Excursion 1

Yesterday my group went on its first excursion. Unfortunately, the bus had to go through a canyon that I will affectionately call ¨la calle del diablo.¨ Carsickness galore. Several people had barf bags in hand, ready to go. I however, refused. I´ve never puked from motion sickness before, and I don´t intend to start. I just got really sick, in fact I still feel sick now a day later.

First we went to this monastary that has a piece of the actual cross that Jesus was crucified on...so say the Catholics. They actually had some scientific tests done, and it really is a 2000 year old piece of wood. How cool would that be if it was real? I even got to touch the piece of wood. I´m not Catholic or anything (I actually think they´re a bit nutty), but it was a really deep, cool feeling to touch the piece of wood that thousands upon thousands of pilgrims have touched. It was really soft, from so many people touching it over the centuries. The monastary itself was beautiful, and you could hear the monks chanting in the background.

Later we went up a god-awful tram to the Picos de Europa mountains, where it was snowing! We even had a snowball fight, and a few crazies made snow angels. It was soooo high up. I definately did not enjoy the tram ride up, but I did enjoy the cup of copy I had at the top, and playing in the snow.

Next was a little town called Potes...and that´s about it. I bought three postcards. Yay Potes.

Finally we went to this 1000 year old church, supposedly one of the oldest in Cantabria. It had this really cool alter with a statue of Mary that got stolen in 1990, and was found 8 years later in Valencia and then returned. The church also had two 1000 year old trees, one olive and one was something else that I forgot, but it was pretty much dead. There was also this bench there that supposedly, if you sit on you will soon get married. Emilee, you should go there...hehehehe. I admit it, I sat on it, without about 1/2 of my group.

Then, it was back on the bus to get super carsick again.

Last night I went out for the first time. My first impressions of Spainish nightlife: they are uber smokey, the guys are short, and everyone stays out too late. I ended up talking politics with this one Spanish guy, and then I taught good American curse words. I stayed out until 3 am, which apparently isn´t too late in Spain, but seems crazy to my good American senses.