Last Thoughts on Buenos Aires

Truth: No amount of research could have ever prepared me for Buenos Aires. Part of the slacking in researching before traveling down here could have been the fact that I was being a little arrogant from my previous travel experiences to Europe. Buenos Aires might be the Paris of South America, but it so far from being Parisian. My first experience in South America makes me want to come back again and again until I figure it out.

The biggest shocker for me was the secret bars!  We never needed a password for the two bars we went to, but we did need a lot of direction for finding these unmarked bars. Florería Atlantico and Milíon were pretty freakin' awesome! And like I said before, the bartenders are true artist of the cocktails. At Milíon, our bartenders were characters! Definitely, enjoyed making up stories about them and the other customers. The bar itself gave a speakeasy feel. Super low key, no name, hidden. These types of bars are everywhere and the more I research for them now, the more I want to find them. Especially, the ones with passwords and secret phonebooth doors! Such an adventure..

One thing that really interested me the whole time we were there was their economic status. On vacation, one should relax, but I could only think about how things actually ran in Buenos Aires. Long story short, there is a high import tax. Most of the big name brands no longer have stores in Buenos Aires... That means my dreams of opening a store for A&F in BA was never a reality in the near future I was hoping for... I have much reading and learning to do if I want that career in international business.

Side story: We met an Australian that studied abroad at Mizzou on the Polo Tour! Joe and I have probably crossed paths with each other before because I remember a group of Aussies my senior year, but I could not remember if we actually met then. Now, three years later we randomly cross paths again! If that wasn't fate or destiny, I don't know what is!! 😜 At dinner, the following day, we had a conversation with an alumni from Rolla, before it was Rolla and before S&T. Missourians are everywhere!!

<3

The Stick

Day 5:

Rain, rain go away!! 

We were going to La Boca, but since La Boca would be an outdoor activity looking at the colorful house and it was raining and thunderstorming, we decided to do more indoor things.

First, we went to Teatro Colón. The operas house was quite lovely. The orignal opera house was closer to the Casa Rosada, but this one was built grandeur. Like most of the city, it was designed in the European/Parisi style and made by European materials by European architects. The whole building is quite spendid and the actual music hall has perfect acoustics. Which means every seat is the house is the best!You can even pretend to be the voice of God by climbing in to the chandelier's rafters! Our visit wasn't during season, so there was nothing going on, but it would have been pretty awesome to actually see a performance!

Next, we went to "the stick". It is really called the Obelisk. Picture the Washington Memorial in D.C. That's what it looks like! When we first saw this landmark, we had to do a double take and look around to make sure we were really in Buenos Aires and not D.C.!!

We walked to the Casa Rosada, snapped a couple pictures of the government buildings around the Plaza de Mayo and moved on to Puerto Madero.

Allison asked if I lived in Buenos Aires, which neighborhood would you live? At first, I thought I would find myself in Palermo, because that area is laid-back, young, and hip. Maybe my more grown up side thinks I would live in Puerto Madero. Close to the city center, but quiet with great restuarant options and shopping. One side of the bank has industrial buildings and the other side is modern. Connecting both sides is this walking bridge called Puente de la Mujer. Google it. The bridge itself swings out to let boats through and the high one armed arch looks like a harp with the wires that support it. Pretty much one of the coolest walking bridges I have seen!!

No vacation is complete without a museum visit. We went to the MALBA (Museo de Arte de Latino Americanos en Buenos Aires). The permanent collection is mainly political pieces and modern/pop art/minimalist pieces... Then the temporary exhibit was by Berni. Don't know much about him other than what I read in the museum, but his work with print and recycled materials was really impressive! The exhibit featured his two characters: Juanito and Ramona. Juanito is about a small boy in the slums of Buenos Aires living through the turmoils of life during the 60s and 70s Buenos Aires, but still full of life and hope for the future. Ramona is a working girl that becomes a prostitute after being promised riches. Both were incredible stories and you have to see the print work in person. I am more of a traditional painting/portrait/landscape girl, but these prints were so unique!!

