Thursday, November 6, 2008

Blogging and Baking

In the last week the weather has taken a turn for the worse, and as a result I've resorted to sleeping, baking, cooking, and watching movies to get me through the day.

After visiting 3 stores looking for baking soda/baking powder, I came to the realization that the Spanish are not known for their baking and furthermore, do not cater to those who wish to experiment in the art. But alas, I was not to be bested, and found a small can of baking powder.

After my scaveneger hunt for baking goods, I made a batch of cookies, a frangelico tart, and some banana bread, in no particular order. Due to the exceptional taste and presentation of these items, I was only able to photograph a half eaten loaf of banana bread before they were devoured.

In order to further my immersion of the Spanish culture, I made my first Spanish tortilla, which got the green light from both of my Spanish roommates.
Some people have been asking for pictures of my house/condo/apartment, so in order to appease them here are some not so well shot photos.

Here is my "house" from the outside, it is 3 stories tall, with an empty private underground garage. By definition it is a condo, but to the Spanish it is considered a house.

This is the living/dining room which is located on the ground level.

This is where the magic happens.
My room, currently devoid of anything but paint on the walls. I've been going to "flee markets" looking for things to hang, but the Spanish idea of a flea market is a place with Wal-mart quality clothing and fruit, so for now my walls must sulk in their undeserved solitude.

My bathroom. The shower is small and water always seems to escape through the sides and wet my bathroom floor. Our house has a bathroom in every one of the 4 rooms, and a communal one on the ground floor, so between the 3 of us, we have 5 bathrooms.
and no Spanish bathroom is without a bidet
To my delight, the sun decided to shine on Granada for the first time in over a week, so I took a stroll and snapped this shot of the snow capped mountains.

El Fin

Friday, October 17, 2008

Still Alive and Blogging

Life has been hectic and all, you know dealing with the economic crisis and watching Sarah Palin embarrass herself on live television, but alas I have made it back to the computer to do what I love most, talk about myself.

Last weekend I decided to pack my bags and have a reunion with my one true love, Barcelona

I, being an expert on the city, was by default the tour guide, and made sure we saw the sights and lived the life in the city that sometime sleeps.

Here I am trying to play the part of American tourist at Park Güell
Art with a practical use, Gaudí was such a genius
From left to right, three Canadians, a French man, and 4 Californians
The French man and I got in many a dispute over who was the tour guide of the group

We were jumping with joy after seeing the magic fountain show in Montjuïc
Then, the next day we continued our tour of Gaudí's works
Casa Milà

The Sagrada Familía was closed by the time we got there, but who really wants to pay 10$ to go into an unfinished church?Then on our final night, we wandered to Barceloneta beach and were astounded to find that there was a full moon.

And in our final hours in Barcelona we saw "Vicky Christina Barcelona," which left us leaving Barcelona with a feeling of admiration and fulfillment.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Back to Blogging

It has been a little while since my last blog for I have been traveling in Italy. Highlights include food/biking, Lowlights include Ryanair/tourists in Florence.

My first night in Bologna I went to an electronic music festival in a castle, then the next day I rode a bike around and then ate lots of food.

castle/music festival

me with bike next to an old canal/sewer

Bologna has more porticoes than any other city in the world, so practical

Bruschetta

Mushrooms, prosciutto and Brie


Then while James was at school, I climbed a mountain and a tower and then ate some chocolate

James going to school, Nicolo going to study

The top of the mountain
Tower in the center of town
Shady stairs of death
Top of the towerme with chocolate, I couldn't stop eating it and then I got a stomach ache but didn't regret it

Next I checked out some graffiti

Then I decided to go to Florence, cause every American in Italy goes there.

I felt oddly at home in Florence, but then I realized it was only because there were more Americans there than Italians

Detail shot of a painting in the Uffizi, I didn't know heaven was full of fat babies who have yet to be potty trained

As I wandered the streets of Florence, I ran into an old friend

We got some old couple from Ventura to take this picture

Cat with lots of dandruff
End

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Splogging yet again

It's Sunday, and nothing is open in the city except a couple of restaurants. I still feel like I'm on vacation even thought I have "responsibilities." About half of my clothes reek of cigarettes, cause everyone smokes everywhere, but Granada makes up for that by being one of the only cities left in Spain that serves free tapas with drinks.

I realized yesterday that my new apartment has 5 bathrooms, and only 3 of us live there. The avocados are good here, and the produce sub par. It's too hot during the day, and it's hard to do anything besides siesta.


Here is me at la casa de Bernarda Alba written by Gabriel García Lorca. Lorca is Granada's claim to fame.
YoSoy soy milk
Me at some big cathedral
cathedral

Some huge pipe organ in the cathedral, I think that this church should actually be put to some use by having Arcade Fire perform live here.
el fin

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Blogging or something like it

Not much new going on here, I've been taking a siesta a day, and wishing that it would get cold already. I do apologize for my occasional catachrestic word usage, sometimes my attempts to spice things up fail terribly.

Here's a music video in case you need something new to listen to
Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream


Graffiti in and around Granada

If Michael Jackson and Pamela Anderson had a kid it would look something like this

I like the colors, but am not overly impressed with the image
Nice use of preexisting conditions
Evil leprechaun/elf spawn
My favorite so far

Friday, September 5, 2008

Splog 3

Splog number 3, direct from Granada
Life is a speedy sloth of endemic proportions in the city of late nights and not so many lights.
Classes are boring, but semi-interesting, and I feel like I'm in Freshman year all over again living in dorms with a bunch of equally lost souls. I found a piso that I'm moving into on the 20th with 2 Spanish sisters ages 28 and 30. I've been walking and eating a lot, and plan on going to the beach tomorrow before the volatile heat of summer is gone and the gelid cold of winter is on.

photographic supplements include a trip to the Alhambra palace and various affairs along the way

Me in a circle, Catholic influenced architecture is so boring...


The striking details of the Muslim architecture mark the grandeur of the once illustrious empireYet another shot... of me
Detail shot
Courtyard



Watch out for the wild pack of gypsy cats, all they want is your love and money
Shot from the towering edifice of the castle
a shot of some fellow Slugs and I

End