My university:
Switzerland Video
Video on my trip to Switzerland!
On SWITZERLAND
SWITZERLAND. WAS. AMAZING. It was the ultimate final trip. I went with my friend from school, Jackie, who studies in Barcelona. Last Thursday, we flew into Geneva and stayed the night. We only had one evening, so we walked around to the lake (which is absolutely HUGE – the biggest in Europe, actually) and then went to get a classic Swiss dinner: cheese fondue. It was so delicious and the ambience of the restaurant was unparalleled.
The next morning we left for the main event: Interlaken. It was about a 3 hour, beautiful train ride. We rode through the Swiss countryside, and towards the alps. When we arrived, we at first had no idea how we were going to find our hostel, but somehow we stumbled upon it (Interlaken is pretty small). Our hostel was one of the things that made the trip; it apparently is one of the most famous hostels in Europe. It has the appeal of a mountain lodge.
The first thing we did was go to a famous lookout point on the side of a mountain, called Harder Kulm. Our hostel gave us half-off cards for the gondola that takes you up there. The views were absolutely amazing. There is even a restaurant up there, so we got a brew and enjoyed the scenery. We were sitting in lounge chairs discussing how we felt like we were in The Sound of Music, when a lady overheard us and said “if you really want to feel like it, go down that path for about 10 minutes”. Well, we obviously couldn’t let that one go. We hiked a little ways down the mountain and found this open field area looking out at the lakes and mountains beyond. After Harder Kulm, we walked through the city, which is a quaint mountain town. It was filled with chocolate shops (many that we went into to get free samples).
The next day was ADVENTURE FILLED. The first thing we did was wake up and rent mountain bikes. Now, you have to understand that upon renting these bikes, we literally had no idea where to take them. Yes, we were surrounded by mountains, but where were the paths and what paths should we take? Well, the lady at the bike store said we could pretty much go wherever we wanted, so we sort of just took that to heart and started riding toward the big mountain: Jungfrau (the tallest in Europe). Eventually, we found a bike path going super up hill, so we took it. This was probably the hardest bike of my life, but also the most rewarding. Imagine riding a bike straight through the alps. There were tons of hills and rocky drops that were crazy exhilarating. My favorite part was going down the huge hills with no hands. The path we took ended up taking us to a little village called Lauterbrunnen, which is graced with a gigantic waterfall.
We had to end our biking adventure and get back to our hostel by four, because we had something planned……so I guess this is when I should tell you…one of the main reasons I wanted to go to Interlaken was to bungee jump. It is not any old bungee jump – I have been wanting to do this EXACT one for as long as I can remember seeing pictures of bungeeing. We were picked up at our hostel and driven about 30 minutes out of Interlaken to Stockhorn – a small area in the mountains with a REALLY high gondola going into the mountains. The entire journey to the bungee site was part of the experience. We were the first bungee group of the summer season, so there were a lot of us. I’m not going to go into too much detail, because it’s a story better told in person, but let’s just say it fulfilled all of my expectations.
The next day we had another all day adventure: we went to Mount Schilthorn, which is famously known as the place where they filmed the 1969 James Bond movie. We had to take a train, a bus and about 5 different gondola rides to get up to the mountain. The gondolas were unbelievable – they went insanely steep up the mountains. I can’t believe they even constructed that sort of thing. I think when we got to the top we were at about 10,000 feet. At first, we were worried about clouds because when we bought our tickets the guy warned us that it was a cloudy morning. We decided to take our chances (and like always for me abroad) it paid off. The views were the most breathtaking I have ever seen. We had a clear view of some of the world’s most famous peaks, like Jungfrau, Mont Blanc, and Munch. There’s also a pretty cool James Bond museum up there as well. We decided to have lunch at the famous revolving restaurant at the top; I can’t think of a better way to spend a day than sipping wine at the top of the Alps. I can’t even believe all of the things I did in Switzerland.
