Feliz Cumpliaños a mi Padre! (60!!)

The past few weeks have just flown by. The first was spent actively being unemployed (searching for jobs, relaxing in the sun, etc) and then last week I had a visit from my good friend Sarah (who adamantly refuses to read my blog) and we had a fantastic time! We celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in grand style- with my roommate Carol (who is actually Irish) and my good friend Diego. We went to several of the Irish bars in Granada and had loads of laughs.
The following day was spent at the Alhambra (I can’t believe it has taken me so long to go- It is unbelievably gorgeous). I especially loved the "room of secrets" which is tucked away under the acres upon acres of gorgeous gardens and intricately decorated rooms and palaces. It is set up so that whatever you whisper in one corner can be heard in the opposite. Good fun. This picture is of Sarah and I in the doorway to one of the courtyards of the Palacios Nazaries. This 'Courtyard of the Lions' (somewhere around 600 years old) also held a fountain with 12 lions that used to function as a clock, with a different lion spouting water each hour. Conquering Christians disassembled the fountain to see how it worked, and it's never worked since. 

That night we went out for one drink con tapas. (Which, true to Spanish form, ended up being “one” drink that spanned way too late until the wee hours of the morning, with several older men that own half the bars in Granada, providing VIP treatment everywhere we went).

Thursday we headed out to Barcelona where we enjoyed a little sight-seeing, nightlife and some unbelievably delicious meals!! Interestingly enough, the men in Barcelona buy women flowers instead of drinks, which is nice and all, but we really would prefer not having to spend any of our own money. 

My favorite thing in Barcelona was seeing the Sagrada Familia- a Cathedral that Gaudi started building in 1882 and is projected to be finished around the year 2060 (pictured). It was so weird to see all of the men working on its construction, and then to wonder how in the world people built gothic cathedrals before machinery and cranes, etc! Crazy. 

After several all-nighters due to planes and busses, etc, we were pooped when we finally arrived back in Granada on Sunday. We took it easy and our only activity for the day was a visit to the Arabic Baths, which is definitely my favorite thing to do in Granada.Monday I had my second first day of Spanish school and it went really well. I am glad I took the break between classes because I can definitely tell the difference in how much I am able to understand verses when I left. As always, this week has kicked off in fine form with numerous mis-speaks. Favorites include me accidentally saying I wanted to kill a pregnant woman, and an older very conservative Swiss fellow trying to say the word “nipple” and instead saying “la nariz de la pecho” (the nose of the breast.) Lots of laughing.
Last night we went to a tiny little exhibition about the Expulsion of the Arabs in the 15th century. It was incredibly interesting, and housed in an old Moorish house which has been converted into a school for Arab studies and is absolutely breathtaking. It has these amazing gardens with a view of the Alhambra (and surprisingly enough, la cueva de mi bombero).
I love getting back into learning, and I am still looking for a job so hopefully something will happen with that soon as well.

SABES QUE…
The offensive word that the Spaniards have for English and American tourists is “Guiri”. It is never said to our faces, but it implies a white tourist that will get sunburned and be loud and obnoxious and possibly wear socks with sandals. (or, as it turns out, sandals at all before easter. Or flip flops. Ever. )