In a nutshell...

Where has time gone? I can’t believe I haven’t written since early April! This entry is bound to be on the longer side…

It’s incredible to think that my experience in Spain is coming to an end. Now is the time for lasts – last days of work, last private lessons, last full weekend in Spain… It’s a very bittersweet feeling to be heading back to Canada. On the one hand, I can’t wait to see everybody back home again. On the other, I’m dreading the goodbyes that I’ll have to make next week…

Since my last entry, I’ve made a point to aprovechar (such a great verb in Spanish meaning “to take advantage” and “enjoy,” among other meanings) of my remaining time in Spain. To that end, I’ve visited the medieval town of Baeza, Gibraltar, Granada, Ávila and Córdoba. It’s been a busy time!

Baeza is a small UNESCO town near Linares that is very similar to another city called Úbeda. It’s about 20 minutes away from Linares, and yet I hadn’t visited it all year. My colleague Juan Antonio was shocked to discover this, especially considering I’d been to Portugal and back in that time, and vowed to take me with his family. We went there on a day trip, which was great! Baeza’s history is really interesting, having existed during Roman, Moorish, and Medieval times up until the present. Visiting Baeza is like visiting Medieval Spain, with the historic centre looking like something out of a movie. Who knew the tiny province of Jaén had such hidden treasures!

I also went on a school trip to Gibraltar with my high school, which was an interesting and jammed-packed day. It’s about five hours by bus each way, so we had an early start and arrived quite late back to Linares. It was really interesting to experience the mix of cultures and languages present in Gibraltar, which is quite unique. One minute you are in Andalusian Spain, then after 30 seconds in customs you’re in England, complete with fish and chips, English signs, and red telephone booths, double decker buses and mailboxes. Gibraltar is also extremely close to Africa, and you can see the outlines of Morocco in the distance. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to go up the Rock of Gibraltar, but you can hardly miss it. It towers over the city, and the many caves are visible from ground level. I had hoped to see the monkeys on top, but apparently they are quite mischievous: I’m told it’s common for them to take food and items right out of your hand or backpack! 

A few weeks ago, I was happy to meet two uOttawa translation buddies in Granada. My friend Ignacio is from there but has been working in France all year. Thankfully, we overlapped at the end of my stay. We also met up with Émilie, who is doing a semester abroad in Granada. Ignacio gave us a great tour of the city. Some highlights include wandering through the Albayzín, an area full of narrow, winding streets in the Moorish style; seeing Alhambra from the Albayzín; enjoying a mojito in a hotel’s rooftop terrace with incredible views of the city; and escaping the heat in a beautiful park in the afternoon.

Two weeks ago, I went to Ávila with some colleagues and absolutely loved it. The city is surrounded by a wall about 2 km long and a is UNESCO site. Ávila is full of history and is especially important in a religious sense because Santa Teresa de Jesús was born there 500 years ago (this year is the 500th anniversary of her birth). It was like travelling back in time walking through the cobblestone streets and seeing the incredibly well-preserved Medieval buildings. Tasting the delicious yemas (sweets made of egg yolk and sugar that are typical of Ávila) and the Ávila chuletón (its famous steak) were also high points. 

Finally, I fell in love with Córdoba last weekend. Every year in May, there is the famous patio festival, in which many houses in Córdoba open their patios (basically indoor courtyards) to the public to showcase their gardens. There’s also a competition for the prettiest one each year. They are truly amazing and gorgeous, with walls full of colourful flowerpots and planters, fountains and statues in the courtyards. I can’t imagine having to pick one winner! Córdoba's Mezquita-Catedral, a truly unique cathedral that was previously a mosque, blends hundreds of red-and-white arches typical of mosques with an elaborate alter and cathedral tower. I had never seen anything like it and was inspired by the mix of religious structures and symbols. The Judería (Jewish quarter) of the city is also gorgeous, full of whitewashed buildings and cobblestone streets. Córdoba is packed with people in May as there are festivals every week, but rather than being overwhelming, the city felt alive and energizing. It's definitely one of my favourite Spanish cities.

Well, that's the best I can do at summarizing these past two months. Stay tuned for a final entry sometime next week! 'Ta luego!