<3

Fería de San Pedro Telmo

Day 4:

Sunday is always market day! We ventured our way to San Telmo again. To be safe, we never ventured off the tourist path. When I envisioned the market, I thought that it will just be in the Plaza Dorrego.. Not the case. From the top of the hill walking north of the plaza, the stalls are never ending on both sides of the road all the way down Calle Defensa. The stalls are filled with different hand crafted souvenirs: leather bags, belts, shoes, toys, wine holders, scarves, drawings, recycled art, etc. I feel like these items you could almost guarantee that it was made in Argentina and being sold by the maker itself. In the Plaza Dorrego, you can find an assortment of flea market items! No two stalls were the same and we only made it down a few blocks of stalls because of time. 

The economic situation in Argentina is not the greatest and we took full advantage of that when we could. It is quite illegal, but it is a widely known exchange! One of the leather works stall we purchased bags from looked at us cautiously and up and down the street before he told me what he would take in USD. The official exchange rate is roughly 8 Ar Pesos to 1 USD. Most stalls and retailers take 12:1. One place in Palermo took 13:1! Carry as much USD as you can if you ever find yourself traveling to Argentina.

Another tip our walking tour guide told us was to stay after the stalls were taken down in the Plaza Dorrego to watch real people tango, not a choreographed show. Just as she said: the stalls came down and in the dusk of the plaza, the tango music played over the speakers and couples came together to tango. I could only watch in awe as a handful of couples danced together and flowed between each other never bumping or stepping on each others' toes. It was so magical watching them on a warm summer night under the lit street lamps.

<3

When in Argentina...

Day 3: 

Apparently, the game of Polo is pretty popular here. When in Argentina, do as the Argentines do and play Polo! We went on the Argentine Polo Day Tour. It was held at a polo club about an hour outside of Buenos Aires. We started the day with homemade wine and empanadas! Learned a bit about the game and the rules while we watched professional polo players do their thing. After their match, we had asado!!!!! Oh. My. Gosh. It was so delicious! Nothing beats a homemade barbeque picnic on a patio and perfect weather! There was beef and chorizo and fresh grilled vegetables! Yummmmmy! My stomach is happy just remembering it. Then we had our turn on the horse to play polo. It was a slow game, but my team won!! I am pretty sure my horse had only one speed (walking), but I still got to hit the ball a few times.

Later that night, we went on the Argentina Pub Crawl! Started in San Telmo and I couldn't tell you where it ended because we left after the second bar....... Pretty much felt like the oldest people in the room, but I didn't care. At the first bar, I asked a couple of the locals that were on the tour for a drink recommendation. What is the one drink all the portaños drink????

Fernets y coca!!

It was disgusting... Apparently it's an acquired taste.......

But when in Argentina, do as the Argentineans do!

<3

Sprechen sie Englisch?

I am more than excited to go to a country where I can actually speak and understand the language. We have a couple extra days, so why not just fly off to London to blaze through a couple days before we go to Paris for the weekend.

I love and am going to miss this lifestyle again. I still replay the moment when I received a text from Allison asking me what I was doing on Tuesday. Then the following text saying: let's go to Paris!!! Europe is so exciting just for the fact that we can fly anywhere for really cheap for a few days. BOOK IT!!!!!!!!!

I am hoping to get the sales job through Media Plus Consulting. I will be able to travel all the time (and sell ads...) all-expenses paid (as long as I meet my sales quota) it will be an exciting opportunity for me to do what I love while making a living!! Maybe I will finally be able to say I have visited more countries than how old I am.

Current count: 11

<3

beginning to the end..

This semester was amazing! I do not regret anything I did or did not do. And I will always forever believe that I left a part of my heart in Europe. I will have to come back to find it again later.

