Ok, Spring Break....la Semana Santa.....I'm finally updating this thing....and I hope you're reading this....I don't know who you are....but 'you' are the reason I"m writing this....so appreciate it!

:-)

Wednesday the 5th of April we all pile into two cars and start our drive around 1am from Pamplona. Our desination is Seville. A relatively uneventful night. We only got turned around once, stopped to change a tire and watch the sunrise another time and then rolled into Seville around noon on Thursday morning.

Thursday-Seville

We explored the city all day and we're exhausted by the night. however, there were some processions going on all night. The three of us girls only made it until about 1am but the guys stayed up and watched the processions until 6am. They were creepy and strangly quiet and interesting, i suppose.  But that's not really my thing. Here's a pic from the view of the apartment that we stayed at. Box row seats of the procession....

Friday-Seville

We slept in pretty late but went and saw the big main cathedral and then because it was raining played card in Starbucks for about 3 hours. That night we met up with some friends that lived there and went out dancing for a bit. She let us stay at her place so we didn't have to pay for a hostel, which was nice.

Saturday

We split up today. David and I went and collected our luggage and packed the cars while the others went and saw La alhambra. Which, from the pictures looked great. Basically it's a large palace with gardens.  Then that evening we left for Cadiz. We walked around Cadiz for 3 hours looking for a hostel. Everything was booked because Easter was SUnday. So we settled for a 4 star hotel but when the 4 of us crammed into one room, it was only 40 euros a person, which isn't bad at all. Considering how nice the place was. Unfortunately we didn't get to see much of cadiz, only what we saw at night while searching for lodgings.

the hotel....

Sunday-Easter

Got up and ate the continental breakfast. The best Easter breakfast I've ever had. And it had a view of the beach, even nicer. We went to Jerez de la Frontera. There was a tradition where they let a bull roam the streets and people tease it and it chases the people, etc etc....whatever. but it was A cute little town. Actually the with the most beautiful view of Spain I've ever seen. The pictures don’t do it justice.

We had lunch there and then continued our drive to Tarifa. The most southern point of Spain, more of less. It was a cute surfing town. And we spent a couple hours walking the beach and playing in the sand. It was windy and chilly but the sun was shining and we were on the beach and super excited to be there.

Monday-Tarifa

We decided to stay in Tarifa and veg out and relax some. We the girls and I split from the guys and had tea and looked in stores, had a picnic on the beach. Napped on the beach, explored, etc.

The guys took a sunset ride on horses. Then we all had seafood together that night and played charades until waaay tooo late.

Tuesday

Reina, Jenn and I dropped David off in Malaga to meet up with his girlfriend. We continued on to Granada. The others would meet us later on there. We explored the town. It was great. I really liked the feel of it. It was good size but easily managable. Reina and i had tea and explored the city at night, saw the walls of La Alhambra. So beautiful.

Wednesday

Woke at 6.45am to get in line for La Alhambra. Waited for a couple hours. Looked like they were going to sell out of tickets by 10am. However, one of the guys in our group knew of the women waiting in line towards the front that had been there since 5am and she bought all of our tickets for us. Which was great! Considering i had to leave on a bus at 3pm, this was my only shot to see it.

It was big, it was beautiful but not as amazing as people had said. Perhaps i've just seen one too many palaces and garden to be impressed any more. It was impressive, don't get me wrong, but no hanging gardens of Babylon....

Then I took a bus to Madrid to meet up with Grams. Thursday we left for Pamplona and spent the night there. Then on Friday we took the morning bus to Bilbao. We went and saw the Guggenheim museum, the spider and puppy in front.

Then on saturday we went to the spa in the hotel. It was very relaxing. We definately enjoyed it. Then on Sunday we went to San Sebastian. A really pretty town if the weather cooperates. Which is did. So we took the Funicular up to the top of the hill/mountain over looking the bay. It was a great view but foggy.

And there was a really creepy old carnival on top. Then we took the bus back to Pamplona. i showed her around Monday morning then she had to go back to the states and me to class.