In sunny Sevilla

Internet time is a little short tonight ... so here are four pictures to sum up our day in Sevilla following a seven-hour bus ride to southern Spain. Sevilla is located in Andalucia, a region of southern Spain, and about 700,000 people live here. It is located along the Guadalquivir River, which leads to the Atlantic Ocean.

The 15th century cathedral is one of the largest in the world still today. It was built on the Almohade mosque from which the 12th century La Giralda still sits. Sevilla's main mosque was constructed using bricks between 1184-1198, but the mosque was consecrated as a cathedral in 1248 after the city fell to the Christians. Eventually the church decided to raze the building and start again. Construction work began in the early 1400s on the Gothic cathedral, along the western side, and workers used stone to construct it. The total surface area of the building is 252,951 square feet. The main building is 413 feet long and 272 feet wide. Work was completed in the early 1500s but work done later was in Renaissance style. The original minaret (La Giralda) from the mosque still stands, and you can climb to the top of it. La Giralda is the world's largest Gothic temple.

At the Alcazar in Sevilla

Avila, Segovia and Salamanca

It's hard to believe but our trip is already at the half-way point! Time is going so fast. I don't have a lot of Internet time, as we're eating dinner in about 30 minutes and then meeting up with the students to take them to the plaza so they can see Avila at night. But I wanted to write a little about Wednesday and Thursday, as I'm a day behind.

We met everyone Wednesday morning and did a walking tour of Avila, the city in which we are staying with our host families. As I mentioned earlier, a portion of the city is surrounded by massive walls that were built to protect it from invasion. The walls are home to nine gates, 88 observation towers and more than 2,500 turrets. Most of the walls are still in their original form from the end of the 11th century. The walls are nearly 40 feet tall and cover a distance of about 1.5 miles. Only nobles used to live within the city's walls and the rest of the population lived outside; however, the entire city would enter the walls when there was danger or an attack. For about 300 years, Avila was led by either the Muslims or Christians -- until the fall of Toledo in 1085.

We also visited a 12th century cathedral, a basilica and the Convento de Santa Teresa. Saint Teresa was a very important woman in Spain's Catholic church and she was born in Avila. 


Our host families prepared us packed lunches, so we took a break in the plaza and had lunch together.

After spending a couple of hours exploring Avila with our guide, it was back on the bus to head 37 miles northeast to Segovia, the place that inspired Walt Disney's creation of the Sleeping Beauty castle. Both Avila and Segovia have been named World Heritage sites because of their beauty and monuments.

We arrived in Segovia and immediately walked to the Roman aqueduct. Segovia is home to about 60,000 people and is located about 3,300 feet above sea level. Its claim to fame is that it is home to the best preserved Roman aqueduct in the world.

Built in the 1st century, the aqueduct in Segovia is more than 2,000 years old. The aqueduct took water from the mountains down to the city for hundreds of years. It is some 9.3 miles long but most of it is underground. Only the part closest to Segovia is above ground. About 2,360 feet of the aqueduct is above ground. It has 166 arches and a channel that runs across the top that transported the water. It was absolutely stunning. The Romans did not use mortar and they did not use cement to hold the almost 20,000 granite blocks together! And, it worked until 1950!!! Its highest point is 92 feet from the surface. We climbed as high as we could to get the best view but it was not possible to walk across the aqueduct.

We next met our guide, who took us on a walking tour of Segovia and then on to the Alcazar -- a word that means fortress or castle but implies that it was the home of a king. The Alcazar looks like a fairy tale castle. It was built in the middle ages and became one of the favorite residences for the king. This castle was used by the kings between the 12th and 16th centuries. Felipe II was the last king to use it. Afterward, it was used as a prison, artillery school and today a place to visit. A fire destroyed the castle's roof and damaged the framework in March 1862. A lot of it was reconstructed.

We returned to Avila around 8 p.m. and walked back to have dinner with our host families and call it a night. It was a great day and the weather was perfect ... very sunny and warm!

Today (Thursday) we made a day trip to Salamanca, located about one hour away.  Salamanca is a city of 156,000 people. The architecture here is absolutely amazing. There are a plethora of sandstone buildings, awe-inspiring churches and one of the oldest universities in all of Europe!