I want to thank my parents, first and for most, for all their support and love! They have been amazing to me this whole trip. Letting me do my thing and trusting me to the right thing. I love them so much!!

Update on my life:: I am coming home on JUNE 15th.

My 2 summer jobs: Co-coaching at Rockbridge High School! Supppppper excited to be doing that since I am not going to do Marching Mizzou. Yeah. That's right. SOHAE CAN TAILGATE this year and can still do what I love to do!! Good luck to M2 this year and have fun in IRELAND for St. Pats 2012! Dublin was great and I know M2 will bring that place to the ground!
The other is a cultural ambassador for the International Center. I get to send e-mails for the end half of the semester and then show new study abroad kids around COMO. I can't wait! I love the city and I hope that they fall in love with COMO and America as much as I did in Alicante and Europe!

This summer will be great! I am doing something new~ thank you all for your support while I have been here. The trip was easier, due to constantly be reminded that I have the greatest friends any one could ever ask for. I can't wait to see everyone in the next few months.

Advisory notice:: I am going to be in Italy with Lizzie, we are going to have the best time in ITALY. Like we are going to stalk the jersey shore crew and participate in the 'no carbs left behind' diet. I hope you are ready for lots of good pasta and pizza! Love you and I'm so excited to be spending the last few weekends with you and without my computer or internet for the most part! I'm shutting down my Facebook. Anything important happens (or if you just miss me) leave me a message!

<3

P.S. Allison and Katie are the coolest. Just saying.

letters to ALICANTE

My dearest Alicante,

I am going to miss you and the (what seemed like never ending) shenanigans we have had together the last few months. With my first steps off the plane into your quiet airport terminal, I was scared, terrified, lost, and most importantly curious. We have had our ups and downs in our short past together, but at the end of it all.. By the end of this week.. Our past will have been the BEST 5 months of my life.

I have grown up just a little and definitely aged. You introduced me to an INCREDIBLE group of friends and a handful of worldwide acquaintances. All together we laughed to too many inside jokes that will never get old. I learned to appreciate what I have and live life to the fullest. I am happy again and I hope it stays that way for a long time. When I return to the states, I will endure through reverse culture shock again, but I hope that 'no pasa nada' way has taught me to be more relaxed and not so high strung.

Never leave a place without enjoying the food. That is what I have done here and all over Europe. Where am I supposed to buy bread so fresh and so fluffy with a hint of butter and a crust so crisp? Where do I go now to get the freshest catch of sea food and picks of fruits and veggies of the day? Who is going to tempt me with the aroma of fresh baked pastry smells as I walk down the street?

I complained about the sun being too hot here. Which it is. Don't think it's not. But I will miss laying out on the beach sleeping off last night's festivities. I will not miss the huge hill with slick tiles I have to hike up and down on the Ramblas in 4-ish inch heels when we would go to the barrio for the weekends nor will I miss 'guapa' and the cat calls and the ass grabs and the hair stroking and the excessive make out sessions and the naked people on the beach.

I am going to miss the spectacular views from the Castillo and the sidewalk design of the Explanda. None of the pictures I took pictures of you will not do you justice. The small tiendas with the random cool things. Valor chocolate. Cristina's great cooking. The salty sea air. I might even miss the Sidi's.

In all, AMAZING experience. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to study abroad in Spain. I love everyone I have met and still love those I no longer talk to. You all hold a very special place in my heart. :D

<3 Sohae.

party in the CARNY islands!

Spring break part duex.

I was disheartened by the news in America. It was unreal to hear about Bin Laden's death, but it is a real fear to be this far from home and so near the terror. All we can ever do now is just sit, and wait, and listen to what the media has to tell us and figure out what half truths they decide to keep from us. Even though I was glued to the tele and all the online news outlets on the net, I got lots of sun in the Carny.. I mean Canary Islands! (I love you Katie)

We stayed on Tenerife. The west coast near Los Gigantes, which are not the highest cliffs in the world, but they are the deepest. The quiet side of the island with lots of old British vacationers. Which was nice and relaxing. It was a week of sun and friends. We all got enough sun that Kara es una mexicana ahora! ha.

