I walked 13 miles today

I am never walking again.  Trust me, I didn't mean to walk 13 miles today, it just happened.

Ok, what the heck is this?  I passed this on my walk.

Tore Agbara - enjoy :)

It started out by me being too cheap to take the metro to the Barcelona waterfront/beaches (2.5 miles).  Then I walked along the waterfront.  I just cannot believe that women feel comfortable sunbathing without tops on.  I mean, I just don't get it.  And why are the guys not staring the whole time?  Are they just pretending not to stare?  And no I did not get pictures so don't ask.

So I continued walking along the waterfront - so gorgeous.   There is a hospital located on teh waterfront.  Shawn, you should transfer there.

The hospital is the far building on the left behind the palm trees.

There were a lot of cool places that looked really hip for partying at night.  Too bad my bedtime is early.  Then I attempted to take a cable car ride across the harbor (thinking it took me to the top of the mountain on the harbor).  Well, I paid $9 euros and then realized there was a long line.  Well, I wanted none of that (I DO NOT wait in line unless it's important) so I, along with another couple, demanded our money back.  Ok, so the other couple demanded our money back in spanish and I just smiled.  So then, b/c I'm so cheap, I had to figure out another way to get to the mountain.  4.5 miles later I got to the mountain.  BAD idea to walk.  

I did stop at a little imitation Spanish village that was halfway up the mountain.  Very disappointing but good views.

This mountain was the site of many of the 1992 Olympic events in Barcelona.  It was pretty gorgeous (although a steep climb).  I did end up taking a cable car from 2/3rds of the way up to the top.  Well worth the money b/c I could barely move!  Once I reached the castle/fort at the top, I laid down on the wall and took a nap.  I was beyond exhausted.  That was a lot of walking.  And I was already super sore from yesterday.  

Musuem on the mountain

View from my nap spot

Cable car going down

Museum at the base of the mountain

Then I walked back down and took the metro to the gothic neighborhood looking for a special champagne bar.  But it was full so I sat down and ate at an outdoor cafe.  I ordered a beer and a cheese and unidentified meat sandwich.  Too expensive.  Then I took the metro home.  I showered, and then ran by the store to buy some beer, flan in a cup, and chips.  Now I'm in the common room of the hostel, checking internet, drinking, eating, and watching "Criminal Minds."  All the kiddies (other hostel guests) left for the discoteca at 11:30pm.  Um, so I googled this bar and it doesn't even open until midnight.  And it doesn't get hopping until 2am.  So all the folks who went are planning on staying there until the metro opens again at 5am.  Um, NO THANKS!  Not my idea of a good time - I guess I'm just too old :(

Ok, continuing on with my reasons for wanting to move to Spain:

3) no leash laws - the dogs here are so happy!  They are allowed on the beach and are allowed everwhere and anywhere and don't have to be on a leash.  And they are all so well-behaved.  

4) no drinking laws - meaning, you can drink ANYWHERE at any time.

5)  always a grocery store within 2 blocks.

6) metro is actually quite nice and so fast and everyone uses it

7) people drink at every time of the day

8) family is #1 priority

Ok, reasons why I don't want to live in Spain:

1) no cute males

2) males are very harrassing

3) exchange rate sucks!

So tomorrow I head to Pamplona.  I'm excited/nervous b/c that's where I'm going to be spending the next 7 weeks.  So I really, really, really hope that I like it.

I´m liking this traveling solo

So I have been in Barcelona 2 days, and so far my record for getting guys´ numbers is 2/2. :) Before you get excited for me, I should point out that neither of those 2 males is under 40 years old. Last night at the random restaurant I went, this guy who was friends with the owner and about 50 gave me his telephone number. I told him that I didn´t have a phone but he gave me his cell number anyway. Then tonight, I went to get dinner at about 9pm. Apparently that is too early to eat here b-c all the restaurants and bars were empty. I finally stumpled on this lebanese place. I started to walk by but the owner called me back and told me to sit down. So I did...I mean, there were a decent amount of people there (all locals) so it must be good. I got pita bread with cheese in the middle and lebanese beer. Both were very good. Then the owner came back and brought me 3 small dishes to try. 2 types of hummus and 1 eggplant-red pepper type dish and then bread. I really liked the eggplant humus. Then they gave me a small piece of baklava. They only charged me for the beer and Carlage (pita with cheese) which was awesome! Then when I walked outside, the owner called me over (he was sitting at one of the tables outside) and invited me to sit down. I said why not? So I ended up chatting with him and the other owner (his brother) for over an hour. It was quite interesting. I´m almost liking this traveling solo thing b-c people are less intimidated to talk to you (sorry Shawn - I still wish you were here!).