We met our guide soon after arriving and she took us on a tour of the city which included stops at two of the churches and the Plaza Mayor. First, we saw a Roman bridge from the 1st century that has 26 arches. Fifteen of them are from the Roman time while the other 11 were reconstructed in the 17th century. Nearby we also saw a statue of the blind man and Lazarillo from the classic Spanish novel "Lazarillo de Tormes," one of many short stories I had to read in my Spanish 401 class at Ball State: History of Spanish Literature ... and a story I will read with my students this fall!

Next, we saw Salamanca's Catedral Nueva (new cathedral), which was constructed between the 16th and 18th centuries. It was built in Gothic style and has a tower that is 341 feet high. The church's dome is visible from almost anywhere in Salamanca. Located nearby is the Catedral Vieja (old cathedral) from the 13th century, which is Romanesque style. It has some 53 panels that show the life of Christ and Mary.

We also walked through the University of Salamanca. The university here was founded in 1218 and famous Spanish author Miguel de Unamuno was even the school's rector in 1900. The university is the oldest in Spain and one of the oldest throughout Europe. Today, about 40,000 students take classes there. Many students from the United States come to Salamanca to study. In fact, there is even a program here for Spanish teachers who want to get their master's degree in Spanish.

We ended our tour in the Plaza Mayor, which was built between 1729 and 1755 and some say it's Spain's most beautiful plaza. I would agree. We had lunch in the plaza and then spent the next four hours shopping and walking through the city. Most of us bought gifts to bring home ... and made a stop for ice cream! We also bought some post cards and stamps to mail home. I think we might arrive home before they do. It was a great day again ... sunny and warm.

We returned to Avila around 7 p.m. and had dinner with our host families. We leave Avila tomorrow for Sevilla, located in southern Spain. It is about a five- or six-hour bus ride, I believe, so we'll have a busy day of traveling and sightseeing once we arrive.

Gracias por leer ... thanks for reading! I'll post some pictures from Wednesday and Thursday below.

Buenas noches,

--Justin

The walls of Avila

Avila

Segovia

Segovia ... near the Alcazar

Alcazar ... Segovia

Salamanca ... Lazarillo de Tormes monument

Salamanca

Salamanca

Spain wins ... and Spain celebrates

We spent our first full day in Spain Tuesday exploring Madrid ... and noticing Spanish flags in both home and business windows. Spain beat Croatia 1-0 in the Euro Cup 2012 Monday, another big win for the team that now qualifies Spain for the quarter finals. We visited several soccer stores today and many students bought jerseys to bring home.

We met for breakfast around 9 a.m. in the hotel. It was a buffet-style breakfast that included breads, cereals, ham, cheese, fruit, coffee and juices. Afterward, we returned to our rooms to pack our bags, as the plan was to meet in the lobby with our luggage at 11 a.m. We locked the luggage in a storage room and began our walking tour of Madrid. We spent the first hour exploring Retiro Park, Madrid's biggest area of green space and one of my favorite parts of the capital city. All across the enormous park are monuments, beautifully landscaped lawns and gardens and even a big lake where people were taking boat rides. The park was laid out in the 17th century by Felipe IV, my Lonely Planet book told me. It was once a park of kings and queens, and after spending just a couple of hours there this afternoon, I understand why. The landscaping is perfect, the gardens and flowers are beautiful and all the trees provide several patches of shade where you can just sit down and watch the world pass. The monument to Alfonso XII looks over the lake, including the enormous marble lions.


We stayed at the park until noon and then decided to break into two groups. We had until 6 p.m. to explore Madrid, so Jamie and I took the guys while Tish and Amanda took the girls. Our group decided to do a little shopping first. We made our way to the Corte Ingles, located near the Puerta del Sol plaza. The Corte Ingles is a big shopping mall and is located in a myriad of cities across Spain. We spent about an hour walking through the mall. The students bought a few items and also practiced their Spanish with many of the employees. We also visited a few soccer shops in the area.

Afterward, we decided it was time for lunch. We went to a sandwich place I found last summer. There are about 100 different types of sandwiches you can order. The menus were on the tables with all of the options and there was also a pad of paper and a pen. You fill out your order and then take it inside. They make your sandwiches on the spot and give you a plate of "patatas chips" once your order is ready. The sandwiches are small, so most of us ordered four or five. I had one with chicken and a few with tortilla espanolas and different sauces. They were all delicious! The students did a great job figuring out the menu and later placing their orders.

