In the summer of 2004, some classmates and I traveled to Spain with a layover in London. The following entry is the journal I kept during that adventure.
Monday 07/26
Flying was fine, i didn't get sick. but also didn't get any sleep!
50 min flight Des Moines --> Chicago
6 hour 50 min. Chicago --> London
about 2 hr. London --> Spain
Tuesday 07/27
London was cool...they have awesome accents!! Haha I love it. Um, I ate a "Tuna Sweetcorn Mayo Sandwich" it was interesting...
•Windsor Castle was beautiful! And those guards that supposedly don't talk...DO!!
•Double Deckers: Ok, they're the coolest, & we couldn't rid one, cuz ya needed to have a pass, so I bought one [toy double decker]!!
Bought: Teddy bear, ash tray, tank,
Wednesday 07/28
Palace Real (Royal) <-- in Madrid
-the lady showed us 22 rooms in this gorgeous palace
-1/2 ton chandaleers
-every ceiling painted
-silk walls
-golden tread used to sew wall
-nice little square open in middle
actually, 1st we went to Toledo, so beuatiful scenery! we walked forevers.
*Cathadral of Toledo
-BEAUTIFUL
-HUGE ORGANS
Bought: 4 shirts!! shirt, postcards, bell, fan
Thursday 07/29
Last night we (Jordon, Kristy, & I) went to bed @ 4am., then breakfast was @ 7:30, & bus leave @ 8. The phone rings at 7:30, & woke us up!! So we didn't get to shower or like anything! Then we had a 5 hr. bus ride to Sevilla, but stopped 1/2 way at Cordaba. In Cordaba we saw La Mesquita! I'm in love with it! So beautiful.
Then we went shopping.
Bought: cow, postcard, shoes, ring
Friday 07/30...
Bad gurls, we didn't go to bed till 4 again. But this time we didn't have to get up till 8:30. Had breakfast, it stunk! ew, Im starving here. Ok ne way. Had bus tour. saw some palace tat was in Star Wars/Track/whatever. pretty. walked a good distance. La Giralda/Cathadral de Sevilla. Christopher Columbus is "buried" there. Then it optional to go up the ....
It was 35 flights up! Whick killed me cuz imma wuss like that. Later I'll write about us getting loss [also known as lost] today. But I gotta get read Flamenco.
Bought: ring, capris
--> I dont feel like writing, but had a boat party tonight. It was so fun! I DANCED! Nite!
Saturay 7/31
today we drove to Torremolino, and we're like one or two blocks from the Mediterranian Sea. It is so beautiful! I love this place...don't want to go! We had basically all free time today! We were on the way to eat lunch @ this paella place, and we (Me, Jordon, Jasòn) walked in & sat close to the beach, and looked back and the rest of the group hadn't stopped, so we ended up eating lunch on our own. But I had close to the best hamburger in my life. B...I don't know what I was just gonna...omg, we're all laying here (its 1:23am) and we just heard a door creaking, & was freaked it was our door, but we/ok, Jordon got up to look & it wasn't, so it musta been next door. ok, I need to stop. this has taken too long.
Owe: Meagan --> 10ϵ
Stockman --> 50ϵ
Monday 8/01
Today was Gilbraltor...I was so excited. So we go there. and the city "Gilbraltor" is owned by England, so, they speak English & Spanish, accept Euro's & Pounds. So we start up the Rock of Gilbraltor. And theres just wild apes everywhere. And if a vehicle has its windows down, they just jump in. They are like superior. So we get about 1/2 way up (as far as we go) & there's this lil souveniers shop. Well Jason bought a shot glass, and then we were all outside on picnic tables watching our bus driver feed the monkeys, & Jason was holding his bag w/ his shot glass in it & he felt something on his shoulder and looked up & an ape was looking up & smiling at him from his shoulder. Then the ape took his bag w/ shot glass in it and ran away, and broke it, & threw the broken pieces in the air. We also went in a cave & @ 1st I was a little afraid I was gonna fall cuz it was wet. But it was all really pretty. Then after supper, Jor, Sheila, & I needed to go shopping/ice cream/xchange my wrap, so we stopped by & picked up Megan (from other group). It was fun. I got ice cream w/ raisins in it & learned I didn't like it. And then we couldn't find the store to exchange my wrap. Not cuz I didn't know where it was, but it just like disappeared. I dunno.
