Thankful for THANKSGIVING!

So for some reason or other, this year I am really excited about Thanksgiving, which is quite odd because Thanksgiving doesn’t exist here in Spain, but you know what they say, if you build it, he will come. Maybe I am also excited because last year on Thanksgiving I didn’t plan anything to celebrate, and then in a bout of depression I baked an apple pie and rang in Turkey day eating a large majority of it, in a cold, musty apartment.

So in all my excitement I made an announcement to all the teachers at my school last Thursday at lunch, I told them this Thursday was a very special holiday in the US and I wanted to share this special day with them and prepare some special things for Thanksgiving. After giving my little speech everyone gave me a round of applause and I was so excited and pumped for Thanksgiving.

However as Thursday approaches I realize I have bit off a little more than I can chew. Preparing a Thanksgiving feast is a task in its own, under all the right circumstances, but can you imagine preparing a Thanksgiving feast, ALONE and then transporting this feast via public transportation, to a town 20km away, all by a girl who only has two hands?! Ha good thing I like a challenge. Some might think this task impossible, but this is what living abroad is all about, getting creative, concurring problems and kicking ass along the way!

I was lucky enough to find a store that sold canned pumpkin and cranberries, but being the thrifty and sensible girl I am, I laughed at this canned pumpkin, way over priced, I can do this myself. So I am off to the produce stand to buy a pumpkin, cook it and make my own. Yes a little more work but a girls go to save a buck, got to buy that bird you know.

Look out StoveTop, there is a new sheriff in town. That’s right, found a recipe for homemade stuffing, and actually just made a test round of it (I wanted to make sure everyone’s favorite Tgiving dish was up to snuff for my fellow teachers). I will admit it is pretty good, but I do think stovetop is better, those people at Kraft have been doing it for years, oh well, can’t win them all. If I learned anything from the movie/book Julie/Julia, it is the more butter the better, so next time more butter, less bread.

I think cooking this feast should honestly be no problem, just very time consuming. My biggest challenge figuring out how the heck to get this stuff all to my school. Good thing for every problem there is a solution. Wish me luck!

Two Dozen, it Aint so Bad (Return to my Pueblo)

If someone would have asked me a year ago where I would be spending my 24^th birthday, I am not quite sure what I would have said, but one thing is for sure I definitely wouldn’t have imagined I would be venturing back to spend my birthday in Almonte. Funny how things change, we open up our minds, break down our walls, exit the box and we discover new things, meet new people, form new bonds and we begin to become attached to a place…at least that is what happened to me last year in Almonte.

I had been wanting to make the long voyage back south pretty much since I left last May, when I learned Luisa was planning a surprise visit back to the Pueblo I knew I had to partake, and the rest is history. Last Thursday I left school early and thus began the journey.

Arriving back in Almonte was crazy, there were new shops and bars, but other than that, everything remained the same. After my arrival Thursday evening we were all lucky enough to reunite for a lovely Italian dinner, cooked by a real Italian…que rico!!!

Friday morning I woke up surprising late, due to the fact I was sleeping on an airbed not much bigger then my body…but I was in my old apartment so I felt like I was at home and didn’t really mind. To begin the festivities Armando, Julia, Tina and I headed to our favorite breakfast place to have; café con leche, fresh squeezed orange juice, and toast…doesn’t get much better than this.

After breakfast we prepared a picnic and headed south, direction PLAYA (beach). I don’t know what it is, may my roots as a water sign, or always growing up near the water and loving it, but being away from the water give me a little type of anxiety…I am not sure what it is, regardless I miss it and it had been almost two months since my last sight of water, it was time.

Another thing I forgot to mention is the weather in Andalucia was amazing; it felt like summer in the afternoon. It has been every warm and dry there since pretty much last April, looks like the place could use a good ‘ol Seattle down pour. I originally had not packed my bathing suit, who goes swimming in the ocean in Novemeber? I do!!! The weather was perfect, not a cloud in the sky not a breath of wind. So shortly after our arrival at the beach, I had to strip down to my birthday suit and take a dip. It was amazing.

Part of the beach in Matalascanas is actually in the National Park, Donana. The park is a wild life reserve and there for the beach there is completely virgin, nothing but sand and waves for miles and miles. It was a refreshing change from the hustle and bustle of daily life in the big city of Madrid. We spent the entire afternoon at the beach—relaxing, it was paradise.

Later that evening, Tina decided she wanted to throw a party at our old apartment! Good idea Tina! Man she sure does know how to throw a party. There was delicious food, lots of drinks, beer and three cakes to boot! Everyone had a fantastic time. We danced, talked, drank, ate…pretty much all my favorite things.