We next made our way to Nike Madrid and spent a few minutes looking around. We had about two hours left and decided to walk to the Plaza de las Cibeles because the Palacio de Comunicaciones building is located near-by. I posted some pictures of this building last summer when I was in Spain, but it is absolutely stunning. Its construction is a mix of North American monumental style from the Gothic period but it also has a Renaissance look to it. The building is used for the central post office, as well as the city hall. I visited the building last summer and had the chance to go to the top of it, where you can walk around and get a great overview of Madrid from its tower. Everyone wanted to go to the top, so we asked for tickets for 4:30 p.m. We spent 15 minutes at the top and were treated to some great views of Madrid. I'll post a couple of pictures below.

We used the metro to return to the hotel and meet up with the rest of the group at 6 p.m. We boarded the bus around 6:30 p.m. and drove to Avila. Avila is located about 90 minutes from Madrid, so it was a short bus ride. A portion of the city is surrounded by massive walls that were built to protect it from the Moors. The walls are home to nine gates, 88 observation towers and more than 2,500 turrets. Most of the walls are still in their original form from the end of the 11th Century. The walls are nearly 40 feet tall and cover a distance of about 1.5 miles. Only nobles used to live within the city's walls and the rest of the population lived outside; however, the entire city would enter the walls when there was danger or an attack. For about 300 years, Avila was led by either the Muslims or Christians -- until the fall of Toledo in 1085.

As we pulled into the city and the bus came to a stop, we saw our host families waiting for us. The guide introduced us to the families and we called the students up in pairs to meet their families. We will spend three nights with these families while in Avila. We'll be together during the day but will separate at night to return to our host families. The students greeted their families and then departed to spend the first night with their new Spanish families. Jamie and I are staying with Manuel and Fabi. Manuel drove us to their apartment and we met Fabi. They have been such great hosts. We had dinner with Fabi last night and spent about 90 minutes eating and chatting. It was interesting to talk about everything from their family to the economic crisis.

Well, it's time to call it a night. I'll try to post more later about our tour around Avila and day trip to Segovia on Wednesday.

Buenas noches,

--Justin

View from the top of the Palacio de Comunicaciones building ... one of the best views of Madrid!

Monday's lunch in Madrid ... muy sabroso!

Back in Spain!

We finally made it to Spain! Following a two-hour flight to Newark, a four-hour layover there and then a seven-hour flight across the Atlantic, we landed in Madrid around 10 a.m. Spain time (4 a.m. Indiana time). The plane ride was a little bumpy for the first two hours but most everyone caught a couple hours of sleep following dinner and a movie.

We made our way through customs with no problem. In fact, it was probably the easiest "border" crossing of my life, as we didn't even have to fill out papers. The customs agent looked at our passports, stamped them and welcomed us to Spain.

We did have one hiccup when we claimed our luggage. A student's suitcase didn't make it, or so we thought. We waited until all of the bags had made it through but he didn't see his suitcase. We spoke with one of the agents, who took down all of his information. We also gave her our contact information but it appeared the suitcase might not arrive until Tuesday, which was going to be a problem because we are leaving here Tuesday for Avila. But, we were hopeful it would arrive ... and several of the guys volunteered to loan the student some clothes until his suitcase made it to us.

We exited the baggage area and met one of our guides. She escorted us to the bus and we loaded all of the luggage on board and prepared for a driving and walking tour of Madrid. Everyone was a little tired as we drove away from the airport, but the excitement of being in a new country always gives most travelers an adrenaline kick!

Our first stop was at the Plaza de Toros (Bullfighting ring). There, we met up with our Madrid guide, Mauricio. We walked around the perimeter of the ring but didn't go in. There are bullfights in Madrid every Sunday from March to October. When Madrid celebrates the Fiesta de San Isidro in mid-May, there is even a bull fight every day. Built in 1929, the bull fighting ring's exterior is made of bricks and has ceramic titles. It's a Moorish edifice. When it's not being used for bull fighting, we learned they use it for concerts and the circus.

Afterward, we drove through the north part of the city, where the homes are very expensive. Speaking of homes, in most Spanish-speaking countries, including Spain, most people prefer to live close to the heart of the city. Home are more expensive as you get closer to the plaza. In the United States, this isn't true for the most part, as most people prefer to live in the suburbs and the prices of homes are usually more expensive in the suburbs than in the downtown area.

