Week #2 is Over Already?

It is hard to believe I've already been in Spain for about two weeks. Sometimes, it feels like I just got here. Other times, I feel as though I've been here for months since home seems so distant. Even though I'm taking classes, it is finally beginning to feel like summer. The sun was out all afternoon today, which is a rarity as it rains nearly every day here, and it was warm. I spent most of the day by the water (rough life, I know), but not actually swimming as I didn't have my swimsuit with me and the water is a tad chilly.

This is what I get to see every day! 

While walking to and from Mass at the Cathedral, we had to cross one of the main streets near the water. Today was a traditional festival and there were cows walking down the street with loud cowbells and ribbons. Lots and lots of cows. And baby calves, too!

Yesterday was our first of two group excursions. We visited the city of Bilbao, a city of about 350,000 east of Santander in Basque Country. In the last several years, Bilbao invested a large amount of money to revitalize the city through modern architecture, a tram/metro, and tourism. They did a great job and the buildings are all very interesting! First, we took a bus tour to see a few different places including their community center where there were 43 columns that each represented different cultures such as Greek, Chinese, etc, and were styled in that manner. There also was a pool above us that you could see into because the bottom was glass. We spent our free time in Casco Viejo (the older part of the city and ate typical pinchos for lunch (essentially little pieces of meat or cheese or fish on top of bread). We also wandered into a bakery and a meat store. It is definitely different to shop for food here. You can go to Lupa, the supermarket, or you can go to a series of stores-frutería, panadería, carnicería. In the afternoon, we visited the famous Guggenheim Museum. It is contemporary art and more abstract than your typical Picasso or Monet. They have an exhibit by Yoko Ono, the wife of John Lennon, which was cool. There was also a gelato shop across the street...that was definitely a good choice for the end of the day.

One of the columns in the community center. 

The streets of Bilbao look very European with the tall, colored buildings and flowers on the balconies. Like out of a movie! 

One of the churches in Bilbao. There was a wedding going on, so we couldn't spend much time inside. 

Carnicería. So. Much. Ham. There were also large pieces of meat hanging from the ceiling. 

Guggenheim Museum

A bridge next to the museum that is very modern. 

That's it for now, but I scheduled trips to Barcelona, Granada, and Sevilla for June, so more to come!