Hola Amigos! This summer I was given the incredible opportunity to study abroad in Salamanca Spain for 6 weeks. It is going to be awesome. I am currently sitting in my great host mom's apartamento in Salamanca, we had lunch and are headed to the Plaza Mayor in an hour. But before I get started in on Salamanca, I went to 2 cool places this week: London and Madrid.
I have family and a friend I was visiting in London, and I came at the perfect time. My aunt had two tickets to Wimbledon and took me with her to spend a day at Britain's famous tennis championships. I ate strawberries and cream and watched Sloane Stephens defeat her opponent. It was incredible, and I definitely made my sister (my family's tennis player) jealous.
(Me in front of Centre Court eating strawberries and cream)
Other things I did in London:
- ride the Tube: a lot. I would definitely suggest if you are visiting to just suck it up and buy the day pass. It really isn't very expensive and it is a life saver. My friend and I backtracked a million times on the tube, and it was really nice. The tube system is awesome.
- drink tea: This is a MUST.
- Visit Hyde Park! We rented bikes for only 3 pounds, and it was a great idea. You get to see a lot more in less time which was nice since we only had a day. There is also a really awesome climbing tree that looks like a dome if you are into that kind of the thing. (It's right inside the gate if you get off at the Hyde Park Corner tube stop)
- Go to Harrod's. It's glamorous. But don't touch anything in case you break it and have to buy it. Pricey, but cool.
- Eat at Camden Market. It is cheap food and delicious food, and once you get sucked into the market (shops too, not just food) it seems to go on for miles. I had a Nutella- Strawberry- Banana crepe. The best thing in Camden Market.
- Went to Chinatown.
- Went to Picadilly Circus and Covent Gardens
- Visit Platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross Station. Harry Potter Nerds UNITE!
I flew to Madrid a day early in case anything would happen with my flights, I didn't want to miss the 3 hour bus ride to Salamanca. So in Madrid I scoped out the city. I went shopping in Plaza del Sol, ate tapas and drank 1 euro Sangria in Plaza Mayor, and got my caricature drawn for 5 euro. The thing that is going to surprise me the most about Spain is how delayed everything is. No one is in a hurry about anything. The food times are pushed way back: lunch is at 2, dinner is at 10, and the nightlife gets going at 2 am. It's definitely a different culture, and it will take me some time to get used to speaking Spanish all the time, but I think it will be an awesome experience.
My caricature! Doesn't resemble me at all, but it's worth it.
Adios por ahora!