On Saying Agur to Bilbao
Somehow time has unimaginably swallowed my study abroad experience, and now I have to digest it. I cannot begin to comprehend that today is my last full day in the city where I have grown the most. The friends I’ve made here have given me unforgettable memories; the professors have fomented a positive unrest, an unrelinquishing urge to learn and understand more about the world around me; the art has made me shake off the dust that has been collecting on the right side of my brain; and finally, the sea gave me my bearings and allowed me to appreciate even more what lies across it, waiting for me to return.
I have been so lucky to have been able to live in another country for four months, especially in a city as dynamic as Bilbao. I feel as if Basque Country is a like a little known, prideful secret that I have been let in on. From getting lost on a mountain and almost trampled my cows, to getting told that I have the best Basque accent a native has ever heard in the Old Town, my stay in Bilbao has been anything but ordinary.
A few words in Basque that I’ve learned:
Ni Eleni naiz. Bilbabokoa dago. Bilbao, eskerrik asko ta maite zatut. Ez da agur, da gero arte.
(I am Eleni and I am Bilbao. Bilbao, thank you and I love you. It is not goodbye, but see you later.)
I also recently compiled another video of some choice days I have spent in Bilbao. I think it encapsulates my feelings as best as possible.
SOME LOST GEMS
As my time here is coming to an end soon, I thought I’d share some pics that may not have made it in the blog the first time around. Enjoy.
My friend Nora and I (she studies in Granada and we’ve been friends since kindergarten!):
Me in Plaza Moyua in Bilbao on a typical Bilbao rainy day:
Mems and I greeting Nora at the airport!
Mems and I in the pueblo de Plentzia outside of Bilbao:
Nora, Mems, and I in front of el Puppy outside of the Guggenheim:
Cooking class with Paul!
Me at my fav spot in Larrabasterra:
Me with this water fountain that looks exactly like the entrance of the chamber of secrets:
Drinks in Casco Viejo after school one day:
Biarritz, South of France:
My friend Tim and I in San Sebastian:
The classic crew in Segovia:
Nights out with some new and old friends:
Gotta love those chocolatiers:
SPRING BREAK VIDEO
Here’s a glimpse into my spring break! Bump up the quality to HD (click the little wheel in bottom right corner of video and hit 720).
On Lagos
How do I even begin to describe the paradise that is Lagos, Portugal…
We booked our trip to Lagos through a company that does group excursions from Sevilla. Basically, everything (transportation, lodging, etc) is included except for extra activities. Most of the people that do them are typically study abroad kids on spring break. It was about a 3.5 hour bus ride from Sevilla to Lagos.
Our hotel’s location was UNREAL. It was directly on the top-rated beach in Lagos – Praia Dona Ana. We were literally giddy getting off the bus and looking around. Our hotel also had a rooftop pool looking out at the cliffs and water. Our first day’s activity was an optional sangria sail boat cruise. We got driven to the port, got on a sailboat with unlimited sangria, and were driven along the beautiful coastline. The boat anchored at a certain point and a little boat took us out through the grottos. When we got back from that, we were surprised to see that no one was rushing to jump into the water because that’s what we were about to do. The water was cold, but refreshing and amazing. Karly and I were treading water and sipping our sangria on the coast of Lagos, Portugal – how unreal is that? After our boat ride, we went on a little hike up on the cliffs right next to our hotel to explore the views a bit before dinner. Our guides took us to town to show us the best spots to eat. The city area of Lagos is very beach-towny – super laid back. All the buildings are white, kind of like in Greece. We ended up going to a great Portuguese restaurant for dinner. Walking through the city felt like I was in a movie – old ladies leaning out of windows yelling to people down on the street in portuguese, people eating outside quaint white buildings, everyone in beachwear.