I learned lots about Spain and Jordan from them. The guy turned out to be a lawyer too - how random. I really enjoy speaking to the local people to get a real taste for the people and culture. Another point for me for going out to dinner by myself! I´m getting a lot better at that!

It was funny - when I walked up to the restaurant, before saying anything, the owner started talking to me in English. I was like - how do you know I´m not spanish?! He said that Americans have very distinctive facial structures so it´s usually very easy to tell. He said I have a very American nose. Interesting. Oh well, I wore a skirt and everything to dinner (I HATE wearing skirts). I guess there´s no fitting in for me.

Dia 2 en Barcelona

This morning I woke up at 9am.  I slept so well!  I barely heard my 3 roommates (who I have yet to meet) come in and all the festivities last night didn't bother me either.  

Then I put on my walking shoes and started exploring the city.  First I passed by the Sacrada Familia.  It is probably the most famous icon of Barcelona - it is a church designed by Gaudi although it's still not technically finished.  They estimate it will be completed by 2010 - that's almost 120 years since it was begun.  I have no idea what's taking so long b/c I was too impatient to pay and take the tour.  That's 1 thing to know about me when I travel - I hate to wait in line.  I also do not enjoy touring churches.  I also hate to pay for things.  

So after the beautiful Sacrada Familia, I went to Gaudi's Casa Mila (La Pedrada).  I actually paid for this ($4.5 euros) but was able to get a student discount by showing my UGA law school ID - sweet!  I thought this apartment complex designed by Gaudi was beautiful.  

(When you are touring by yourself, you get creative when trying to take pics of yourself.  P.S. the guy behind me is thinking how much of a genius I am.  Ok, not true.  He actually did the same thing right before me and I copied him.  Course, he was with people so he just looked stupid doing it.)

The roof was the best part with funny designed chimneys.  

Next I walked down La Rambla - one of the most famous streets in Europe.  It is a 1-mile long stretch of road where there are all kinds of shops, food places, musicians, and flower sellers.  

Scary dressed up street people

I bought some fruit and a fruit (strawberries and coco) smoothie (yum!!!!) at the mercado. 

 Then I walked through el Barrio Gotico (Gothic neighborhood).  It was beautiful with it's old and windy streets and apartments.  I loved it!

Why can't our ice cream stores display the ice cream like Barcelona?

Reason #1 why Spaniards have a better life than us - here are some older men drinking at a street cafe at 2:30pm in the neighborhood.  Lucky ducks.

Then I walked back to La Rumbla and bought a cappachino at an outside cafe.  I sat there a long time - especially considering my cappachino cost about $8 american -  reading my guidebooks and sipping my yummy drink. 

 Then I walked all the way to Guell Park. 

Another reason Spainards have a better life than us - here are a bunch of older folks just sitting outside watching people and enjoying the weather.

 Guell park is was designed by Gaudi as a park in a very privileged part of town (b/c it has such a beautiful view of the city and harbor).  

I loved the park.  

Then I walked back to my hostel cutting through some beautiful neighborhoods near the Parc Guell - apparently the neighbors aren't big fans of people "cutting through" their neighborhood.

I probably walked over 7 miles today.  Needless to say, tengo cansada!   

Me Encanta Espana!

I had the best night for my first night in Spain!  After running by the store and buying my $6 euro dress, a whole bunch of us from the hostel walked/metroed down to the waterfront/beach for the big game.  

They had set up a HUGE screen and there were thousands of Spaniards and tourists chanting, shouting, honking horns, waving flags, etc leading up to the 8:45pm kickoff.  

I felt like I had experienced enough of the throngs of people so right before the game started, I started walking back to the hostel b/c a) I hate masses of people, especially drunk people and b) I was starving.  

