Popped the question...

As most people would know by now, Keiran felt like asking me a question while we were doing the camino. And i felt like saying yes. So we are engaged which is hugely exciting! Back in Santander and its time to celebrate. Even though we are away from our family and friends we still had a little celbration, out for dinner and then a picnic the next day with champagne. We are looking at having an engagment party in the first week of December when we are back in Australia for Katies wedding. Hope we can catch up with people to celebrate then!

Thanks to everyone for the warm wishes of congratulations!

Camino...

This week we decided to head off to start the Camino. The camino de Santiago is a pilgramage that people have done for hundreds of year. We walked 30kms in one day but when we arrived we couldnt find any accommodation. Not even in the 5 star hotels. We had been told that in August it was impossible to find a place to stay, but we didnt beleive it. I could hardley move my legs, and we had no where to stay. Defeated and tired we got a bus back to Santander. If we can find some time we will do it some other time! bad luck!

Back to Santander

Keiran and I came back to Santander this week after spending a day in Gerona with a friend Stef. Tired after 6 weeks of travel, we plan weeks of sleeping and doing nothing. Its strange to be back here again, but awesome too, looking forward to getting back into the Spanish!

travels around Europe!

My sister and brother came over to Spain to visit and we travelled around for around a month. The trip started in Barcelona and then we headed over to Portugal where we met up with Keiran. After Portugal we headed back across to southern spain, then north to Santander, to running of the bulls, east to san sebastian then into france and andorra and back to Barcelona. It was amazing, too many things to mention!

Para las Francesas!

Un pequeño mensaje para mis mejores amigas aquí en Santander! Muchas gracias para su amistad, he pasado aquí un tiempo tan fantástico que no puedo olvidarlo nunca. Santander no estaré lo mismo sin vosotros, estoy muy triste que os vais, y no se que voy a hacer aquí el semestre que viene. Pero estoy segura que vamos a ser muy buenas amigas durante todo nuestra vida, os vengáis a Australia y yo a Francia! Que aprovechemos nuestro tiempo juntos, porque estamos de vacaciones, tenemos tres días mas para pasar juntos! Os quiero mucho! Besos!

I live 30 minutes from this!

I have officially started my holidays which is very exciting, after 5 months or so of studying (if you can call it that). I went today with Clarisse and Stef to a nearby beach that is just up the road from Santander. We finally have sun in northern Spain, and it is like a different place. Being at this beach was like being somewhere in the Caribbean. Tommorrow i head off towards San Sebastian and possibly into to France with the Frenchies, then on to Barcelona to meet up with my bro and sis to start the real travelling! cant wait,

A week in Provence...

I spent the last week in Flayosc, a small French village, north east of Nice, there to visit Keiran's sister Katie and to relax. It was an amzing spot, so picturesque! Spent the week drinking wine from the region, relaxing by the pool and visiting places nearby, like St. Tropez, which is where all the rich and famous go to spend their holidays. I did feel a little out of place, but its an amazing spot. It was great to be in France again, although my French is seriously lacking, the people were so freindly but i think they were a little confused by an Australian girl, speaking to them in Spanish!

Best food in town!

My last night out for tapas with my Frenchies, we went to the best place in town, with a view of the beach, lots of seafood and wine! Que chic!

The pile of food, that us three managed to eat!

Dancing later that night!

Paris.

This weekend Keiran took me away to Paris, for a weekend away from Santander in an amazing city. I loved Paris, it is probably the most beautiful city Ive ever been to and I was so tempted to stay there. The sun was shining and we started our Saturday by climbing the arc de Triumph where we could see all of Paris. We headed down to the river, where we stumbled on some markets, then to the Eifel Tower. Had a picnic in a park just out the front of the tower, what an amazing spot. The next day we headed to see the Lourve and the Pompedoui but unfortunaltey didnt have time to visit them. Next time, Im sure I will head back there in the not too distant future.

Cocktails.....

This weekend was the 21st birthday of Jess, one of the aussies and one of my closest friends here. With lots of time to spare we decided to organise a party to help in the celebrations! Being the classy lady that Jess is, we decided on a cocktail party! The party was held at my piso, as it is the only one really big enough, and our neighbours dont seem to care when we have people over. We made 6 types of cocktails: Magarita, Cosmopolitan, Long Island Iced Tea, Sangria (ofcourse) Blue Lagoon and Strawberry Daquiri! The night went of without a hitch, we had too much food, pinchos ofcourse in true Spanish style, and we managed to finish the cocktails even if there was 3 litres of each type. It went so well, im thinking of going into catering. Jess had a great night, and everyone who was at the party continued partying out -very happy!

