tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51521831980892919092024-02-07T20:25:30.657-08:00paso a pasoEmilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-80502929863055360322013-04-17T08:27:00.000-07:002013-04-25T08:35:38.378-07:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Trip to Italy</span></i></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Recently I had the opportunity to visit a fellow American studying abroad in Pescara, Italy, a small city on the eastern coast. I flew in and out of Rome Ciampino Airport, and spent my last full day there in Rome before boarding the plane the following morning. Rome is an incredible city; I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who has the chance to visit. Even if you don't have the chance, make one--it's a city is unlike any other.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Photos from Pescara</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The unmistakable Colosseum</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Pantheon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Vatican from afar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Last but not least, the Trevi Fountain</span></div>
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-35737728081917975922013-04-09T06:40:00.003-07:002013-04-09T06:40:41.460-07:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Apartments, SIM Cards, and Spanish Residency</i></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After having lived in Spain for just about 8 months now I'm beginning to struggle with the idea of leaving and not coming back. Despite economic crisis and high unemployment (currently at 25% across the board and 59% in youth--meaning less than half of Spanish students currently enrolled in college will not get a job), the inevitable language barrier, and a general lack of urgency that seems to haunt the culture itself, I find I'm less than excited about returning home. Maybe it's just the thought of uprooting myself yet again, which, given the nature of the Suffolk Madrid program, I knew would be part of the bargain. But there's something about Madrid that I think I'm going to miss; maybe it's the juxtaposition of history and cosmopolitan ideals, or the down-to-earth grocery stores, or the laid-back lifestyle, or the weather, the nightlife, the language, the people, the streets. Somehow I feel as if I've only just gotten the hang of Madrid, and now I have to revert back to a way of living I'm not entirely I want to return to</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Personal problems aside, being enrolled in Suffolk Madrid has given me a bit of insight into the necessary procedures for residency here. In order to stay in Madrid past the expiry of a given visa, you must obtain a tarjeta de extranjera, or DNI, or the equivalent of the Green Card here in Spain. You have to present a number of documents to the Immigration Agency, including your passport, complete with a stamp indicating your date of entry, paperwork detailing that you have adequate funds to support yourself while in Spain, a certificate of empadromiento (which, from my understanding, more or less registers you in the Spanish immigration system via your address), and a few other items of note. Granted, the process is different depending on whether you're seeking residency as a student or as a potential employee, and it's in your best interest to have a solid understanding of Spanish in order to navigate various appointments, websites, and other bureaucratic measures. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There's more to living in Spain, however, than simply having a residency card. Finding an apartment, getting a cell phone, and even finding a job are all challenges foreigners face upon emigrating to Spain. There are multiple websites that cater to those looking to rent apartments in Madrid, with rates as low as 200 or 250 euros per month (granted, such apartments are usually about an hour commute away from the city center). Obtaining a SIM card--or a phone itself, depending on whether or not your US phone is unlocked and/or internationally compatible--is as easy as walking into any cell carrier store and speaking with a representative. For native English speakers, there are a multitude of agencies that provide short-term TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) training programs; you can sign up online for month-long courses, and tuition fees range between 1000 and 1500 USD. Much like with the residency card, however, a strong foundation of the Spanish language is almost imperative for these goals, not to mention successful integration into Spanish society. If, after a semester or two abroad, the thought does strike you to pursue Spanish residency, the most important thing to focus on is the language--after that, provided you have the resources and the desire, everything else is a matter of navigating Spanish bureaucracy.</span></div>
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-53571482168456884012013-03-27T18:00:00.000-07:002013-04-05T09:10:14.380-07:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Balancing Travel with Academics</i></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Regardless of whether you're a freshman or a senior, academics are a primary consideration when studying abroad. </span><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 24px;">Considering I'm only a freshman, I can't compare the workload here to anywhere in the states; objectively speaking, however, it's doable. Naturally, classes vary in intensity depending on the level and the teacher, but the schedule here at SUMC allows for adequate time to finish your coursework and still enjoy Spain (not to mention the rest of Europe). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That said it's important not to forget about school entirely. With discount airlines that offer cheap flights year round, it can be tempting to book a trip for every weekend of the semester. Those that do travel often put their trips off until the last few weeks of classes, leaving 10-page papers, 30 minute presentations, novels, and other projects off until the last minute. The story of procrastination is familiar to many, but foreign travel often complicates the equation. If you do book trips, it's best that they fall before the end of classes so you don't miss out on valuable study time, not to mention ensuring that you're actually in country for all of your finals. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Traveling on discount airlines also requires a bit of preparation, both physically and mentally. Perhaps the most important thing to take into consideration is the baggage limit: luggage must be under a certain size and weight in order to fly. Unlike regular international flights, however, you can and will be denied the chance to board your flight if you fail to meet these requirements--that, or you'll be forced to wear every jacket, sweater, shoe, and other removable article of clothing you've packed on the flight with you. There are no in-flight meals, the bathrooms cost 25 cents, and the airline may tack on fees as it sees fit depending on whether or not you are within their guidelines for travel. In the end it's a matter of reading the fine print and, when in doubt, traveling light. </span></div>
