Back in Spain! ...goodbye Eastern Europe.

Ok, we got back in Spain yesterday and now we're in San Sebastián in the País vasco. And it's fucking hot. Like 90 degrees. To the beach soon! It's nice to be able to speak the language again and have a general understanding about what's happening around me, but I'm sad to have left Eastern Europe.

I guess I'll just give a general overview of what I did over the last two weeks or so. We went to Dubrovnik after Mostar, where we met a Finn named Sanna in the bus station (as we were mobbed by people offering us rooms) who asked if she could stay with us because it's expensive to stay alone. So we stayed in a triple (with a tiny foldout bed for Sanna). Dubrovnik is nice but it's incredibly touristy. We walked around the city, went to the national park on the island of Mljet, and went to the beach. The Adriatic is so beautiful! The water was so clean and clear and absolutely amazing. The national park was incredible; it has two lakes, the bigger one has a small island in the middle with a monastery on it. So, it was an island within an island, which is fun. We swam in the lake which was as clean and clear as the sea around the island. There were trees that came right up to the water's edge.

Then we took a ferry to the island of Hvar. Once again, picture perfect and incredibly beautiful. We only stayed one night, which was probably for the best because I couldn't stand all the rich people walking around and all the yachts in the harbor. Rich people!

Then we took a ferry to Split, which is as nice as Dubrovnik but with a lot more life. I really enjoyed the old palace which encloses the old part of the city. We went to the beach one day but the water wasn't as nice as it was in Dubrovnik and it rained midday. Así es. We went to this town on a island, Trogir, one day.

Then to Zadar! Still on the coast. We only spent the evening there but it was still excellent. There is a sea organ there (don't ask me how, the informative brochure was written in broken English) which produces mystifying and magical music. We had a delicious dinner of fish with Sanna and Stefan (a German guy she had met earlier; he had the funniest German accent!!).

The next day we went to Plitvice National Park, which has 16 lakes connected through various waterfalls. It was absolutely amazing. We walked around and down the lakes for several hours. Unfortunately, you are NOT allowed to swim in them.

Next day to Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. We just walked around the old part. Nice, but not terribly impressive.

Then to Budapest to catch our plane the next day. On the verge of sleep I asked Sydney if she had checked the flight time, since we had both thought it was at 1pm the next but I couldn't check myself as I had thrown away my reservation (idiot). She dug out the paper and found that it left at 9:15am. Narrowly avoided catastrophe, I would say. A long day of traveling got us to sweltering Madrid. And now we're in San Sebastián! I can't wait to go to the beach! The original plan was to start the camino on Monday but Sydney is sick so perhaps we will wait until Tuesday... It's just so damn hot!

Bosnia

Wow, Bosnia. We survived the 12 hour train, through amazingly beautiful green hilly countryside, small villages with mosques, 2 border crossings and 6 passport checks. We got to Sarajevo at a little after 9pm, someone from the hostel picked us up at the train station and drove us to the hostel reception, where we were given free welcome beers (one each) and told to follow this guy who didn't speak English, "ten minutes away". It was across the river and up a huge hill, through a unlit sketchy alley to a hostel in a building connected to an abandoned, collapsing building, with a rottweiler in a cage barking outside. I was vaguely afraid we were being led to our deaths. For the first night in our five bed dorm there were only three of us, Sydney, me and a Scottish guy named Mickey. The beds were extremely uncomfortable, with a deep dip in the middle, forcing you to sleep on your back most of the night. The next day we explored Sarajevo with Mickey, in his kilt. We saw the bridge where Archduke Ferdinand was shot, beginning WWI. There are many mosques, surrounded by churches and several synagogues. It was definitely strange to be in a Muslim region in Europe because it has the feel of Europe but with beautiful mosques everywhere. Five times daily the mosques call to prayer: one mosque starts, when it ends, you hear another mosque, and so forth. It's really beautiful and I definitely prefer it to church bells ringing.

There are many bullet hole-ridden buildings. In Sarajevo, most very damaged places have been restored, but you can still see the evidence of a very recent war. It is such lovely city, with green hills on both sides with houses extending upward. We went to a Muslim cemetery in the rain: it was slightly unreal. Our second night, we went with Mickey to a brewery and ate dinner. The food has been so good, with so much flavor. And the beer. So good. I had a dark beer for the first time in so long, I almost died it was so good.