Highlight of the night was a" strip tease" perfomance by Daniel (Jess's roomate) from the famous ducksuit. After dancing to :you can leave your hat on" he revealed his bare chest with Feliz Cumpleanos Jess written on it. It was the best party ever!

Magical Mystery Tour...

I have decided it will probably be the last time I take a tour bus! But alteast now I have the experience to make a judgment on that. We headed off last weekend us random three aussies with a group of around 30 americans to visit three cities of Spain. The bus tour was organised to go with a culture class that we are all taking at the moment. We headed to Segovia Toledo and Burgos all in one weekend, which is a pretty amazing effort. Segovia is beautiful and has the worlds oldest most intact Roman aceduct, it was amazing!

The aceduct en Segovia!

Group infront of the Alcazar en Segovia.

The city has this amazing feel to it, it is really lively for such a small place. We also visited the alcazar, perched up on the highest point of the city, it is like something from a fairytale. A small group of us headed out to check out the nightlife, which is colustered in one small cobblestoned street with bars either side. Everyone is relaxed outside with their drinks, until a car decides to work its way through and we all have to squeeze together to get it through! Ah Spain. We then headed on to Toledo, which was incredible. Keiran and I had been here before 3 years ago, so it was awesome to be back in this picturesque city. In burgos our last stop, we saw the cathedral which is in word word impressionante!

One of the tiny windy streets en Toledo.

As it was a quick trip, there was a lot of that, stopping somewhere, getting off all 30 of us to take a snapshot and then getting back on the bus. It was amazing though, and being the three aussies, we were treated pretty well! So it wasnt so bad. Highlights of the trip were meeting a random australian in segovia who could use faaack, to describe everything (bloody brisbane bogan), Seeing the throne of Isabel and Fernando and wandering through the amazing winding streets of Toledo in 30 degree heat.

Summer is here....vamos a la playa!

I got to go to the beach for the first time here in Spain today! It was sunny, warm and beautiful and the city has completley changed, there are people everywhere! Starting to think I chose the right city as there is the choice of 6 beautiful beaches within 20 minutes from the city. Today I went to a beach outside of Santander called Lincres which you need to drive to get to. So ive done well to make friends with two lovley french girls (both of whom have cars!) I went today with Stefanie to a new beach (away from the rest of the International students)to relax, swim a little and take in the beautiful day. The water was absoloutly freezing! As an australian i struggled, but the crazy frenchie was in straight away.. after a few hours enjoying to afternoon sun we headed back on the beautiful drive along the northern coast of Spain! with the windows down, sun shining, spanish music balarring, i had another one of those moments of realisation that it iso amazing here! i love it! cant wait to explore the other 5 beaches over the next few weekends.

Baila Latina..

One of my close friends is off to London and then back home to the U.S! So Friday night we had a spanish dinner to say farewell. Diedra and I managed to both cook a tortilla (spanish omlette) for the first time ever! its pretty complicated, but they both turned out really well, along with some other tapas the night was a delicious sucess. It was followed by going to a concert at the local train station, to learn some latin dancing! It was so much fun...... got to meet some great new spanish girls who I hang out with for the next weekend. They showed us some new bars to go dancing..will miss Deidra (Santander wont be the same without ya!) Its something I am beginning to get used to though, people come and go here all the time, luckily I am starting to build freindships with a spanish group... who wont leave me!
shake that booty bobby k..........

Me and Diedra feeling the latin music!

San Sebastian

Me and Keiran went off to San Sebastian this weekend, to check out a new city and get away from Santander (which is a little small sometimes). The bus ride through the Basque country was absoloutly amazing, it is so green there. We arrived in San Sebastian to find out what the lonley planet guide had said was true, it is much prettier than Santander, has an awesome atmosphere, and the people are much more open! We spent a few days in the rain (which is normal in northern spain) .....going out to the pincho bars that are amazing- packed with people and great food and drink... seeing churches, walking the bay and eating ice cream. Will definaltey head back again to explore!

The Cathedral in San Sebastian.

Kids and animals

Kiz and I were invited this weekend to go to a nature park that is very famous and really close to Santander. We went along with Belen ( who is one of my students) and her brother and sister in law. Belen has three kids, one 5 year old and two 3 year old twins, the other family had three little boys too. So the day began bright and early, me and kiz had both been out the night before, so we wernt feeling too awake. The park itself is absoloutly amazing, so picturesque, and the animals are in huge open spaces. As it was, we only got around to seeing around 3 animals, and needless to say me and Keiran are not thinking of having kids anytime soon.... oh my god, it was a crazy day, wasnt a time when we didnt have one of them hanging off us!