We went on a boat, saw pilot whales, swam in the blue blueeeee Atlantic ocean, and went up a VOLCANO! Everyone knows how much I LOVE snow. LOVE SNOW! I mean sometimes that is an understatement for real. We got to go up to Mt. Teide and it was beautiful! The drive up was sooooo super duper windy, but the view down the side and of the ocean was gorgeous. I fell in love with the island, as long as I get to live in the mountain side! :D The mountain/volcano itself was pretty bare as you can imagine.. but it was a nice change from the landscape of the coast and the blinding sun. I got to TOUCH SNOW! ahhh! I was so excited going up the cable car and seeing the small patches of snow! My first snow of the year!! Then on the way down we drove through a cloud. You couldn't see much out the window, and our taxi driver was nascaring it down the windy roads!

We cooked most of the nights we were there. I helped cook! Wahttt?! We also ate papas arrungadas, which are just small potatoes with different dipping sauces that are supposed to be a Canary Island thing. They were good. I really liked them. The sauces were really good. There was a "spicy" sauce, a pesto looking sauce, and a ranch-type.

Now my 3 week long spring break is over. :/ It's back to the last leg of the semester! I can't wait to be home and see all your familiar faces again! Skyping at Seis de Mayo just made me more homesick than ever!

<3

you're drunk, you're drunk you silly ol' fool. so drunk you can not see...

CORK:

I really liked Cork a whole lot more than I did Dublin. One of my friends described it as run-down, but I would describe it as being rustic. It is definitely a cozier city with a bangin' night life and a wonderful view. Unlike Dublin, there is more dimensions to the land and more color in the city. There aren't an excessive amount of buses and tours going around which makes it less crowded and the shopping wasn't that bad either. The city was easily accessible and I regret not spending as much time there as I would have liked, but that just means that I will have to go visit it again soon! :)

Another beer to try is Bulmer's cider beer. Yumms!

While we were staying at Cork [ We stayed at the Bru Bar & Hostel. Which I would recommend. My friends would probably not. There was a bar downstairs which was annoying because they had a concert the first night with crazy bass, but it was reggae so it put me straight to sleep. The people were extremely friendly and the staff knew all the good places to go ] .. Anyway. 

We went to the BLARNEY CASTLE:

The castle itself is well preserved. The windy staircase was a bit difficult, but we made it to the stone. Kissed it for a brief second... and I still don't have the gift of eloquence ha -_-; Well the whole grounds of the Blarney Castle was green and wonderfully kept. By the castle there is a gated garden that we thought resembled the Secret Garden. Then there is ROCK CLOSE. Soooooooooooooo magical in there. It really felt like fairies and leprechauns lived in there! ha. We went up and down the wishing staircase with our eyes closed and wished for something to come true within the year. So now:

I'm getting married before 2012, since I drank the water in Granada and now I have a wish that will come true!

<3

so i ask you friend.. whats a fella to do~...

Ireland posts will be split into 3 for the 3 cities in Ireland that we stayed at.

DUBLN, IRELAND:

I was super impressed by the portions of coffee they gave us. I was not impressed by Irish people's sense of time. They are late and 2 miles is not 5 mins that way.

But for a country that has been ripped and poked at for hundreds of years; It is a beautiful country.

Dublin.. The bus system is a little excessive for the size and the 2 tram lines don't even connect to each other. The food is good and diverse, there was even a Korean supermarket! But the people... are interesting... My favorite part of Dublin was Forever 21 and Jarvis street. Sad I know. The free museums were nice and educational as well.

