now i just arrived in cordoba. two days ago i went to a beach in cadiz, the oldest city in spain. unforunately, it was pretty much a sandstorm all day, so needless to say we didnt get much sun as we tried to shield our bodies from every burst of wind with every article of clothing we brought with us. even so, the little town nearby was beautiful.
sevilla on the other hand, aside from the castle and the cathedral, was a big disappointment. food is bad. and most of the restaurants claimed they were cerrado (closed) or lleno (full) when they werent, just to avoid serving us. and they answered our requests in english very condescendingly as opposed to spanish, which is how we asked them. very frustrating that we're trying but still being rejected. oh well. one night was very fun though. we played beer pong at a bar called bar long island, clearly made for americans, and we played against some spanish guys and we were talking smack in spanish back and forth, and then samantha and i won! it was a highlight, and the guys were hilarious. they said one important thing that really made an impact on me. when we kept telling them they were going to perder (lose), they said, it's ok. it's just for fun in spain. para divertir y beber (to have fun and drink). and we said, pero en america, siempre queriamos ganar (in america we would always like to win). And then he said, that may be true, but you're in spain now. it's so true. america is such a competitive culture, and sometimes you really have to take a step back and see things for the experience and the fun and not as a race or a competition. #1 lesson learned. #2 lesson learned: lebara mobile and cellularabroad.com are awful companies.
in other news, today we went to a mosque in cordoba. it was pouring rain, and we were not prepared for it. and our tour guide was very boring and rude. oh well. the rain has let up, and we are in a new city, in a nicer hotel, with a faster internet connection and hopefully a more significant form of sustenance somewhere in the city. and fyi daddy, we are trying every place under the sun to get good food, from little hole-in-the-wall places to bigger restaurants. and its still gross. :-)
today we have dinner at 8, and then a tour of la alhambra. i will write more later! must ducharme (shower) after being poured on earlier.
hasta luego!
alka at la alhambra
3 comments:
Enjoyed reading your post - you seem to be having some unlucky adventures (except for Pong!)
Here is some info on food that you might find useful - especially the "tapas"
Eating food out in Spain is often cheap and meals are substantial rather than gourmet. One of the best ways to sample Spanish food is to try tapas, or snacks, which are served at any time of day in local bars.
In Spain food ranges from cheese and olives to squid or meat delicacies and are priced accordingly. Many of the specialities of Spanish cuisine are based on seafood, although regional specialities are easier to find inland than along the coast.
In the Castile area try the roast meats, mainly lamb, beef, veal and suckling pig, but there are also stews, sausages, country ham and partridges. Andalucía is noted for its cooking (which shows a strong Arab influence), especially gazpacho, a delicious cold vegetable soup, a variety of fried fish including fresh anchovies, jabugo ham from Huelva and many dishes based on the fish which the coast provides in such abundance. Asturias has its bean soup, fabada, cheeses and the best cider in Spain, and in Galicia there are shellfish, especially good in casseroles, and a number of regional seafood dishes such as hake à la Gallega...
I have to stop now - my mouth is watering and I wish I was there with you for some tapas!
Hi sweetie,
Glad to hear that you made it there safe. I miss you lots and lots here. So sorry for the bad start to your Spain adveture. I'm sure things will get better soon. You have to make the best of what you are given and not let a the crazy winds and rood people bother you. Beer pong, just can't seem to escape it. But then again you're nasty at it so if its the only highlight of the trip so far so be it.
Got to get back to work.
Just wanted to let you know that I was thinking about you.
Alka:
A decent cava will help you wash down just about anything put in front of you!
Seriously, have fun and be safe.
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