When we got to Mostar, we were accosted by people offering accommodations at the bus station. We tried to say we had a reservation at a hostel already (a lie) but the offer seemed so good that we agreed to go look at the room. The hostel was perfectly fine and legitimate. We walked around the city (small but stunning), which is situated over a beautiful, clear river between hills. I noticed more damaged buildings here that hadn't been restored, with warnings not to enter. We climbed the minaret of a mosque, with an incredible view of the city and the famous Stari Most bridge.

Some Basque guys in Sarajevo had told us about these excellent waterfalls near Mostar, but they had a car. We asked the people at the hostel, they told us a bus that went out there, and told us later about a tour from a different hostel. We decided on the tour because, though expensive, it seemed quite difficult to get back on the bus from the waterfalls. He picked us up the next morning and we went with a group of 13 or so. Our first Americans since we left Spain! Also, a bunch of Brits, an Australian. Everyone was pretty cool. We started out by going to this old village with a fortress and a mosque that had been largely destroyed during the war. We then went to this strange animal farm with horses, ponies, a donkey, goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, dogs... It was quite weird. Some people rode horses but there were only two that could be ridden so we were there for over an hour. It was fine, though, because there was a cafe nearby. After, we went to the waterfalls. Fucking incredible. You'll just have to see the pictures to understand. We swam in the frigid water, played under the falls for over an hour. It was great. Afterwards we went to see an area where the Virgen Mary was seen 17 years ago or so. Next, to dinner near a huge cliff with a cave and a monastery. It was pretty awesome, the whole tour.

Now, off to Dubrovnik today! I can't wait! But I'm sad to leave Bosnia. The people have been so nice, the food great, the cities wonderful. From meeting all these people and hearing where they've been, I just want to keep traveling forever. Not possible at the moment though... unfortunately.

Budapest!!!

So, we've just finished our second day here in Budapest. It's amazing. I came here uncountable years ago (like 9? I can't be bothered to count) and I really don't remember it from that time. It's so refreshing to be out of Spain; the people, the architecture, the food... The people here generally speak English, at least the ones we have dealings with, and they're all really nice. Even the people who don't understand a bit of English smile and smile and speak to us in Hungarian. I traveled for about 24 hours to get here, from leaving Coria to arriving at the hostel here. Four-plus hours in bus, spending the night in the airport until 6:40am, flight to Brussels, slight layover, flight to Budapest, finding the bus to the metro to the city, finding change for the bus and the metro... But the hostel is excellent as well: we paid 11 euro for a dorm and somehow ended up in a double. The first night, the owner made us some Hungarian soup (delicious) and some sweet bread covered in pancake batter and fried (strange but like French toast). It was very nice. We've also met a lot of cool travelers here. We've just walked around the city a lot, to Castle Hill and Mátyás-templon and the citadel in Buda (nearly caught in a thunderstorm, hiked up two mountains), to Parliament and St. Stephen's basilica, the opera house, and a beautiful synagogue in Pest, where we're staying. All the restaurant food has been really good too. Mmm, goulash.

It's strange to be in a post-Nazi, post-Communist country, now that I understand the significance. Lots of amazing old buildings are covered in grime and some parts of the city just seem dusty. We walked through the Jewish part of town, which used to be the Jewish ghetto during the Nazi occupation. It's a charming neighborhood, and very hard to believe what happened here over 60 years ago. So much history.

It's incredibly hot here, and just way too humid. I feel like I've been sweating constantly, especially with so much walking. My backpack is so heavy at the moment (16.5 kg at the airport, I can't do the math into pounds), which is just too much. I've been planning to drop things along the way but I don't know how much longer I can carry a bag that heavy. Training for the Camino?

Anyway! This keyboard is really killing me. On Wednesday we're off to Sarajevo, Bosnia, on a 12 hour train. I can't wait! I am also having tons of problems with the currency/exchange rate. 245 Hungarian forints to 1 euro. Yeah. And soon I'll have to deal with yet another currency. It's pretty pathetic (yeah, Mom, sorry for making fun about the problems with euros) and Sydney has to tell me how much to pay usually. Ridiculous bills, too.