I want:
Lone Star Onion Bloom
McD's
rhubbarb crisp
a 20oz diet coke. (there's are glass 20CL bottles)
sleep
What I've gotten to give as gifts:
bracelet
candles
cow
ash tray
teddy bears
Derek's (Gilbraltor tour guide) funny sayings:
"Don't worry, be happy. If you worry you die, if you don't you be ok. So don't worry!"
"You are not to stop here...it could be dangerous. But I am Derek, so I stop here!"
Guiermo's -->
"-1"
"We will stop here to drink and undrink"
"It's a 5 minute walk" <-- we walk 45 minutes
Tuesday August 3rd
We had a 4 hr drive today/this morning to Alicante. We got here around 1 and walked to the beach. Then ate @ McDonald's (not as good as America's) and "shopped". I got a pooca shell necklace (or so Jor tells me) & a navy blue wrap. I got burnt.
*insert hand-drawn portrait of where I was burned - all over*
Ronak lost/forgot his wallet for the second time (first time @ the sword place, in Toledo & the mailed it). Well we left McD's & he asked Heidi & Jasòn if they had his wallet & they didn't. So he went back upstairs & I had figured Heidi or Jasòn were playing him, but sure enuf he comes downstairs wiping his wallet off! He had thrown it away with his food!! TERRIBLE!
Thursday, August 5th
Yesterday we arrived at Barcelona and went to las Ramblas. There are tons of people there who dress up, stand on a podium & act like statues - but if you give them money, they do a little "show". <LOL> Last night (it was already dark) & we were heading "home", and this guy walked up to me & hissed RIGHT IN MY EAR! It scared me so much! I started crying, I felt violated. Today we went to see Mirò's building thing & then to the Ramblas again. And I got my pic painted.
Sat. August 7th --> on bus...whats new?!?
Yesterday we were in San Sebatiòn, but our hotel was 20 miles away in Zestoa (population 3000). So Jordon, Sheila, & I go for a walk to this bridge, planning to go up this hill to overlook the whole town. Well on the bridge was this old man that looked like a thin Santa Clause. He started talking to us (in pure Spanish) about the fish in the river below. Then he just kept talking to us for like 20-30 minutes. Then he was telling me it was bad of me to drink Diet Coke, & I should just drink water. Then he was asking me if I'd tried "Coca Cola con beano." WellI had no clue what that was. And he was trying to explain it the best he could in Spanish, but I still just couldn't understand him. So then he goes "Vamos, vamos a mi casa." He wanted to take us to his house to show us what it was. We tried telling him we had to go for supper (it was about 7:30 by now) & he wouldn't believe us. So we started walking w/ him, & when we got to the corner we needed to turn @ to go to our hotel, we just turned, said we had to go, and thanked him for talking to us.
Then last night Brooke, Heidi, & I were getting ready to go to bed, & I found this light switch that I couldn't figure out what it was to. Then a little later I saw a light on under the closet door. But that light didn't turn it off, So brooke went to open it to see if the switch was in it or WHAT. So she turned the handle, & nothing happened, but then she sat back on the bed & the door knob started moving. Long story short. It was joined rooms & that was the door.
In Segovia (?) we climbed 152 stairs
Monday, August 9th
Last night we were supposed to get to London at around 9:30pm, but we got delayed so we got in around 10:30, & didn't get luggage & shit done till 11:30 or 12. Then we had to find Antony (London guide), & get on subway to go to hotel. Well lets just say the stops we needed were closed. So after getting on & trying probably 5 diff. subways, & too many stairs w/ luggage, we walked, & got there @ 2am.
What I learned from rereading my journal:
*Though I had a great time and loved everything we saw and learned, I didn't fully appreciate the opportunity I was given. [I'd love to go back with Wes!!]
*I am a horrible writer!!
