My “Culturally Diverse” weekend…

It’s funny, because during the weekdays, I am ITCHING to get to the weekends so I can do all the fun things I have planned! Friday I went with some of the USAC students on an early morning voyage to a national park about 2 hours away from Madrid to KAYAK! We kayaked along the Duraton River with a tour guide and were on the lake for about 3 hours. We learned about vultures that reside in the park and saw ruins of some ancient monasteries and villages that were built in the 1300s, as well as the home of Saint Fructus and a sight where he created a miracle which made him a saint. After a hike up a huge, sandy hill and some after-effect achy arms from paddling, our group went to a restaurant for some paella! Paella is a rice dish served with chicken and seafood and vegetables and is famous for its Spanish roots. It is a very savory dish, but not knowing what kind of meat and mixing types of meat has not been too appealing for me. Plus there are shells and eyes to keep watch for in each forkful… (see below).

Saturday I went shopping with my friends down Goya Street and in Puerta del Sol and I got a necklace at a really cool store called Sfera. In the evening, a couple friends and I went to a famous chain of restaurants in Spain called El Tigre which are known for mojitos THE SIZE OF YOUR HEAD. I couldn’t finish all of my drink, even though it was delicious. Along with the mojito you are served tapas, typically potatoes with a creamy sauce over it called patatas bravas (Have I mentioned they love carbs here?). It was the most crowded bar I have been to so far, but I am sensing many more nights at El Tigre because of the fun we had.

Sunday I went to a bullfight with some friends, which is one of Madrid’s biggest claims to fame and a deeply rooted tradition in Spain. It is a once in a lifetime event for me, as I do not plan to go back… But the architecture of the stadium is beautiful (of course), and I guess more than anything this experience made me more “culturally aware.” The matadors were very graceful and colorful, and are considered huge celebrities in Spain, similar to our celebrity athletes.

OBSERVATIONS:

-Seafood is usually served with the full body intact…eyes and everything. I learned this the hard way after my first bite of paella when I discovered a full prawn had unknowingly been under the rice.

-When all else fails… Bread saves the day. Spaniards love their carbs, and if I don’t like a meal, there’s always bread to fill me up

-Spaniards hardly recycle

-Most are not overweight. My friends and I decided that even though they eat only carbohydrates and seafood, they sit and enjoy their meal, and aren’t rushing around.

-I’ve probably mentioned this before, but I take the metro to and from school and it is KILLING me that it isn’t customary to bring coffee in travel mugs.

-I don’t like bullfighting. That was definitely a once in a lifetime deal.