Kodak Moments in Paris and Granada

Justin was the photographer on our travels together. Here are a few of his pictures from our trip to Paris and to Granada.

Did I mention that it was cold in Paris? The snow still covered the ground in untrodden places. The first morning we were there, I was excited to kick the snow around in the Louvre courtyard.

The Mona Lisa is one of the stars of the Louvre. She gets all the attention, even from behind her glass case. Many people are shocked by how small the painting actually is; knowing this before seeing her in person, I had the opposite reaction. Mona was bigger than I thought she would be! It's true that her smile is quite elusive and her eyes can find you, no matter where you are standing in the room. To his credit, Leonardo did create a masterpiece, but Mona isn't exactly the model for ideal femine beauty... which is maybe one reason why she is so appealing.

From the Louvre Palace, we walked down through the Tulleries Gardens, which were covered in snow. I bet they are gorgeous when the flowers and leaves are in bloom.

Justin and I at the base of the Sacre Cur.

We walked along the Seine River Friday night. The bridges were beautifully lit up and the cold, dark water created a tranquil, yet mysterious, atmosphere.

We went ice skating in front of the Hotel de Ville on Friday night! We had a blast.

On Saturday, we did some more walking. Of course, we toured the Notre Dame along the way. It's kind of hard to miss. Unfortunately, Quasi Moto was busy, and we couldn't climb the towers to stop by, say hello, and have some crepes. Instead, we had to grab a few hot, chocolately crepes from some roadside stands.

Justin likes to play with the settings on his camera. This is a fun one of the back side of Notre Dame.

We spent a large part of Saturday evening near the Arc de Triomph. We played in busy Parisian traffic, Justin took lots of photos, and I waited in the cold until it was time to move on to the grand finale of the evening... the Eiffel Tower.

The Arc de Triomph and the Eiffel Tower.

Before we went to the top of the Eiffel Tower, Justin and I discovered a large fountain that was completely frozen over. People had made there way out on the ice, slipping and sliding and skidding across the frozen surface. I like to think we got to go ice skating two nights in a row!

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Back in Spain, we enjoyed the wonderful gastronomical scene of Granada and relished all the delicious tapas we were served while visiting.

Before King Fernando and Queen Isabella conquered Granada in 1492, the Muslim Moors held all the power in this part of Spain. Justin and I visited this ancient Muslim bath house, which was very similar to a modern one that he's actually been to in Turkey.

A member of Justin's Turkey team, Alex, met us at the Alhambra. Here we are on the top of the old fortress lookout with the city of Granada below us.

The Alhambra gardens are really breathtaking. Fountains, flowers, and citrus trees create an enchanting oasis.

The snow covered Sierra Nevada sets a glorious backdrop for the Alhambra. The Sierra Nevada is the highest mountain range in Spain, and many people go skiing there.

I got to try my hand . . . or should I say my feet . . . at flamenco dancing in las cuevas de Sacramonte. Late on, some study abroad students told me that they thought I was so good that I must be famous. I declined them my autograph.

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Those are some visual highlights from our trips to Paris and Granada. Justin and I spent last Sunday together in Madrid. I got to take him to my church (The Community Church of Madrid), we had a great lunch and dinner, and we enjoyed one another's company. Now, he's back in Turkey. I hope to visit him there once school ends this summer. But before I get to Turkey, I've got other travel plans. In fact, I'm going to Portugal next month! Jeez... how lucky am I?

I've got to go to school now. I am still working, I promise. Actually, I've been doing a lot of teaching solo as of late. But more on that later! Hasta luego.

Justin gets a look at my life in Spain

At 8:55 A.M. on Monday the 12th of January, I walked into my third grade classroom for the first time in over a month. I opened the blinds and mentally prepared myself for the rush of 8 year olds who entered the room when the bell rang minutes later. As they hastily slung their winter coats in the closets and threw their wheely-backpacks around the room, I perused Pilar’s agenda to see the lesson plans for the day. Luckily, I was familiar with the drill and the class curriculum, because Pilar was late… and I taught most of English class on my own. What a way to start back after such a long and crazy break!

I gave Justin the tour of Madrid on Monday afternoon. I took him to a famous restaurant called Casa Mingo for a big Spanish lunch of cider-basted chicken and chorizo. We spent the afternoon walking through the central and historic areas of Madrid, and I showed him some of my regular haunts. We perused a free museum exhibit on the Etruscans, too. That night, we met up with my long-lost friend Sarah (SK), and it was a happy reunion.