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-9913220861866836742013-03-22T06:17:00.000-07:002013-04-05T09:08:19.187-07:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Madrid in a Nutshell</i></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With Spring break happening all over the US, I've been lucky enough to have one of my best friends from home as a guest here in Madrid this past week. She'd wanted to come to Spain ever since high school; needless to say we could have stared at each other the entire week and she would have been happy. Of course we did much more than that; but with only six full days in country it was a matter of narrowing down the quintessential Madrid activities. Below is a list of what we did and, quite frankly, a list of things any traveler should aspire to do regardless of the duration of their stay.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In no particular order:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Visit Puerta del Sol</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Explore El Buen Retiro Park, including the Crystal Palace, Rose Garden, and Rowboats</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Visit the Royal Palace</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Order a Chocolate Napolitana from La Mallorquina, a wildly popular pastry shop in Sol</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Window and/or actual shopping on Gran Via</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Visit Templo de Debod at sunset</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Visit Plaza de España</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Visit Plaza Mayor</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Explore the Rastro flea market (Sundays only)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Order the Menu del Dia for lunch at any given Spanish restaurant</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sample traditional Spanish tapas</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Visit the San Miguel Market</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Walk Calle Cavabajas</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Visit the Prado Museum</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Catch a bus to the small city of Toledo and spend the day there</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Walk Calle Serrano</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Walk along the Rio Manzanares</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Experience Madrid at night (ie after midnight)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Visit the Circle of Fine Arts Museum and have a drink on the terrace</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The list is by no means comprehensive; there are countless other things to see and do in Madrid, but the above activities do, in my humble opinion, capture the essence of Madrid.</span></div>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-11897036710837692442013-03-12T14:00:00.000-07:002013-04-05T06:16:50.547-07:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Spanish Holidays: Easter</i></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Easter may not actually be here yet, but talk has already begun about the upcoming holiday week. Here in Madrid there are a number of religious processions, sort of like parades, that take place from the Sunday before Easter to the Sunday of. This entire week is known as the Semana Santa, or Holy Week. Shops and businesses don't close for the entire week, but they do observe a four-day weekend leading up to Easter (there are a number of other holidays that culminate in four-day weekends; the Spanish refer to these weekends as "puentes," or bridges). Aside from the processions, however, Easter isn't a particularly big deal in Spain, especially among those who are less than religious. Rarely will anyone wish you "Feliz Pascua," and while many families still gather for dinner, it's generally a very low-key event. Granted, the story may be different elsewhere in Spain; these are simply my observations from Madrid. </i></span></div>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-15663397633959208952013-03-03T12:24:00.000-08:002013-03-03T12:24:11.540-08:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<i>Housing Options in Madrid</i></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>As a student at SUMC, housing can make all the difference in your study abroad/freshman experience. As outlined in the information brochures, there are three types of housing here: host family, residence and apartment. Each option is unique to the SUMC campus (with the only exception being apartments, to some extent), which has no dorms or other designated residence area. Below is a brief list of the pros and cons of all three choices.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>Host Family:</b> As an incoming freshman at SUMC, host families are obligotory during your first semester here. The school has a network of families, most of which consist of older, single Spanish women whose children have moved out of the house; for this reason the majority of host families are located in the suburbs rather than the city center. Some speak English, but the idea is to learn the language and culture firsthand. Rules vary from household to household, but generally speaking you aren't allowed to use the kitchen or take food unless it's during mealtimes. As part of the half-board system you only receive two meals a day, typically breakfast and dinner. Host mothers will do your laundry, clean your room (sweep/dust/etc., not necessarily organize your things) and prepare your meals. However, the transition into a family that is not your own, in addition to the cultural differences, can sometimes generate friction between students and host families. If you're interested in improving your Spanish and learning more about the culture then this option is for you; however, of the three options, this one grants the least independence. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>Residence:</b> Although I've never had the experience of living in a residence, one of my good friends was placed there last semester. Residencies are more or less the middle ground between host families and apartments; while you live exclusively with other students, the school employs maids to clean the apartment, do your laundry, shop for groceries and prepare one to two meals per day. Many of the residences are located closer to the center of the city. It's a good way to meet other students from the school, but you can be lodged with as many as eight other people; in that sense it's the most similar of the three to dorm life. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>Apartment: </b>Typically reserved for study abroad students, but not off-limits to freshmen, the apartment offers the most freedom. In exchange for that freedom, however, you're responsible for your own laundry, cooking your own meals and/or eating out, and generally keeping the house clean. The school does employ a cleaning person to clean the apartment on a weekly basis, but he or she will not take care of the dishes or individual rooms. You aren't allowed to entertain guests past 11 pm and you're not allowed to drink alcohol within the apartment (although the same goes for host families and residences). Apartments are usually smaller than residences, and you typically live with four or five other people. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Hopefully that provides some further insight into housing options here in Madrid. </i></span></div>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-17811639233391099632013-02-20T08:26:00.001-08:002013-02-20T08:26:14.669-08:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<i>Trip to Lisbon, Portugal</i></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Of the many trips offered here at SUMC, few provide students with the opportunity to travel beyond Spain's borders; when I heard there would be a trip to Portugal in spring semester I immediately put my name in. I was lucky enough to be one of about 90 people who went on the trip this past weekend, and it was absolutely incredible. In addition to the city of Lisbon, we visited the suburb of Belém, nearby town of Sintra and the westernmost point of Europe, known as Cabo da Roca. The 8 hour bus ride from Madrid was certainly less than pleasant, but the regularity of the bus route leaves little excuse to miss this one-of-a-kind European city. Not only that, but they speak much better English in Lisbon than in most of Spain. Regardless of whether or not you make it Madrid, Lisbon and the surrounding area are a must-see.</span></div>
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-63250843838906025602013-02-04T03:58:00.000-08:002013-02-04T03:58:04.911-08:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<i style="font-weight: normal;">Running in Madrid</i></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As far as cities go, Madrid is of moderate size, yet it boasts a large number of parks and recreation areas for pedestrians and athletes alike. Although one can get plenty of exercise simply walking from one place to another, the city also caters to runners. Parks such as Retiro, Parque de Oeste and Casa de Campo offer an escape from the stifling city smog. Granted, these major parks don't attract just runners, and depending on the weather or the time of day you may have to fight your way through crowds to get a decent run in. Still, both novice and seasoned runner seek to gain from investigating some of Madrid's more popular trails.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>El Buen Retiro Park: </b>The Retiro is a great place to start for anyone who's new to running in Madrid. It features wide, easy-to-navigate trails, and its picturesque landscape, complete with a small boating lake, rose garden, and the famous Glass Palace, make for a pleasant run. The picturesque setting means there is a high volume of tourists as well as native recreationists. A complete loop around is about 4.5k, or 2.7 miles. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Parque de Oeste: </b>Another great park, and much less crowded than Retiro. Its main attraction is Templo de Debod, an ancient monument that's lovely at dusk. Be warned, however; the park is dangerous at night. A mid-to late morning or daytime run would be your best bet. Once around will bring you up to just about 5k, or 3 miles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Casa de Campo: </b>This vast expanse of undeveloped land is considered one of the best places to run in Madrid. It features a number of extensive trails with varied terrain--great for anyone who loves hills. Depending on the route one loop around would be 10k/6 miles or more. As with Parque de Oeste, though, it's best to run here during the daytime. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Parque de Canal Isabel II</b> - For those interested more in speed workouts, the park at Canal Isabel II features a 1200m track, with markers placed every 100 meters. Of course, the loop is more commonly used as a walking path than an actual track, and runners looking to knock out a workout will often need to dodge pedestrians along the way. Regardless, the park (which is also home to a small driving range, for those interested in golf) is well-maintained, and crowds can easily be avoided in the early morning. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It goes without saying that these are just a few of the many options for runners in Madrid. Many neighborhoods have their own smaller parks, and there are plenty who brave the city streets as well. Unfortunately, Madrid is known for its poor air quality; generally speaking it's best to run a) in the morning or evening, and b) as far away from traffic as possible. </span></div>
