Guillermo's fiesta de cumple was today (birthday party), and Ana's family came over. I met her other sisters, a nephew, and her parents. They were all very nice and welcoming. Everyone came over around 1, and the eating started at about 2. First, the kids ate in the kitchen, and they had some kind of white fish. When they were done eating, they watched a movie en el salón de niños (the living room for the kids... yes, there is also one for the adults). We got the table ready for the adults to eat.
It was a feast! I will list all of the food items on the table (not that I ate them all): pinchos (finger sandwiches), the whitefish the kids had for lunch, mariscos (shellfish- they looked like the little snails/shells you pick off the side of a pier), camarones (shrimp- the big kind that still had eyeballs and the antennas), anchaos (anchovies), calamares en una salsa negra (calamari in a black sauce), jamon (ham), ensalada con atun (salad with tuna), pan (bread), y vino de la rioja (wine from La Rioja, a region famous for its wines). We ate and we ate and we ate. Correction, they ate and they ate and they ate. I did eat a little. I tried the whitefish, and I liked it. I had some jamon and didn't care for it too much. I had a shrimp, and I also tried the salsa that the calamari was in. I liked both of those. I passed on the rest. We finished and cleared the table. I thought we were done.
Wrong. New plates were brought out along with two big platters filled with cordero (lamb). This was the meat that was in the tub. There was also a plate filled with lettuce and vegetables. I tried a small piece of this, and it wasn't bad. They know that I don't like fish and were like, now you will like the meat we have! Lamb is not a meat I had eaten before, so today was definitely a learning experience. We cleaned these plates off of the table. I figured we must be done now.
Wrong. Dessert time. Three tubs of Ben and Jerry's ice cream was brought to the table along with chocolate cake and a french apple dessert that Ana made. My oh my do these people eat! I read that the north is famous for its food, and now I know that they weren't joking.
Lunch finished at about 3:30, and hour and a half after we started. Jon said this is typical, and maybe even a little short. It was such a fun experience, even though the food wasn't my favorite. There were a few cultural things I noticed. Bread? Just rip it off of the loaf and leave your piece on the table next to your plate. Also, you don't pass dishes around the table. People just stand up and/or reach across to get what they want. Jon kept trying to put more things on my plate for me. He was so funny, "Eat, eat, eat! Try it, try it, try it!" Estuve llena. I was full! (And ready for una siesta!)
Later in the afternoon, I got the opportunity to have a nice conversation (all in Spanish) with Tsuni, the nanny, and got to know her a little better. She is from Paraguay and has been living here in Spain for three years. I found out from her that she has two children of her own (11 and 7 years old), but has not seen them for three years because she has been working, earning money for her family. She gets to talk to them on the phone and on the internet sometimes, but can't afford to go back to visit them. She said it is difficult, but she is doing this so they will have a better future. "Tengo que pensar en mis niños." I was so amazed by this and by her. What love and dedication that is... It really made me realize how fortunate and blessed I have been in my life.
I am so lucky to have a great family all around me, supporting me and loving me in all that I do. I am so lucky to have had the opportunities that I have had with my traveling to Panama, the Dominican Republic, Alaska, and around the United States with my family. I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to go to a strong University, and I am so incredibly fortunate to be able to live in Spain for two months doing what I love- teaching. I am so lucky to serve a gracious God that has made all of this possible. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and loved me. I love you all.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Un día precioso en Bilbao
Yesterday (Saturday), I got the opportunity to go into the city of Bilbao and experience the town. From where I am living, it is about a ten or fifteen minute car ride to get to the center of the city. Jon drove me in because he had to take Gonzalo to speech. He dropped me off with Ana's sister, Miren (how you would say Maria en Euskera- the native Basque language). Miren lives in the city and volunteered to show me around. She is learning some English, but we spent the whole day talking in Spanish! It was a lot of fun! We did a lot of walking, and she kept asking if I wanted to take the new tram, but I said I wanted to walk so we could see more!
The city was so neat. We got to walk past the Guggenheim and see a few of the outdoor pieces of art. One of them was a giant puppy made of flowers. This thing was huge! There was also a giant spider and a few other things outside. I opted not to go on the tram so we would be able to see more of the city.
We walked around a University, through the casco antiguo (oldest part of the city), past theaters, down El Gran Via (the grand way- main/biggest road downtown, most expensive, too, for shopping and living), and past some government buildings. We made a big circle around the city and saw most of it. I loved all of the old buildings and thought the architecture was incredible.