The next we had an awesome kayaking trip planned. We got to kayak with a guide through the grottos and along the coast. We went to a beach only accessible by boat and snorkeled there. We also spent ample time on the beach relaxing that day. In the evening, we took a bus ride to see the sunset in Sagres at a place known as “the end of the world” because it’s the southwest tip of Europe. It looked a lot to me like the Cliffs of Moher. It was cloudy and a tad rainy at first, but then the sun peaked through and gave us a rainbow and a sunset.
Our last day we were supposed to surf, but it got cancelled because it was supposed to storm later in the day. Although we were disappointed, we were able to spend the day at our favorite beach and explore more. We had the WHOLE beach to ourselves and the weather turned out being hot and sunny for most of the morning. We swam to these rocks off the shore and were jumping off them. It was a blast. I never wanted to leave that spot.
On Sevilla & Granada
The first thing that struck us when arriving in Sevilla was the heat. The south of Spain seems like a different world than Basque Country…….it is tropical, vibrant, loud, chaotic. It is probably what most people think of when they think of Spain – flamenco costume stores everywhere, a bull fighting ring, sangria at every cafe.
Our hotel was a bit out of the city, so we took a bus into town. My favorite part of Sevilla was the buildings. Mostly white (to help with the heat), mixed with vibrant colors, it is a treat to get lost in the Santa Cruz neighborhood. Our first day, we saw the Plaza de España, which is a true spectacle. It was built for the world fair in 1929. We also went to the Alcazár – which was originally a Moorish fort. We lucked out by going at a time when few people were there, so we got the chance to explore at our own pace and run through the maze in the gardens. That night, we found a new place to call “old faithful”. In Barcelona, it was our sidra bar, in Sevilla it was Villar gelato – owned by the funniest old lady who spoke perfect English. We read about the place in our bible (Rick Steves) and had to go. The owner kept making us try different flavors – they were all FANTASTIC. Best ice cream I have EVER had. Needless to say, we went about 4 times in two days.
The next day, we went to the Catedral de Sevilla – the largest cathedral in the world. The cathedral is so massive that there is literally no good angle to see it or take a picture because you cannot see the whole thing from any stance. It’s size was pretty mind-blowing. We went to the top of one of the towers, giving us great views of the city. We also went to the neighborhood of Triana, which many locals call “the true Sevilla”. It was across the river from the main drag and had the most colorful buildings and people. That night, we were searching for a place to see a flamenco show, but most of the places we walked past were sold out for the night. Luckily, I had heard of a place – La Carbonería Bar – that doubled as a “sangria garden” and an impromptu flamenco venue. How would I describe the bar…..well it seemed as if the owner of Kam’s decided to try his hand at Spain. There were a bunch of picnic tables lined up – it definitely seemed like a college type hangout. Very awesomely, a flamenco dancer did indeed perform with live music accompaniment. I think that was one of my best Sevilla memories.
Granada was our final day in Sevilla. We booked our trip through a tour company because that was the only way we could see the Alhambra (all normal Alhambra tickets were sold out for the rest of the month). Of course our tour couldn’t be just an ordinary tour…..we had to have a crazy tour guide (Alice), who was afflicted with OCD and a serious case of ugly pantsuit syndrome. I don’t know how many times she told us to look out the window on our way to Granada. The first thing on our agenda there was our Alhambra tour, which we got a great tour guide for, Gustav (also known as Gus). The tour took about 3 hours. I didn’t expect it to be so big. The Alhambra is really a city, not a building. Afterwards, we had a couple hours before our bus went back to Sevilla, so we made the most out of them by speed tapa-ing. Granada is known for its free tapas, so naturally we had to rush to as many bars as possible. We also went to a place recommended to me by a friend who studies there for “churros con chocolate”. Bellies full, we headed back to Sevilla, but not without a few snags with Alice. (I definitely pulled a few “Marcias” on the trip to get us what we wanted, like getting dropped off by the tour bus at our hotel).