The Nigerian Prince

Or, more specifically, the Ibo prince. So, yesterday at school, one of the random men who work at the school and walk around and don't really seem to have a purpose, called me to come out to meet this woman. I don't know how she found out about me (English auxiliar) but she asked me if I could help her communicate with her mother-in-law, who doesn't speak Spanish, that her husband (the mom's son.. confusing!) had been detained. I was super confused myself but told her I would. We met yesterday afternoon at our favorite bar (the teachers', Jenny's and mine, not the random lady's.. English is my first language???). Mariola told me that her husband is a Nigerian prince and his uncle is the king of Nnewi in the soutern region of Nigeria. Pretty much, Mariola's parents are racist and had Mariola and the prince's daughter taken away; they were both put in jail but Mariola was released and the prince continues in the jail in Cáceres. Very confusing. She showed me pictures of the prince, his royal family, their kids. Then a long confusing period followed while we tried to get ahold of his mother, the sister of the king. Finally I talked to his aunt, I think, who would look into it. Mariola told me she was afraid their son would be taken from her too.

It was incredibly strange, the whole situation. Before meeting her, Jenny and I decided that I should charge her, since I'd be giving her a service. I'd even thought of a mostly tactful way to say it. But after she started telling me all this, I just couldn't say anything. I really feel for her, she seemed so desperate for someone to talk to, someone to listen to her. She told me how awful it is when your family abandons you; once again, I realize how lucky I am.

Anyway! Tomorrow I go to Madrid, to spend the night in Barajas for our flight to Budapest on Saturday morning! I can't wait. It's weird though. I wonder how I'll feel on the bus tomorrow. I have 4+ hours to deal with it.

En fin... ¡joder!

I'm down to the last week here in Coria. I have my certificate for the program, got it last Thursday in Mérida. I was joking about not going back to work after I got it and after we got paid (paid today) and when I went to the school to pick up my schedule, I was told that I didn't have any classes--"una semana libre". My last week. Those bastards! They didn't even give me the chance to not come in! Haha, it's fine, but a little weird. So, I'm done. DONE. Done with this shitty job! Very anticlimatic, especially since I didn't realize last Friday would be my last day. But I still have 4 more days here until I go to Madrid. Ah well. En fin, I'm done. All that's left here is packing and cleaning the house. It's so hard to believe. I'm just so over it all.

I think I'll be sad when I leave. This has been my home for the last 7+ months. I'm not quite sure what I'm getting in to in terms of Eastern Europe, the Camino, and espeically the life that awaits me in the US. I do know that when I get back there will definitely be stress waiting for me. We were talking about what it's going to be like when we get back home, and Talisa made a good point. What we're living right now, here in Spain, seems like a dream for us. Life is so laid back, so chill. But this is reality here. What we live here is reality for los españoles. Even those with careers. Nothing compared to the hurried lives of most Americans. And I realize that I'm lazy and I like to live like this.

Anyway! Enough rambling! It's time to leave this pueblo, travel for a month or two, walk across northern Spain, then face the real world. Reality. My future. Life. Joder, ¿eh? I can't believe how fast it went. Así es.

WOMAD

Womad is an international music festival that came to Cáceres this past weekend. Jenny and I went on Friday and it was absolutely amazing!! We bussed to Cáceres, hoping to find a place to stay for the night but resolved to stay up all night and sleep in the bus station before our 2pm bus on Saturday. Miraculously, we found a hostal (after many-a try). There were three stages set up, one in the Plaza Mayor and two others in smaller plazas. And shit. There were so many people. And so many hippies! It reminded me of home so much, the excellent atmosphere. But even better in some ways: you can botellón. Rather, you can drink in public from huge 1.5 L beers. Everyone and their mother was doing it, right next to small children and old people. It was great. So, when in Cáceres... Jenny and I bought some huge bottles of beer and I ate some tasty green Thai curry--something I have not had since I left the US. Which is a really long time ago, when I stop and think about it. We saw a Japanese band, Turkish, Spanish, and Moroccan reggae. It was so fun! And then it made me angry because I didn't live in Cáceres, but rather some dinky pueblo nearby. Alas! My time is nearing an end! I only have 2 1/2 more weeks here until Syd and I are off to Eastern Europe! I can't believe it! I need out of this town, NOW. If anyone has any suggestions about Hungary, Croatia, or Bosnia, I would love to hear them!

Morocco, Málaga, Cádiz.... our own 12 day vacation!