From Dublin we took two tours:
WICKLOW MOUNTAINS:
This was the area were parts of P.S. I Love You and Braveheart were filmed. It was breathtaking for real being up and around the mountains. The windy roads and the rolling green hills were lovely compared to the sunny beaches and old naked bodies you find at the beach. This was also the area were they found bog bodies. Perfectly preserved bodies. We saw some at the National Museum of Archaeology. They were gross. Really cool, but really gross. They looked leathery and too real. I know they were once real people, but they are supposed to be dead and they just didn't look like the normal death we are used to seeing.

CLIFF of MOHER:
Think Harry Potter 6 and the cliffs Harry Potter and Dumbledore go to and you see the Cliffs of Moher. I wish I could have seen more of it, but most of the cliffs were blocked off because it is too dangerous to go that close to the edge. :P So I walked a little passed the sign, but didn't want to keep Katie and Allison waiting. Being that close to the edge got my adrenaline going and my legs almost stopped moving. It almost did the same thing when we went to the big lime rock area 20ish mins from the cliffs. We sat near the edge and it was scary, but thrilling. The water of the Atlantic Ocean there was soooooo blue. You can see it in some of my pictures on Facebook. I wish I could go cliff jumping or surfing near the cliffs...

Thennnnn we went to St. Patrick's Cathedral for Easter. My first mass. It was pretty. Especially, the cathedral and the choir. omg. There was a little boy in it like.. 6 years old. ADORABLE!! From the size and the acoustic of the church made it difficult to hear the readings and the sermon, but it was all about Easter so I got the jist of it.

<3

un.believable

this weekend was the best. and i owe it to ALLISON and LIZZIE! as well as my newly acquired German friends!

MUNICH:
--we did a free walking tour and it was the funnest tour i have had. we learned history and the fun history we don't learn in textbooks. we got to try the POPE's favorite beer! which was so yummy and smooth. i liked it alot. we got the NAZI history about Hitler being a coward and every year since he ran away the NAZI's have renacted the scene changing more and more it each time.
--well later that night i met up with my german from barcelona and his friends. they were HILARIOUS. it fascinates me the things we learn about each other in school. one of them asked us if our father's kept guns in the house next to where he sleeps. we were puzzled but we laughed and said no and asked where he would get that idea. and he said thats what he learned about Americans in school! XD
--they took us out for the night. and we were treated to an unforgettable night that was easily forgotten because of the never ending bottles of Prosecco. yumm. the music wasnt great but the guys made the night fun! <3

NEUSCHWANSTEIN:
--i never was interested in German artwork/architecture because when i was studying it in Art History it all looked... dark.. and ugly. but King Ludwig's castle. was lovely. what i loved more than the castle was the VIEW. breathtaking from up above. i want to live there so bad on the foothills of the Alps so bad. and i was soooooooo close to what could be my future that it breaks my heart that i had to ride away from it.. :/

SALZBERG:
--cutest little town EVER. and the background of the ALPS. LOVEEE~ it was amazing the art and the music. though we didnt get to hear any of it we got to see the set of Sound of Music and get to step on the same grounds of all those musical prodigies including MOZART. it was humbling to be in a place with such talent. i wish i could still play..
--Sacher Cakes. look it up. delicious, light, chocolate cake with black forest jam. the jam is sweet but not over-powering the fluffy cake which was not to moist but not dry. i had a glass of milk thinking i would NEED it from all the chocolate on the cake, but i didn't. perfect.

<3

do's.. don't's

Do's and Don't's of PARIS

Do: give yourself a few days to see the whole city
Don't: try to do barcelona and Paris back-to-back..

Do: check-in at the Le Regent Montmartre
Don't: expect to be let down at this hostel

Do: show up more than 3 hrs before your flight to the bus station to beauvais
Don't: fly to/from beauvais if you can help it

Do: buy an all day subway/train pass
Don't: try to see too many things in one day.. you might spend the day underground

Do: go to the Latin Quarter. might be my favorite place to walk through
Don't: let go of your purse or wallet

Do: spend hours getting lost at the Louvre
Don't: expect to see everything in one morning.

