One last thing before thanksgiving...

                                                                                       I just couldn´t help but think of an email I sent my family the other day that said, ¨well wish me luck finding a turkey to roast up in this ocean of pig legs I live in.¨ I went to the store the next day and couldnt help but take a picture of exactly what I was talking about....

Almería y El Campo

slacklining in the park!

    It feels like a while since I have blogged! Maybe it´s because I have been having to much fun to sit down and write about it.... Two weekends ago I took a train ride through the desert to Almería for Keely´s 26th birthday! We all traveled from all over Andalucia to make it. Kate, Jessica, Keely and I raged Almería for the weekend, all we were missing was Kerry! It was so nice to be with the girls. To use all American slang, to talk so fast, even talk over eachother, and still be able to understand everything that is going on around me. I think this is something easy to take for granted. I also was happy to see the ocean. I have to travel a ways to get to an ocean, and I don´t think I can ever take for granted how pretty a sunset over the ocean is. I guess I am becoming accustomed to the sun setting over my sea of olive fields that surround Linares!

Jess, Me, Keely and Kate in a castle, no biggie

beach picnic

 

the house we rented in the countryside

 This past weekend I went out to the country and rented this amazing old spanish house in the mountains.         
   There was a pool and a tennis/soccer court. I went with 13 other people and we stayed for two days. Barbequing steaks, playing sockker, Reggie and I set up the slackline, etc. It was so much fun. On Sunday it was raining outside so we ended up all sitting around near the fire drinking, playing dice, and talking shit! It was nice to be surrounded by such beautiful mountains, and it felt so much like a Spanish movie or something. We ended up not being able to hike just becuase the hiking trails were all way too muddy from the rain, but this group is far from boring, so we just made our own fun inside! I wasn´t ready to leave when it was time to last night, but I think we are going to try to rent this same house again in a few weeks. It was such a good weekend away.
  So this weekend coming up is Thanksgiving! People actually know what that is here.... surprising :) I am going to Cabra (which means goat) to spend it with the ladies I met in Sevilla. I am sad because Reggie has decided to stay in Linares and spend it with the friends he has made here.. I just know I will have more fun if I go, and I know he will have more fun if he stays here with the friends we have made in Linares. It´ll be kind of sad, but we are spending Christmas together in Paris, so I´m not that bent out about it!

 Sending Happy Thanksgiving Wishes!

     Gobble Gobble...

One way of Life!! El Chorro :)

I think this dragon creature is playing a violin... in the moonlight

We just came back from the best climbing trip!! We went to a place called El Chorro, just outside of Malaga. The climbing spot in about 3 hours from where we live in Linares. We took a bus to Granada and rented a car from there, only 9 euro a day. We picked up Reggie's buddy, Luke, in Malaga and headed into the mountains. We got in at night and had no idea what was around us. We drove around like a bunch of tourists for waaay too long looking for our hostal, but it's all good, when we got there all the other people were still awake and told us where all the climbing could be found. We didn't do any real prep for the trip, didn't know the climbs, where to find them, and figured a guide for the area was too expensive for just a weekend trip. I can say now that I am buying this guide book for the area because I will be spending a lot more time in El Chorro!

Luke on the last climb of the day

    First day out of the rock was amazing. It was our day to get our bearings and explore the hundreds and hundreds of routes all over the area. Our second day was even better! We met up with a good buddy of mine that I met when I was living in Sevilla, Pepillo. He brought his friend, Carlos, and they took us to an area called La Mumia. Really good climbing. A little more crowded because it was Saturday, but the climbs were beautiful. Long routes, smooth limestone, tons of sunshine, and really great to see Pepillo!

Bits of the path fallen out

    On our third morning we were climbing in a spot in the canyon. To get there you can take one of two ways; el Camino del Rey, or the train tracks. El Camino del Rey (the path of the King) is located about 100 meters above the river below, and its this super super old walking path that has completely fallen apart. There is still a cable running along the side of the wall that you can clip yourself into so you don't fall to your death!  Mostly everyone walking the camino are climbers, wearing their harnesses and carrying all their gear, there are some other people who do walk this camino, but harnesses and a way to clip yourself into the cable are absolutely mandatory. The camino has actually been officially closed since 1992 and is now falling aapppaart. There are actually climbs that you can do right off the path of the camino, with not very much space, but with epic views all around and a little frightening too.

A bit of the Camino and river at sunset

The gang that walked the Camino del Rey!

    Walking the path took about an hour and a half. We finally reached our climbing destination and met up with our other friends who walked the railroad tracks. This can also be sketchy because trains are still continuously running along these tracks. There is space to get over and plug your ears, but still! The climbing on this last day was my FAVORITE for the whole trip. The routes were looonnnggg, and we were all kind of perched on the side of this rock in a smallish area before there was another drop off down to the river. I loved the group I was with! Reggie, Luke, a bunch of Spaniards that I met through Pepillo and myself. I know I will climb with these guys in the future. I think Sunday was the most fun day I have had since I have been in Spain. I am continuously blown away with how beautiful this country is and how nice and welcoming the Spanish people are.

extra pictures from el Chorro :)

Our little euro car

One of the crag spots

La Mumia

Pepillo Tomates!

sunset from camp spot

the beginning of the Camino

the path couldn't handle me

Up on the bridge, you can see the path behind us

Reggie crossing one of the bridges, the path right in front completely gone!