No sleeping in after the party, the next day we were up early to head to Sevilla to go on a tapas tour. The day was perfect weather and temperature. We toured the city, drinking beers and ordering tapas at each stop, too delicious to describe, I wouldn’t be able to do the food justice, all I can say is D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!!! Yumyum.

Breakfast

Spaniards are typically not known for the breakfasts. Going out for breakfast in Spain you do not get the same typical fair you would expect to get back home, eggs, bacon, potatoes, etc. Spanish breakfast in more simple, usually some kind of carbohydrate and a café con leche.

While I do hold a special place for American breakfast in my heart (probably thanks to my dad who made me wonderful hot breakfast before school every day) I also love going out for Spanish breakfast, especially on Sunday. Something about getting up early, going to have a coffee and toast with tomatoes and olive oil and catching up with a friend that is just a great way to start the day. I also love to people watch. (These are some pictures from Tina’s latest trip to Madrid, and our breakfast in my favorite neighborhood, La Latina).

El Rastro

El Rastro is one of the biggest flea markets in Europe. Every Sunday in Madrid they shut down the streets in the La Latina and Puerto de Toledo neighborhoods and vendors take the place of cars and eager shoppers fill the streets. There are all sorts of shopping opportunities at El Rastro, you can get jewelry from all over the world, scarves, clothes, flowers, leather good from Morocco and so much more. A very fun way to spend a sun day morning, walking around, people watching, maybe getting a few goodies. I love El Rastro!!!

Plaza de Castilla, My Hood

I live in the northern end of the center of Madrid, which is located close to Plaza de Castilla, a square that has been under construction for as long as a can remember. A famous viewpoint for this square is the two slanted towers in the picture above. Usually the street where I am standing is slammed with traffic, but this day there happened to be some kind of parade going on so the street was closed.

Segovia

Segovia is the capital of the Spanish province, Castilla and Leon, and is located about 100 kilometers north of Madrid. It is the perfect place to head for a day trip with easy transport via bus or high-speed train.

Segovia is a very old city with heavy Roman influence. It is home to an aqueduct that dates back to late first and early second century (whoa that is old). The aqueduct carried water 10 miles from the Frio River to the center of Segovia. It’s the most well preserved Roman structure on the Iberian Peninsula.

Segovia is also home to the Alcazar, a fortress and royal palace, which was Walt Disney’s inspiration for the Royal Palace in Disney Land. BEAUTIFUL!

A well know Segovian specialty is Cochinillo, a roasted baby suckling pig. In ever restaurant in the entire town you see advertisement for the cochinillo menu of the day, along with displays of a dish of en entire baby big. Unfortunately I had to pass and didn’t try the typical dish, those pigs were too damn cute, but I hear that it is delicious. I opted for some delicious little cookies instead.

Midday Beers and Moma 56

So last week I had been recuperating all week long, due to some kind of virus, but luckily not the swine flu (or GripeA as they call it here in Espana). Needless to say by the time Thursday rolled around I was antsy and dying to get out of the house.

My opportunity for a little bit of fiesta presented it sooner than I expected during my lunch break at school. I was preparing materials in the teachers lounge when my boss Eva asked me “Lisa, you want to get a beer with us?” Following my ambition to never say no when presented with an invitation to do something in Madrid, I said, “Sure. When?” Thinking Eva was going to say after school, she responds, “In five minutes, before we have lunch.” This is one of the reasons I sure do love this town, teachers leaving the elementary school midday to go hoist back a few cervezas, no big deal.

By the time school got out on Thursday I was s excited for the weekend, Monday was some kind of holiday, not sure which one, the important thing, it was a four day weekend and I was going to take Madrid by storm. I didn’t want to get to wild, as I was still on the mend, I was just excited to get out for a while and go out on the town.

By Eleven o’clock I was leaving the house my highest and most uncomfortable heels with a party pack of a few beverages in hand, on the way to have a few drinks with some friends before going out. I promised myself I was only stay out until 1:30, so I could grab the last metro home before it closed. Hey, promises are meant to be broken right, I was so excited to finally be out, I owed it to myself to keep the party going on. Met a ton of nice people from all over different parts of the globe at my friend Honor’s place. After hanging there for a while we decided to catch the last metro train and head to Moma, a swanky discoteca (located at the Gregorio Marianon metro stop) to get our groove on. Luckily it was free entry for Madrid University students with bebida incluida (free drink), and a nice new friend vouched that I attended the university with her.