As we were driving around the city, my phone rang. It was the agent from United calling to say that they had found the bag. According to her, it had been on the belt the entire time ... but we are confident we didn't miss it as we looked for it. The good news: The bag was safe. The bad news: They wouldn't be able to deliver it until tomorrow, which wasn't going to work with our schedule. We only had about one hour left on the city tour, so we decided to finish seeing Madrid and then go back for the suitcase.

We stopped to see the Royal Palace from the outside, as well as a monument dedicated to Don Quijote and Cervantes. Spain's Royal Family actually lives someplace else today and only uses the palace for royal ceremonies and dinners. We also walked through the Plaza Mayor, Madrid's most famous plaza. Two sides of the plaza house offices and government (city hall) offices; the other space is used for apartments ... but it is some of Madrid's most expensive real estate. Our guide said it costs some 7,000 euros per square meter ... ouch! But, the plaza is so beautiful!

Afterward, we headed to the hotel to check in. We arrived around 2:15 p.m. and the group had to be back downstairs at 3:45 p.m. to head to the Prado Museum for a guided tour. Everyone decided to shower and grab a quick snack before heading to the museum. Two students and I, however, needed to return to the airport to pick up the suitcase. Madrid has the best metro system in Spain and probably one of the best in Europe. I used it several times a day last summer when I was here, so the three of us decided to take the metro to the airport in search of the missing piece of luggage. It was about a 30 minute ride and we had to change lines one time but we arrived without a problem. Finding the bag, however, turned out to be an adventure!

The agent had told me on the phone to go to the United counter in Terminal 1, which we eventually found after several minutes of walking and stopping to ask directions. Once we arrived, however, it was closed. The agent told me we needed to be there before 5 p.m. and it was only 3:30 p.m., so we were surprised to see no one at the counter. We then spent the next 30 minutes telling our story to several airport employees and we finally found one person who knew where we needed to go. We had to cross back into the security area where baggage claim is located. We arrived at the area but, in order to keep the area secure, the door only opens when someone exits. We shouted out "hola" and "bueno" once and heard a voice on the other side. The security guard quickly came out and we told him our story. I didn't know if we would be allowed back in but he ushered us in and we were soon back at the exact counter where we had first reported the luggage missing. The bad news: There was no one there. The good news: The bag was sitting behind the counter with our name waiting for us! We spoke with someone at the counter next door, told her the story and she told us to take the bag and that she would let the agent know we had arrived. It was much more of an adventure than the three of us anticipated ... but it was fun to use Spanish to talk with so many people as we went in pursuit of the missing bag. After a "chocala" (high five) we were back on the metro and on our way back to the hotel.

The rest of the group was just finishing the tour of the Prado as we returned to the hotel, so we all met back up at the hotel and went to dinner around 8 p.m. We had a buffet dinner at the hotel and afterward everyone decided to call it a night early to catch up on some much-needed sleep.

I couldn't end without sharing a few cultural tidbits I had forgotten. In Spain, the first floor of a building is actually labeled as "0," not "1." So we have to push "0" in the elevator when we want to come down to the hotel lobby.

And then there is the electricity. Two of the students came to me and said they didn't have any power in their room. We decided to investigate after we came back but then I remembered that in many hotels here you have to insert the room key into a slot inside the room to activate the power. Once the key is inserted, you have power. When you take it out and leave the room, there is no power. So, we did a quick test run and that  solved their problem.

On a language note ... I had forgotten how much people in Spain like to use the phrase "No pasa nada." It esentially means "It's OK ... no worries" but I've only heard it used so much here and not in other Spanish-speaking countries. Today, for example, we were on the metro when a little kid bumped into an older woman. The boy's mom looked at the older lady and said "lo siento" (I'm sorry) and the woman just responded with a smile and "No pasa nada." It's one of my favorite sayings from here but one I don't use a lot since the Spanish I learned is from Latin America. These little differences make travel abroad so fun and interesting. And this is just Day 1.

Thanks for reading and I'll update again as soon as I can. Day 1 was great and we're all excited to see what tomorrow brings!