So I started walking and what a beautiful walk it was.  Every single bar/restaurant had people in it watching the game.  And the bars/restaurants in Spain are different than in the US b/c they're all small so there are hundreds of them.  I somehow got called into one bar as I walked by trying to read the score.  The owner motioned me in and told me to get something to eat.  So I ordered a tortilla espanola y una cerveza.  And get this!  As my spanish omelette was being heated up, they gave me FREE tapas (olives)!  I couldn't believe it!  I had heard of those far and few between places off the beaten path that still served free tapas and I had actually found one!  I started chatting to this guy next to me and it was so nice to practice my spanish.  He offered to buy me my beer but I turned him down.  I didn't want to take advantage of his generosity.  The whole meal (including bread) was only $4.35 euros...what a steal!  See, the trick is to go to the places that are off the beaten path.

I continued my long walk home (I think it was over 2 miles) and as I passed each bar, I would look in and watch all the spaniards watching/cheering for the games.  I knew exactly when Spain would score b/c the city would all of a sudden erupt in honking, fireworks, screaming, and banging.  It was surreal and I even got goosebumps.  I wish Americans were as passionate about a sport as the spaniards are to futbol.  So then I watched the last few minutes of the game in the hostel with other hostel members.  It was pretty cool to actually be in Spain as they captured the European Championship for Futbol.  And as soon as time expired, the city erupted.  In fact, as I'm typing this blog in my hostel room, all I can hear is screaming and lots and lots of honking broken up by the occasional thrown firework in the street outside our window.  I have a feeling I won't be getting much sleep tonight.  Oh well...all part of the experience!

And guess what was waiting for me when I got home tonight?  That's right - my suitcase!  Thank you God!  All of my suits, dress shoes, work clothes, etc would have been lost forever if they hadn't found my suitcase.  All I can say is thank goodness I have my suitcase back - although I got so many compliments in my new dress tonight!

Spain is definitely one of my favorite countries.  I love the culture and the people.  I cannot wait to get to Pamplona and start to get to know the city that I will call home for 7 weeks.

So I definitely have noticed that most people who stay in hostels are young (i.e. 21-24).  Luckily no one has asked me my age.  But it is kind of annoying when you ask them what the best things to do in Barcelona are and they all answer go clubbing and partying 24/7.  Um, not exactly what I had in mind.  Also, I love being able to converse (somewhat) with the locals.  I really do love the Spanish language.

Ok, time for bed considering I didn't sleep a wink on the plan.  Tomorrow will be comprised of lots of sight-seeing.  Talk to you soon!

Airlines hate me

My flight out of Atlanta left late yesterday b-c they accidently sent the crew luggage to baggage claim so it took an hour to get their luggage back. Then we were 15th in line to land in philly when we started to run out of gas so we landed in allentown, pa to refuel. Then we flew to Philly where I obviously missed my connecting flight to Barcelona. They put me on a flight to Frankfurt instead. That flight left an hour late because...get this...we were waiting on other passengers. They wouldn´t wait for me for my Barcelona flight but they´re waiting on these people for the Frankfurt flight. Whatever. I guess it had to do with the fact that we were missing over 100 passengers. I made the mistake of getting my hopes up for an empty flight and started getting comfortable in the two seats just for me. It was about this time that the plane got completely full. So we take off at 9:30pm (fyi, I got to the ATL airport at 1:30pm). Then I wait for 2 hours while the crew tries to fix my tv in my seat. Nope. So I ask to move seats and they move me. Success! Don´t get a wink of sleep. Can´t sleep on planes. Arrive in Frankfurt at 11am their time. Walk literally .5 miles and go through security AGAIN before finally reaching my gate. My window seat is gone and I am now in an aisle. I land in Barcelona at 3:30pm. Luggage completely lost. Start crying. Head to hostel. Go wrong way on train. Go wrong way on Street. Arrive at hostel. Hostel folks SOO nice. Let me borrow towel for free. Luftansa gives me overnight kit complete with shampoo, t'shirt, brush, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, cotton balls, tampons, nail file, and lotion. Take shower at hostel. Thank my lucky stars I packed underwear, sandals, skirt, and sunglasses in carry-on. Curse myself for not packing a shirt - so wear windbreaker. About to head out looking for a shirt to wear tonight to the biggest game this year for Barcelona - Barcelona vs. Manchester United. Excited although really scared about never seeing my suitcase again and exhausted. Maybe I should retitle this post to - Airlines steal Katie Mac´s Pack. Adios.

