On Friday, we had a Tech group excursion to Huelva and La Rabida near the southern coast of Spain. La Rabida is a San Franciscan Monastery that is still active. It is famous because in that monastery is where Columbus came to discuss his ideas on the earth being round and his plans to discover a passage to India. The monastery was beautiful, with wonderful frescos and religious paintings, haunting crucifixes, and a room with the one of the first maps of the new world on it. Very cool.
After La Rabida, we went to an outdoor museum in Huelva that had a deck with three boats that were created in the images of the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria. We played on those for a little bit, got to experience the sea life for a good hour, and then headed off to la playa (the beach)!
Whether in Galveston, or Southern Spain, the beach is simply awesome. The water, it being February and all, was crazy cold, but it was so sunny and beautiful on the sand, we just played on the coast for a couple of hours. We played some ultimate frisbee and football (american football) and just had a blast. It is a really cool feeling when you can go skiing one weekend, and go to the beach the next (and stay in the same province).
This week I have a quiz and a test, so that's not fun, but this weekend, I will be going to Cadiz (another city on the beach) for a Carnival festival. It will be exciting!
On Sunday, I finally went to the amazing Plaza de Espana! It was built in the 1920's and hosted the Spanish-American Grand Exhibition. It is truly a marvel because it is so huge and decorative!
I will write again in a few days, but for now, see some photos below:
The courtyard at the monastery
Playing ultimate frisbee on the beach!
View of the Plaza from its right balcony
There is a rainbow in the fountain at the Plaza... what nice camera work, eh?
My little room in Spain... I got my Spain flag and Welker jersey hangin up!
-----------------------------
Some random thoughts:
1) European music, truthfully, is terrible. There is only so much techno I can stand. American music kicks the crud out of European music handily
2) My body is driving me crazy... For some reason I still haven't adjusted completely to Spain. I had a massive headache for a week, and then I had a sinus infection for a week, and now I have a terrible sore throat and need medicine... Stupid body. I'm supposed to be young!
3) Every city in Spain claims the title of "City that never sleeps", but in reality, I haven't seen that city yet... Maybe Madrid or Barcelona
4) Although great exercise, it is an extreme test of patience playing basketball in Spain, because many of the Spaniards we play with are huge babies about everything. In America, when you play basketball you expect and know that it is going to be a physically demanding game. You will get roughed up and get fouled, and that's just part of the game. But here in Spain, they call fouls on you for everything, even if you don't come close to touching them! It can be quite frustrating and down-right dumb. Oh well... their country, their rules I guess.
Until next time...
Peace, love and God bless,
Noel
1. So think about how good music from the 90s is compared to current Euro music. Seriously, it's like Yao vs. anyone in a height contest.
ReplyDelete2. You are young. Quit complaining.
3. Well, they all probably stay up later than Lubbock. Except Cane's, but only Thursday through Saturday.
4. Maybe that's why Dwight Howard dunked on them so many times during the Olympics. Too soon?
Just kidding about #2, by the way.
I hear that Wes Welker guy is pretty good. What college did he go to again?
Finally, make sure you stay at the beach and not the "beach". You know what I'm talking about. Let's keep this trip PG-rated, ok?