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-41237876241750317692013-01-24T02:14:00.004-08:002013-01-24T02:14:43.746-08:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Return to Spain: Trip to Seville</i></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Well, after a much-needed respite at home I'm back in Spain for my second semester at SUMC. Admittedly it was a rough start--not twelve hours after stepping off a plane in Madrid I found myself on a high speed train to Andalucia, a sunny region in the south of Spain. But even jetlag can't detract from a city as beautiful as this, and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip. The following photo diary (of sorts) was taken not only in the city of Seville, but from a number of other places we visited throughout our four-day excursion. Needless to say, southern Spanish culture is distinctly different from the northern way of life; the Moorish influence of centuries past can still be seen in the streets of Seville today. Though it was my first, it certainly won't be my last trip to the south of Spain. </span></div>
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<br />Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-86632187954509333352012-12-07T04:54:00.003-08:002012-12-07T04:54:47.635-08:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Trip to Paris</span></i></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To be fair Paris was a bit of a spontaneous venture--I purchased tickets a mere seven days prior to my departure. In the end, my three friends and I hopped a flight to the city of love for five days of unabashed tourism. We ate French, Japanese, Chinese, Turkish and supermarket food; walked the entire city of Paris in a span of six hours; helped a lost Malaysian woman find her way to her hotel; learned a bit of French; and somehow managed to avoid being robbed, cheated, or beaten (that we know of). Anyway, below is the photo diary:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Notre Dame </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Lock Bridge--where one can purchase, write on, and leave behind a lock to symbolize an everlasting romantic relationship, friendship, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">View from inside and outside of the Louvre Museum</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Scene from the Christmas markets, which had opened in Paris just before we arrived</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Arc de Triomphe at sunset</span></div>
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-9977990453292963812012-11-23T05:35:00.001-08:002012-11-23T05:35:12.930-08:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Spanish Flamenco</span></i></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As the title suggests, the videos above are from a Flamenco show last week at Casa Patas. Everything else is best described in video. </span></div>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-68446664246431550232012-11-12T12:07:00.001-08:002012-11-14T06:27:20.473-08:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On Strike: Madrid Edition</span></i></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Since this coming Wednesday marks the General Strike in all of Spain, I figured it might be best to address (briefly) the economic crisis as it applies to the Iberian Peninsula. To start, all of the strikes/riots etc. have been going on in Madrid well before I arrived, and from what I understand it is only recently that there have been more strikes and less riots. The reason for these protests revolves around the austerity measures the EU is currently imposing on Spain as part of the conditions of the (second) bailout for Spanish banks. According to the austerity measures, cuts will have to be made to various areas of society in order for Spain's budget to be approved and bailout funds to be disbursed--this after a recent tax increase to 21%. This on top of foreclosures, which are estimated at around 300 a day in Spain. In Madrid alone there's a proposal to close 9 hospitals, not to mention a spike in metro prices, and cuts in education and pensions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Eurozone crisis itself is a bit harder to explain, but as far as Spain's goes the country more or less overspent its budget and was forced to ask for a bailout. They are currently waiting on the second one. The difference between Spain and Greece lies in their integrity. Every December each country within the European Union must submit a financial report detailing the total expenses and incomes of the previous year. While Spain was relatively honest about how much it was spending, Greece forged its financial reports, and it wasn't until 8 years later than an investigation conducted by the European Union revealed the country's true financial state. Add in the fiscal troubles of Portugal, Italy, and Ireland--whose situations I am not well informed about--and you have the Eurozone crisis.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Granted, this is largely an oversimplification of the current situation. I tried to leave it in vague terms because I don't know the facts specifically; this is just what I've gleaned throughout my time here. Hope it offers some kind of clarification. At any rate, I'm supposed to see a Flamenco show this week, so hopefully it will be bright enough in there to take photos to post with later. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">EDIT: One of my friends took this photo earlier today...translated, from left to right: "criminals," "let the capitalists pay for the crisis," and "bankers go to prison."</span><br />
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-63862776557317188222012-11-05T12:29:00.002-08:002012-11-05T12:29:32.217-08:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Photography</i></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As difficult as it is to believe, November has arrived...which means that my time in Spain is almost up for this semester. I have a lot left to do here before shipping off to the homeland for Christmas, but not much has happene</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">d recently; the most exciting thing that's happened since Santander has been a trip to the movie theater. Thus, I've pulled together a few of my favorite photos of Spain, both as a means of stalling until I have something more interesting to report and an attempt to compile the best ones for Suffolk's photo competition. I'm not well versed in the art of photography, but the grand prize this year is something in the area of 50 euros so I might as well give it a shot. For the sake of integrity, I promise none of these photos are repeats from earlier posts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not actually going to enter this photo but the food was delicious</span></div>