Do: have a french bread fight in front of the Eiffle Tower
Don't: talk to the guys trying to sell you souvenirs. (5 for 1 euro is not really a deal!)

Do: offer to trade a eiffle tower keychain for a strawberry
Don't: throw away left overs. there are starving people in the city.

Do: learn some useful phrases in French
Don't: get frustrated with the language barrier

Do: go up in the Notre Dame towers
Don't: expect to see Quasimoto. :(

Do: have money with you
Don't: expect to find any barclays.

<3

Barca~

barcelona.. was pretty. idk. it wasnt spectacular for me. it was a pretty city but it didnt capture my heart like Madrid.

shopping = excellent. food = great. sight = never ending!

i have waited since my first spanish class to see the Park Guell and i FINALLY got to see the pretty mosaic bench! omggggggg. although.. we didnt find the America's Next Top Model final runway section of the park.. :/ it was still soooooo gorgeous! i hope you had the chance to look through my photos. it was bittersweet for this park to be crossed off my places to see. its like I have wanted to see it for so long.. i dont have another place in mind that i have waited that long to see!

we were only there for 1.5 days. which is clearly NOT enough time to spend in a city like that. but we were able to celebrate Allison's 21st Birthday!!! what whattt! we went to Catwalk. and had free drinks and danced awayyyyy from all the creepers. we had fun. esp Patty! :D i met a tall cute german who is super nice! i can't wait to see him again next weekend!!

<3

the London Experience:: taste

the best for last. :)

i ate so much in that weekend i gained 5 lbs. i came back to Alicante and i couldn't move very well.. kinda like the time we had Charlie's. only when i had Charlie's i really could not move bc of all the grease i consumed after not having it for a while.

things i ate:
Fish and Chips - claro.
Lasangna - omg. delic. for real. its been a while since i've had good italian.. i cant wait to actually try italian in ITALY! the cheese on top was to die for. i can not believe all the good cheeses i have tried so far.
Roast on sunday - the roast was tender and juicy! i wasnt too thrilled about the sweet potatoes, but i ate them anyway.. the bread thingy in the middle with the gravy was soooooo good. sweet and i love bread.
Clotted Cream Fudge - this is deliciousness of all fudge. it melts in your mouth and tastes like caramel.. yum
Chrunchie chocolate bar - interesting because it is a honeycomb covered in chocolate. i didnt like it at first but it kinda grew on me by the end of the weekend. it was sweet honey and chocolatey.
Salt and Vinegar (Crisps) Chips - anyone who finds me these in the States I will love for the rest of my life. that is how much i am in love with these chips. me and allison scour every convenient store in Alicante for these things and finalllllly found one that sells them!
bulgogi - had to. i was deprived for 3 months.
Chocolate Panda things - omg i loved China Town
bonbon, shichae, bolecha drinks - again. deprived for 3 months!!
Dr. Pepper - i was deprivedddddddddddddddddd!
Cocoa Cappucino from Starbucks - for the same reason i had the last 3 items.
Strongbow - for those who dont like to drink beer you should find this beer in the States. it doesnt taste like bud or heineken. it tastes sweeter bc its APPLE CIDER bEER! *shock*

yummmmmm
<3

if you wannabe my lova

"So here's the story from A to Z." About CARNAVAL in ALICANTE. Pretty much it's a week long celebration leading up to Lent. Anddddd with churro stands everywhere!!

Thursday Night:: Jueves Gras

We went out to the barrio at midnight looking for salchichas (hot dogs) and this is what we found. Night one of CARNAVAL we listened to a band in baby outfits and ate free salchichas and drank free sangria. We saw people dressed up in scary costumes like the devil, the joker, and all kinds of weirdness. It smelt like barbeque and weed everywhere! I came home and I had to put up my jacket outside because I couldn't keep it in my room while I was sleeping!

>.<

Friday Night:: Viernes del Pregon

We just went out like it was a normal friday night. Nothing special other than the concert stage on Las Ramblas! Ilove live music.

