Long live the matadors...

We went to a bullfight this past Wednesday.

So, besides being our school mascot, kind of, bullfighters are just super cool. The whole event is kind of disturbing, but it was a very cool experience.

The etiquette is very different. You don't talk at all. You stay quiet and wait for the toreadors to do their thing with the bulls, and then if you think they did a good job, you clap. If they were not good, you whistle. Overall, 3 out of the 5 matadors we saw got claps, and the other two were apparently pretty bad. I could not tell too much of a difference, but I'm sure the Spaniards judge harshly.

Some of the girls left the fight after the first bull got stabbed, because they just could not handle it. To me, it was a little strange at first, but by the time they got to the 4th or 5th bull, it was fine. Definitely a experience I'm glad I went to, but probably wouldn't pay a whole lot to go back.

In other news. I AM FINISHED WITH SCHOOL! Yes. Done. It feels awesome. Summer 2009 has commenced! Paris is coming soon...








Until next time...
Peace, love and God bless,
Noel

Nerja, Spain...

What a sweet weekend. It was so relaxing and yet exhilarating at the same time. I will explain.

First, on Friday I rented a car, a sweet little Citroen Picasso, and David, Ryan, Ashlee, Laurel and I drove to this cool town of Nerja, Spain, about 2 and 1/2 hours southeast of Seville. The drive was so great. I was nervous about driving amongst Spaniards (they are among the world's worst drivers), but it was pleasant. The views were great and it was so fun to drive again, it's been months! Once we got to Nerja, we found our hostel and ate some great pizza at a nice little restaurant on the coast.

Saturday, we woke up around 9 and had breakfast at the hostel, and headed over to a supermarket to buy snadwich stuff for the beach. And BOOM! Right there in the supermarket were cans of Dr. Pepper, waiting to be bought. It was beautiful, haha. The beach was great, very relaxing. There was one moment of stress, though. Ryan and I went free climbing on some rocks (pictures below) and I almost fell. Thankfully, Ryan was ahead of me, and he grabbed me wrist right when the boulder I was grabbing broke off. He helped me get up to the top of the rock, and man my heart was pumping! It was exhilarating. Thanks, Ryan!

Another awesome thing was that we found a non-denominational English speaking church to go to Sunday morning before heading back to Sevilla. That was a pleasant surprise. Overall, the weekend was a great experience, and now I'm ready for my finals this week!



That's me at the top of the rock I free climbed, about 75 feet high.


My Dr. Pepper and I at a great spot for pictures.


I worked on this for hours! It ended up looking really cool.


Until next time...

Peace, love and God bless,
Noel

Stayed up to watch the Rockets game...

So, because my class finished our projects early, we didn't have class today. Whoo hoo! No class means we can stay up late the night before, and we did. I stayed up to watch the Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks basketball game via the internet (what a wonderful little invention, huh?). And even though I was tired, hungry, and frustrated at the end of the game, looking back at it, that was really awesome. Ryan Marcum and I stayed up until 5am watching LIVE via the web a basketball game featuring the team I love from back home in Texas. Technology is really making some things way way easier! Of course I guess it also causes lots of problems, too, but that's for another day...

Also, when did RickPerry decide to start standing up for fiscal responsibility? It's hard to argue States' Rights and the 10th amendment, cheers to you Rick. That's awesome. The scope of the federal gov't for a long time, since Wilson probably, has been unconstitutionally treading on states' rights. The 10th amendment says it best...

"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."

Man, isn't the idea of Federalism a wonderful thing? Let's diffuse the power, people.

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Semana Santa was this past week in Seville, and I was able to view a couple of pasos (processionals) on the Saturday that we returned to Spain. Some photos are below. Overall, the general feel of watching the paso is that... well, to me it was super creepy. Too much incense, interesting KKK-like costumes (the KKK stole the idea for the costume from the Spanish priests), old ladies worshipping the statues like they are Jesus himself... Very strange. But it's an important tradition here nonetheless.


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And lastly, here is my plan for the rest of my time here, so you guys can know what is goin on!

