3/7/10

Now for this last week.

Liz’s birthday was earlier this week.  So Aubrey got a bunch of people together and we went to McDonald’s for a surprise party.  Yes, I broke down and ate a Happy Meal.  It tasted so good to have a hamburger that wasn’t made of ham!!!!  And on top of getting hamburger, fries, drink, and toy, I also got to pick something else: apples with Nutella.

Yesterday, Friday, Joelle and I went around town during break trying to find a post office for her to send a stinking postcard.  Which we never did find…

At first we started toward a place that we knew had a post office.  We kept seeing the yellow Correos sign, but there was no building nearby that looked like a functioning post office.  So we keep walking, thinking that there should be another one nearby.  No, not really.  The second one was several blocks away from the first and closer to the bus station than our school.  And again, it wasn’t open.  So we decide to keep going.  Wrong idea, again.  Even though we find another post office, it’s a distribution center rather than an actual post office.

Finally, Joelle was able to buy a stamp to get the postcard to the States, but after Joelle licks it, it won’t stick to the card.  So at the end of our break, we return to campus, not a post office to be had and a stamp that won’t stick.  Later, Joelle tells me she went to the office near her, and she even told the lady behind the desk that the stamp wouldn’t stick.  The lady just told her it was fine, and that it would get to the States, but we’re both still doubtful.

Also finished Harry Potter 2 and started Pride and Prejudice.  Never realized how hard P & P would be.  It’s not written in modern English, and uses words I’ve rarely heard in English, let alone their Spanish equivalents.  Plus, there was the “vosotros” form, which I never learned in high school.  It literally means y’all and is only used in Spain.

Yesterday I went to León, and later today I go on another hike around town.

About León:

It was so beautiful!  Not a worry about rain to be had, and beautiful architecture to go with it.  Abigail and I made a day trip out to León just for the heck of it, and because it was reasonably cheap: without souvenirs, the whole adventure would have cost a little over $20 round trip.

After about an hour and a half on the bus, Abigail and I arrived in León and headed toward the cathedral, the main reason we even made the trip out there.  But sadly, the cathedral was closed for siesta, so we went walking around to find other stuff to look at.  We found the Basilica de Isidoro, which is famous, I think, for at least the architecture.  As usual, we took photos of the outside and the inside, and then we left to go back toward the cathedral.  This time it was open, so we went inside and took lots of photos.  I still don’t know if we were allowed to take photos (w/o flash) or not.  So, I might have a bunch of illegal photos.  Shh!!!  Don’t tell anyone!

Then we decided to find the Hostal San Marcos, which was a hostel for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela back in the day, but which is now a church on one end and a high end hotel on the other.  We tried to go inside the end with the “Museum” sign toward the church, but apparently it was time for mass, because when we went inside, there was a priest up front giving a prayer or blessing.  So, Abigail and I just quickly and quietly bowed out before anyone could notice our presence.

After that botched bit, we noticed that it was nearing time to head back to the bus station, so we headed out.  For just being gone a day, it was very full and exciting.

Will write about the hike later, since I haven't gone on it yet!

Hasta la vista!