Spain - Valencia and Madrid

Just a note: This may take you close to 10-15 minutes to read: be prepared and enjoy!

Okkk, so it has been pretty much impossible to upload pictures the past few days due to the slowness of this website so I probably won't include too many pictures here.  However, I continually put up my pictures of facebook so check them out! 

Anyways, about the trip to Spain:

We (Connie, Kelly, Alyssa, and I) left the Cork airport on Thursday evening around 7ish.  We got into London-Stansted airport about an hour later and got ready to spend the night there.  We flew Ryanair, which for those of you who don't know, is a very cheap airline over here in Europe.  It was quite interesting to see how different security in airports is over here.  For example, for the flights we simply had to print our boarding passes beforehand, check in at a desk and get our boarding pass stamped because we were US citizens, and then when the time came to board we simply showed them our boarding pass and passport quickly.  It was pretty crazy how the boarding process goes too.  There are no assigned seats so everyone lines up and its first come, first serve for seat placements.  You also have to walk outside to get to the plane, and then climb the stairs to get in.  It seemed so crazy to be doing it like that!  When we got to London, there was hardly any border control/security check...And I think this is mainly due to the fact that Ireland and England have this partnership or something I don't know, but all we did was show our passport and they didn't even take a second look, didn't even stamp it, and handed it back to us and said we were good.  On the way back from Madrid to London, they questioned me quite a bit more and I had to show my immigration card from Ireland and my acceptance letter from cork..soo it was interesting!!!

Plane ride!!

Sunset on Ryanair!

Anyways, our flight for Valencia left the next morning at about 7:30 or so, but it was a looong night in the airport.  It was very cold too!  But, we survived and got on the plane the next day and flew to Valencia!  The plane was actually delayed like an hour...so we ended up being on the airplane for about 3 and a half hours instead of 2 and a half which kinda stunk but oh well.  The plane ride was quite enjoyable..and it was great to have Connie sitting next to me the whole way!  Flying over the Spain mountains was so unreal...we had to continually pinch ourselves to remind ourselves we weren't dreaming.  We were actually flying over Spain!  We made it to Valencia around 12ish their time.  It was very neat flying into Valencia..seeing the ocean and the mountains in the backyard..very pretty!! As soon as we got off the plane, we started shedding clothing too...it was probably about 80-85 degrees the whole time we were in Spain! Another friend that the girls met in Lancaster actually met up with us at the airport then too.  Soo it was me and four girls.....

It was quite enjoyable to see everything in Spanish.  I loved it and it made me really remember how much I loved Spanish!  After getting situated a bit in the airport, we got on the metro.  Luckily, Connie and I had researched where to go so we could lead the other girls!!! After finding our hostel, we checked in and dropped our stuff off.  The people at the hostel were super nice and helpful the whole time! It was a lovely place to stay!

World map from a European perspective: Interesting right?

Then, we went out and about to find some food!  Finding food in groups of people is always fun...........
Nevertheless, we did find a place and it was good to see parts of the city at the same time!  Then, we walked down to La Ciudad de Las Artes y Ciencias! This is a group of a few absolutely astonishing buildings that contain science and art exhibits.  It was absolutely beautiful.  Connie and I ended up going to the IMAX theater in one of the buildings to see a show that we thought was going to be good...but turned out to be quite terrible..hahaha..oh well..it was an experience.

One of the various beautiful parks throughout Valencia!

Two of the Science buildings + Dinosaur!

Check out the imax futuristic headsets!

After that, we all walked through this park area down towards the port and got kind of lost.  haha! But, then I asked a woman at the bus stop (using my wonderful spanish) how to get back to where we needed to be.  She was helpful and we got on a bus that got us closer to where we needed to be...haha!  Then, we found some more food...it was really fun ordering in Spanish too!!! After, we headed back to the hostel and crashed!

The next day was highlighted by a trip to the Cathedral where we climbed the tower and got an excellent view of the city.  AND, of course, then a trip to La playa! or the Beach!!! It was quite amazing to think we were technically swimming in the Mediterranean!!!!! Connie and I went in a couple times to make the most of the day! It was grrrreat!

Top of tower of Cathedral overlooking the city!