Pics from my Canadian adventures!

The Anne of Green Gables house!  Technically this was not the house that the author grew up in.  BUT, this was the house of her cousins that she spent most of her time at.  So she modeled the house in her book - Anne of Green Gables - after this house that she practically grew up in.  The house is surrounded by all this beautiful land that includes "Lover's Lane" and "The Haunted Forest."  So most of the stories and places from the book were based off of LM Montgomery's (the author's) life growing up on Prince Edward Island.

Lover's Lane

The Haunted Forest (below)

Prince Edward Island coastline - near Cavendish

Ok, first of all, when you travel by yourself, you're stuck taking pics of yourself....so, please no commenting on how lame I look in my pics.  Yes, I look stupid, I know.  But I didn't know what poses to do for a camera with no one standing behind it.  So please just appreciate the pics.  

Can't you just see Anne frolicking on the cliffs.  I could have sat looking at these cliffs forever.  The weather was just perfect.  I wouldn't get in the water though - brrr!

Charlottetown, PEI - the capital

View before leaving PEI on the car ferry

So after driving off of the Ferry that ended up costing me $73 (yes, I'm sorry, but someone could have told me it costs an arm and a leg to leave the island.  It's free to get on so I was not expecting a $73 charge to leave.  But alas, I racked my brain and could not figure out another way to get back to Halifax without paying the price.  I could have backtracked - fyi, I HATE backtracking - and taking the bridge back but that would have added an hour on to my trip, I would have seen the same sights and it cost $46...so I sucked it up and paid the $73), I proceeded to drive south toward Halifax.  I decided to take a side trip and go by Peggy's Cove which is the most photographed spot in Nova Scotia.  It is just a small (and I mean SMALL) fishing village outside of Halifax.  It is adorable.  

Back on Nova Scotia - Lighthouse at Peggy's Cove

Peggy's Cove - it's a quaint little fishing village about 30 mins outside of halifax.  

Look at me with all my friends in Peggy's Cove

Then I drove back to Halifax last night arriving about 7:30pm.  Lindsay and I returned the car and then went to dinner at this awesome restaurant called the Economy Shoe Shop.  It was so yummy!  Then we got drinks at an Irish Pub.  The thing about Halifax is that all the bars and restaurants have awesome names and are decorated amazingly.  Every pub or eatery beckons you in b/c the outside decorations are so beautiful.  And they all have outside seating.  It's just such a beautiful town.  And EVERYONE was out and about today - that's the thing about Halifax - people walk everywhere and they're always outside doing something.  Another thing is that Nova Scotians have a very strange sense of style - it's very punkish with none of the clothes matching and lots of tattoos.  Not my cup of tea.  Also everyone recycles which is really cool.  Even in the hotel I stayed at Thursday night, they had a recycling trash can and a regular one.  Everyone recycles - it's awesome.  

Saturday (today):  went running in Point Pleasant Park, Halifax this morning.  It's a park in the south of Halifax and it is absolutely breathtaking.  Beautiful views of the harbor and just absolutely gorgeous.

FYI - I'm getting pretty decent at taking pics of myself now.

Aha!  My first photo that a person actually took (thank you Lindsay), yet I look the exact same as if I took the pic myself.  Lindsay and I took a ferry across the harbor in Halifax to Dartmouth and then hopped a bus south about 10 mins to Fisherman's Cove - an adorable fishing village very close to Halifax.

  Fisherman's Cove - South of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

After Fisherman's Cove, we took the bus and ferry back and then rested before our 8:30pm showing of the play "High School Musical."  yes, I saw the play - see Megs, you can tell your kids and then they'll love me even more.  It was pretty good.  Now I'm packing and heading back to the ATL tomorrow morning.  I loved Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island but I can't wait to get home!  Thank you Lindsay for hosting me and putting up with my weird tastes, complaints about the cold, and blunt opinions.  Enjoy the rest of your summer in Halifax!!!!

