El bosque?! Madre!

One thing I've learnt from my weekend in Pais Vasco is that there is Spanish time.... and then there's Brazilian time. I was only just getting used to Spanish time!! Anyway, this weekend I went on an ERASMUS trip to San Sebastian and Bilbao. It unfortunately started with a very unpleasant hour of the morning - good thing was that the bus left from right outside my flat! About an hour and a half into the journey when we were woken up for our quick cafe stop by shouts of "Vamos chicos!" I realised that patience was going to be a very important aspect of the weekend! We arrived at our hostel which was up a very big hill in San Sebastian and then were taken to another hill (it's a very weird looking city) to look at the views.

Sorry for the overload of pictures but OMG HOW PRETTY IS IT?! I can't explain how absolutely bizzare it looks, but it was just gorgeous. Luckily we had really fantastic weather on Saturday too - quite chilly but sunny. 

I don't like that I'm starting to look more and more ginger.... this was not the plan.

After a few more cries of "Vamos chicos!" (it was really getting on my nerves by this point) we walked back along the beach, past some really random blow holes and back into the centre of town. We managed to just quickly stick our heads into the Cathedral before taking the bus back up to the hostel. 

Now, we'd been told that the organisers were going to make us 100 litres of sangria for that night. I was dubious until we saw them load a trolley full of red wine, lemonade and sugar into the luggage hold of the bus - and I do mean the trolley; like, the whole thing! We then put that together with the black rubbish bin that had been loaded on to the bus that morning - and the whole thing made sense...

After some rather odd drinking games we started to walk down the hill and go out. I'm going to spare the gory details of this walk as it was basically a walk down tiny "paths" in the dark. I was really worried about ruining my new boots!! But once out of the forest we found our way to our natural habitat, the nearest club.

The next morning was tough. Sore heads and throats all round. So what did we do? See that hill behind me and Kerensa's head in the picture - we walked up it. Standard Spanish thinking. At this point "Vamos!" was making me want to be sick. Although at the top the Castle was pretty cool.

Kerensa wasn't very good at looking sad....

I did tell her that climbing on the canons would not be acceptable at any National Trust establishment in Britain. But she didn't listen.

Eventually we hit the road again and travelled to Bilbao. Bilbao was different, it's obviously a really industrial town and there were some parts that weren't that nice to look at, but lots of the old town has been renovated recently and looks amazing. We took a tour all around the old town and into the new town and the Guggenheim.

*Edinburgh people* 

Look, A TRAM!! And it works and everything!!

The Guggenheim was amazing. Obviously. Although, a little too easy to get lost in. 

So that was San Sebastian and Bilbao. Coming up soon; Barcelona with the wonderful Mari-Jane Paterson and Leon with the Oviedo troop. And not long after that HOME!!

Dear God I'm old (part 2)

Following on from that epic picture of Mum and Dad at lunch, the rest of my birthday was spent buying a very expensive pair of boots (as a present to myself) and going for dinner at a really lovely restaurant. After that it was time for the Oviedo lot to "meet the parents" so off we went to "That Robin Hood bar" as Alwyn so eloquently put it, for some more drinking. I was presented with a copy of Pride and Prejudice in Spanish - hours of entertainment to be had! The family withdrew at about midnight and we journeyed on for our classic night out in Oviedo which as always, featured a trip to BATCAVE!

Those tiny little shot glasses could be my favourite thing about Spain...

The next day (hangover in check with a healthy dose of paracetamol and caffeine) we took the train to Aviles. Our first stop was the Oscar Niemeyer centre, which is the first thing you see when arriving at the train station in Aviles, because its HUUUUGE! 

Rachael's pictures are much better obviously. But you get the idea. It's huge. It's white and yellow. It's a crazy shape. And it's built out of concrete (eh?) The idea was to make something really amazing to sit in the middle of the industrial part of Aviles -and it definitely does.

The English Lit geek inside of me was also quite impressed by the exhibition celebrating the 400 year anniversary of Don Quijote, even though I've still never read it...

I don't know if they selected certain parts of the novel to use in these sculptures but I like the idea that "amigos" just ended up on the edge like that by accident!

The rainbow coloured bridge which led into Aviles itself also gave ample opportunity for posing...