This weekend: David, Ryan, Lorel, Ashlee and I are going to this beautiful beach town in Spain called Nerja, about 2 and 1/2 hours away from Seville by car. Click on THIS to see a picture of the place.

Next week: Finals!!! Grrrrr. Except on April 22 we are going as a school to a BULLFIGHT. Nice!

Next weekend: Going skydiving over the Andalusian plains! The drop zone is about 10 miles outside of Seville, and we figured this was a sweet way to celebrate the end of a great semester!

Sunday the 26th: Feria de Abril starts (huge April fair with food and dancing and games and rides and all of that sweet carnival stuff).

Tuesday the 28th: David, Ryan Marcum, Colby, Bobby and I are heading to Paris, France for a boys' retreat (not really, it was just that no girls wanted to join us!). We are staying in Paris for three days.

Sunday, May 3: I fly home to the United States of America, land of the free-refill and home of the breakfast burrito! I miss unhealthy, awesome food. I then head to Lubbock to move out of my apt. and I am goin to Knoxville, TN for a week to be an adjudicator at DI Global Finals. Legendary.

Until next time...
Peace, love and God bless,
Noel

That's how you do Italy in 7 days...

There is so much to write about that I can't even figure out where to start...

We traveled first to Rome, where we spent 3 days. In Rome, we saw:
Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Colosseum, Roman Forums, Circus Maximus, Tiber River, Vatican City (St. Peter's Basilica, Raphael's 'School of Athens' paniting, etc.), Pantheon, The Church of St. Peter in Chains with Michelangelo's 'Moses' statue, and more! Also, we experienced an earthquake! The quake happened in a town about 60 miles north of Rome, but we felt the tremors all the way in Rome, it was nuts! No one in Rome was seriously injured, but many in L'Aquila died. Very sad.

We caught a train to Florence, and stayed there for two days. Florence was my favorite city of them all, I think, because it was smaller, yet still large enough to not get bored, and it was incredibly beautiful. Check out the views from Michelangelo's Piazza below! In Florence, we saw: The Duomo, Accademia Gallery with Michelangelo's David (awesome), the Uffizi, Michelangelo's Piazza, and more. My favorite city, definitely.

We bussed to Pisa the next day, and that was pretty cool! There is nothing there except for a pretty courtyard with a church, baptistery, and the leaning tower, but the grass was really green and of course the tower was fun to take pictures with!

We ended our week long escapade in Venice for a day. Venice was beautiful, a little smelly (because of the canals), and very tiring to walk through with luggage (so many little bridges, up and down)! But, the coolest experience in all of Italy happened there, and that was the gondola ride. It was cliche, yes, and it was a tad bit expensive. But it was awesome. So relaxing, so peaceful, and such beautiful views. Truly amazing!

So now I'm back here in Seville, and I have only two more weeks of school. I will update again soon this week, so until then, check out the great photos below.




'Guns up' at the Leaning Tower of Pisa!


Gondola ride in Venice


Great view of Florence from Michelangelo's Piazza


From Michelangelo's Piazza in Florence


In front of the beautiful Cathedral in Florence


Florence, Italy


The whole group in front of Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City


In front of Trevi Fountain in Rome


Me, Ryan and Dave in front of The Pantheon


The Colosseum is awesome

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Adios!

Peace, Love and God bless,
Noel

When in Rome...

So, this is the big week! Tomorrow, at the crack of dawn, I will be flying to Italy for Holy Week. Tomorrow, Sunday, and Monday will be spent in Rome, Tuesday and Wednesday will be spent in Florence and Pisa, and Thursday will be spent in Florence. We are doing the big three of Italy in 6 days. We are crazy, I know!

We are gonna be seein' all kinds of awesome stuff, like:
-Pantheon
-Roman Forums
-Colosseum
-Vatican
-Accademia Gallery
-Michelangelo's David
-Piazza Uffizi
-Leaning Tower of Pisa
-The Duomo
etc.


It should be a wonderful week. Of course, I will put up lots of pictures when I get back. Have a great week, and a wonderful Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday! Adios!

Until next time...
Peace, love and God bless,
Noel