Last week, Justin got to experience my working life here in Madrid. On Tuesday, I took him to school for a couple of classes, and we both went to the houses of the twins (Marcos and Aitor) and of Fernando and Belén for my tutoring lessons. On Wednesday, he hung with me all day at school like a champ, offering some additional input in my conversation classes with my teachers and tasting the greatness that is my school’s cafeteria. I spared Justin from going to work with me on Thursday morning, and as I walked through the school, I was asked by several starry-eyed third grade and second grade girls, “Emmm... Justin, where is? Where is Justin?” When I told them he wasn’t coming back, they seemed a little sad and disappointed. I guess I’m not the only one who likes him!

With loaded backpacks, Justin and I hopped on a bus Thursday afternoon and arrived in Granada, a small Spanish city in Andalusia, just after 7 p.m. We found our hostel in the old district of town, acquired a map from our general hostel lady-boss, and strolled through the bustling narrow streets of Granada. That night we ate the best döner kebap either one of us has ever put in our mouth, and we enjoyed the tapas that came with our drinks… a practice that is unfortunately not practiced everywhere in Spain. Granada is truly a marvelous little gem. Tucked away at the base of the Sierra Nevada, the tallest mountain range in Spain, the city is full of charm and character. The old part of town had narrow pedestrian-only streets that form a shopper’s haven. The cathedral is large, but not overwhelming, and the Capilla Real (Royal Chapel) built alongside the cathedral is the final resting place for the most famous Spaniards in history: The Catholic Monarchs, King Fernando and Queen Isabella. Granada was also the last stronghold in Spain for the Muslims in the 1400s, and earlier had enjoyed much affluence and success through trade (and with the help of the large Jewish community, too). Thus, Granada’s architecture is greatly influenced by the Islamic arches and geometric patterns, which creates a dreamy and enchanting setting. The Alhambra (shown above and below) is Granada’s main tourist attraction, and given how uptight the Spanish are about visiting the grounds, it might as well be a wonder of the world. The Alhambra is an ancient-fortress-turned-palace that sits on a large hill overlooking the city. It was designed around the fact that water can be used as an art form. Check out http://www.alhambra.org/eng/index.asp?secc=/inicio for more information or just Wikipedia it! One of Justin’s teammates, Alex Palma, stayed with us on Saturday. She met us outside the Alhambra entrance, giving us just enough time to make a mad dash through the gardens to make our appointment to visit the Palace grounds (which you can only enter during the 30 minute window stamped on your ticket). The three of us took our time walking through all the different parts of the monument. Later in the afternoon, we had lunch at this really cool Moroccan restaurant, where incense burned continuously, cushions lined the benches, and the walls were covered with beautifully exotic cloth.

Justin and I decided to go all out with being a tourist in Granada, and on Saturday night, we went to a flamenco show in las cuevas de Sacramonte (the caves in the hillside known as Sacramonte). It was a good show and very different from my other flamenco experiences. At the end, I was pulled out onto the dance floor to try my hand in flamenco dancing! I really enjoyed making a fool of myself and pretending I could perform this art form that takes years to truly master. One day… On Sunday, I took a bus back to Madrid, while Justin and Alex headed to Malaga. They have a conference in southern Spain this week (which is one the main reasons Justin was able to come visit me in the first place). Justin’s flying back to Madrid early Sunday morning, and we’ll have one more day together before he flies back to Turkey on Monday (the 26th). It’s going to be hard to have to say goodbye for another long period of time, but I think both he and I are excited about all the cool things we’re going to be able to do on the latter half of our year abroad.

So, this week I am back to the daily work schedule. Getting back into the swing of things at school has been fairly easy, but I’m still a little unsure about how to conduct my private tutoring classes for the next 4-6 months. I just hope I can keep those jobs to allow me to do lots more traveling! Yeah… I guess my life’s not so bad. ;-) What do you think, J?

Bonjour, Justin!

If I thought my brain was a muddled mess after my trans-Atlantic flight two weeks ago, I don’t really want to get into the anatomic analysis of it now. I’m sure an MRI scan would show a convoluted mixture of emotions, thoughts, and memories as a result from the past two weeks. I had a wonderful, magical, and utterly delightful time with Justin—in Paris, Madrid, and Granada—and my head is reeling with all the things we’ve seen and done.

I waited anxiously just outside baggage claim at the Madrid airport on Wednesday, January 7, the day after I arrived back in Spain. Due to a flight delay and luggage issues, Justin was not on time, and I nervously wondered if I were in the right location to meet him. Finally, my tall, blond hair, blue eyed boyfriend walked through the automatic sliding doors, and I realized when we embraced one another in greeting that I was shaking. I was also somewhat speechless. I didn’t expect that reaction, but I suppose I was in a bit of a shock to see someone that I care about so deeply after being apart for so long. The shock did wear off, and we jumped right back into our typical joking and telling stories about our most recent adventures. Unfortunately, Justin’s luggage didn’t make his connecting flight and had been left in Istanbul, but he only had to go one day without his things, because it arrived on the next day.