Saturday Night:: Sabado Ramblero

On Saturday everyone dressed up in a costume that is fun. We ran into soooooooooooo many guys dressed as girls and nuns/popes. The costumes were supposed to be contradictions. That is a pic of some of the costumes my friends dressed up as. As you can tell it was HALLOWEEN for us all over again! And I loved every moment of dressing up and seeing everyone dress up in their original costumes. Well.... except for these guys.

Let me introduce you to myMoroccans  who dressed up as... MORACCANS! (original I know). From left to right:: Yassine, Abel, the guy with a beard and nerd glasses, Sidi, Ayoub, and Yassin. Love these guys and their creativity.

There were many people on Las Ramblas that night. We passed by 3 concert stages and an empty barrio to get there. I never celebrated carnaval before, but I kinda hope that somewhere in the States they celebrate it like this, or atleast close to this. FOR REAL. 3 concert stages in the street, a large stage to show off your costume, people drinking openly in the streets, the bars on the street, street vendors selling masks, candy, food, accessories... etc. It was a crazy night.

These were my girls for the night. This will be the only night that I will ever openly sing in the streets. :) These girls are amazing!! I am Posh Spice; Kara is Scary Spice; Katie is Sporty Spice; Allison is baby Spice; and we are the Spice Girls version that didn't include Ginger Spice. && Kara finally was able to get churros con chocolate in the morning! "make it last forever, friendship never ends~"

Some more of my girls at Carpe Diem, our favorite place to get down. :) I absolutely loved Anna's costume for real. At the end of the night.. At around 6:30am Las Ramblas was a mess and I went to bed as the sun was peaking over the horizon (next time I want to be sitting on the beach). There was trash EVERYWHERE and the sidewalks were sticky with spilled alcohol and who knows what! Even on Sunday the streets were a complete mess. There was lots of work for the cleaners in Alicante the next few days..

This is still an ongoing festival, so more will be added as it continues.

<3

"we'll never make it home"

This weekend I visited MADRID. [Pictures on facebook]

Friday (2/18)
I got up at 3 A.M.!!!! We hopped on the plane for a nice 1 hour nap. We checked into the hostel at 10 a.m.-ish then walked towards the Palacio Real. That was a gorgeous palace... I wish I could have seen the inside tho. :( Everyone left Lizzie and I (the 2 birthday girls because they didn't want to see the inside .. even though we couldn't..) We walked around that area: the plaza across the street, the jardin next to it, the cathedral and the crypts. OMG. Those were sooo pretty. We also walked through the Plaza Mayor a couple times and saw a FAT spider-man... We eventually met up with a part of the group and went to the Parque del Retiro. Gorgeous. The group split again when Allison, Katie, and I wanted to row a boat in Estanque del Retiro. Let me tell you how much of a FUN//fail time it was!!! :D Then met up with PATTY MILLZ and walked the Gran Via. The big shopping street (of course!) until 8 p.m., napped, then went out. I had 2 shots and a beer. What ever lemon-y vodka shot I got at the Fame was soooooooo delish!

-- shot count: 3

Saturday (2/19)
GAME DAY!
We visited 2 museums. Thyssen and Reina Sofia. Both museums were gorgeous, but the Reina was AMAZING. I enjoyed the 3rd floor that had the really contemporary, out-of-the-box artwork. Like the artwork of the piece of bread. :) Look up tactilVision. It's creepy, but it is art. Then it was GAME TIME. we went to see REAL MADRID play against LEVANTE! Omgggg the atmosphere was crazyyyy~ those vuvuzelas were soooooo annoying! Good thing they don't serve alcohol in the stadium. There was one section of the large stadium that was yelling chants that you could kinda make out from across the stadium up in our nose-bleed seats! ohhh. and RONALDO.. :)
The rest of the night.. well. We celebrated Lizzie's and I's birthday at an Irish pub. A group of Americans bought Lizzie and I 3 shots of tequila and Patty got me a free blow job! haha. and I had a beer.