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-7276875237093799502012-10-29T15:19:00.001-07:002012-10-29T15:19:29.768-07:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Excursion to Santander </span></i></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I hesitate in calling this past weekend a trip; considering I didn't leave the country, not to mention the brevity of our stay, excursion seemed more fitting. At any rate, I spent the past weekend in the northern Spanish city of Santander as the second of my two Suffolk-sponsored "trips," the first being the welcome/orientation trip to Salamanca. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The north of Spain is considerably greener than the south, not to mention much more mountainous.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Granted it was also much wetter than Madrid, but it was well worth shuffling through the drizzle. We had the chance to tour the small medieval town of Santillana del Mar, as well as two of the ancient caves the north of Spain is famous for, and our hotel in Santander was a mere 5 minutes from the beach. And so, without further ado:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Palace of the Magdalena, which overlooks the ocean.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Street view of Santillana del Mar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The north of Spain is well known for its milk and all milk products, and this giant bar of chocolate was well worth </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16px;">€</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2.50.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> We weren't technically supposed to be taking photos in the caves, but luckily I was able to take a few without blurring them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From our brief </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(rather anticlimactic)</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> visit to the city center</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The beach at night...the weird thing about October being that the ocean water is still warm, and in this case it was warmer than the air</span></div>
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-17518466109822975502012-10-21T15:36:00.002-07:002012-10-23T10:16:32.656-07:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Trip to Germany</span></i></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As the title suggests I recently took a 4-day trip to the Rhineland, which is, especially this time of year, absolutely breathtaking. I stayed with a family I met two years ago through an exchange program, and they were kind enough to welcome me into their home again this time around. Although I wasn't able to stay nearly as long as I liked, I was able to tour the cities of Bonn and Cologne, as well as the small town of Rheinbach nearest to their home. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Below is a sort of photo diary of my excursions there; image-heavy, but includes food documentation as well. Enjoy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">View of the Rhine river.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The small dog pictured in the photos above is named "perro"--my host family adopted him on their last trip to Mallorca, about eight years ago.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The famous Cologne cathedral offers visitors a chance to climb 509 steps to the its topmost tower (not pictured). It took my host sister and I about 20 minutes to make it to the top, but the view was well worth the effort. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Food</i></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Self-explanatory.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The most common form of water in Germany is sparkling mineral water...I'm not a fan personally, but it is refreshing.</span></div>
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-89251330434876403782012-10-13T05:53:00.005-07:002012-10-13T05:59:27.937-07:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>The Madrid River</i></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Considering yesterday was a national Spanish holiday, I had planned to put together a slightly more cultural post...but despite my best efforts I ended up sleeping through all the festivities (ie the parade). In brief, la Fiesta Nacional de España is the Spanish equivalent of Columbus Day in America, although in some ways it could also be compared to the American July 4th, in the sense that it's a celebration of national identity and culture as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;">Still, yesterday wasn't a total loss; our Spanish professor planned a small class outing for us along the Madrid river. Nearby points of interest include the Royal Palace, Egyptian Temple of Debol, Palace Gardens and the 4,000 acre Casa del Campo. According to our professor, the Casa del Campo, formerly the private park of the Spanish royalty, served as a battleground during the Spanish Civil War. In more recent years the Madrid River project has converted the riverside into "</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">a long park, and including an urban beach, rowing lanes on the river, walks, bicycle paths, kiosks, cafés and restaurants, terraces, cultural and sports facilities, areas for pensioners and children's play areas." (via <a href="http://www.gomadrid.com/beach/">Go Madrid</a>) At any rate, our class didn't end up going very far, but I was able to get a few photos in. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After our brief tour we stopped at a nearby cafe for hot chocolate and churros, an infamous Madrid snack. </span></div>