So we made our own puente to go to Morocco. Jenny and I went to Tarifa, which is the southern most tip of Spain where you can see Europe, Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Atlantic all at once. It's a beautiful city, but a little too windy. It also really didn't feel like Spain: tons of foreigners, English everywhere. We met Sydney and Talisa in Algeciras, an ugly port city. So ugly. We arranged our trip to Morocco with the help of Erin and a travel agent there. It included the ferry, shuttle to and from the port, two nights in a hotel, and breakfast. After a night in a slightly sketchy hostal and some excellent Moroccan pastries, we ended up going back to Tarifa to catch the ferry. I love ferries! We got to Tangier and our hotel, the Solazur. Not bad. We went to the Medina, bartered a bit, struggled with the money (11 dirham to 1 euro), ate some amazing food. Oh, and rode camels. There were camels on the beach (tourist trap!) and we couldn't not do it. Not super comfortable but definitely an experience. The next day we went to Chefchaouen (someone please correct my spelling!), a mountain village. It was so incredibly gorgeous: all the walls were whitewashed and painted blue to ward off evil spirits. The people in the shops were less pushy and overall it was more calm. However, we all felt awkward as part of a large tour group disrupting the peace in the city and clogging the narrow streets. The rest of the group was mostly Spanish, so super loud too. It was incredibly hot and but the end we were dying. The next day, before the ferry, we went to the Medina again to barter some more. It's very apparent that the shopkeepers really enjoy it, as some bartered with glee. Glee! The food was such an excellent change from disgusting Spanish food. I ate (forgive the spelling everywhere) falafel, tabouli, baba ganouj, hummous, crazy Moroccan salads, tagin. So much flavor! And the tea.. Mint with lots of sugar. But actual mint. Absolutely amazing. It was so strange to be in another culture, entirely distinct from any I have ever experienced. I had been warned by many Spaniards to be incredibly careful, to always be on guard, that everyone would try to rip us off. But I've had more overwhelming experiences in Mexico, honestly. The men were a bit much, with their comments (Hola guapa, Hello flower, etc.) and their staring. There were restaurants and cafes that were very clearly for men only. They would sit with their chairs turned toward the street, just staring. We would walk around looking for a place to eat saying, "Oh there's a woman in that one, let's eat there." The shopkeepers and waiters were all very polite to us, though. I'm still unsure as to where the women spend their days because we saw so many men but fewer women out in public. On the beach, there were maybe two women and the rest were males of various ages. I also saw several men praying outside at various times, pointed toward Mecca. Me parece que one has to have a good sense of direction to correctly position the body toward Mecca several times a day. Mosques everywhere. So different from Spain, with its churches and cathedrals at every corner. Overall, a great experience. I would love to go back and spend more time there.

We spent another night in Tarifa upon return and set back toward home. The bus to Sevilla broke so we had to wait awhile for another one to come. We met two Americans there, waiting for the same bus. Katheryn is on her way around the world and Alfredo came to visit here. Talking to them really makes me want to travel and travel and travel and never work. At this point, Jenny and I started inventing stories about why we couldn't come to work, as we only had 2 days of it until the next puente. Finally in Sevilla we waited forever to get a cab, a lady cut the line, everyone was outraged and yelling and after about 5 minutes the lady finally got out and someone else got in. She had to go to the back of the line. It was so funny. On the cab ride to the other bus station (to go to Cáceres), Jenny and I decided to text in sick. Or rather, I texted in saying I got ill from the food in Morocco and Jenny just said she wasn't going to come in. I felt guilty for a little while but after being back all guilt has evaporated once I remembered how much I hate the job...

Jenny and I spent the night in Sevilla and headed to Málaga the next day. We had mistakenly booked a hostal in Torremolinos, about half an hour outside of the city of Málaga. It turned out to be fine, more tranquilo with a beautiful beach. Also not like Spain with tons of foreigners, Indian restaurants and bars with foreign beer (unheard of in most places). We also had an excellent roommate: Tuomas from Finland. Super funny. Málaga is beautiful (reusing the same adjectives repeatedly). I loved the Alcazaba, a fort from the 11th century during the Muslim rule. I love Arab architecture; so different from the usual Spanish designs.

Then we went back to Sevilla, then to Cádiz to meet Sydney. The most wonderful beach. Our second day we went to the beach and swam and swam in the Atlantic. It was a bit cold, but no colder than any lake in Washington. Amazing. And we got terribly burned on random parts of the body. Typical. The next day we layered up to go to the beach, swam, then ran home to get out of the sun.

And now I'm back from the 12 day vacation. Seriously, how many more jobs will I have where I can do this and get away with it? And there are less than 4 weeks left here. Crazy.