Toro y Tordesillas

Checked out of the hotel in Ávila this morning and drove to nearby-ish lil town of Toro.

Ooh a church

 But what a view on the other side!!

Same church, other side

The (only) interesting thing about this cathedral is that it has a colored fachada (I'm not sure how that translates. It's like the decorations around the main door of a cathedral) 

All fachadas are originally colorful but fade with the centuries til it's just the stone gray.

In this one, they added another room onto the front so the fachada was protected from the elements and the colors didn't completely fade.

Also the whole town (pretty much) was helping with this wedding going on there! They rang the bells and everything. We felt like wedding crashers. Here's the bride.

Then we stopped in the town of Tordesillas for lunch:

We ate at this lil restaurant.

After we got back to Alcala de Henares, I went over to Kjerstie and Rachel's and we walked down to the river (Rio Henares). There's this concrete part sloping part you can kinda slide down, but it was too covered in moss/slime for me to get all the way in the water. I don't have pictures yet but when I do I will add them!

Ávila y Salamanca

This morning we set out on our last journey!

I can't believe it...

We first drove to the city of Ávila.

This city is famous for its walls, which were built (or started to be built) in the 11th century or something like that. They surround the city with a total perimeter of about 2.5 km (about 1.5 mi).

 Oooh so medieval!

 This is Kjerstie on the walls.

 The other reason for which Ávila is known is that it's the birthplace of Santa Teresa (not the same as Mother Teresa). Santa Teresa was famous for her reforms to the Carmelita order of nuns and her writing (books, poetry).

This is me and Emily in a historically significant plaza (don't ask me why it is significant- when it's that hot, things just start to blend together...)

Here's Rachel with the church that has Santa Teresa's right ring finger! (Unfortunately/fortunately they didn't let us take pictures of that one)

Here's a little farmer's market in the main plaza.

I went to buy a peach and they gave it to me for freeeee! Nothing makes me more excited than free food, just look at that smile.

Then we got back on the bus and went to the city of Salamanca! First we visited the Plaza Mayor-

Anddd various other historically significant sites. Salamanca is famous for its university, which is the oldest in Spain (founded in like 1216?? or something like that) and the 4th oldest in Europe).

Then for dinner we went back to the Plaza Mayor! There were TVs everywhere playing the world cup matches.

Then poor Kjerstie got her purse stolen as we were eating dinner here!! So we got ice cream and Oreos and went back to the hotel room to watch the World Cup game against the Netherlands, and Spain got CREAMED... 1-5... Better luck next time.

Madrid, Parque del Retiro

Well well folks, my days are numbered here and that number is 9! So this afternoon we took what very well may be one of our final trips to the city. (*wipes tears*)

Virginia and I went to the Museo del Prado and spent over an hour and a half just in one part of the museum! No wonder we've had to take like 4 trips to this museum. Today we were exploring the late 19th century- early 19th century.

We ran into another kid from our group there, and then we met up with a few other people at the Parque del Retiro, which is basically the Central Park of Madrid. It's just absolutely LOVELY there and so I made sure to snap some photos. 

They have a big "lake" in the middle of it and you can rent little rowboats. The reflection of the sky on the water was just incredible.

Then it started to rain so we sought refugio near a flock of peacocks!There were actually a lot more but they jumped up into trees and under bushes to get out of the rain too.

Eventually we realized it wasn't going to let up any time soon so we just kept walking! We found the Rosaleda, the rose garden,

Then we took the train back to Alcala de Henares and got some hot chocolate (we've talked about this so-called "hot chocolate" before, right? The stuff that's just melted chocolate/hot chocolate pudding) and churros. I wish I had taken a picture, but I unfortunately did not!

Juices en La Boqueria en Barcelona

I just wanted to share this photo because it was so cute! This is us with our 1 - Euro fresh fruit juices in the Boqueria market in Barcelona. I have strawberry-coconut, it was fantastic!

Bye-Bye Barcelona, on to Tarragona and Salou

This morning we went to this cool archaeological museum, where you went underground to see Roman ruins. 

You walked around on these walkways through the ruins, and some parts were glass so you could see what you were walking over!

It was a ton of ruins, we went pretty fast and it took us an hour! We got there right as it opened, so we had the place to ourselves.

Afterwards we went back to the Boqueria for one last 1-Euro fresh juice. I got pineapple-coconut this time. I love that place.

Then we got on the bus and went to Tarrragona, a city about an hour-ish South. Here we grabbed lunch, then went to... more Roman ruins! This time it was the ruins of a chariot-racing stadium, and then the ruins of an amphitheater. There were some amazing views, with the Roman ruins and the Mediterranean sea in the background.

Gotta love that Mediterranean view!

View of Tarragona from the top of the tower in the chariot-racing stadium.

And on the other side is the sea!

Amphitheater with the sea in the background.

Inside of the amphitheater.

Then this evening we went to Salou, which is a beach-resort town another 20 minutes down the shore. We stayed in the very classy Hotel California Gardens, which of course inspired many renditions of the Eagles song among group members ("Welcome to the Hotel California, such a lovely place, such a lovely face"). They didn't have free wifi, so that's why I couldn't post til now.

We went to the beach in the evening. I didn't bring my camera to the shore, so I don't have any photos, but maybe that's for the better. All the gelato and pastries and everything have taken their toll on the group, I ain't gonna lie, hehe. 

In the evening Kjerstie and Virginia and I wanted paella, and we found this little place that was a little more expensive than we were hoping, but we decided to go for it. It was a fantastic decision. 

We knew it was gonna be good when he brought over another table to put the pan on. 

JUST LOOK AT THIS.

Me and my crazy beach hair and the paella.  Oh by the way, that's pronounced like pie-ey-ya. It's rice, cooked in a giant pan in broth with veggies and basically whatever you want. We got one with mariscos, sea food. Mussels and octopus and shrimp with their heads and legs on and other sea creatures I don't know the name of but it was so wonderful!

Oh and when you eat paella, make sure you put lemon juice on it. So much better.

Beautiful Barcelona

Wonderful day! Barcelona is an amazing city. We started the morning off by going to this park designed by Gaudi, who was an awesome artist in the 1800s. He has a really eclectic yet practical style. 

Then we went to La Sagrada Familia cathedral, also designed by Gaudi. It's this awesome cathedral that when completed will be the tallest in the world. Construction has been going on since the late 1800s. It is unofficially estimated to be completed in 2026. But as our guide explained, it's not about finishing it. It's about the process. It's not the destination, it's the journey. No filter on these photos, by the way!

 They say if you drink the water from this fountain, you will return to Barcelona! Good thing I will be coming back in just over 2 months.

We got lunch at this AMAZING market called La Boqueria! Seriously this is a MUST. Fresh fruits, juices cheese, meat, fish, chocolate... You name it. It was amazing.

from the outdoors

This is the face of a girl who just got that whole box of fantastic strawberries for a euro!

Later we found a little pastry shop (we're good at finding those) and I tried one called a xuxo (pronounced chucho). Like a cream filled, sugar covered scone.