See, cause we're all wearing green. Cool innit?

And cause Dad was wearing purple. Coooooool? 

So even though we had a great time at the Nieymeyer Centre, I'm pretty sure that the one thing that my family will be able to tell you about Aviles whilst reflecting on their trip is "There was nothing to eat." This is true. For some reason Aviles was empty. Now I know what a Spanish Town during siesta looks like, but this was no siesta! We couldn't find food for love nor money. Eventually we managed to locate a little cafe who made us bocadillos (which were inhaled more than eaten) but there was obviously something going on in Aviles on Saturday that nobody told us about...

On Sunday we went to Mass at the Cathedral - it turns out that there is no "Big Mass" in Oviedo, as 11.00 was just as quiet as all the others. Afterwards we took a little walk into Old Town to watch the bagpipers play in Plaza de Espana. I was going to upload a video of the pipers but for some reason it's not working properly so I can't. I wanted to get some Scottish opinions on what exactly it is that's different between their bagpipe music and ours. We thought that maybe it was the beat, or the rhythm; I don't think anyone would march into battle against the English to the sound of Asturian pipes!

And kilts are obviously much more manly...

We're still getting along.... promise!

We then took a trip to Gijon and had a walk around the town and along the sea front. For some reason the weather was unbelievable on Sunday so we got to have a wander around in the sunshine!

On Monday morning Rachael came to school with me and was interrogated by my two first year classes, who didn't really know what to say to her, although one boy: was a legend.

George: "Rachael, do you disco in Falkirk?"

Rachael: "No, I don't."

George: "Okay, I have another question. This question is for Rebecca only, do you disco in Edinburgh?"

Me: Yes George I do.

Leg-end!

For the rest of Monday we walked around Oviedo again and had a look at the Cathedral Museums and Cloisters, which were worth a look. And kind of creepy because it was getting dark! After that we went for a drink in "the sparkly bar" as I have dubbed it, which is the cutest bar ever with lots of fairy lights and bottles hanging on the walls. And then finally it was time to say goodbye....

And although this didn't happen over my birthday weekend, I want to tell you about it anyway.

So my first years found out that I speak Spanish today, and proceeded to interrogate me in Spanish - which let me tell you, is just stressful. They also asked me to sing to one of them who's birthday it was. 

Not to mention, last night I got a note from two of the girls (via Holly who tutors them) regarding the state of their love lives. 

I LOVE THIS CLASS!!

And, I might make them some scones soon, but only if they keep being this awesome! 

Dear God I'm old. (part 1)

This weekend was indeed my 20th Birthday and so I have lots and lots of exciting things to write about, and PICTURES!  A replacement camera (its purple and so much cooler) was my birthday present and so once again the Brits of Oviedo are cowering in fear of my lens and my tagging obsession!

A week ago today I received a lovely surprise from the Bilingual Department and Alfonso II when they brought out a birthday cake for me during our weekly meeting and sang Feliz Cumpleanos. Epic.

They also bought be a pendrive... its a running joke that I always rock up to classes with my laptop and thne it never works with whatever technology they have in the classroom. Although funnily enough, the next day I went to class with the pendrive, and it wouldn't work either. Talk about the irony.

Then on Thursday evening the Sweeney Wells's arrived from Madrid at half past ten (note to the Hotel Iiiiiibis, as according to my disgruntled taxi driver, that's how to say it!) and I met them at the hotel and then got on with the very important task of showing my parents just how many different types of alcohol I know how to order in Spanish!

Friday morning was my birthday and I stayed at the hotel with the family. I was given my presents, the awesome new camera (including matching purple case!) a "Keep Calm and DFTBA" t-shirt from Rachael, which I might have got a little bit too excited about and lots of cards from the family back home. They also gave me a Harry Potter from page to screen book which I think must have been most of their luggage allowance. And what did I do? I told them to take it home and put it in the freezer (Friends Reference) because really I'm still in denial that Harry Potter has finished and that book might just kill me. 

Then it was time to take my case (full of presents and other goodies from back home) to the flat and show them around Oviedo. We started with the classic Spanish lunchtime event - Menu del Dia, and I took advantage of my new camera.

I love this picture. 

Lots more happened but I have to go to the Gym now, so I'll finish the weekend later!