change in attitude was the defining factor.

Choosing to study abroad might be the most exciting and the scariest thing I, as a student, have thus far decided to do. After almost three months, I might add also one of the best things. I go to a private Christian college in the Illinois suburbs with 2400 undergraduate students. I chose a study abroad program in Madrid city center, attending classes at a public university because I sought a change, and as cliché as it sounds, I knew I would learn more about the world and about myself. Trite as it is, I was exactly correct.

First opportunity accepted: study in Madrid. Of course, in a new city, other CIEE students and I wished to explore. The first couple weeks, I used silly excuses such as “I’m tired” or “I should wait to see this.” Before long, I resolved to be more active in Madrid, and since then, options appear everywhere. I may never again live in Madrid, so I have to make this semester worthwhile. Writing this post having just returned from Brussels, I succeeded.

The question remains: What happens when I return to school? The truth is I’m not sure. However, I do know I will go back with a renewed sense of flexibility, adventure and global awareness. I won’t get ahead of myself; that’s still a month away. For now, I still look forward to a visit from my family, Paris again, London, Valencia, more time with my host family and more time to work on Spanish.

Chocolate demonstration in Brussels

Grand Place in Brussels, right where we stayed

A Trip to Africa

Seeing as geography was never my greatest strength, it took me a while to realize Morocco is just 31 kilometers south of Spain. An hour long ferry ride across the Strait of Gibraltar, and you’re there. As soon as I knew Africa was so close, I had to go!

I went with a group because I did not feel confident to navigate a new continent alone. Our guides wore traditional dress (yes, robes like you are imagining), but said they really only wear those for us. We stayed on the beach, so I saw the tourist part of Tangier, but I also had the opportunity to visit small neighborhoods.

The hotel view was okay, I guess.

Some highlights of the trip: Moroccan food, rugs and camels. Everyone said I would get sick from the food, but after three days home, I’m healthy! I ate delicious couscous, tagene and crepes. Also, I drank traditional tea with every meal. They drink green tea with mint. It tastes like a mojito without alcohol, so it’s really not a problem to eat it with every meal.

I also bought a Moroccan rug, which seemed like a great idea at the time. Looking back, I probably could have spent that 35 euros on something I needed more, but after negotiating the price down, I couldn’t not buy it! Then, I rode a camel on the beach while the sun was setting. It was as incredible as it sounds.

A snake show on the street

Only a few restaurants in Morocco serve alcohol, but they all serve Coca-Cola in Arabic. Of course we found wine at the hotel bar, but my friends and I were more interested in the popcorn they served with the wine. The bartender loved us the first night and came out with double popcorn the second night!

The girls enjoying the sun.

Bucket List: Mountain House

I decided I want a mountain house. I spent two days in El Escorial, in a house nestled in the mountain, and I think I need one. Said house belongs to my wonderful host parents who welcomed me for a night. They chose the location for the views and the proximity to Madrid. Those were great and all, but the calm really grabbed me. Since we set our clocks back last night, I woke up early enough to see the sunrise. As I sat reading and enjoying the amanecer (sunrise), I noticed the silence. Hold on, what is that again? Don’t get me wrong, I love living in the city center of Madrid. If anything, it taught me to appreciate quiet, but nothing rivals the power of complete stillness.

From the deck. Can anyone tell me this doesn’t look perfect?

As if I wasn’t already prepared to start construction on my new house, we spent the rest of the morning hiking up the mountain. Maybe I should consider living in my mountain house full time…

We ran into a few cows towards the top.

As if this wasn’t enough, my host parents insisted on making squid for lunch, which they know is my favorite. My mountain house lust cannot get any worse!

In the end I suppose I should focus on finding my first house, and then move on the my mountain house. Still, I can dream!

For the Love of Families

“Hey kids, we have a surprise for you: we’re going on vacation!” always brought a smile to my face. I love family vacations. I had a friend in elementary school who spoke of forced family fun (FFF). Family vacations are filled with FFF. Despite a few bumps along the way, you’ll come out with memories and and a closer bond.

I’d been wanting to spend more time with my host family, so when my host dad suggested we take an overnight trip, I responded with a clear “yes!” Then it was so. We drove an hour and a half to Cuenca, visited the cathedral, Antonio Pérez Foundation modern art museum and walked around the town. And we ate, of course. What are Spanish family vacations like, you ask? Well, exactly like family vacations in the United States. Everyone wants to do something different, so everyone compromises. We take a break when we start to get on each other’s nerves. A lot of FFF, and at the end, we have stories!

Traveling with friends is great and all, but there is just something about being with a family. I’m thankful to have a host family willing to take me in!

Fundación Antonio Pérez

Owner of La Bodeguilla de Basilio

Also this week, I went to see El Rey León (The Lion King sound more familiar?) at a theater in Madrid. Our seats were terrible. They were worse than you’re thinking right now. I leaned forward the entire show in order to see the stage, and even then it was a bit obstructed. Still, it was so good! I saw the show in the United States when I was younger, and this performance was every bit as moving as I remember. I’m not a crier, so I didn’t cry, but I got goose bumps during a few songs! The magic of Disney continues in Europe.

This weekend: biking along Madrid Rio and hiking in the mountains.