Lots of teachers in the family

On Tuesday, the day before I left for Canada, I stopped by my cousin's 9th grade Math class - he is a math teacher at North Springs High School.  Note to self - never stop by a 9th grade class on the last day of class.  The class was horrible!  Now, my cousin did manage to control them very well but man, I'll tell you something - I lived a very sheltered life at Marist.  A kid wouldn't dream of acting the way some of these kids were acting.  I remember in one of my classes at Marist, we weren't even allowed to doodle!  Do you know how hard it is to sit in class for 55 mins and not doodle?  It's torture.  Those kids need to be put in their place!  Now, some of them were good kids but some of them were not.  

Then after I visited Josh's class, I visited my sister's 1st grade class down the road at Spalding Drive.  Her kids were angels!!!!  Wow, what a difference 8 grades make.  And my sister is so amazing with them...so patient yet so authoritative and man do they listen to her.  She even got on to me at one point!  I felt quite .... repremanded.

Here's a pic of Megan and her "kids" on their 4th to last day of class.

And here's a pic of me with them - they loved me once I told them that my favorite band is Hannah Montana and my favorite movie is High School Musical.  :)

Out (*oat*) and About (*a-boat*) in Canada

I decided to visit my law school friend Lindsay in Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada) before I fly to Spain.  She is clerking for a canadian judge.  So I've been "in-country" for 2 days.  Yesterday (wed) I spent recovering from my 6am flight.  I napped first.  Then I went for a run around the city.  That's how I saw the sights when I traveled for the govt.  We wouldn't have time to sightsee so I would run either before work or after work (when traveling) and that's how I saw cities like Canberra, Tokyo, Sydney, Denver, etc.  I ran along the waterfront, up to the Citadel, and through the shopping district.  Then after a quick shower, Lindsay and I went to dinner and had fish and chips - yum!  And the best part is the exchange rate.  I think it's like $1 Canadian dollar to $.8 American dollar.

Then today (thurs) I rented a car and drove to Prince Edward Island.  I did the whole Anne of Green Gables tour...it was awesome!  I walked through the Haunted Forest and Lover's Lane and walked through the house that the author (L.M. Montgomery) based her famous novel on.  Prince Edward Island is absolutely gorgeous.  I will post pics when I get home and can move the pics to my computer.  I could just feel how LM Montgomery felt when she wrote Anne of Green Gables.  What a wonderful place to raise a family.  Since it was about 5pm when I finished up touring Cavendish and all of the Anne of Green Gables stuff, I drove on to Charlottetown, PEI.  I figured I could easily find a cheap room for about $60 Canadian dollars.  Um, I was sorely mistaken.  The first place I went to (in the heart of the famous historic area) had a room for $350.  That was their cheapest room.  They said they knew of one place that was charging $100 but it was out of the city in the commercial area - yuck!!!  So I drove around the downtown area and stopped at a nice looking motel.  Their cheapest room was $140.  Ugh, I decided to just go to the cheap place b/c this trip was already costing me an arm and a leg.  So I started driving away from town and went about a block until I stumbled upon this beautiful hotel - Rodd Charlottetown.  I said what the hell and went in.  I asked what the price was for their cheapest room - the girl looked at me funny so I then said - what is the price for your lowest costing room.  She responded better to that and said $140 and that it was their last room.  Apparently there were a lot of conferences in the area and that's why rooms were hard to find.  Obviously disappointed, I then asked her if she knew of any place close by that would be cheaper.  Then her boss came up and asked me what I wanted to pay.  I said around $100.  She said I'll give you a room for $110.  I said "I'll take it!" 

 So now I'm in this beautiful room in downtown, historic Charlotteville.  I then walked about 7 blocks to the waterfront and to a Lobster restaurant on the water.  I decided that I was a big girl and had enough confidence to eat by myself.  So I got a table for 1.  After I ordered, I was looking at my PEI map, and this couple at the bar started asking me questions.  Apparently they're from Michigan.  So they told me to join them at the bar.  So my attempt at eating by myself lasted about 5 mins - yes, in case you were wondering, I'm sure that I looked utterly ridiculous b/c I was feeling a bit self-conscious.  At one point I could have been seen talking to myself.  Yes, I am a strange one.  Anyway, I'm sure this older couple noticed me looking awkward...so I joined them and they bought me a beer.  