In the casco antiguo, Miren and I stopped for some pinchos- small appetizer/sandwiches at the different tapas/bars. Every little place you walked past had plates and plates of these pinchos sitting on the bar. They all varied, and some looked pretty disgusting to me, but it was a neat system. You go in, grab the pincho(s) that you want, maybe order a drink, enjoy, tell the bartender what you had, pay, and then go on to la próxima tapa (the next place to get pinchos). Miren and I did this once and kept walking. We then found a place to sit at an outdoor cafe and had a Coke. While sitting there, two of her friends met up with us- Vanessa, a friend from her gym, and Dillon, a guy from California who lives in Bilbao and is working as an English teacher.
We sat and chatted for a little while, and then we went to a few different tapas for mas pinchos. I was slightly overwhelmed because more people were out, as it was later in the afternoon at this point, and the places were all packed. There was so much to choose from, and I didn't really know what any of it was. I had a few pinchos (one with egg, bacon, pepper, and mushroom, and one with tortilla de patata) and a sweet apple/grape juice-like drink, mosto. Overall, it was a fun afternoon. I was glad to see some of Bilbao, experience a little of the culture, and practice my Spanish a lot! Now I just need to go back and actually visit some of the places we saw/passed.
Last night was Guille's birthday party, and it was quite the to-do. There were a lot of people, a lot of fancy food, and tons of gifts. Today, Ana's parents are going to be coming over for a big meal. I went down to the kitchen for breakfast this morning, and there was this big tub sitting on the counter. Jon pointed to it and told me not to worry about it... it was filled with some liquid and tons of some kind of raw meat. I guess I just saw what's for dinner...
The flower dog at the Guggenheim
Guggenheim
Guggenheim
The city over the bridge
Spider at the Guggenheim
Government building for the Basque Country
Dentro la plaza de la ciudad (inside the plaza of Bilbao)
A street in the casco antiguo... just for walking, no cars allowed
Government building for Spain
Teatro Arriaga
The city was so neat. We got to walk past the Guggenheim and see a few of the outdoor pieces of art. One of them was a giant puppy made of flowers. This thing was huge! There was also a giant spider and a few other things outside. I opted not to go on the tram so we would be able to see more of the city.
We walked around a University, through the casco antiguo (oldest part of the city), past theaters, down El Gran Via (the grand way- main/biggest road downtown, most expensive, too, for shopping and living), and past some government buildings. We made a big circle around the city and saw most of it. I loved all of the old buildings and thought the architecture was incredible.
In the casco antiguo, Miren and I stopped for some pinchos- small appetizer/sandwiches at the different tapas/bars. Every little place you walked past had plates and plates of these pinchos sitting on the bar. They all varied, and some looked pretty disgusting to me, but it was a neat system. You go in, grab the pincho(s) that you want, maybe order a drink, enjoy, tell the bartender what you had, pay, and then go on to la próxima tapa (the next place to get pinchos). Miren and I did this once and kept walking. We then found a place to sit at an outdoor cafe and had a Coke. While sitting there, two of her friends met up with us- Vanessa, a friend from her gym, and Dillon, a guy from California who lives in Bilbao and is working as an English teacher.
We sat and chatted for a little while, and then we went to a few different tapas for mas pinchos. I was slightly overwhelmed because more people were out, as it was later in the afternoon at this point, and the places were all packed. There was so much to choose from, and I didn't really know what any of it was. I had a few pinchos (one with egg, bacon, pepper, and mushroom, and one with tortilla de patata) and a sweet apple/grape juice-like drink, mosto. Overall, it was a fun afternoon. I was glad to see some of Bilbao, experience a little of the culture, and practice my Spanish a lot! Now I just need to go back and actually visit some of the places we saw/passed.
Last night was Guille's birthday party, and it was quite the to-do. There were a lot of people, a lot of fancy food, and tons of gifts. Today, Ana's parents are going to be coming over for a big meal. I went down to the kitchen for breakfast this morning, and there was this big tub sitting on the counter. Jon pointed to it and told me not to worry about it... it was filled with some liquid and tons of some kind of raw meat. I guess I just saw what's for dinner...
The flower dog at the Guggenheim
Guggenheim
Guggenheim
The city over the bridge
Spider at the Guggenheim
Government building for the Basque Country
Dentro la plaza de la ciudad (inside the plaza of Bilbao)
A street in the casco antiguo... just for walking, no cars allowed
Government building for Spain
Teatro Arriaga
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