Moma is your typical discoteca, dark, lots of neon, flashing lights, loud, loud techno music and typical array of gente (people) dressed to the nines, dancing with copas (mixed drinks) in their hands. It is a pretty cool place, nothing life changing, nor a place you HAVE to visit while in Madrid, but if you are looking to dance and have a good time it is not too bad. A copa (which is a mixed drink, pick your type of alcohol and soda) was ten euros a pop, so I choose to abstain after my initial free drink.

Met some nice people there at Moma. Madrid is such an international city, I swear everyone I meet is from some where else. Even met and talked with a very nice gay couple, they later invited me to accompany them home for a threesome, yet I had to decline.

After a few hours at Moma, my high heels seemed like a very poor choice of footwear. It was time to go home. I had a very friendly taxi driver, who told me I was the most beautiful girl he had never seen (rough translation) and that if I gave him the opportunity he would follow be home to America in June. Does it make me shallow that I felt a little less flattered as I paid, exited the cab and realized my choufer was missing his two front teeth? Maybe Santa will be good to him at Christmas this year.

Pastelería Española (Spanish Bakery)

Many Spanish people have told me there is nothing quite like Spanish baked goods. It is true when looking in the windows of Spanish bakeries all the sweets look so decadent and fancy but to be quite honest I haven’t been a big fan of the flavour of any of these goods the bakeries produce. Lets be real, they ain’t got nothing on West Seattle’s Bakery Nuvo or my personal favorite, the little doughnut shop at the Pike Place Market. Probably just as well, less temptation. There is one thing that is worth trying however, its called a palmera, a heart shaped pastry and my personal choice is the one that comes dipped in chocolate. So during my time here I am on a quest to find the best palmera Madrid has to offer, one selfless deed I will do to make others trip here to Madrid more enjoyable!

Buen provecho!

“Tengo una corazonada” (I have a hunch)

This saying has been plastered all over Madrid, “Tengo una corazonada,” meaning I have a hope, Madrid’s slogan as an Olympic city candidate in 2016. Everyone is Spain was pretty amped up for the possibility of having the Olympics here, polls showed that over 87% of citizens were in-favor of the games being held here as opposed to 33% of citizens in Chicago. On the 27^th of September Madrid celebrated “El Dia de la Corazonada” in the Plaza de Cibeles. The hope was to have over one million people come to the plaza to create the biggest human representation of a human hand.

The was music, tons of people in the street, dancing, face painting and a live concert after a photo was taken from above of all the people who came to celebrate Madrid’s chances to host the games.

Hot Eats, Cool Treats.

So travel experts advise when traveling abroad you should fight all urges to nap, battle through the day and go to bed at a normal hour in the new time zone you are in. What the heck do those experts know anyways, I say when tired take a nap. Five hours later I was energized and ready to go.

Chueca is a hip, trendy neighborhood in Madrid, known for its bars, cute shops, chic restaurants, hopping discotecas and it is also know as the gay district. There is a famous bar there, El Tigre, known for its cheap drinks. With the purchase of any 1.50E beer, hard cider, or wine you receive a little plate of hot food (TAPAS!). It use to be a tradition in Spain to receive a free portion of food, know as tapas along with every glass of beer or wine, but as times have changed, so has this charming tradition and it is only practiced certain regions of Spain., like Granada for example.

El Tigre is located in the heart of Chueca at Calle de las Infantas 30. Because El Tigre is infamous for its free tapas, it is usually packed, standing room only. After realizing my dream of FREE tapas at EL Tigre was unlikely to come true, we wandered down the street in search of something else. That is when we came across El Respiro, five doors down from El Tigre, a hole in the wall bar, with electronic gambling machines, and lots of young people enjoying themselves.

Much to our surprise after ordering a couple of beers we also received various plates of hot delicious food…FREE!!! We had come to the right place. These free gift of tapas really got reved up, so for desert we decided to go for a few copas, or mixed drinks. After talking to several street promoters, hand out flyers advertising their bars, we decided on Underwood, a trendy late night spot, with an old school typewriter in the window as its location is home to the first newspaper in Spain, or so the club promoter told us. When I asked what the paper was called he didn’t know and I was left wondering if this perhaps with just a myth…oh well, sounds cool anyways.

A few copas later I was feeling good and enjoying Madrid. We decided to call it a night early in order to catch the metro (subway) before it closed at 1:30am. In route to the Metro we were temped to enter Liquid, trendy discoteca. Holy cow I have never seen so many men in my life. I guess this is why they call Chueca the gay district!!!

Zona de Fumadores

Once arriving in Spain, you immediately notice the cultural differences between Spain and the United States. For example the “zona de fumadores,” the smoking zone.

