After the Cata de Aceite de Oliva we all knew that our time here would start to really feel like before we knew it it would disappear. With that being known what we all really wanted was the opportunity to slow things down to really get to enjoy everything hasta el limite but with everything we had planned for the end of April and the beginning of May...we would feel the opposite, SO RUSHED.
On the schedule?
(program) Flamenco Show on Monday, (program) Cata de Vino on Tuesday, and on Wednesday? After a final group "reunion" and my classes..the arrival of my parents and aunt to GRANADA, SPAIN! I had a lot of plans to finalize and work to do for class.
On the schedule?
(program) Flamenco Show on Monday, (program) Cata de Vino on Tuesday, and on Wednesday? After a final group "reunion" and my classes..the arrival of my parents and aunt to GRANADA, SPAIN! I had a lot of plans to finalize and work to do for class.
We went to the Flamenco Show (10 euros each ticket) at the Teatro Alhambra on Calle Molinas. It was interesting for me because first of all, I had no idea that Flamenco involves movements that are very similar to what we call in the states "stepping". Where you slap your chest/feet...that left me a little confused. We were not supposed to take any pictures in the huge theatre but of course I snapped one with my iPhone. There was only one women dancing in all of the show, with a few outfit changes. On the left as you can see there are singers (all men) and on the right those that playing the Flamenco-style music. There were also men performers/dancers so it was fun to see all of the emotion and facial expressions of the dancers and the echoes of the Flamenco. After the very exhausting weekend I had with little sleep on Sunday night, I fell asleep near the end of the performance. . I had no intention to but I LITERALLY could not keep my eyes open any longer. (With my schedule of classes and TO DOS, the siesta is still a foreign concept to me. I do not take siestas during the day.) I woke up to the growing sound of the stomps of the women Flamenco dancers and growing voices of the singers. It was obviously an intense moment..that I almosttt missed. The theatre burst out into applause and I realized the show was at its end.
We started off the wine tasting in the bright light of the evening into the sun left us in darkness. At the restaurant chosen by our program we occupied the majority of the tables on the outside patio. We saw in tables of 5 or 6. At my table I had Fatima (pictured above, from NY), Griffin (from Indiana), Zach (from Iowa), Nick (from Pennsylvania), and JOSE (one of our program staffers)! It's always an honor to be able to sit with one of the staffers during cultural program events/experiences because you learn to do things the correct Spanish way, use the language, and have any questions answered if you need to ask!
We tried 4 different kinds of wines. One pink(er), two vinto tintos, and one vino blanco. In general if I have to drink wine I prefer white wine that's sweeter. These ones were good though! We learned the proper protocol, things like: your fingers shouldn't be on the glass because it can affect the wine, check the color/details with a napkin, smell the cup and then let sit, stir it a bit in your hand, then you're good to taste (SIP! not gulp). I may be a little mixed up with the order to forgetting something ha but it was fun to be able to do something like a wine tasting because as a student / young person you don't really go seek activities like this. It appears to be for older groups / crowds (in the sense of there being a generation that drinks to sip and to literally taste while there's another generation that likes to drink and doesn't stop to take a second and TASTE the beverage..).
We tried 4 different kinds of wines. One pink(er), two vinto tintos, and one vino blanco. In general if I have to drink wine I prefer white wine that's sweeter. These ones were good though! We learned the proper protocol, things like: your fingers shouldn't be on the glass because it can affect the wine, check the color/details with a napkin, smell the cup and then let sit, stir it a bit in your hand, then you're good to taste (SIP! not gulp). I may be a little mixed up with the order to forgetting something ha but it was fun to be able to do something like a wine tasting because as a student / young person you don't really go seek activities like this. It appears to be for older groups / crowds (in the sense of there being a generation that drinks to sip and to literally taste while there's another generation that likes to drink and doesn't stop to take a second and TASTE the beverage..).
At our final group reunion (we have had these periodically throughout the semester to talk about upcoming events/answer questions we have/fix problems with professors or classes, etc.) Veronica read the group a letter that she had written about our experience together. Before she even started she found herself moved to tears. It was a light but sweet letter and had us all saying awwww at the end. She doesn't want this semester to end, and neither do we! She referred to us as flowers in the letter and when she was done reading Jose walked in with 44 roses. One for each of us. :)
RSS Feed