Final Post

Okay, let's be honest. Blogging is clearly not my thing. I'm back in the States and jumping around between Wellesley, Newark, Austin, Cambridge, Kennebunkport, and Phoenix attempting to avoid reverse culture shock. Soon I should have an album of favorite photos from my journey. Peace out, bean sprout.

Cordoba

Buenos dias, mi familia y mis amigos!

My apologies for the significant gap in posting. I'm on a quick visit to an internet cafe, but there will be more to come later. This first round is only pictures of Cordoba, my second stop on el camino por Espana.




The mezquita: One of my top five places in Spain. (No, I don't know what the other four are exactly...) La mezquita is a mosque/church turned mosque turned church. It now is an active cathedral, but the cathedral itself literally rises from the foundation of the mosque. This beautitul ceiling is part of the mosque, touching the church.



This gives you a slightly better idea of how the mosque and cathedral are intertwined. Quite the representation of Spain's religious history.




Columbus (i.e., Cristobal Colon) with Ferdinand and Isabella.




"Snails see the benefits, the beauty in every inch."




Orange trees lined the streets in Cordoba and fell with violent thuds during the rains that occupied my first day there. The teenagers also had a blast throwing them at each other. Some thing never change?

El Camino

This Saturday I am leaving Salamanca and heading to Madrid. On the road again! Although Salamanca is enchanting, I miss the life of a traveler. There's something intoxicating about seeing awe-inspiring sites and meeting fascinating people each day.

First stop - Madrid!

Cuadros de Salamanca...Finalmente!

I couldn't capture it in a picture, but the reliefs of the carvings appear to be reaching out of the walls on most of the ancient buildings in Salamanca. I stop and stare in amazement every time.



I love creative graffiti as long as it stays on modern buildings and away from the history. This array of colorful tagging was just on that borderline...



Salamanca es bonita. Punto.



Lindsey attempting to be artsy?



Convento de Las Ursula

Muesli, Espanol, & KIPP

Muesli: It's crunchy and healthy, and Carrefour carries so many varieties. Death by muesli sounds fine by me!

Espanol: Me gusta espanol. Manuela es una profesora excepcional y cada dia sentio que mi espanol esta mejor y mejor. Espero quedar en Salamanca para cuatro mas meses. Voy a ver vosotros en junio!

KIPP: Applying to KIPP schools as a middle school teacher. Started by two TFA alumni in 1994, this organization of charter schools offers an excellent education to students in typically underperforming districts. Check them out here: www.kipp.org
Austin or Newark? Crossing my fingers...

Salamanca

Buenos dias! Estoy en Salamanca. La ciudad es antiqua y bonita! Me gusta mucho!
So far this ancient town, dropped in the midst of a modern world, has exceeded even my high expectations. Aside from walking the streets of Praha, my walk around Salamanca today at 3PM, while the city paused for lunch, was the closest I've come to time travel. And of course, I adore Spanish "gastronomy": cafe solo, tapas, y sangria. Estupendo!

Favorite Photos - Europe (so far...)

A very different sunset from the ones I so love in Phoenix. Beautiful none the less!

I spent a day at (the other) Cambridge imagining how C.S. Lewis might have spent his days of brilliance.

The town of Cambridge is quaint...as long as you can ignore the absurdly large number of chain stores.

The Arc de Triumphe. France is famous for its defeats and yet has one of the most famous memorials to triumphs in the world. A fellow backpacker from Germany also noted the odd choice of a prominent Metro stop - Verdun.

Sleeping Beauty's Castle! Enough said.

Neuschwanstein Castle (i.e., Sleeping Beauty's Castle). No pictures were allowed inside but check out this site. It looks Disney-esque, especially the bedroom and grotto :)

Due to the uninspiring scenery in Milan, I spent a day on Lake Como and in the town of Bellagio. Home to Mr. George Clooney (Yes, I tried to find him but was unsuccessful.) the town is "tYpical Italy" as my Brazilian roommate excitedly told me.

The Duomo in Milan: an awe-inspiring place for prayer.

This one's for Kassie and Rusty. A herd of cats roamed about the castle in Milan. These two were kind enough to pose.