Hey Guys! Everything is going well here! I am not working at the school but still picking up individual classes and keeping busy with friends!
I wanted to just post some quick comments on the strike thats going on here in Spain, and other areas of Europe. With gas prices rising the way they have been workers that rely on gas for a living are striking here in Spain. It started with the fishing industry here, fish prices have not gone up dramatically in a long time and with gas prices continually rising they are no longer turning enough of a profit to continue working. The next group to join them were the self-employed truck drivers who want a government established minimum set for their services. Because they pay for gas out of their pockets, they are not profiting either. The truck drivers began their strike earlier this week, blockading roads and making it nearly impossible for other trucking companies to complete deliveries which lead to food and gasoline shortages throughout the country. Some gas stations had no gasoline but I was mostly impacted by the food issue.
On Wednesday I ran out of milk so I ran to the nearest grocery store, which is a tiny store, to get some and there was nothing! I couldn't believe it, all the shelves were almost empty! Later in the day I walked to a larger store, which was not nearly as empty, but there were still some empty shelves! I did get milk, not the type I normally drink, but it was milk and I was happy!
Thursday in Soria there is an open air market with tons of produce, plants, fish and meat. This week the market area was empty. Only about half the normal stands were even open because of a lack of food! It was really weird. We overheard the owners of one fruit store saying they had to have everything brought in by van, because the trucks couldn't run through the blockades. Everything you need you can still find, it may take some looking but you will find all your fruits, veggies and meat.
By the end of this week police had cleared the roads and the 80 or so percent of non-striking drivers are now able to make their deliveries and things are almost back to normal here, but it was an interesting few days!
Hope all is well back home! This weekend I may go to Segovia with some friends to stay for a few days. I will take pics if I go and I will update the blog!
Happy Fathers Day!!!!!!!!!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Asturias
Hello Again!
Last weekend I went on a trip to Asturias in Northern Spain. I had never been to the area and had always wanted to see it. One of the English teachers in the department is from the area and offered to take us, myself and 2 other assistants, to Asturias.
It was amazing! It was unlike anything I have ever seen in Spain. It rains a lot there and so its really green. It's very mountainous so the landscape was just beautiful! They compare the area to Ireland. It was much more Celtic and European than the rest of Spain. The architecture looked more German or Swiss than Spanish, they use a lot of Celtic symbols, the language is different they even have a form of traditional wooden clogs. We stayed at Danny's (English teacher) parents apartment. They were so great to us. His Mom had breakfast all set up in the morning with fresh squeezed OJ and hot coco and his Dad kept reminding us that his house was our house. We traveled through out the province a bit. We went to Oviedo, Gijon, Llanes and Cangas and stopped elsewhere along the way. I have my pics posted online so if you get the chance check them out!
The food was absolutely amazing! I ate so much! Asturias is known for their cider. Its not like an English cider, its dryer and more acidic. Its served by someone who walks around table to table to pour. They hold the bottle high above their head and the glass in the other hand as low as it will go and pour like this. It's bottled without gas, so the pour allows oxygen to mix with the cider. The only pour you about 3 sips in each pour. The drink then has about a 3 second life, so you have to immediately drink what they give you and whats left in the glass gets tossed on the ground. It was very light and refreshing, but you have to be careful because when you're drinking sips at a time it can catch up to you!
The region is also known for its seafood. For dinner the first night we ate in a sidraria (cider restaurant). For our first course we ordered chiparones (baby squid), monk fish, and morcilla (blood sausage). Our second course was bull, brought out partially cooked and then they bring out a hot stone with a flame under it to allow you to finish cooking it. Everything was delicious. I couldn't even believe that I loved it all! It was my first time eating morcilla, and I really enjoyed it, I went back for seconds and thirds! The squid was served just lightly sauteed with out a breading or anything and the monkfish was fried. I loved it all! The beef was wonderful, keep in mind this is coming from someone who hasn't had beef in ages!
The last day we were there we went to Danny's parents cottage out in the country. His Dad built the place and did all the woodwork by hand! It was adorable! His Dad got out the cider as soon as we got there, he even let me have a hand at pouring, which was really difficult! His Mom made a huge lunch for us. Our first plate was Fabada, a typical Asturian dish made of large white beans, pork shoulder, morcilla, chorizo and saffron. The second plate was like a stewed lamb. I cleaned up everything on my plate! His Dad said that I had behaved myself very well! Dessert was fresh wild strawberries picked from their garden with sugar and red wine over top and then shots of Orujo and coffee. After lunch we headed back to Soria, its about a 4 hour drive.
I loved it in Asturias! It is just so different from anything else in Spain and it has a much more Celtic tradition in the typical dress and customs. It was a great trip and one of my favorite places here in Spain.