Take care ... cuidate,
--Justin

Plaza de Toros in Madrid

Plaza Mayor in Madrid

¡Salimos mañana!

We'll be about two hours into our seven-hour flight to Spain at this time tomorrow night! I'm finally packed and ready to go for the 10-day adventure.

I wrote about the first few days of the trip yesterday ... our time in Madrid, Avila, Salamanca and Segovia. From there, we will journey to southern Spain to spend two days exploring the Andalusian cities Sevilla and Granada, two of Spain’s gems. 

Granada is home to The Alhambra, a red fortress dating back to the 9th century located along the top of a hill with the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the background. It dates back to the Middle Ages and represents the best example of Islamic art still standing in the western world. It's not just one building but several that were constructed over the course of several centuries when the Muslims and Christians were the ruling groups in Granada.

The Catholic Monarchs, Isabel and Fernando, are also buried in Granada. Granada was their prize city after they defeated the Moors in 1492. To put into perspective the role Isabel and Fernando played in Spain: They captured Granada in 1492, brought the Spanish people under one monarchy, funded Columbus' trip across the Atlantic in April 1492 that would eventually lead to an enormous expansion of the Spanish empire, linked Spain to Portugal, England and Austria through the marriage of their children, and much more. Incredible.

Granada is also known for its tapas restaurants. Many of the places in Granada give you a free tapa when you order a beverage. Tapas are small plates of food (i.e. appetizers).

Sevilla has one of the world’s largest cathedrals and also houses the tomb of Christopher Columbus (his tomb has been there since 1902). Some people, however, claim that Columbus' remains are actually in the Dominican Republic. Columbus was initially buried in Valladolid, Spain, when he died in 1506. Three years later his remains were moved to a monastery in Sevilla. In 1537, however, his bones were sent to Santo Domingo for burial, as Columbus had requested that he be buried there. When the French took over the island in 1795, however, Columbus' bones were taken to La Havana, Cuba. When the Spaniards lost control of Cuba in 1898, his remains were returned to Sevilla and buried in the cathedral. Some suggest, however, that the Spaniards took the remains of Columbus' son in 1795, not those of Columbus. Ummm....

We will end our journey in Barcelona and the Costa Brava. Barcelona is the city that modernist architect Antonio Gaudí decorated with parks, buildings, churches and more in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Barcelona also hosted the Summer Olympics in 1992. It is my favorite city in Spain and the first Spanish-speaking city I ever visited.

I hope to update my blog with entries and pictures a few times while we are in Spain when I have WiFi access.

Thanks for reading and for following us on this journey. I wish you could be here with us! I hope you'll have some time for a little travel during the summer season, too. I'm reminded of a quote I saw on a friend's Facebook page recently that said, “Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you rich.” I couldn’t agree more.

Hasta pronto,

--Justin

Our first few days in Spain...

Our journey across the Atlantic to Spain will begin early Sunday morning as we drive from Fort Wayne to Indianapolis to catch our 2 p.m. flight to Newark. After a four-hour layover, we'll board the Boeing 757 for an overnight flight to Madrid. We depart at 8:30 p.m. Fort Wayne time, but it will be 3:30 a.m. Spain time.

I flew non-stop from Chicago to Madrid last summer and the trip wasn't that bad, as it was a little easier to sleep since it was night time. Plus, there is always a burst of adrenaline when you arrive at a new place. That adrenaline lasts for the first day before you crash that night because of the lack of sleep. I love it! When I flew to Thailand in February to attend my friend's wedding, the jet lag wasn't too bad on the way there, mainly because of the excitement of visiting a new country and a different culture. The trip home, however, was bad. It took my body about four days to get used to the 12-hour time difference that I had grown accustomed to in southern Thailand.

We will spend our first day in Madrid and the agenda includes a walking tour of the capital city, a visit to the Plaza Mayor and a stop at the Prado Museum. We'll also meet our guide Monday and spend the night in Madrid. Spain will play Croatia that night in the Euro 2012. We're all excited to be in Spain on the night of such an important soccer match!

On Tuesday, we'll walk to Retiro Park and have lunch there. My friend Tish who is leading this trip recommended that I visit Retiro Park during my trip to Spain last summer and it became one of my favorite spots in all of Madrid. The enormous park that was laid out in the 17th century is home to monuments, beautifully landscaped lawns and gardens and a lake where people take boat rides. 