In the plaza...

A lot of encounters in Spain begins with crazy old drunk people asking for money. These are the only ones that want to talk to me. At least up here in the north, sitting in the plaza , having a drink with my frenchies and we are approached by a guy off his face, swaying about. But of course he becomes our friend as we are all so eager to practise our Spanish. To avoid listening to drunk broken english (because as you probably imagined everyone can tell im a foreigner), i begun to tell my story, the usual, Russian bride, been sold to an american who then moved to spain...... loving practising the spanish, even if it is all lies. We headed off to another bar, running a little, but another successful spanish experience eventually, once the message got accross!

Red Rocho

Another case of Red Rocho, this refers to my short fuse. As im starting to realise, claire, i know weve argued about this, but i am willing to admit that i can strop up quite easily. Especially in Spain, when i cant get my frieken message across. I think its that feeling of knowing that you are being treated differently because you are a foreigner, one things for sure in spain they never want to bend the rules for guirris! Short version- as the version I reccounted to my flatmates today in spanish was difficult, long winded and tiring!
Went to go to the movies, literally running late, arrived 3 minutes late, bought ticket, the guy at the door tells me that i can only enter upstairs. so i walk up the stairs and after 5 minutes of going into offices, the toilets and the projector room i eventually find the entrance to the cinema. Cant find my friends though, calling out to them, with lots of spanish people shhhing me, so i assume they must be downstairs. I beg and plee with guy, debate with him, ask him whether he would watch the movie upstairs if his friends were downstairs. He is indignant, rude, patronising, and i decide to walk out in huff, saying something rude in spanish and english, screw up my ticket and throw it on the floor! Get a msg a minute later.... we are upstairs... nice one em! so needless to say missed out on the latest flick with jude law-which I heard later wasnt that great anyway.

Sunny, used to be my life was filled with grey..

Sunshine is finally here in Santander, after 2 months of non stop rain! Its amazing all these young people have come out of the woodowork and the streets are no longer packed with only old people! They still walk around in their fur coats though, ive never seen so much fake fur in my life. Im starting to feel settled here and looking forward to the summer months. I have a feeling this city will completley change and that there will be a new atmosphere. I am just about to start my second round of Spanish lessons and am looking forward to learning some more grammar to help me get by. The Spanish is coming along quite well.... but still have a long way to go.

Semana Santa

Semana Santa is the week before Easter Sunday and here in Spain is a big deal. We had tried to head to another city to see the parades but after missing an 8am bus to burgos on a Friday morning we decided to stick around in Santander for the parades. There not as big here, but I was able to see them from my window (as everything happens in the centre of the city- which just happens to be right outside my window.)So i got to experience every parade, all of which were very similar. There was a strange contrast of the very serious religious parades where all the older people were watching intently, with the bars on the side of the road packed with young people drinking (because of the public holidays). It was an interesting insight into religion in Spain...

The first photo was one of the first parades (without hats) and the second later in the week with hats. Im being very culturally aware here..

The wait is over!

After 10 weeks of waiting to see my man, he finally arrived in Bilbao! I was nervous, excited, anxious, and now that he is here, so so happy. We spent a few days in Bilbao with lots to talk about, then headed back to Santander to introduce him to his new city!

Roma.....

At the last minute I decided to head to Rome for four days with an aussie and 2 americans to check out one of the most visited cities in the world, and to pass the time a little waiting for Keiran. It was a huge realisation for me that I am so close to everthing here in Europe. Managed to see lots of the city including vatican city, st pauls basilica, colosseum, and my favourite of all the roman forum. It was the first time Ive been anywhere with so much history and i loved it.

The only downfall of the trip was the accomodation, being the cheap australians we are we decided to book a 12 euro a night "hostel" that was "15minutes from the city". It turned out to be a camping village around 1 1/2 by public transport..... check it out, our lovley bogan shack.

International Dinner

Hanging out with all the International students here sometimes feels like you are a UN conference. I decided to have a dinner for all the people in my Spanish class, including Germans, French, Brasilians, Czech, Australians, Americans, English, Portugeuse, Italian and Belgian. The night went off without a hitch except for the fact that no one brought any food. Luckily Unai and Xandra (my spanish roomates) came to the rescue helping me to cook some tortillas and other spanish goodies.

Xandra (Spanish) Me and Clarisse (French).

Too much calemucho!

It was Xandras (my spanish roomates) bday party this weekend, and one thing I learnt is that Spanish people really do know how to party. It was also an awesome opportunity to learn and practise some Spanish. She told me she had booked a bar for her party, so i expected a place with music a bar etc. We went all 25 of us to a little bodega, where we sat all 25 along one table, then xandra ordered around 30 cups ( these cups are around 3 times normal size) of calemucho (mixture of cheap wine and coke -brilliant) for drinking games. We played for two hours with dice and then headed out for some dancing afterwards! Was a night to remember.

