Monday, April 7, 2008

note to self:

...don´t sit in the front row of a flamenco performance unless you would like to be pulled up on stage to dance in front of everyone. yes, this happened. At least I got myself looking presentable beforehand and had on a nice skirt, so I could pull it up to the side just like the lovely dancer who got me up on stage pulled her dress up. Well, that was fun. I went to a flamenco performance at my school; flamenco, or the style of flamenco that they were dancing, wasn´t really what I expected it´d be: they had moves of slapping their legs and arms and clapping their hands and weird stomping...but it was cool...
This past weekend I went with my group to the Alpujarras--mountains in the Sierra Nevada. On the way there, which is essentially driving around switchbacks on the side of the mountains, I was convinced a big 18-wheeler coming around the bend would end it for us, and though we did come close a couple of times--one time involving everyone waking up from the sudden squeal of truck horns and coming inches away from hitting us, we survived. When we got there, we went for a short hike through a few towns--all super cute with white houses, and all close together--and then the second day we had a 3 hr hike through the mountains with a guide. It felt so good to be out in nature again! And even if my butt hurts really bad right now after climbing up those hills and then nearly falling down them, I´m so glad we got to do that!

Granada is absolutely full of tourists now. My favorite one so far has been the guy that is standing next to a statue in a plaza with crossed arms and a huge smile on his face, just watching everyone. But the best part was his clothes: overalls, a sleeveless shirt, a baseball cap, and chacos. wow. Way to represent.

Not much else going on lately. Been walking around on my own lately. I´ve realized Spaniards, or anyone for that matter, talks to me more when I´m alone and not with a group of other americans. The other day I went in search of a plaza, though I went in the completely wrong way, but ended up walking up super steep hills and found myself on top of the city overlooking it all. I´d forgotten it´s such a pretty city.

Off to Prague on Thursday for a long weekend with a couple of friends. Yay Czech people and beer and sausage!

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