A not so typical Christmas

Club Vademecum

Christmas was really cool, but very different. Usually Christmas Eve is about having a Polish dinner and going to bed early. Not this year. Shannon and I went to Vigo, which is in Galicia (north of Portugal) and stayed with her friend Marta. She is a wicked chic. She owns a nightclub there, so naturally we went out on Christmas Eve. As you do. We had lunch at a posh bodega and toasted no less than 8,000 times. It was a blast. Totally what you picture. Huge table with everyone toasting with a Rioja in hand, fully packed out, guitar players, whole pig legs hanging from the ceiling, so Spanish and so amazing. That night we had a late dinner and left the house about 2 a.m. Then we hit up a couple of different places and ended the night at Marta's club, Vademecum. I think I went to bed at about 8:30, but I don't really remember. Then Christmas Day was so not Christmassy. We woke up late, didn't really have any presents to exchange, so we went to the beach for coffee. And of course, out again that night. But not as late. Vigo is a chilled out, relaxed town with a different kind of vibe. It's on a harbor that is filled with mussel farms and industrial shipping lanes, but the city feels nothing like an industrial town. It was great for a visit.
Then I got to do some traveling through Galicia (pronounced Guh-lee-thee-uh). We went to A Coruña, which is on the northern shore of Spain. They have a 2000 year old lighthouse there called the Torre de Hércules. The next day I went to Santiago de Compostela. It looked like what I've seen in pictures of Prague. The main attraction is the cathedral. It's a baroque style church covered in a greenish layer of tarnish. It was just beautiful. Inside, St. James (Santiago in Spanish) is supposedly buried, and this is the spot that the church was built around.
One of the highlights of the week was our trip to Oporto, Portugal. I love this city. I have pictures on Flickr. The train ride is amazing as you come into the town. The track is right over a cliff that leads down to the Duoro River. And there are two huge bridges that look completely different. One of them is a double-decker bridge. At the top, pedestrians and the metro can cross. Way at the bottom, there is another road for pedestrians and cars. The city is built on the side of these cliffs, so walking is a bit of a challenge. But it makes for some breathtaking views and amazing pictures. The color of the city also struck me. Lots of rusted tin and green and yellow brick houses. I wish we could have stayed longer in Oporto. Everyone tells me Lisbon is better though...hmmm...
Last night was New Year's Eve, or Nochevieja. We hung out in Puerta del Sol and ate the 12 grapes. But it was weird, there was no countdown. All of a sudden it was 2006. But it was a good celebration. Then we hung out with some friends and practiced our Spanish.
Christmas was nice, but I missed my normal Christmas. I miss you guys and I wish you the best in the New Year!

Me, Marta, and Shannon at the Bodega on Christmas Eve (Nochebuena)

¡Salúd! One of the many toasts at the Bodega

The beach in Vigo

Christmas lights at Praza Constitución (yes, praza, they speak Gallego as well as Castellano)

Shannon enjoying a Cavalli at our favorite Vigo hangout, Coco Cafe

Catedrál del Apostól, the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela

A triple winding staircase in the old monastery in Santiago de Compostela

The view of Oporto from the bridge (it's really high up!)

Another view of Oporto, but from the terrace outside the cathedral

Fireworks at Puerta del Sol at the strike of midnight ¡Felíz Año Nuevo!

Sick...but not of Spain

Cough cough...moan. I'm sick right now. Yes, I admitted that I am actually sick. It's not that bad though. I'm only mildly sick. But it was bad enough that I couldn't teach today. I really need to be well for Galicia on Friday, though. The reason I got sick is because of the amazing city I visited this past weekend. Shannon and I went to a place called Cuenca. It is one of the most beautiful towns I've visited. The old town is built on cliffs, and the cliffs drop straight down. The "Casas Colgadas", or hanging houses, are the most famous example of this. These two houses were built so that part of the house hangs over the edge of the cliff. That's what this photo is down below. Check out my Flickr page to see more. But, Cuenca is very cold, windy, and perfect for making me feel under the weather. That and being on a bus...Anyway, hopefully I'll feel better soon. There are too many Christmas parties coming up for me to miss them because of a cold. And everyone knows that's just not my style.

Long time no post

It's been a long couple of weeks. Life in Spain still proves to be quite difficult sometimes. My Spanish is coming along, but I still encounter impatient attitudes and strange looks sometimes. I have had an eye-opening experience into the lives of the immigrants living in my home country. Piso hunting was a nightmare, but thankfully it is over. I'm living near the Antón Martín metro. It's super convenient to Atocha, Lavapiés, La Latina, and work. The only thing sad about the sitch is that Shannon won't be able to move in for another week.
Today is the second national holiday that we have had this week. It's been pretty nice and easy. Cancelled classes, sleeping in, as you do. Only two more weeks till Christmas. I can't believe it. Shannon and I went to Aranjuez on Tuesday. You can see a couple of the pics on my Flickr page. The main attraction is the Palácio Real with the huge botanical gardens attached to it. The rows of arches are breathtaking. We had such a nice day just walking around. The weather here is cold, but it was sunny and pretty. I still need to visit Toledo. I might save it though for any visitors I might have. Cuenca is a strong possibility for the weekend. And the plan is still Galicia for Christmas. There are so many places I still want to see. When in Galicia I can see Santiago de Compostela and a bit of Portugal. My students all want me to take the AVE to Grenada after New Years. Hmm, it sounds very tempting...what can I say, the wanderlust has taken hold.