Later in the evening, we'll drive 70 miles northeast to spend three nights in Ávila, which is known as the city of walls. Ávila is home to some 53,000 people and is surrounded on all sides by 40-foot walls from the 12th century. The walls are home to nine gates, 88 observation towers and more than 2,500 turrets. While in Ávila we stayed with host families — an experience I’ll write more about next week.

During our time in Ávila, we will make day trips to Segovia and Salamanca. Segovia is about 40 miles northeast of Ávila and is famous because the city is said to have inspired Walt Disney’s creation of the Sleeping Beauty castle. (Both Ávila and Segovia are World Heritage sites because of their beauty and monuments.)

Segovia is most famous for having the best preserved Roman aqueduct — a 9.3-mile conduit built in the 1st century that has 166 arches and a channel that runs across the top that transported water. Its highest point is 92 feet from the surface. The aqueduct is more than 2,000 years old and is still standing even though the Romans didn’t use mortar to hold the almost 20,000 granite blocks together — and it worked until 1950.

Salamanca, a city of some 156,000 people, has some of the most impressive architecture in northwestern Spain. The city is home to a plethora of sandstone buildings, awe-inspiring churches and one of the oldest universities in all of Europe. The city also houses what most consider to be Spain’s most beautiful plaza — a public square that dates back to the mid 1700s.

We'll depart for southern Spain Friday, where we will visit one of the country's most visited sights. We'll end the odyssey in Barcelona, where we will see the other most visited tourist attraction. 

I'll write more about the last five days of the trip when I update tomorrow night.

Hasta pronto,

--Justin

Spain-bound!

It has been nearly a year since I last updated this blog but I'm hoping to revive it during the next couple of weeks, as I'm returning to Spain on Sunday for a 10 day journey! I used this blog last summer to write about my five-week adventure across Spain and to upload pictures of the places I wrote about. I plan to do the same throughout the next two weeks whenever I have WiFi access.

I'm traveling with two of my friends from Carroll High School who are also Spanish teachers. They are leading a student trip and another chaperone and I will join them on what I know will be an unforgettable trip to an idyllic location where I first fell in love with Spanish. I was a 16-year-old high school sophomore in Spanish II when I traveled out of the country for the first time with my Spanish class. We spent nearly two weeks in and around Barcelona and it was then that I realized I had to learn Spanish.

The culture fascinated me as we explored the city that modernist architect Antonio Gaudí had decorated with parks, buildings, churches and more. The food intrigued me although I have to admit I didn't much care for it at the time. Latin music was making its big debut into the U.S. market and I remember buying a few CDs in Barcelona because my love of music in Spanish was starting to grow. And then there was the language ... speaking Spanish fascinated me. I thought it was so amazing to be able to speak another language and have people actually understand me. And I wanted to learn more. I was a little frustrated at the time because I couldn't fully understand what the people were saying. I told myself after that 1997 trip that I would return one day when I was more proficient in Spanish. It took 14 years and a generous Lilly Teacher Creativity Grant to finally make it back to Spain and Barcelona last summer, but it was well worth the wait. In four days, I'll be back to the place that set the stage for where I am today, both professionally and personally.

The four of us will travel back to the Iberian Peninsula with 23 students on a total immersion program. The goal is to speak exclusively Spanish so that the students get the most out of their time abroad as they work to enhance their language skills while experiencing a new culture. We will also live with Spanish families for three days as part of the tour. I couldn't be more excited.

We depart from Indianapolis early Sunday afternoon and fly to Newark, where we have a layover for a few hours. (The Newark airport has a Jamba Juice in terminals A and C, so I have my Jamba Juice gift card packed and ready to go!) From there, we'll have about a seven-hour flight to Madrid. We will arrive around 10 a.m. Monday and begin our adventure around Madrid. I'll write more about the itinerary later.

I've been getting ready all week in between finishing end-of-the-year school work and taking care of some other commitments at school. I'm planning to take my hiking backpack again to avoid having to use a suitcase. I only took a backpack last summer when I was in Spain for five weeks and it worked out great.

I'll write some more tomorrow about where we will travel and what we will see. I hope you'll follow us along the journey via my blog.

Take care,

--Justin

My luggage for Spain ... still empty but I'll pack everything Saturday night!