Spring is upon us

I had a long yet inconsistent call home yesterday with the help of skype. In between bouts of dropped calls and staticky words, I managed to hear my mom question, "Aren't you surprised how fast your time is going?" I was not able to respond thoroughly, as my connection is often fallible, yet I simply replied via typing, "yes." Without a doubt, time is moving quickly and i swear it picks up speed each day. I clearly remember traveling to Valencia. Despite being a bit tired from losing a night's rest, I was overcome with excitement, that is, until the reality set it. Upon entering my dorm, it finally struck me that I was here to stay for quite some time; seemingly an eternity at first, and I wanted to abort my mission. Like a prisoner in Alcatraz, I was not quite sure where I was planning to flee, but just knew I had to get away. Things are different now, and Valencia certainly feels like home now, especially after being away for a few days in countries possessing their own language and culture.

I recently left Spain to see what lurks beyond the peninsula. My first trip consisted of a few days in Pisa and Florence, just a two hour plane ride from Valencia. The two are beautiful cities and relatively friendly to the student traveler. I consulted the experts beforehand to get the lowdown on "requisite" sites to visit, and was without a doubt satisfied with the advice. Pisa was more or less a city in transit for me. I arrived at one in the morning and left before noon the same day. Nevertheless, I spent the morning visiting the tower and surrounding buildings. My hostel was located in the University section where students flooded the streets, which was nice to see. From Pisa, I made the short train ride to Florence, which i thought was phenomenal. Among the highlights, would have to be the views overlooking the Duomo, la piazza michelangelo and seeing the David statue, which is significantly larger than I had envisioned. My lodging offered a free walking tour, which I took advantage of the next morning before heading to the airport. The guide was very informative and stressed the wealth and power of the Medici family.
It was obvious upon setting foot in Valencia, that Las Fallas was underway. The large celebration, with a rather obscure religious connotation, began Saturday and persisted until Thursday (el dia de San Jose, padre de Jesus). Despite my intention to use the week off for traveling, I needed to see what the hype was about, so spent two days in Valencia before leaving for France. Some of the main events that characterize Las Fallas are fireworks, las fallas (statues made from papier mache and cardboard, and the bullfights). Concerning the fireworks, they basically take place all day long and at night. This was the first time that I witnessed fireworks during the daytime, and they were quite entertaining. I am sorry to be a disappointment but I decided to pass on the bullfight. I saw part of it on tv one night, and after making a cost-benefit analysis, decided that it was not for me. Maybe in another lifetime.

This past Tuesday, I set off for a very quick trip to Marseille, France, along the southern coast of the pompous nation. It is a lovely city along the beach and the port, yet a little grittier than I would imagine Nice and Paris to be. I believe it is the oldest city in France and would recommend it if you wanted to gain a perspective of the country without the clutter of tourism. I often felt strange taking out my camera, for it seemed that nobody else around me was doing the same. Among my favorite things in Marseille were making the short trip up to see the Notre Dame, a spectacular cathedral situated on a hill overlooking the city, and taking a boat over to If island to spend some time in the calanques for which the city is known. The tranquil island has various trails and natural wonders to take in, and it was a pleasant way to spend the afternoon in the mediterranean sun. Despite being known for its gastronomy, I normally find supermarkets when I travel, hoping to enjoy such things later in live when I hopefully can fork over more money for such pleasures. Nevertheless, I invested in a baguette while in Marseille and to quote my grandfather, "its alright in my book." That is, they are definitly worth trying!

I am now back in Valencia for a few weeks, where the weather has been ideal as of late. I hope it is equally enjoyable back home!! As i mentioned in my last writing, I joined a running club here in Valencia, which has probably been the best decision I have made upon arriving here. Everyone has been very friendly and tolerant with my spanish:) I am actually considering a race here next Sunday so I will keep you posted on that. Apparently the races are free which is a nice change from the pricey fees back home, and I have been told that prizes tend to consist of giant hams. I am sure I am a longshot from winning, but with prizes like that, I am sure motivated to give it a go haha.

I hope everyone is well and healthy. With the recent arrival of spring (and apparent opening of Rita's), it is only a matter of time now until the weather begins to cooperate with more consistency. Best wishes for a great start to the spring and go Louisville:)