We watched the Euro 2008 match near Valencia's football stadium in a plaza with a big screen and hundreds of fans. It's been 44 years since Spain won the European Championship, and I'm glad I could help them win again. I can definitely sense the pride of the country in the continuing news on tv, the people in the streets and the flags that popped up everywhere. It wasn't as good as seeing the Tar Heels win, but definitely a great memory.
Pics and movies:
http://picasaweb.google.com/johnmbchapman/Valencia4
Monday, June 30, 2008
Valencia - more fun!
So, Valencia is going well. I'm finding my way around and learning enough Spanish to actually talk to people. These pictures are from watching the Spain/Russia game, some delicious tapas at a local place we found (wine, ham & cheese, chorizo sausage), and the Central Market. The market is a famous landmark in Valencia where they sell everything food: meat, cheese, nuts, spices, fruit, vegetables and fish.
There are also some pictures from around town and the main church. It houses the arm of some famous martyr (weird) and maybe the holy grail (I doubt it). But it was pretty and interesting.
Finally, there are a couple of pictures from the beach Saturday night. On the beach at midnight: parents with children, old men that have probably been sitting there for hours talking over tables of food, hundreds of teenagers, 20's and 30's walking along the boardwalk and sitting on the beach.
Pics at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/johnmbchapman/Valencia3
There are also some pictures from around town and the main church. It houses the arm of some famous martyr (weird) and maybe the holy grail (I doubt it). But it was pretty and interesting.
Finally, there are a couple of pictures from the beach Saturday night. On the beach at midnight: parents with children, old men that have probably been sitting there for hours talking over tables of food, hundreds of teenagers, 20's and 30's walking along the boardwalk and sitting on the beach.
Pics at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/johnmbchapman/Valencia3
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Valencia!
I was a tourist for the first time on Sunday. I went to the center, climbed the torres de serranos and walked through the Barrio del Carmen. I accidentally found a monestary that is now a museum, which was beautiful. I also went to the IVAM (modern art museum). My favorite there were black and white pictures of Spain from 1908-1945 - I wish I knew more Spanish history. You can get a good flyover of Valencia at:
http://www.turisvalencia.es/MuestraHTML.aspx?nombrefichero=vuelo_valencia.html&elemento=Vuelo
More pics here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/johnmbchapman/Valencia1
http://www.turisvalencia.es/MuestraHTML.aspx?nombrefichero=vuelo_valencia.html&elemento=Vuelo
More pics here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/johnmbchapman/Valencia1
Friday, June 20, 2008
Spain!
I spent a good weekend in Barcelona with Par, Jeron, Jordan and Katie. Now I'm in Valencia having a great time. The beach here is enormous! The bars stay open all night. But I just go to class and study spanish...
It's an amazing city to run in. There is a dry riverbed that they have turned into a park. Also, it's super flat and generally has big sidewalks.
We got paella on the beach last week, which is the food this city is most known for. We've also been cooking a lot of tapas at home. You can buy amazing jamon, manchego, pimentos, bread etc here and it's all super fresh.
I have three roommates: Jeremy (from France), Richard (from England) and Ina (from Germany). We had a dinner party last week with people from France, Turkey, Germany, England and the US. Pretty crazy...
Favorite quote so far:
"Budweiser is like water. It's a beer for girls." Ina, my German roommate
New pictures:
http://picasaweb.google.com/johnmbchapman/Spain
It's an amazing city to run in. There is a dry riverbed that they have turned into a park. Also, it's super flat and generally has big sidewalks.
We got paella on the beach last week, which is the food this city is most known for. We've also been cooking a lot of tapas at home. You can buy amazing jamon, manchego, pimentos, bread etc here and it's all super fresh.
I have three roommates: Jeremy (from France), Richard (from England) and Ina (from Germany). We had a dinner party last week with people from France, Turkey, Germany, England and the US. Pretty crazy...
Favorite quote so far:
"Budweiser is like water. It's a beer for girls." Ina, my German roommate
New pictures:
http://picasaweb.google.com/johnmbchapman/Spain
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