Last weekend I went on a trip to Asturias in Northern Spain. I had never been to the area and had always wanted to see it. One of the English teachers in the department is from the area and offered to take us, myself and 2 other assistants, to Asturias.
It was amazing! It was unlike anything I have ever seen in Spain. It rains a lot there and so its really green. It's very mountainous so the landscape was just beautiful! They compare the area to Ireland. It was much more Celtic and European than the rest of Spain. The architecture looked more German or Swiss than Spanish, they use a lot of Celtic symbols, the language is different they even have a form of traditional wooden clogs. We stayed at Danny's (English teacher) parents apartment. They were so great to us. His Mom had breakfast all set up in the morning with fresh squeezed OJ and hot coco and his Dad kept reminding us that his house was our house. We traveled through out the province a bit. We went to Oviedo, Gijon, Llanes and Cangas and stopped elsewhere along the way. I have my pics posted online so if you get the chance check them out!
The food was absolutely amazing! I ate so much! Asturias is known for their cider. Its not like an English cider, its dryer and more acidic. Its served by someone who walks around table to table to pour. They hold the bottle high above their head and the glass in the other hand as low as it will go and pour like this. It's bottled without gas, so the pour allows oxygen to mix with the cider. The only pour you about 3 sips in each pour. The drink then has about a 3 second life, so you have to immediately drink what they give you and whats left in the glass gets tossed on the ground. It was very light and refreshing, but you have to be careful because when you're drinking sips at a time it can catch up to you!
The region is also known for its seafood. For dinner the first night we ate in a sidraria (cider restaurant). For our first course we ordered chiparones (baby squid), monk fish, and morcilla (blood sausage). Our second course was bull, brought out partially cooked and then they bring out a hot stone with a flame under it to allow you to finish cooking it. Everything was delicious. I couldn't even believe that I loved it all! It was my first time eating morcilla, and I really enjoyed it, I went back for seconds and thirds! The squid was served just lightly sauteed with out a breading or anything and the monkfish was fried. I loved it all! The beef was wonderful, keep in mind this is coming from someone who hasn't had beef in ages!
The last day we were there we went to Danny's parents cottage out in the country. His Dad built the place and did all the woodwork by hand! It was adorable! His Dad got out the cider as soon as we got there, he even let me have a hand at pouring, which was really difficult! His Mom made a huge lunch for us. Our first plate was Fabada, a typical Asturian dish made of large white beans, pork shoulder, morcilla, chorizo and saffron. The second plate was like a stewed lamb. I cleaned up everything on my plate! His Dad said that I had behaved myself very well! Dessert was fresh wild strawberries picked from their garden with sugar and red wine over top and then shots of Orujo and coffee. After lunch we headed back to Soria, its about a 4 hour drive.
I loved it in Asturias! It is just so different from anything else in Spain and it has a much more Celtic tradition in the typical dress and customs. It was a great trip and one of my favorite places here in Spain.
Schools Out!
I am finished in the high school! I can't even believe how quickly the time has gone by! The kids still have classes into mid June but they will be taking exams and my program has ended. It's weird to not go there every day anymore. This past week I have been keeping myself busy with individual classes. I am also giving a conversation class at the Youth Center here in Soria that I really enjoy, its a good group of people. I am still looking for more classes right to keep myself busy but I also have a long list of to-dos here in Soria. There are plenty of churches I have yet to visit as well as a museum and a few excursions near the city that I really want to do. So I will be trying to get everything in.
This week I bought tickets to a music festival in Lisbon Portugal for July. I am really excited! The headlining bands are; Rage Against the Machine, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Ben Harper and there are plenty more. It's a three day event and I have never been to Portugal! Kim, one of the other American assistants is going with me.
The end of June here is Soria's biggest festival San Juan. It runs for four days in June before the festival theres something going on for most weekends in June related to San Juan. I have been hearing about it since I first came to Soria, so I'm getting excited. Theres wine and cheese and bull fights (which I will not be attending). Theres a day where everyone goes down to the river for lunch, other days everyone goes out to Valonsadero (a big natural area outside the city) to see the bulls and eat lunch. I will keep updating with all the San Juan festivities!
Hope all is well!! Miss you all!
This week I bought tickets to a music festival in Lisbon Portugal for July. I am really excited! The headlining bands are; Rage Against the Machine, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Ben Harper and there are plenty more. It's a three day event and I have never been to Portugal! Kim, one of the other American assistants is going with me.
The end of June here is Soria's biggest festival San Juan. It runs for four days in June before the festival theres something going on for most weekends in June related to San Juan. I have been hearing about it since I first came to Soria, so I'm getting excited. Theres wine and cheese and bull fights (which I will not be attending). Theres a day where everyone goes down to the river for lunch, other days everyone goes out to Valonsadero (a big natural area outside the city) to see the bulls and eat lunch. I will keep updating with all the San Juan festivities!
Hope all is well!! Miss you all!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)