Thursday we went to the airport twice—once to retrieve Justin’s luggage, and once to catch our flight to Paris. We landed at the Charles de Gaulle airport around 10:30 p.m. and caught the train into the city. We stayed at a hostel in the old part of town, along the Seine River and a stone’s throw from the hunchback’s famous home. Paris was COLD, below freezing our entire stay. Snow still covered unused walkways and gardens, remnants of the giant blizzard that hit northern Europe earlier in the week. However, we didn’t let the bitter cold stop us from enjoying our time in one of the world’s greatest cities, even if we did lose feeling in our fingers all too often.

We had two full days in Paris, and we walked all over that town. First, we toured the Louvre Museum on Friday morning. We arrived just as the doors under the glass pyramid were opening, and we spent over three hours touring perhaps the most famous museum in the world. Thanks to my friend KK, we had a secret weapon that helped us take advantage of our precious time in Paris. Before leaving, I had downloaded podcasts by travel writer Rick Steves, and Justin and I had our own free audio guide tours of the Louvre, the d’Orsay Museum, and historic Paris. Rick took us through the major galleries to see the most important works found in the Louvre, giving us the low-down on the art, the artists, and the historical background of it all.

This is the controversial glass pyramid (designed by an American architect in 1989) in the central plaza of the Louvre. Note how there are no people in this picture... we were there early!

After spending over fours hours walking through the giant and decadent palace, its galleries and its gardens, we ducked into a small French café to rest and refuel with paninis and soup. Then, we spent all Friday afternoon walking through the right bank of town and hiked to Sacré Coeur, the white-walled basilica perched at the top of the hill in a neighborhood called Montmartre. If you’ve ever seen Moulin Rouge, Montmartre is the infamous red light district and home of the early 20th century “Bohemian revolution.” In fact, we found the Moulin Rouge… but I must admit that my movie-like expectations were not met, and I was a bit let down by the small red windmill nonchalantly sitting on a low rooftop. Unfortunately, the Moulin Rouge still reigns queen of the red light district… so Justin and I opted not to dilly-dally in the area for too long, and we continued our walk back towards central, up-town Paris.

This picture was taken from the window of the D'Orsay Museuam. You can see the faint outline of the Sacre Cour in the background. The Louvre Palace is in the foreground. Note the snow on the ground.

We took our hostel up on their dinner special at their restaurant (ok, maybe it was more like a cafeteria) and ate an inexpensive meal before moving on to our entertainment event for the night: ice skating in front of the Hotel de Ville. Laced up in our bladed footwear, we slid out onto the ice rink, circling it dozens of times, hand-in-hand, and people watching while we skated (and watching out for people). An ice skating gang, a group of about a dozen young guys, controlled the rink and induced fear in the hearts of uneasy skaters as they weaved in and out at break-neck speeds while they played, get this, sharks and minnows. When our time was up, we decided to cross the Seine River for the first time. We walked past Notre Dame, quietly standing guard over her Ile St-Louis, and we entered the lively Latin Quarter, where small streets are overflowing with delicious foods from all over. Justin and I chose a quaint French restaurant to end our night with some wine, bread, and cheese.

Since it was so cold, I let Justin take most of the pictures and kept my hands inside my pockets. He's got the good ones of us, which I'll post later. This was a very common sight that I saw.

On Saturday, we started with a Rick Steves tour of the d’Orsay Museum. Again, Rick didn’t lead us astray. We went back to the Latin Quarter for lunch before using Rick’s guidance one last time on our Historic Paris tour. We walked through Notre Dame, along the river, through the left bank streets, through Ste. Chapelle, and ending on Pont Neuf. As the sun began to set, we took the crazy Parisian metro to the Arc de Triumph. Justin took lots of pictures while I waited in the freezing cold. We walked to the Eiffel Tower, and we waited in line to go up to the top. Sadly, the highest level was closed, so we couldn’t go all the way up… but we got pretty high, and all of Paris lay below us. Yes, it was pretty romantic. It was also really cold. Once we came back down on the frozen French soil, we went in search of a nice dinner, and we found a small restaurant overlooking the Notre Dame.

Paris at dusk.

Justin and I opened up the metro on Sunday morning in order to get to the airport in time for our 8:00 am flight back to Madrid. We spent the entire day recuperating from our exhilarating and exhausting time in Paris, napping and lounging around my apartment. We needed to recharge, because we were about to start my work week in Madrid.