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-90185141262252076212012-10-05T13:12:00.001-07:002012-10-05T13:12:56.556-07:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<i>King of Spain</i></h2>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/OYWdVP5cswE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Above is a video by Swedish folk artist <i>The Tallest Man on Earth</i>, performing his song "King of Spain" live at Joy Esalva yesterday night in Madrid. Great show. One of my friends introduced me to his music a few years ago, and I was pretty excited to hear he was coming to Spain...there are so many concerts in Madrid it's hard to choose just a few (student budget) to go to. Hoping this was the first of many more to come. </span></div>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-11634110626280245222012-10-03T19:30:00.000-07:002012-10-09T15:17:32.036-07:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Madrid Botanical Gardens</span></i></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Earlier today I had the privilege of visiting the Madrid Botanical Gardens as part of an Environmental Studies class I'm taking. The park boasts shrubs and trees from all over the globe, some of which are sustained in greenhouses on the far side. Surprisingly, its central-urban location doesn't detract from the effect at all; once you step inside it's easy to forget you're in the heart of the city. Not necessarily a must-see, unless you're either a botany major or really into plants. (hint: I'm not a botany major)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Apparently there's only 40 of these trees left in the world...that pole in the background supports a security camera that monitors this specimen 24-7</span></div>
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-83973709653596532382012-09-30T03:25:00.001-07:002012-09-30T03:28:46.423-07:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Easy To Miss</i></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When visiting a foreign city for the first time, a lot of one's first exposure tends consists of tourist attractions. Don't get me wrong--landmarks, guided tours, museums, and other such activities provide much of the city's history, and are often frequented by natives and tourists alike. But often it isn't until you get past these "prerequisites" that you can really get a feel for a city's character. Places like flea markets, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">hole-in-the-wall restaurants, and the </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">lesser-known art galleries; places where the frequency of English-speakers tends to drop are often much richer culturally. This isn't to say that knowledge of such places instantly makes you a native; but they do provide a bit more intrigue than the average tourist attraction. For example: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A seemingly discreet storefront...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">...turns out to be a tiny restaurant dedicated to Alfred Hitchcock.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Complete with spectacular food. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4PpGMHMPClFs-hqZTxg1oh597sacSMUWOMZzRwMQyHSkCvL0xhLCG16AdnWaWXZfL5lzTXs2LxE6oJFdXZl3Y25NBcykFogao4AyAyQKV1aXGxpGb54GHRbdBOvBMOFRyDk7GcDfwfTL/s1600/IMG_0739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4PpGMHMPClFs-hqZTxg1oh597sacSMUWOMZzRwMQyHSkCvL0xhLCG16AdnWaWXZfL5lzTXs2LxE6oJFdXZl3Y25NBcykFogao4AyAyQKV1aXGxpGb54GHRbdBOvBMOFRyDk7GcDfwfTL/s320/IMG_0739.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Outside on the street, we stumble across a local flea market, overcrowded with people and antiques. </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2uWDk9L4KGE/UF8nYfFrYfI/AAAAAAAAICI/gFaV7ZFMjpU/s1600/IMG_0682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2uWDk9L4KGE/UF8nYfFrYfI/AAAAAAAAICI/gFaV7ZFMjpU/s320/IMG_0682.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the city center, the one-of-a-kind "vertical garden" indicates you've stumbled across...</span></div>
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<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizq2pyU957JVZCxGH9zd6cpmZQqQ9hwU393n5FMY9jcPIUX3tc_GDIfRgVicSh-YVLrXDUx96kkvU1GEXNDVioaNi0Jls5Y_tVij1Vg1YzWl_MjHWrXlZvLzjPt75jk7TTAqCNZUx3XhSt/s1600/IMG_0684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizq2pyU957JVZCxGH9zd6cpmZQqQ9hwU393n5FMY9jcPIUX3tc_GDIfRgVicSh-YVLrXDUx96kkvU1GEXNDVioaNi0Jls5Y_tVij1Vg1YzWl_MjHWrXlZvLzjPt75jk7TTAqCNZUx3XhSt/s320/IMG_0684.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">...the well-hidden Caixa Forum. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhefMI_RjzZhxJa4EkWLJM4su-zo6RzpkuhV9gFiFWj6BK_3rh4RP9qISKYiMjWuAn4ldxoz14Wdgn-z3EuExE5kwhcEuvQcz_1ho4-9wRI-nGUI371wEJP2ITT4LvlUYR9Yvr38wjuHADA/s1600/IMG_0687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhefMI_RjzZhxJa4EkWLJM4su-zo6RzpkuhV9gFiFWj6BK_3rh4RP9qISKYiMjWuAn4ldxoz14Wdgn-z3EuExE5kwhcEuvQcz_1ho4-9wRI-nGUI371wEJP2ITT4LvlUYR9Yvr38wjuHADA/s320/IMG_0687.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EpHsB6EdB-Y/UF8ngWpxx_I/AAAAAAAAIBU/Eq05dxCP8EA/s1600/IMG_0686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EpHsB6EdB-Y/UF8ngWpxx_I/AAAAAAAAIBU/Eq05dxCP8EA/s320/IMG_0686.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHIsmYk5hQ1Djx5j9cdWtVzo6AQPjY26SWhf05Dcj734hIDw420tAQpyTW46sROE77aZO1u3VAfpW6fhG_8fu9c0nNBd62OIGbM6Xs9__xeC5BP7pF1bbyQJBkcDZ9wgDn4_3hKBX3fYL/s1600/IMG_0689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHIsmYk5hQ1Djx5j9cdWtVzo6AQPjY26SWhf05Dcj734hIDw420tAQpyTW46sROE77aZO1u3VAfpW6fhG_8fu9c0nNBd62OIGbM6Xs9__xeC5BP7pF1bbyQJBkcDZ9wgDn4_3hKBX3fYL/s320/IMG_0689.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Unfortunately, photography of any kind is forbidden inside the exhibit.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6MeZbh3zZ2WeVdmTAzU7QnOm5h4yf9x8a9SE4K8FWAwqSRokh3QoLtDp61OSPuDasosrFnRqVrzOLvCrNE1rdkcQg5UIF_rZggZt1tTNh7GU4AM8E3yx5WZPaMlPfbtUfL218EsTiQE9Y/s1600/IMG_0690.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6MeZbh3zZ2WeVdmTAzU7QnOm5h4yf9x8a9SE4K8FWAwqSRokh3QoLtDp61OSPuDasosrFnRqVrzOLvCrNE1rdkcQg5UIF_rZggZt1tTNh7GU4AM8E3yx5WZPaMlPfbtUfL218EsTiQE9Y/s320/IMG_0690.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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(e<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xcept when no one's looking)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now that the preliminary stage (read: the landmarks, guided tours and museums stage) of my semester abroad is over I'm hoping to do a lot more exploring of places like these...stay tuned for more discoveries. </span><br />