Bridge and I starting to look a little belary eyed.

Settling in

Uni has finally started after what seemed like an eternity of waiting, im finally starting to get a routime and to feel settlled in. The piso im living in is amazing, and i am there with two spanish girls and an italian girl all who are soo nice! They are very interested to know all about me.. we spend lots of time together and usually cook together, so i am learning to cook lots of spanish and italian recipes. Have joined a gym and started to go there to swim a lot, I also have 6 students that i give private english lessons. All of them are adults and are very nice, although are having trouble adjusting to my australian accent. It rains here most days, but I am getting out and meeting a lot of people. This weekend we had an erasmus party (international students) that had an 80s theme. Ofcourse the aussies went all out, dressed up to the nines. We discovered as we entered the plaza that its not really done much in spain unless there is a national reason. Not one of the other 200 international students got dressed up either, and i put this down to reason that half of them are still in the 80's... we realised that we australians are a bit different.......to overcome the embarressment we partied very hard that night!.

Carnivale and that duck suit

This weekend is Carnivale and there are already kids wandering the streets in costumes. It is tradition to get dressed up and head to a small town outside Santander for the festival. We all decided to get a costume organised for the festival, but as usual at the last minute. We spent around two hours in a costume shop trying on all sorts of outfits... it ended up raining and so we stayed in Santander for the festival. Even went out in our costumes.... Rupert, one the aussies, spent his life savings on a duck suit. It was a hit with the locals and we have decided that whoever has their birthday has to wear it (just so rupert can get his moneys worth). There was a big parade through the streets of Santander that we joined in on... they are crazy here!

Orientation!

Over the last week we have had Orientation for uni, have met all the international students and been shown around Santander and Cantabria. As Im not really one to like being taken round on a bus like a tour group, it wasnt really my cup of tea, but I was able to see a few sights including Santanilla del Mar. This pueblo is cut off from the use of cars, and has been keep in its original form. We also got to see the Palace here and some other monuments in the city.

Beautiful Barcelona

After a week and a bit in Santander with some time to spare, i headed to Barcelona to do a Spanish course and check out the city. I am in love with this city and would move here in a second, it has an amazing atmosphere. I met some great people, learnt a lot of Spanish at a great little language school and got to see the sights of Barcelona. I went along with Jess, another aussie and we spent the evenings checking out the city, eating lebanese food, drinking beer, and ending the week with a night out at Razzamataz- a four level nightclub. What a week. Me infront of some of the street art in Gracia

La Sagrada Familia.

That mullet man stole my wallet!

Bilbao, mullets everywhere and the Guggenheim!First proper trip into Bilbao and we headed to the Guggenheim, it was amazing and there was an awesome exhibition on African Art!The building is so spectacular and the city has a really great vibe. As we were leaving the Guggenheim there were a large group of people heading down to the river for a protest. We hung around to see what happened. Went out that night, only to have my wallet stolen by some guy with a filthy mullet who was cracking onto my friend. Spent the early hours of the morning cancelling all my cards. Oh the joys of travelling!

Roman Ruins????

After a few days in Santander with nothing much to do, we decided to head on a day trip! At this stage we still had 3 weeks to wait until we did anything remotely important. So on the advice of a passing friend I decided to take the other ausisies out to a little village to see some Roman Ruins. We trekked for hours in the cold, to discover an abandoned village in the middle of nowehere, which was really quite strange but beautiful. After hours of walking, with the snowfall pending, we left, disappointed to have never have discovered the Roman Ruins. On the path back, we eventually found a sign that said Roman carzuela, which means road.... we had been walking along it the entire time. Nice one! All in all an awesome trip, the Spanish countryside is absoloutly amazing, and cant wait to explore more.

Buen viaje!

After something ridiculous like 36 hours travelling I arrived in Santander tired and a little emotional. I was lucky enough to be met by a good friend who had been living in Santander the previous year, he and his wife showed me around Santander, took me and the other Aussies out for some Spanish dinner, gave me great advice and helped me to settle in to what will be my new home! Thanks Ben and Janelle.

Goodbye for now!

Well had the farewell on F riday, it was memorable, but there were a few too many of those maccu piccu cocktails. Thanks to everyone who came along, it was the last thing I had to do before I left for my big adventure, say goodbye to all of you. (not to mention the packing I still have to do)I will miss you all very much, stay in touch and keep rocking out in Sydney!