Hi all! Well…that’s not entirely true. My trip to London will not be the only content in this post. I have been doing a lot since my last post, so… I have a lot to tell y’all about. But I am going to have to tell you kind of through pictures, because I have a lot! Pictures are better than my writing anyway : )
In this picture is Lindsay, Emily, Jenny, myself, and Lara. We were all going out for our first day of school, second session.
These pictures are from the Espicha. An “espicha” is a traditional Asturian fiesta, and at the beginning of both the July and August sessions we had an espicha. Basically all of the teachers and students get together for a fiesta and we eat traditional Asturian food (middle picture), drink Sidra (or sidra sangria is what I am pouring) and we just hang out and talk amongst the bag pipes and what not. It is always a good time!
Tuesdays are always a good time in Oviedo. We go to “trivia night” at the local pub “Asturianu” (pictured above). Its so much fun…but we never win. Don’t worry, I know what you’re thinking…but the questions are translated into English for us so we really have no excuse : )
Lindsay, Amanda, and I took it upon ourselves to create our own fun on one cloudy afternoon in Oviedo. This, I am afraid, is the result. As I have mentioned before, there is a surplus of statues and cool buildings in Oviedo. So, we thought it would be nice to make some memories! We got some pretty weird looks. Apparently the local Spaniards don’t take pictures with the statues…weird.
The weather isn’t always bad though. And when we get some good sun, we head to Salinas to tomar el sol! Salinas, as you might be able to tell, is a beautiful little beach town. In fact, the quidditch world cup was almost held here based on the beautiful location. But alas, it was held in England instead, but this was the original quidditch pitch. 
Often, however, we don’t have anything to occupy our time. So finally, Zack. Lindsay, Amanda, and I finally bit the bullet. We were going to hike to the monument of who we only assume is Jesus on top of a mountain.
As you can see, we all started out in high spirits. The whole thing took about 3 1/2 hours. It was actually horrible…but so miserable it was funny. I mean, I am glad I did it I suppose. The thing that was most upsetting i think was the massive blister I got from my 1985 Nikes that I picked up for 20 euro here in Oviedo. Hopefully you can adjust your computer screen to see it properly. Although, I just want to say that the picture does not do justice to the severity of the actually blister. When it popped, it wasn’t pretty.
Now, LONDON! Literally, my most favorite city in the world. Most of you know that I have a weird obsession with English literature, and reading in general. So when I can be in a place that was home to Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Woolf, and J.K. Rowling…does it even get any better?! I stayed with my friend Emily in Kensington. The first day we went on the tour of London. We took the #9 bus past Kensington park, Hyde park, Harrod’s, a bunch of other famousness, and got out at Trafalgar Square. We walked over to The National Portrait Gallery and (because I’m a dork) went in and saw the exhibit of the Bloomsbury Group. Then we walked down toward St. Paul’s Cathedral but didn’t go in because London also happens to be the most expensive city I have ever been in. From there we walked over Millenium Bridge. From here you can see most of the Thames and Tower Bridge.
Once we got to the other side of the bridge we went to the Tate Modern (for free) because they were having a Dalí exhibition. Emily (pictured above) and I learned about Dalí during our art history class in the July session. One of the highlights was going into Shakespeare’s Globe (exact reproduction). Emily and I also had some lunch and English beer at a pub right on the Thames. It was a beautiful day (which is apparently rare) and there was a beautiful view of the London skyline.
Then we walked along the river and saw some really cool statues like the one pictured above. This is one of like six statues in which water is pouring out of some orfice of a human body…odd and extremely humorous. Then we walked by the Millennium Wheel (London Eye), Big Ben, House of Parliament, Westminster Abbey…etc. The only thing we didn’t see was Buckingham Palace, which Emily said wasn’t that impressive. After our tour we went and had drinks in Covent Garden.
The next day we went to Portobello Market (where Knotting Hill was filmed) and i bought some cool cosas (things) and ate the best cupcake of my life. We did want to go to a show that night, but the Cheapest was 40 pounds (80 dollars) which I can’t really afford. So, instead Emily, her mom Sharon, and I went to go see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (in English!) and then got some dinner after. The place we had dinner at was famous for music and hippies and such…so after Emily and I went to go watch the band that was playing that night - The Lightyears. They are, according to the London Times, the up and coming in Indie pop. They were really good and it was so much fun! All in all, I think I could have just stayed in London and been happy. I think I may actually have been born in the wrong country : ) That is just an exaggerated way to say that I loved it!
Then I got back on Sunday and we left to go see Cirque Du Soleil in Gijón. It was so much fun! The contortionists were insane and was actually painful to watch. But it was really entertaining as so much fun!!
I have had a really good last couple of weeks in Europe. Next weekend I am headed to the south of France. Talk to you all soon, and let me know how y’all are doing!
Love Love Love!