Estoy Aqui! Estoy Alli! (I’m here! I’m there!)

So as I am sure as you can imagine I have arrived safe and sound in Madrid, after a long journey. The Toronto International Airport was quite nice and modern, it even had free wi-fi. I unfortunately had a six-hour layover. I couldn’t decide weather to rot in the airport awaiting my next flight or if I should take Toronto by storm and explore the city for a few hours. Both sides had their pros and cons. Rotting in the airport would be playing it safe, no risk involved there, just sitting, waiting, wishing…to be anywhere but in the airport. Leaving would mean taking a risk, doing something different and running the possibility of missing my flight. I decided to go for it!

The nice guard at customs gave me some advise on a bus to take into the city right outside the airport doors. Once I was outside I was lucky enough to meet a nice young Air Canada flight attendant, Jen, who help me figure out the best way to take a bus then a train into the city. I really wanted to check out that lake they have there in Toronto, but Jen said it would be a little risky, since the lake was pretty far from the airport, next time.

It was about a 45 minute trip to the center. I walked around a bit, found MTV Tronto, had some lunch, then aimlessly roamed the city to stretch my legs a bit. Nothing really too exciting to report back about Toronto, looked a lot like Vancouver to me. After a couple hours in the center, I decided to play it safe and head back to the airport.

I embarked on my trip excited, with lots of energy but as the hours past, my bright eyed and bushy tailed attitude faded. As I sat in the airport seriously though about taking my own advise of heading to duty free and purchasing a bottle of Kentucky’s finest Maker’s Mark, but then I remembered there would be unlimited wine provided aboard, how lovely. And before I knew we were leaving North America and headed toward Iberia.

Riding Along Route AC836 Seattle to Madrid

Greetings everyone as I begin my journey from Seattle to Madrid. I’ll have to say traveling is great and I love new and exciting destinations, yet the process of getting to that destination is often times not the most enjoyable experience, especially when flying alone. Since I have got the next 18 hours to mentally prepare myself for my voyage to Spain’s booming metropolis capital, I have been thinking of clever tips to make long international travel more pleasant, enjoyable and successful.

-Try smiling no matter what kind of line your are patiently waiting in, check-in, security, customs, the newsstand; for some reason most people in airports are cranky, you’ll get a kick noting the melancholy looks on fellow passengers faces and your smile might just brighten up their day.

-Avoid escalators, people movers, elevators, anything that is going to cut down on your exercise—your most likely going to be trapped in a small space for multiple hours and it is a smart idea to get as much exercise as possible. This will also wear you out for your flight, make you more relaxed and hopefully aid in an in-flight nap.

-Go window shopping or browse all the shops in your terminal. This will kill time and its fun to see how high they jack up the prices of airport merchandise.

-Feeling run down? If you have a layover head over to the local duty free store for a quick refreshing makeover. Duty-free stores often have nice high-end make –up, sweet smelling perfumes and if you’re lucky the might even have some cheese and crackers! You’ll be looking, smelling and feeling good!

-Thirsty? Staying hydrated while traveling is very important. I would recommend bringing an empty water bottle and filling it up after going through security. Or if you want a cold and refreshing treat head to Starbucks (they’re everywhere!) and just ask for a large ice water, it’s free-99.

-Comfort is key, so wear something comfy yet cute. Normally I would just opt for sweats and something grubby but I feel like people are nicer to you if you look nice and you got to look good to feel good.

-If all else fails and after following the advise above you are still feeling cranky and anxious after many hours of travel head to the local duty free and buy a bottle of your favorite adult beverage. Economic, smart and relaxing!

Happy Travels

See ya later Seattle, Hello Madrid

Hey everyone,

As I am sure most of you know I am headed to Madrid for the year, working for the Spanish government as an English teacher! While I will be working as a teacher by day, I will be working as a journalist and blogger by night, discovering all the wonderful things that Madrid has to offer. So please follow my blog if you want to learn more about traveling and discovering Spain's booming metropolis capital. 

The purpose of this blog is to provide a "travel guide" so-to-speak for those of us looking for something a little different. I know there are millions of travel guides out there, how the heck do we choose one? Well my travel guide is geared toward the twenty something traveler who is looking to see, experience and explore the world and have a good time. It is also for the savvy traveler who might want to cut costs, or who might want to utilize their cash for other luxuries, like shoes for example. 

I am taking on this task and am ready to tackle Madrid inside out, exploring all the museums, tapas restaurants, nightlife, sporting events, festivals and all the wonderful things that make Madrid such a popular and well known tourist spot.

So please follow my blog and explore Madrid with me. 

Besos XXOO

Lisa Marie