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-85777786839377160742012-09-23T08:22:00.003-07:002012-09-23T08:25:16.958-07:00<h2 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Food and Drink in Spain</em></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">First edition.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G8MtoKP1daI/UEcbdnEOaeI/AAAAAAAAHys/hbzVD9OdFRE/s1600/IMG_0576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G8MtoKP1daI/UEcbdnEOaeI/AAAAAAAAHys/hbzVD9OdFRE/s320/IMG_0576.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Vegetable Paella</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6lrV1dGaCb0/UEpsGNxabzI/AAAAAAAAH2I/rItbStXQFh8/s1600/IMG_0612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6lrV1dGaCb0/UEpsGNxabzI/AAAAAAAAH2I/rItbStXQFh8/s320/IMG_0612.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Coffee with milk</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Cookies</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0kw9sALE0zeZNWNkKjvn-jM1tjrdEB1IoJb0U3MtI-d6vfgrjmYgoKy8w2cXlJup8gmXANGXynnjtrt_Q5fxhyphenhyphen-Yc7KK4Gz3T88r3xaLBsJmnipPzn3fBftC1ncFjgDcwXlsRWbRdU0gq/s1600/IMG_0671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0kw9sALE0zeZNWNkKjvn-jM1tjrdEB1IoJb0U3MtI-d6vfgrjmYgoKy8w2cXlJup8gmXANGXynnjtrt_Q5fxhyphenhyphen-Yc7KK4Gz3T88r3xaLBsJmnipPzn3fBftC1ncFjgDcwXlsRWbRdU0gq/s320/IMG_0671.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Strawberry Cake</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNWUESqldpruKap_6NRw0cf6U9rmzCZUPKrQDo1-cj_SJai_4WXNxUalykNMgI2PtiE2lT5umO41Tn7_7AT9Pmt4kpPkKLI8cDf3gpyxVNIy8zRZeVkKgfXKHuiEL5NLndPcZM-4hTrBG/s1600/IMG_0662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNWUESqldpruKap_6NRw0cf6U9rmzCZUPKrQDo1-cj_SJai_4WXNxUalykNMgI2PtiE2lT5umO41Tn7_7AT9Pmt4kpPkKLI8cDf3gpyxVNIy8zRZeVkKgfXKHuiEL5NLndPcZM-4hTrBG/s320/IMG_0662.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Salmon, peach and Philadelphia cream cheese on toast</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wX5phtfJlCE/UF8nvXdkX8I/AAAAAAAAICw/dqHFb6VInG4/s1600/IMG_0695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wX5phtfJlCE/UF8nvXdkX8I/AAAAAAAAICw/dqHFb6VInG4/s320/IMG_0695.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">(Delicious) psuedo-asian food</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUpJLEyHlVHfhFWYqxzBbwez4IPuDKJvDI25cy3CLnkEO-gu6LtWAU817Rw4ahSBtZ8kY88gbKDQlG0f5eEApcSkHWp8JNthJVlnNWBRk4NQdAyt-kT-v02PXMVYiu2eoXyEZ1TlvGHE5C/s1600/IMG_0676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUpJLEyHlVHfhFWYqxzBbwez4IPuDKJvDI25cy3CLnkEO-gu6LtWAU817Rw4ahSBtZ8kY88gbKDQlG0f5eEApcSkHWp8JNthJVlnNWBRk4NQdAyt-kT-v02PXMVYiu2eoXyEZ1TlvGHE5C/s320/IMG_0676.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Salmon vinaigrette on toast with hard-boiled egg</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XDvPL3lkJbg/UEIwKilbXwI/AAAAAAAAG9w/ylWPZDnWhhQ/s1600/IMG_0297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XDvPL3lkJbg/UEIwKilbXwI/AAAAAAAAG9w/ylWPZDnWhhQ/s320/IMG_0297.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">More coffee...</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-paqc1y-all0/UEJBs-bZE-I/AAAAAAAAHi8/h46qn0prBf0/s1600/IMAGE_7BD80608-0419-4F6F-8D6C-09CE4ADE8427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-paqc1y-all0/UEJBs-bZE-I/AAAAAAAAHi8/h46qn0prBf0/s320/IMAGE_7BD80608-0419-4F6F-8D6C-09CE4ADE8427.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">...more cake</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2dxubtdCH18LHQX5W2rZj8aOzJI9H6zIU0guYzmQbSSTbpb05XUeIzNWHXykyxo7U4w0wD0GiL2poa46K9OBR0jFhqzYcSjyT5o4l5oMfVnmCiG0hJekno2xhei5SrLguSzOsK6nIrGWk/s1600/IMAGE_B2E7AB02-9543-481F-B8E2-0141CCF2ADC0.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2dxubtdCH18LHQX5W2rZj8aOzJI9H6zIU0guYzmQbSSTbpb05XUeIzNWHXykyxo7U4w0wD0GiL2poa46K9OBR0jFhqzYcSjyT5o4l5oMfVnmCiG0hJekno2xhei5SrLguSzOsK6nIrGWk/s320/IMAGE_B2E7AB02-9543-481F-B8E2-0141CCF2ADC0.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">MEAT.</span></div>
<br />Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-82991852861249183652012-09-20T04:37:00.000-07:002012-09-20T04:37:41.001-07:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Spanish Breakfast</span></i></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Food is an integral part of Spanish culture. Eating itself is a much more formal affair than it is in the states; rarely do you see people eating while walking, in the subway, etc., as most people set aside enough time to sit down for their meals. Of the three set meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), breakfast is typically the smallest. Most Spanish take only a coffee and a small pastry in the morning. Lunch is served late in the day, around 1 pm at the very earliest and 4:30-5 at the latest. Consequently, dinner is also served later, usually at 9 or 10. In our host family, breakfast is laid out as follows: </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1YL2eYk7mFDv4PwNmMiin4wh64HK1MwYY6T4LhpAr0cgVCT6hhMoLm27sy4qizhevr00hTwLJLn-jeD59HVgjEtiSlHSam2U3oM9FhI-w1TD-hQ5XCscwNdjYbIgqXRjPrdGRULk6MnvO/s1600/IMG_0654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1YL2eYk7mFDv4PwNmMiin4wh64HK1MwYY6T4LhpAr0cgVCT6hhMoLm27sy4qizhevr00hTwLJLn-jeD59HVgjEtiSlHSam2U3oM9FhI-w1TD-hQ5XCscwNdjYbIgqXRjPrdGRULk6MnvO/s320/IMG_0654.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The selection, including hot water, sugar, tea...</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BfA_bcbzIR8/UFWnytYOCRI/AAAAAAAAH8Y/m2kVhRmurTg/s1600/IMG_0661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BfA_bcbzIR8/UFWnytYOCRI/AAAAAAAAH8Y/m2kVhRmurTg/s200/IMG_0661.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvVacYTAFBDpfuP0SFn_gyBZUuTFiqo0WBRbPGz_Vii-JjchhHagv-RKiF0ydlb_OH5mX6N7LTlrjUjFurng6oWrcroO031fY7MjaxGPTqwGtC1ZC8kLCn_lmeXuhJ0vQxy6WQuPNtlJ3/s1600/IMG_0657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvVacYTAFBDpfuP0SFn_gyBZUuTFiqo0WBRbPGz_Vii-JjchhHagv-RKiF0ydlb_OH5mX6N7LTlrjUjFurng6oWrcroO031fY7MjaxGPTqwGtC1ZC8kLCn_lmeXuhJ0vQxy6WQuPNtlJ3/s200/IMG_0657.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">...various cookies...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">...and some type of cereal. Milk is typically set out hours prior to eating, which admittedly is a bit repulsive at first. Sometimes our host mother will make us pound cake as well, but for the most part breakfast is limited. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lunch and dinner usually (although not always) consist of two courses and a dessert. In restaurants, bread and a beverage are also included. Photos of other meals to come soon.</span></div>
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-25885044655206267452012-09-16T04:35:00.003-07:002012-09-23T08:24:02.784-07:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">El Rastro</span></i></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As any travel guide will tell you, El Rastro is undoubtedly one of the most popular attractions in Madrid. Every Sunday tourists and natives alike flock to the streets of La Latina to browse the one-of-a-kind flea market; among the many stalls one can find jewelry, scarves, clothes, shoes, antiques, leather products, wood workings, and various other handmade treasures. For all its merit, though, the market also has its fair share of pickpockets, many of whom prey on English-speaking tourists. A purse with a zipper or hard-to-reach pockets are easy solutions for an uninhibited shopping experience.</span></div>
