Balls Long Update--That's for you Mike Roddy!

Hi everyone...it's been a while.  I guess I've been pretty boring for the last two weeks, save for a few epic moments.  Quick highlights...Last Thursday was a random holiday and our group got to go on a tug boat tour of the Spree river.  As some of you know, @ Stanford there is a tradition of Special Dinner, where everyone wears fun costumes according to a theme, eats really good food, and has classier drinks than usual.  Since most of us were missing spring special dinners, a girl in our program suggested that our boat party be our special dinner, with the theme of: we're on a boat.  Since I didn't have my nautical themed pashmina afghan with me, I wore a normal dress and decorated a sailor hat.  So glad Europe values puffy paint and gem stones.  The whole evening was very fun and I was really impressed that one of our program staff members dressed up as a water nymph.  She is always extremely creative.  Anyway, the next day was the 60th anniversary fiesta for the Bundesrepublik of Germany, so kind of like fourth of July but more political.  We got lots of fun free stuff and some of my friends were interviewed for German TV!  The guy expected them to sound stupid as foreigners but they were surprised when they had extremely intelligent things to say in German.  Nighttime activity was getting denied by a posh club called Bergheim for no apparent reason.  It was still a great night though! Then last Sunday I went with a few friends about an hour out of the city to Spreewald (if any of you have seen Goodbye Lenin this is where those Spreewald Gherkins come from).  We canoed for a while and then went to Charlton's uncles' Asian fusion restaurant and had amazing food that kept magically appearing in front of us.  Overall a top notch day.  

Ok. Onto this weekend.  This weekend I went with friends Charlton and Becca to Madrid to visit two friends we lived with freshman year.  For some reason I decided to go a day early because I didn't have class on Friday and ended up arriving in Madrid Thursday night and leaving for a day trip to Barcelona 'balls' early Friday morning and coming back to Madrid Friday night.  All in all the transportation was crazy but surprisingly not bad.  On Thursday night I got to see my good friend Johnny and we had ridiculously good churros from a place that is open 24 hours...Stanford dining take notes. 

I've wanted to go to Barcelona since I was about 13 so as soon as I got off the plane I was already having the best day ever.  I started by walking through the Gothic Quarter and then I walked along the harbor for a while before exploring Las Ramblas (a famous street).  I loved the Cathedral in the Gothic Quarter and was in awe all morning.  I had a Gaudi afternoon, exploring Casa Batllo, La Pedrera, La Sagrada Familia Church, and finally Parc Guell.  These sights were by far my favorite and I was so impressed by how he was allowed to essentially take over the city with his art.  I've never seen anything like it.  All I can say is go see it all because I'm close to speechless.  I spent a good couple hours relaxing in Parc Guell and by chance met one of my friend's cousins...craziness.  

Anyway, by night I was back in Madrid with Becca, Charlton, and our friend Leah, once again having churros.  We had a walk around the city and I pretty much crashed.  On Saturday we spent a lot of time @ Retiro Park and took a boat out on a very small, rectangular pond.  The Mickey Mouse character was still there after 4 years!  I was in Madrid 4 years ago with my Spanish class and yes, Mike Roddy (barco!), and I got a picture with some friends with Mickey.  I guess he didn't quit his day job.  It was really fun to be back and see some of the same things, but it was also nice because I didn't feel a sense of urgency to see everything...it made it really feel like a holiday!  I was also able to explore a bit of the nightlife this time which was fun.  We went to a very touristy club called Joy and it was definitely a fun venue.  It's in an old theatre and so there are a lot of design elements remaining from that era.  It is only a techno club though so it's easy to get bored.  A huge thank you to Charlton for posing as my adopted brother.  Throughout the night I told people in Spanish that Charlton was my brother and that he would hit them if he saw me dancing with guys.  I said he is very strict.  Ha.  We later got into a smaller disco and had a better time there.  This was probably one of my later nights but overall a great one.  

Sunday we explored the huge market and I have to say it was overwhelming.  After, we met up with Leah again and went to a sit down lunch where they bring you lots of courses for a fixed price.  I had some great Paella and wish there was Paella in Berlin.  There probably is, but I don't really want to try that.  Later we went to a beautiful rose garden where we took several of what we call 'mom' pictures.  Those are pictures where you pose alone with things and email them to your mom.  I didn't know about these photos until I went abroad and now my mom is probably bored of them.  

I came home today and it was really great to go from one place where I speak the language to another place where I can speak.  My language is really muddled right now and I look forward to having my German conversation class tomorrow.  

Cerf out.