La PLAYA

After the beach, we hopped on a bus back into town and found some Valencian Paella!  Quite delicious!  However, we had an interesting experience at the place we went to.  It truly seemed like everybody was staring at us..we seemed very unwelcome! However, our waiter was very nice and after we were done eating and we left him a tip he made this comment, "Thank you thank you, you not fat americans!" Strangely enough this is not the first time I have encountered this stereotype.  I've met a few German and French folks here who are surprised to find that all Americans aren't fat!!!! No joke!  I feel like I am doing our country a huge favor over here by breaking this stereotype in particular!! haha!  Anyways...so we felt a little uncomfortable but it was still fun!  We then walked back to the hostel and hung out before hitting the hay...our bus to Madrid left at 6:30 the next morning so we needed some sleep!

The next day, we woke up quite early, checked out, and walked to the bus station to get on our 6:30 bus to Madrid.  It was quite a gorgeous countryside on the way there!  We arrived in Madrid at about 10:30-11ish and began our walk to the hostel.  Connie had looked up the walking directions to the hostel so together we took the lead.  And, let's just say, it turned out to be quite a hike! hahaha!  However, we had the opportunity to see the various plazas/sights along the way so we enjoyed it!!!!! I can't speak for everyone in our group but Connie and I loved it!!!! After running into a construction zone and taking a little detour we finally found our hostel..which was quite amazing!!! We couldn't check in yet but we left our stuff in a locker and headed out to see some cool stuff!

The crew walking to the hostel from the bus station!

We went to La puerta del sol and La PLAZA MAYOR!!! Which, for those of you who don't know...the movie Vantage Point was filmed here!!! And if you have seen that movie, you would understand my excitement about seeing it!!!! It was great!  After seeing those two plazas, we checked out the Cathedral which was unbelievably beautiful!  Pictures don't even do it justice!  And, then the palace was right next door which was quite astonishing as well.  We also got into the Museo del Prado (Prado museum) for free later on too which was fun.....as fun as art can be...hahaha!  But, the architecture was just so unreal and Majestic!!! Connie and I kept on looking at each other and going "WE are in SPAIN!!!" hahaha...it was loads of fun!

La Plaza Mayor!

Inside the beautiful Madrid Cathedral

Palacio!

That night, we headed down to La Puerta del Sol and saw some great street performers and other interesting people...hahaha! The Spanish culture was just so different than anything I've ever seen.  There were soo many people out and about just hanging around downtown going shopping (yes shopping...the stores were all still open at like 11) until we headed back to the hostel at like 11:30-12ish.  It was super fun!

Guy from Belgium doing street magic! haha he was actually really good!

No idea

The last day, Connie and I did our own little exploration because I had to go to the airport sooner than the others and she came with me.  We walked around and saw the original gate entrance to the city, and then we found this beautiful park! (That's another thing about both cities: there were these beautiful gardens, walkways, and parks everywhere in the city.  And I mean Beautiful!)  We sat down this old Greek looking monument that had a huge pool of water in front of it and just took it all in! It was quite amazing to think where we were...and that we were there together!! It was wonderful to have her there with me!

Then, after grabbing something to eat, Connie and I headed to the airport.  The emotions that ran through my body that day were pretty detrimental to me...haha! i laugh about it now but it was not easy saying goodbye..knowing i had to travel by myself, stay overnight in the london airport, and then go back to Cork which isn't really my home just yet....it was tough!  It was a long day on Tuesday when I got back early in the morning...then had to go to class...but it ended well with a pizza party with the Christian Union Society.  The next couple days were pretty good too...but it has been tough too!  I am starting to see a little bit of a routine with my classes however and after this next week, I think I will feel even better about everything!

In conclusion of this massive post, I must say that the time spent with Connie was unbelievable...we were both here in Europe together! CRAZY!  It was soo much fun to travel with her and her friends.  It was definitely hard to live in the moment at times because it was hard knowing it would end and I would have to go back to Cork...but I think I got much better at it as the trip went on!  Now, I am in the process of really finding the routine here in Cork.  Finding what I can really get involved in, who I really am going to spend time with, and how I am going to live in the moment!  Before I know it this experience will be over...I need to take it all in!

Thanks for reading!  I'm off to Church shortly and then pizza/movie night and skyping with Connie for first time in a week (She has been in Rome - so jealous!) before taking a trip with the mountaineering club tomorrow!!  Love you all!