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-79335957437171947572012-09-09T10:38:00.000-07:002012-09-12T13:01:21.724-07:00<h2 align="center">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Hiking in Cercedilla</em></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Today we had the opportunity to go hiking in the mountains just beyond Madrid. As much as I'm growing to love the city it was great to get some fresh air, so to speak. The mountains really are spectacular. It was definitely a work out; we disembarked in the small town of Cercedilla (Therthedilla with accent) and from then on it was an uphill climb to the top of the mountain. We walked from the town up to the Ecopark itself, and from there we entered the trail and started our hour-long ascent to the top. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> I made the better part (all of it) of the journey with Leia, who, again, has earned her title as seasoned veteran here at Suffolk ("this is not my first rodeo"). She brought with her a plastic zip bag for wild blackberries so that she could enjoy a blackberry sundae when she got home. She was in luck; there were bushes located roughly every nine feet on the mountain, and she made sure to stop at every one. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">An hour and a half later we're trailing the rest of the group, but thankfully Leia has gathered more than enough food to last us through the winter. We're just about to reach the top when it begins to drizzle. Leia, mid-harvest, is unfazed. As we continue on it begins to rain harder, until suddenly the skies open and it begins to hail. By now it's also started thundering, and so Leia and I take shelter beneath the nearest tree. We wait there for the hailstorm to subside, although it's still raining by the time we finish our trek up the mountain. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Needless to say we didn't stay long.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mid-storm (the last supper)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Post-storm/sun (gray fabric between my knees is wet clothing)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At any rate we made it back down the mountain alive, where our professor treated everyone to a much-needed cup of coffee. Our bus ride back was delayed, however, by the Vuelta de Espana, which is apparently Spanish equivalent of the Tour de France. One minute we're en route to Madrid, and the next our driver is standing on the side of the road with everyone else waiting for the cyclists to come through. Slept through the rest of the ride home. Awoke to Leia bemoaning the malformation of her blackberries, which she had apparently crushed mid-nap. Went home and passed out...the end.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Waiting for the bus/miserable</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Blackberries.</span></div>
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Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-54884151848031059462012-09-02T18:30:00.000-07:002012-09-12T13:14:10.219-07:00<h2 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Sunday In Madrid</em></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">After getting some sleep post-Salamanca I felt much more prepared to take on my first actual Sunday in Madrid. No idea if I'm still jetlagged or not, I sleep all the time regardless. At any rate, today:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Breakfast (tortitas con nata) at an infamous pastry shop in Puerta del Sol. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Old church where Leia attends Sunday mass.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Street performer near the Museo del Prado.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Walk through the Retiro park. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The day concluded with lunch...of a questionable-looking paella dish. I learned later never to order from menus like the one pictured above as it's all premade. Still a great way to spend a day. The weather in Spain seems to be perpetually sunny...I can't get enough of that blue sky.</span> </div>
<br />Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5152183198089291909.post-30957428234697926982012-09-01T21:20:00.000-07:002012-09-12T13:07:07.166-07:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Welcome Trip to Salamanca</em></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As students here at SUMC we only have a few days to settle into Madrid before being whisked away to an all-expense-paid trip to the lovely city of Salamanca--a stipulation no one seemed to mind. At the end of the four days t</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">here's not much to say that can't be better explained in pictures. Without further ado:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Few things can compare to standing in an ancient cathedral; the feeling is indescribable. Even as someone with a secular background I could actually feel the change in atmosphere once we entered the building. And the architecture...really spectacular. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The view from the top of the cathedral.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Plaza Mayor in Salamanca.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Horseback riding at Valverde Finca. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A few shots from La Alberca, an old medieval town outside of Salamanca. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last but not least...food. :) Afternoon coffee and cheescake, late-night crepes, and early evening tapas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Overall a great trip...but definitely glad to be back in Madrid. Looking forward to exploring the city this week; more to come soon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">**<strong>NOTE:</strong> If any of the photos aren't showing up in your browser, right click + show image should do the trick.</span> </div>
Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14234713507265778250noreply@blogger.com0