Ice Of Boston

Granada...

Sorry for the lack of updates recently, but if you assumed it was because I've been having a great time, you were right. Such a great time in fact, that I've decided to extend my stay in Granada for another month or so. After a couple of fun weeks staying at the Rambutan, I was offered the opportunity to clean, make beds, serve beer, and collect travellers from the train and bus stations for several hours each day in order to pay for my bed each night. If anyone is interested in taking a little vacation to the south of Spain, let me know because I would love to see some friends or family. Otherwise, simple words of encouragement via email are nice too. I'll try to keep updating with more information about my situation and a few more pictures (although the picture chronology will stop abruptly last Friday night when I dropped my camera, only to continue when I figure out how to fix it or it fixes itself). Wish me luck and hasta luego.

Picture Posting Day...

Bordeaux

Biarritz/Anglet

San Sebastian

Madrid

Granada

San Sebastian, Madrid, Granada...

Just a quick entry this time, but more soon I promise. My last week has been spent speaking hideous Spanish in hideous weather, but hanging out with really cool people. Everyone says that rainy, cold weather is not what Spain is really like, but it's just about all I've seen. Fingers are crossed that I'll be able to post some more pictures soon, but one can never tell. The plan is to head to Morocco in a day or two, going straight to Marrakech for about five days, then to Essaouira (on the coast!) for about five days. Many of the people I've met at Rambutan, my hostel in Granada, have had good advice about going to Morocco so I'm enthusiastic. More soon, maybe tonight. Adios!

Brussels, Paris, Bordeaux, BAB...

I realize that I haven't posted much in the way of textual information recently, but I'll try to fill in a little bit here and add more later. After leaving Prague I spent an afternoon in Brussels before training it down to Paris. Brussels was a little underwhelming, but not unpleasant. It's hard to judge a city based on five hours there however.

Upon arriving in Paris I found my way to the apartment of my cousin Nina and her boyfriend Vincent. Their place is about the size of mine in Madison AKA tiny, but very cozy and it never felt too cramped. It was fun to meet some of their friends and participate in the shooting of "Pas Liés" (in theaters soon!). I also met up with Elizabeth who I had met in Prague and helped her celibrate her 21st along with some of her American friends. Other highlights of Paris included short film night at a small arty theater and watching a pair of films made by a friend of Nina and Vincent. It was a cinematic week.

I reluctantly left Paris Thursday morning for Bordeaux where I met up with MK, one of Elizabeth's friends who was heading south as well. There's not a lot to do in Bordeaux, but we explored the city a bit, saw "Coffee and Cigarettes" and did the obligatory wine tour by bus.

After Bordeaux I ventured further south to Biarritz, although I'm actually staying in Anglet now and the whole area is known as BAB (Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne). The Anglet hostel is about a five minute walk from a beautiful beach which I understand is the best place to surf in Europe. For me that just means the best place to watch surfing, but I'm not complaining. I've been hanging out here with Rob and Dan, a couple blokes from Bristol on a weeklong surfing holiday. Tomorrow I'll leave France and familiar language to go to San Sebastian in Spain where I'll have to get by on my few Spanish phrases including "It's true", "One beer", and "Tell me, where is my chocolate?" Should make for an interesting week.

To wrap up, here is a sample of some of the fun symbols that can be produced on a French keyboard:
§µ£¤ù°àçè鲨