and this is...

FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO'VE CONSIDERED TRAVEL...WHEN THE U.S. WASN'T ENUF

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Better Late...: Bilbao, San Ascencio, Halloween...just stuff you missed


So I am totally behind on updating my blog…I know, I know…I suck. But, to be fair, if I were typing all of the time, would you even believe me when I said that I am having a good time?

I will pause there to say that homesickness is, in fact, real. No matter how good of a time you have traveling, there is a definite hole that begins to form and grow in your chest when you are on the opposite side of the world from all that you know and love for an extended period of time. I will not dwell on this or go into monotonous sappy detail. However, for future folks in this situation looking at this blog for advice and an idea of what’s to come (like I did with other blogs last year) I felt it would be a disservice to not honestly disclose that sentiment.

Moving right along…

A few weeks ago (told ya I suck) I made a lovely trip to Bilbao with a lovely group of girls and we had a lovely time eating lovely food and seeing lovely sites.  We visited the Guggenheim and the Basque History Museum, we watched a beautiful impromptu violin concert in the street that brought us to tears, we walked through the most picturesque plazas and squares, rode the cleanest subway system on the planet, and ate food that tasted like art.

There really aren’t very many words that can describe how much I loved this city and I hear tell that pictures are worth a thousand so I shall let a few photos do the talking…
Even on a rainy day...it was beautiful... 
I really appreciate Spain for automatically cooking steak medium -rare.



He was really incredible...I'm sure he must be an actual professional moonlighting for fun

Nicer than American water fountains...but I'm just as scared to drink from them



The Guggenheim

A river runs through it...

Everything worth seeing was outside...trust me on this! Very strange art...


There were actually white balls in the bottom that looked like spider eggs

I could live in this bar...

Pan seared pork with a curry dijon sauce

Spinach and Potato Mousse...yum!

Delicious ceviche

Cod fish with fruit and and veggies

German Dinner: BEFORE 
German Dinner: AFTER
(One day I will learn how to bunch my photos and not present them all in a line...one day...but not today...)

If you are ever in Bilbao you MUST check out these restaurants…some of the BEST food I have ever had…and that is saying something…. I’m Southern….



It was exactly the type of vacation that I was in need of…really relaxing, cultural and consistent stuffing of my face with delicious goodness. I spent several hours in a food coma and it was fantastic. It was, in short....LOVELY!!!


Oh, and we also had Halloween here, of course… we didn’t do much, as Logrono is sorely lacking in the Halloween spirit. But we did dress up and go out to confuse passing Spaniards and have a drink before calling it a night. I went as Medusa!




Another quick item that was crossed off of my bucket list recently: Grape Stomping!!! We went on a quick day trip to the nearby town of San Ascencio where a local bodega was hosting a wine event. We were able to tour an underground wine cellar, taste some of the best wine on earth, eat some of the best chorizo I have ever had and of course smush our toesies into some grapes…note for future stompers: Get a pedicure first. You will be judged for chipped polish. I learned the hard way.

(I wanted to include some pics from San Acencio--there were plenty--but my comp is just not having it today! Sorry)

So I believe you are all caught up on my shenanigans…

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and we are planning a big AmeriBrit dinner (I’m trying to convince the Brits to dress as pilgrims…this feels appropriate to me). And we possibly may head into another nearby town for a night to stave off any residual holiday blues…


What is on your bucket list? Where did you have the best meal of your life? Please share, for every one thing I cross off of my bucket list, I want to add more…keeps the heart pumping and whatnot…

¡Hasta Pronto!
XOXO

Friday, November 9, 2012

Feeling the Thrill Across the Pond: Obama!!!!!

It is a very unique experience to be on the other side of the world, knowing that the very landscape of the home you left behind is going through the most major shift of your lifetime.

I have not been immune to the propaganda and mudslinging just because I have been transplanted. In fact, it was quite a heady thing to realize how much the people of the world, not just citizens of the USA, have been waiting with baited breath to find out the results of this 2012 election process.

Of course, I was rooting for Obama, again...I believe in him and his vision, I believe that it takes a country to move a country and I generally shy away from the "every man for himself" mentality. I am always confused by the push for Christian morals on politics while those very "Christians" eschew any and all responsibility to care for and uplift their fellow man...you know...like  Christ did? ((I would not normally shove my ideas down anyone's throat but ummm..yeah...it's MY blog! lol))

Whatever!

The race is over and we can steer away from these controversial topics once again and focus on such important matters as whether or not Kanye and Kim will make it last and how I will see the final Twilight Saga movie without having to suffer through awful Spanish dubbing.

I stayed up as long as I could (dozed off about an hour before he was announced--cut me some slack, that was around 5am my time) and woke up to great news!!

I, of course, then accidentally slept through work and have spent the remainder of my week paying for it by making up the time on my days off... One of the teachers tried to give me crap about it but I was quite unapologetic. I always admire Spain's involvement in their government and there have been 2 strikes in the past month. So, I felt no shame in missing a day in support of my nation...

I must say that I am thoroughly enjoying all of the congratulations that I have been receiving...Yes, dear Spaniards, I also believe that this was all my doing and that I am now about to lead America as Obama's right hand woman...yes, indeed!

Barack is Back!!! Photo Credit: Getty Images