-- shot count: 8

The rest of the night.. You'll have to ask Allison about that because I passed out when we walked into Joy. The group I was with paid 130 euros to get in and get bottle service of Absolut.
~ yeah.. It was my 21st so I can't tell you much about what happened exactly.. I said some silly things about how we were never going to make it back to the hostel and that I didn't know where we were........ yeah.  At least I did not make a complete fool of myself :)

Sunday (2/21)
Walked the Rastro, a flea market and saw alllllll kinds of things being sold for really cheap! I wish I had enough money to shop.. Then we ate at a buffet that did not give us free refills. :P Then Allison, Patty, and I went to the Museo del Prado! Sooooooooooooooooo enormous! We stayed for... about 2 hours before I couldn't walk anymore because of all the walking we did the whole weekend.. Lame I know. But I got to see the things I wanted to see and much more. It was incredible to catch a glimpse into these artist's minds in what they were painting, when they were painting, and how they painted it. Truly amazing.

Guys. Thanks for all the birthday wishes! Thanks for all the love you gave me! Thanks for reading my blabber about my shenanigans in Spain! I LOVE YOU!

<3

drink preference:: sex on the beach

I finally found my happy medium. I just needed to put my heels back on. There is quite a difference in attitude when you rock out in your favorite pair of heels!

Friday night: We went out. We had LOTS of fun just chillin' and dancin' the usual at Carpe Diem. I reacquainted myself with sex on the beach.. yumms. Then we had some trouble getting into Swing, but we made it in. It was super packed. Abel and I stepped outside to talk and Allison and Yassin were creepin'. :) i went home. The best decision I made that night especially since Abel is/was/still is with one of my study abroad friends.

Saturday night: We went out. We had LOTS of fun just chillin' and dancin' the usual at Carpe Diem. Except this time we went to Parabap before Carpe, because we went out a  little earlier than usual (midnight:30). Then walked into Carpe Diem, saw the group, and then I looked up to see my beautiful-bodied Moroccan friend. I noticed the body first (of course). Then Allison saw him and exclaimed: WTF IS ON HIS FACE???! I look up to see his big fake nerd glasses. -_-; [Kind of a coincidence because Rosie just commented about how he would be perfect if he had nerd glasses.] Well.. We danced, closed down Carpe Diem, and then walked to Swing. Got in with no trouble that night. My Moroccan and I had a nice walk on the beach because once again this discoteca was packed.. [The event that followed is a little bit of an exaggeration..] We were kidnapped. Allison, Kara, and I were taken in a small 2-door car to Elche by our Moroccan friends. It was fun. Not being crammed in a 2-door car, but the ride was interesting. That was the first time I being in Elche, so that was interesting... We obviously had to spend the night since no form of public transportation was running. Ayoub made us all a Moroccan breakfast. It was delicious, especially the mint tea. Then we rode the train of shame..

Next time we are eating churros con chocolate and not going to Elche. Vale?!

<3

i don't want to miss a thing

Aerosmith sums up all parts of anyone's life. I am dedicating this song to my time here in Europe. I think metaphorically it is the most appropriate song I could think of! :)

Today Allison and I sat behind not so cute Englishmen, but with HOT English accents. I decided that I should probably take another business class, so the probability of me meeting such men will be higher!

Oh.. For real though, I am taking another business class because it will be more beneficial my major in international business! :D I'm super excited about the classes I am about to take: Anthropology of Spanish Villages, Spanish Literature, Marketing in the EU, and Retail Marketing. Retail Marketing is going to be my dream come true!! Or... My worst nightmare.. I hope it doesn't kill my love for shopping!

The weather = Beaches this weekend.
Kareoke bar as well this weekend.
SUPER BOWL MONDAY MORNINGGGGGGG!!! yay! haaha

<3