Paella Escentials

My parents told me I can’t come home until I learn to make paella. My visa expires at the end of the year. I had to learn to make paella! After two cooking lessons, I learned one important thing: unless you burn it, paella is hard to screw up. However, that’s not to say there aren’t ways to make a better paella. Here are a few tips I picked up.

Pan: Chances are you imagine using a traditional steel pan, like in movies. This would be a great place to insert a movie reference, but I can’t think of a single paella scene right now. If you have a special burner for your paella pan, then yes, use this. When making paella on a typical stove, it’s better to use a frying pan because the frying pan more equally distributes heat from the burner.

Bomba rice: This is the best paella rice. It’s a medium grain rice that absorbs liquid without becoming soggy. In fact, after about 20 minutes of cooking and 10 minutes of sitting, it’s served al dente. It might be a bit pricier than other types of rice, but it’s easy to find in Spain and with specialty grocers in the United States.

Onions: No matter what, always start your paella with onions. After that, add whatever veggies and meats you have around. All paellas taste different, but every one starts with onions sautéed in olive oil.

Liquids: You’ll need something to cook the rice. The best is to make a wine based sauce and add tomato juice (or squid juice for arroz negro), but you can play around with this.

Saffron: Don’t forget saffron! Just a little bit carries a lot of flavor, and such a good flavor it is.

The rest is up to you. Throw in some chicken, chorizo, prawns, squid, peppers, peas, asparagus, or whatever you prefer. Buen provecho!

Sun, Dolphins, Beach, Volcano, Tenerife

Last week and weekend were so darn great I decided to take it easy this weekend. I watched a movie, ran some errands and slept in. Well, not exactly. Instead, after class on Thursday, I went home for lunch, grabbed my suitcase and set off for the airport. At least this time I didn’t leave at 5:30 a.m. At 5:00 p.m., the flight left for Tenerife, Canary Islands.

The study abroad program organized this trip for my fellow sixteen students and I. Since I am an expert at beach vacations (I live in Minnesota. I have to escape somehow.), nothing made me happier than hearing we were headed to a black sand beach.

First of all, Tenerife is famous for bananas, and they boast about fried bananas. Of course I got excited about banana desserts, only to find nowhere near our hotel served them. Low and behold, my roommate Megan cooked bananas on the stove in our apartment style hotel room. Let me tell you, she is a good. Those things were good.

We stayed in Puerto de la Cruz, and Friday morning we travelled to the other side of the island for a dolphin cruise. After lunch and dolphins, our group all jumped into the ocean. It was exactly the quick escape we needed from the hot sun.

Megan (banana master) and I loving the ride

We got really close!

After the boat ride we went to the beach for a few hours.

We ate pizza on Friday night in a town called Garachicho, but beforehand, we jumped into the natural spring. I think it was technically closed due to rough water, but that could have been my only opportunity! I jumped in anyway. Then I went to dinner wet.

That brings me to dinner. We ate at pizzeria Rugantino. I tried a few pizzas, but my favorite was the one pictured below, with tomato, mozzarella, arugula and parmesan. We ate on the comfortable terrace with an equal mix of locals and tourists. The restaurant opens at 7:00 p.m., and from then until close, diners cycle through. Rugantino was a place I could go wet after swimming, where the service was excellent and the ingredients fresh.

Pizzeria Rugatino

Calle Esteban de Ponte 44

38450 Garanchico, Canarias, Spain

We woke early again on Saturday for a visit to Teide National Park. Most notably, we climbed the volcano. A gondola took us halfway and we hiked the rest. Any complaints about the long trek were instantly mitigated when we reached the top. We saw breathtaking views in every direction; we were above the clouds!

Just a few more steps!

: On the top of Spain

We returned to the hotel, went to the pool for a few hours, showered, went to dinner and went out for karaoke. Maybe due to the fact that our fellow tourists were all over 65, we had karaoke to ourselves. I sang La Camisa Negra by Juanes and called it a night.

On Sunday we went to the beach near our hotel. Sun would have been better than the clouds that covered us, but I can really enjoy the beach in any weather. After a while it was time to return to Madrid.

Tenerife was a successful weekend. I relaxed, I was active and I only have a little sunburn on my back. Still, I look forward to a relatively quiet weekend (for real this time) in Madrid in a few days!

Back to Back Spanish Culture

A long day at school on Wednesday continued into a long night. The night part was better than the school part.

After class I ran home, put on a dress, and walked to the Ritz Carlton Madrid. We all need a one night luxury getaway, right? As nice as that sounds, I did not check in or stay the night. Instead, I attended a wine tasting event called Vinoro. Twenty Seven wine booths lined the ballroom, eager to pass out samples and explain origins and cultivation.

I learned the Spanish are ashamed that Americans only know of Rioja wine from Spain. They set out to change that, encouraging me to try white wines from the Galicia region. I got some Christmas gift ideas, so look forward to those everyone! The man who owns Bodegas Felix Sanz even gifted my friend and I a bottle of Monte Negro and a corkscrew.

I admit, I could have gone home satisfied with my night. However, I had Real Madrid tickets that I couldn’t let go to waste! After wine, I went to see Real Madrid take the Copenhagen 4-0 in a Champions League game. Since I’m missing U.S. football season, ¡Vamos Madrid!