Also worth mentioning is that while in Sevilla, it was Semana Santa (Holy Week). Holy Week is very big in Spain – it is celebrated with processions every day. However, Sevilla is famous for Semana Santa, so it definitely shaped our stay there. Without knowing anything about it, it could look very strange. Everyone is dressed in outfits that look like they are either a Death Eater or a member of the KKK. They also carry HUGE monuments of Mary and Jesus through the streets. During the day, the processioners were mostly school kids and the atmosphere was light and festive. At night, things got much more solemn and people actually were silent to hear the “saetas” – the religious hymns typical of Sevilla. There would actually be a pause in the procession, everyone would hush, and look up to a balcony where a man would start mournfully signing. It was something out of a movie. It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience. Semana Santa also caused some difficulties for us transportation wise – one day resulting in us walking 5 miles home to our hotel from the city due to some overcrowding situations on the buses.
On Barcelona
Barcelona was the first stop on our ultimate adventure. I met my cousins in the Barcelona airport and we headed for our hotel, which was absolutely amazing. It was in the old Gothic neighborhood, nestled in an old plaza. Our windows opened right up to the action below.
Our view:
First on our list of things to do was to see La Sagrada Familia – this is a church (still in the process of being completed) designed by Antoni Gaudí – Barcelona’s modernist Catalan frontrunner. I think the Sagrada Familia was probably the most shocking spectacle that we saw on our trip, simply because we were not expecting what we found. After traveling Europe for a while, you kind of get the idea that once you’ve seen one church, cathedral, or basilica, you’ve seen them all – which is true to an extent. La Sagrada Familia was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Gaudí was unconventional to say the least. The history behind the building of it (which is projected to be done in about 10 years I believe) is very interesting and I highly suggest reading up on it. It will be a marvel once it’s done.
That day, we also treated ourselves to some much needed sangria and a walk to the beach and port. That night, we found our beloved, favorite Barcelona bar. I wish I could say that it was a charming little find, but really we sought it out because Billy saw a sign for 8$ bottles of wine. It turned out to be a Basque place, and I quickly made friends with the owner who is from Bilbao. After trying many other places in Barcelona, we kept returning to this ol’ faithful bar.
The next couple of days were a whirlwind of walking tours, exploring old parts of the city, and much needed beach time. We went on a Gaudí tour, a tour of the Old Town, and went to the Picasso museum. Of course, we had to have a decent paella meal; we went to a great place by the beach and I ended up sitting in the chair that Picasso used to sit in! We also went to Parc Güell, which is a park that was designed by Gaudí – it gave us great views of the city. 
Traditional Catalan dancing we stumbled upon in front of the Barcelona Cathedral:
Old Roman columns:
My shorts didn’t fit the guidelines for the Barcelona Cathedral 
On our last day, we took cable cars up to Montjuic Mountain, which very prominently rises above the city. We hiked up to the top to see the Montjuic Castle. To one direction we had an old military fortress from the 16th century, and to the other a beautiful panoramic view of the city. That night, being our last in Barcelona, we knew we had to spend it with old faithful (the aforementioned beloved Bilbaíno bartender). This time, we decided to take a break from wine and try the sidra (cider) that is indigenous to northern Spain. We saw a group of men a few nights before pouring this mysterious liquid into their cups from above their heads, letting it spray off into a bucket under the bar. Seeing our inquisitive stares (or just looks of utter confusion) one of the men actually forced us to try some from his glass, telling us it was sidra. Naturally, we had to go back on our last night and try pouring for ourselves. It was definitely worth it. We also went to a great bar that was frequented nightly by the likes of Hemingway, Picasso, Gaudí, and other great artists of the 20s.
On Spring Break
A few days ago, I got back from 10 days of straight traveling with my cousins for my spring break. I had the time of my LIFE. We met up in Barcelona, stayed there for 4 days, then went to Sevilla for 3 days, Granada for 1 day, and finally Lagos, Portugal for 3 days. The trip was PACKED and eventful. Therefore, I will be writing about it in three parts: Barcelona, Sevilla/Granada, and Portugal. Look to see the first of this three-part writeup in the next day or two!
