Long Weekends and Short Trips

There's no shortage of holidays here in Spain (and I don't work Fridays), which means I'll have plenty of time to travel around the country, and hopefully around other parts of  Europe as well!

Recently, in order to straigten out my documents, extend my visa, open my bank account, etc. I had to make a short trip to the closest "big city" called Don Benito. Though I had a number of problems with the paperwork (not worth explaining) I was able to enjoy the lovely place for the day. Despite the fact that the city isn't particularly large, it's known for great shopping. And, after the stress of dealing with the DMV-like office in Don Benito, what could make a girl feel better than some awesome shopping?

Below you can see my friend Sarah, and her tutor, María (they came with me to deal with business as well) walking around the shops in Don Benito:

 And a Church near the town center:

 Speaking of my friend Sarah, she lives in an awesome piso (apartment) in a small town called Talarrubias, not far from Herrera. It's nice to have a quick getaway spot if I'm dying to speak some english. Below are a few photos of her piso.

The gorgeous view off her terrace:

 The following weekend, we had Monday and Tuesday off so I planned a trip with a few of the other girls in my program. We started in Mérida (the capital of Extremadura) followed by Sevilla which is located in the region of Andalucia.

In Spain and most Latin American countries, every city/town has a center, usually called the "Plaza Mayor" It works out great for visitors and tourists because the main plaza always seems to be the easiest place to meet up with people.  

Below is a picture of the main plaza in Mérida:

Mérida, the one-time capital of Lucitania has been described as 'a mini version of Rome.' The origins of Mérida date back to 25 years before Christ when Emperor Octavio Augusto ordered the construction of a city to house retired soldiers of the V and X Legions. Much of modern Mérida is built on Roman foundations. Today, you can see the ruins of a Roman aquaduct, theatre and ampitheatre. 

Pictured below - the Roman Ampitheater:

 
The Roman Theater (though I'd call it a stadium):

The aquaduct that can be seen throughout Mérida (and yes we took a kiddie train around the city):

Following our trip to Mérida, we took a bus to Sevilla. During the trip we were able to enjoy some authentic Flamenco dancing, the beautiful main cathedral and... McDonalds! (And yes they serve beer at the ones in Europe)

Just a picture of beautiful Sevilla:

Looking up - the hostel we stayed in:

I couldn't go to Spain without seeing some Flamenco dancers, right? Though I couldn't help but think of Helga from Zoolander while watching the one on the left (below). However, in all seriousness, their steps and movements were pretty amazing and must have taken a lot of strenth and practice.

Along with its Spanish origins, Gypsy, Byzantine, Sephardic and Moorish elements have often been cited as influences in the development of flamenco. Something else that you may not know about Flamenco: the cantadores (singers) are the heart and soul of the performance, and the majority of the show focuses on them, not the dancers.

The Cathedral of Sevilla, this picture just doesn't do it justice. It's the largest gothic cathedral and the third-largest church in the world, also known as Catedral de Santa María de la Sedes. The cathedral was originally built to demonstrate Seville's wealth, as it had become a major trading center in the years after the Reconquista circa 1400.

As an American, it's really crazy for me to think about how old some of these buildings are here in Europe!

I've really been enjoying all of these cities in Spain, sometimes it's hard for me to remember what I'm actually doing here (working).

Back at "home" in Herrera Del Duque I've finally moved into an apartment. I'm living with one of the other teachers, Davíd. He has been really nice and accommodating. Lucky for me, he's a language teacher at the high school so he can help me with my Spanish in exchange for a few English lessons.

Eventually one of my entries will feature my "daily life" including my apartment, a few pictures around my town and ridiculous stories about teaching spanish children. Skype me!