We talked for the rest of my time there.  They were quite nice and I entertained them with my stories.  I also thoroughly enjoyed my lobster dinner.  However, please note that when they say the going price for lobster is $6.50, that does NOT mean, that your dinner will cost $6.50.  The waittress told me that lobsters were going for the lowest amount ever - at $6.50.  So I figured that when I ordered a 1 lb lobster at market price, that meant it was $6.50.  Um, apparently I was VERY wrong.  $32.00 later, I left the restaurant feeling very stupid.  They swindled me!

Things I have learned in my 2 days in Canada:

1.  If you rent a car, you will have NO idea how fast you are going.  

2. It was 26 degrees celsius today - I know I got hot, but I have NO idea how many degrees in fahrenheit that is.

3. Every SINGLE house in Canada (that I've seen so far) is made of wood and decorated in different colors.

4. Every car stops for pedestrians...I mean, EVERY car...and pedestrians follow the rules of the road.

5. There is no place in Nova Scotia that is not within 35 km of the ocean.  Course, no idea how many miles 35km is.

6. On PEI, a lot of the signs are in english, french, AND japanese b/c apparently the japanese love Anne of Green Gables.

7. Canadians sound like Americans except they say words like "about", "out", "boat", etc funny.

More tidbits to come later.  Now I'm in bed, watching CSI, checking email, and then tomorrow I will run around Charlottetown, and then head back to Halifax.  Fun times!

End of 1L year

Well hello there people (ok, so is anyone actually still following my blog?...that is, besides Bob)!  So, I just completed my first year of law school.  What an interesting experience.  I think I got way too spoiled while working for the govt b/c I'm used to finishing work at 5pm and then having the entire night to do whatever I wanted (i.e. softball games, happy hour, wine after dinner, etc).  Well, law school was a rude awakening to that.  Let's just say my alcohol tolerance is WAY low now which is a blessing and a curse.  I literally spent the last 3 weeks of school in the library.  I would get there about 11am (after hitting the gym in the morning) and not leave until 1 or 2 am.  I would pack lunch, dinner, and dessert.  Anyway, my first year is done and now it's time for summer!  

So I decided after 6 years of working in the "real" world, I would actually enjoy my 3 months off this summer.  So instead of getting a boring job in Atlanta, I chose to get an internship in Spain. So I will be spending my summer in Pamplona, Spain.  I'm not stupid :)  I leave for Spain on May 26th and won't be returning to the US until Aug. 5th.  I will be spending a few days in Barcelona before I head to Pamplona.  Then I'll be "working" there for 7 weeks.  Now notice I use the term "working" very loosely.  First of all, I'm not getting paid.  Second of all, the last spanish class I took was back in 2001...so I'm not really sure I'll actually be able to communicate with my co-workers.  And thirdly, I will be bouncing around from the spanish military, spanish public defender's office, spanish parliament, spanish admin agency, and a spanish criminal law firm over the course of the 7 weeks - so not sure how much actual work I will be doing.  Anyway, can I even do work if it's in spanish legalese talk?  Um, probably not.  I still remember how to order a beer though!

So it would be great to be able to meet up with anyone who happens to be in Europe this summer.  Note - I do NOT believe in the running of the bulls so will not be partaking in any of those events.  So no point in visiting me during this time because I will be hiding.  Anyway, after I finish "working" on July 17th, I will be traveling around Europe until Aug. 5th.  Any suggestions of where to go?  I will definitely be visiting Stuttgart, GE b/c I have a friend who lives there.  I'm also thinking of visiting my cousins in Dundalk, Ireland.  I will definitely be visiting my relatives in Lyon, France.  But besides that, I'm not sure.  

I guess that's about it for what's been going on in my life.  I am submitting my application for the Navy JAG program in 3 weeks.  It's extremely competitive so I'm not really expecting to make it in.  Luckily I have another 2 years to keep applying.  What can I say, I really miss working with the military.  Thank you to all our service men and women for their service!  

Keep in touch everyone!  Happy summer!

Katie

Texys - my law school best friend :)

Law school prom!