Carlos, Pepillo, and Reg

Camino with bridge and river

Feria!!



Gypsy Spanish dress :)



   I love Feria!! Feria is a Fair that happens in every city in Spain. The Feria starts in Sevilla in i think April or March, and then travels around to all the cities for the rest of the year. The Linares Feria was right before we arrived, so we hopped the bus to the Feria in Jaen this weekend (45 minutes away). Just picture this: carnival rides mixed with drinking tents, game playing zones, discotechs, kebab and sandwich joints all created in an open lot for SEVEN days right outside the city center. This is a romping good time for the little niños up to the grannies. All the people are dressed so nice, going on these carnival rides in their discotech-ing clothes. It is so much fun! So many of the women are wearing these traditional gypsy style dresses that are so beautiful.  

   Reggie and I met up with a teacher from his school, Vicente around 4pm. He introduced us to all of his friends and their wives, and the party began! We started at a sherry tent where they serve chocolates and cookies with the sherry. By this time it was proabbly 4:30pm, maybe 5pm, and we made our way to a tent that was blasting Shakira music. The dancing commenced mixed with some super old Spanish songs that everyone knew the dances to.



Reggie and I with the gang!



   I am dying to have my roommates teach me this style of dancing. Fun to watch, but you know I would much rather be participating. Dancing and drinking, dancing and drinking, dancing and drink, etc etc etc, at midnight, Reggie and I almost had it. We found a heavenly kebab shop, the best kebab I have ever eaten. After this we were ready for round two. Damn, its hard to keep up with these Spaniards!

   Eventually we called our friend that we have met climbing named Karol, he´s a hilarious Polish man. We asked him if we could crash at his place since the Feria was 45 minutes away from our town. He said of course, and when we showed up at his house he had made a bed for us and bought us toothbrushses! what? yes.... toothbrushes! When we awoke in the morning, breakfast was sitting out waiting for us because Karol had already left climbing. The Polish now have a special place in my heart forever. Along with the spirit of the Spaniards to party. This is definately one of my favorite weekends in Spain so far!

hiking, feria, beach season :)

Reg and I hiking on Dia de España

    I am now into my third week of teaching. I love my school! I still don´t understand... I figured by now my spanish would be killing it.  No... but today I DID understand something a teacher told me. He told me he loves to see me at school because I am always smiling and so happy. Hell yes! I got something going for me... but still not speaking the language. with time.. with time...

   I am in the process of recieving my work card so I can pay taxes, wahoo! Reggie and I met up with other people in our program at the foreigners office. Wow, people were telling some horror stories. Complaining about every little thing. When we left the office to get our cards I just hugged Reggie and said thank you. We have just been trying to stay so positive the whole time, and I think it has really paid off. Our town isn´t the coolest town ever, but now it´s starting to feel like home.   

sunset from my balcony

 Reggie and I met up with two of our friends this weekend in Malaga. Malaga is sweet! The beach is beautiful. It took us 4 hours to get there, yikes, but it was so nice to get out of the sea of olive trees and to spend some time looking at the Mediterranean. No big deal, spending some time in the Med as we like to say here...

starting young

would you want to put your mail in here?

  Malaga is extremely touristy. Every shop is a postcard store, trinkets store, or something along these lines. You never know if you are paying what you should for something. This is another reason why I am happy in Linares. It´s so nice to not worry if I´m paying tourist prices or regular prices. Also if I meet someone in my town, I know I will probably see them again. But the people I did meet in Malaga were from other places, studying and traveling( just like me).

I am starting to be given real work for my classes. It feels good to know I am contributing to my classes now. I am trying much harder to stick around my roommates this week and practice my Spanish. All is so good here... the sun is still super hot, so we have some time before the winter comes. I will make the most of these climbing months while I still can!

Reg and I teaching some kids in the park to slackline!

Our new friends Marion and Steph on a hike in Cazorla

  

life in Linares

  The weeks here are great, my life is now full of so much activity. But my WEEKENDS are even better! Reggie and I went climbing again yesterday. Back to the same place we went last weekend, climbing under the castle walls. We explored this area fully and are now curious to see what else this region has to offer before the weather turns coooolllddd. I can already feel the coldness creeping in in the morning and once the sun goes down. Sundays are something to get used to. Everything is closed, all stores and restaurants. What the heck is one supposed to do on days like this? I am enjoying the late, late, late wake up, the long breakfast, the afternoon walks and preparing a great big lunch around 5. Watching movies in Spanish in the house after lunch and playing cards. I don’t know if this town would bore me to death if I didn’t have Reggie, but so far I am so happy here. I want to make a point to go out with friends the way I would in the states. But, because this town is small and kind of sleepy, many of our new friends like to ‘bottelon’ in the park. Buy bottles of wine and beers and drink in the park and talk. Moments like this make me miss the Hostel Sopris, where we had great dance parties and could be as loud as we wanted. I have not yet joined the gang to ‘botellon’ in the park, who knows if I ever will.

   I think my roommates leave on the weekend. I know I wasn’t at the apartment a bunch this weekend. But I haven’t seen then or seen life in that place since Friday morning. I guess they must either stay with their boyfriends or go back to their towns outside of Linares.  They might have told me they were leaving…. It might have been one of the moments I smiled and nodded because I still only understand half of what is going on around me….