Classes? Eh, let's travel instead!

While this weekend I am not traveling, this week was full of trips. Monday we took a group trip (minus one: she was too late) to a national park about an hour outside of Caceres called Manfrague. Unfortunately I forgot my camera, so no pictures will be included from this. As most things on this program, it was really poor planned and communicated. We had no idea what to expect. Turns out what really happened was we hooked up with some ecology class field trip. First we stopped at some random point along the road and took pictures/looked at a huge rocky cliff and a river for an hour. It was really pretty and very cool, but an hour was a bit much. During this time frame we also got yelled at to be quiet so the professor could listen to the birds. After that we took the bus up a hill only to be dropped off to climb a mountain and reach a castle. The walk was mildly (extremely) exhausting, but once we got to the top we got an awesome view of the beautiful park and got to see the old castle. The castle was also scary because when we went up to the top there were no ledges or anything. Just a painted red line that you aren't supposed to cross. Yeah, that's going to protect me to falling off the mountain and down the cliff. Not. After spending some time at the castle, we took a back way down, hiking style. Now, let me tell you, I am not a nature girl, I am awkward, uncoordinated, and unbalanced. This was not my thing. But it was pretty, and I didn't fall, so that's good.

Once we got back down we ate lunch/wasted time. Then we walked through a museum thing, and went back to the same river/cliff spot we'd been at earlier. I don't know why, in this very large national park, we only got to see the same spot, but whatever. After that we headed home. Overall a very good day trip.

Tuesday we had one strenuous day of class after a 4 day weekend. Wednesday we took a day trip to the city of Salamanca, approximately 2 hours north of Caceres. It was absolutely beautiful. I loved it. We got a guided tour first, going into a cathedral and the first University building and walking around a little. After our tour we got to eat lunch and have free time. My lunch was highly disappointing: two bocadillos (sandwiches) both with mold. Needless to say I did not eat them. I instead indulged in a lunch of potato chips and cookies. Healthy, no? Delicious? Yes.

After lunch my friends and I walked around. Some of them were very tired, so they took a siesta in a park, while my other friend and I went to see the sky or heaven. No clue, it's the same word in Spanish. Basically it's a domed painting of the sky with consolations. It was pretty cool. After that we hooked up with 2 other girls, took pictures, and walked around before meeting back up with the whole group to head home. It was great trip, and I really enjoyed Salamanca.

Thursday we returned to our second and final day of classes for the week. Is this college? I don't know, but I approve!

Love from Spain

A Much Needed Night

This weekend I took a weekend off from the adventures and remained in Caceres. Last night we went to some Primevera Fiesta (Spring Party) and it was very flashback to Iowa. We took a bus out to a field and drank the alcohol that we had brought there. There were hundreds of people there, blasting music in their cars and just hanging out. It was quite strange. It was fun, but only because of the people I was with, and not because of the actual fiesta. The actual fiesta was lame.

Today, I chilled all day. I slept in, did a little homework, and planned a trip to Amsterdam in May. Tonight I went with almost the entire group to climb the mountain and watch the sunset. After that we built ourselves a baby fire pit (as in a circle of stones), collected logs and sticks, and made ourselves a very respectable fire on the mountain. It was really cool. We picnicked and then made S'mores. Then we just hung out, talked, and sat around the fire. It was really chill, but one of the most fun I've had in Caceres. I just loved that it was almost our entire group, and we all just get along so well and can talk and hang out and most of us never knew each other before we got here 2 months ago. It's pretty cool how close people become so quickly in situations like this. I've been dealing with a lot of personal stuff lately with the boy's deployment and just life. It was nice to have a chill, easy-going, relaxing night of bonding and talking. I am so lucky to be in the beautiful place with these beautiful people!

Love from Spain