About Us...

We created this blog for family and friends to keep up with us on our crazy adventure in Europe. Amanda studies in Ubeda Spain for four weeks and I study in London for three. After Amanda's done with Spain and before I get started in England, we're taking a week-long journey through Europe, stopping in Italy, France, and Switzerland to soak up the culture, eat good food, learn new languages, and meet some distant relatives. With no plans, no guidebooks, and no clue how to travel in a foreign country without our parents, we should come up with some amazing (or awful) stories during our trip!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Random Differences and Other Things

Ok, top things that you should know (that I have learned) about Spain and Ubeda.... (in no particular order)
1. It smells so different here. Sarah (my friend from UNCW) and I have labeled it the Spanish man scent. It is a mixture of strong cologne that old mean where and exhaust and seafood.
2. When you order an alcohol drink (which is done at anytime during the day) most of the time you get free tapas (appetizers) because here you don't drink to get drunk and never without food. You drink to socialize. There are no drinking games, or pre-gaming, or obnoxious beer chants here, just everybody (literally everyone of all ages) just goes bar hopping trying different drinks and tapas. (((On Saturdays everyone is out until at least 2 in the morning))))
3. Jamon Serrano is my new favorite food. It is basically this salted/cured meat cut straight off a dried pig leg (this large pig leg can be found somewhere in every kitchen in Ubeda). It is great with queso.
4. Children rome the streets at all ages and hours without supervision; crime is extremely low here and the only thing you need to watch out for is pick-pocketing Gypsies.
5. YOU WALK EVERYWHERE. I walk about 13 blocks to school everyday and cars have to stop for me when I cross. When I wave at people saying thanks, they look at me like I'm crazy because it's my right to cross the street and they aren't doing me a favor.
6. Wal-Mart= Carrefour. Except Carrefour is complete with pet store, laundry mat, nail place, and bank. There is only one in Ubeda. People don't push carts, they pull little trolly-like carts behind them.
7. There are more different kind of cheeses than I can count.
8. Everyone has either a small dog (like Yorkie size) or a pet canary (of course my family would have a canary)
9. There are no trashcans in any part of the house except the kitchen, which isn't really a can at all. Just a plastic shopping bag pulled across four sticks.
10. The weather is so weird. In the morning around school time I need a heavy winter coat and then by the daytime I've had a heatstroke. It is super dry here.


More to come....

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