Toledo

We took a trip to Toledo this weekend; mostly to see the cathedral and some paintings by El Greco. It was Gorgeous! partly because it was a good 20 degrees cooler there than in Sevilla. It was a 6+ hour bus ride north and we had to be at the school by 6:20 on Friday morning. That was tough. I tried to sleep on the trip out, but my sinuses had decided they wanted to destroy me, so I was having trouble. We stopped about 3 hours into the trip so that we could use the bathroom and grab something to eat. Our group has 34 girls (plus the profesoras) so imagine the line that formed outside the 3 stalls of the small and smelly restroom. The men's restroom was not in use (it was the cause of the stench) and I, deciding I didn't want to wait, went to the men's restroom. I searched the stalls for one that would be acceptable and at long last decided on the first one. As I shut the door I heard the outside door open. (of course I had asked the other girls who were waiting to keep an eye out for me and warn me should any man decide to enter). I peak out of my stall just in time to see the bus driver head into a stall and shut the door; I quickly leave and suffer the wait to used the women's restroom only to have all the lights go out on me while I'm getting ready to wash my hands.
Our next stop wouldn't be for another 2.5 hours or so. We were going to visit Mancha (as in Don Quixote of La Mancha) to see the Windmills. During our first stop I had some coffee and bought a bottle of water for my parched throat. (stupid idea). So about an hour into the bus ride, I realized that using a restroom would be a great thing to do in the near future, but I suffer the wait (1.5 hours of having to pee while on a bus is not something I want to repeat). We get to la Mancha, and get up the hill to the Windmills (view pictures). and there is NO restroom. I mean there were some bushes, but that's it. I'm nearly in tears of course because I had to pee so bad. And now, just picture a Hill top with these beautiful old windmills lining the crest, some walls, and then there's really no vegetation, but an amazing view of the country side and no place to hide. not to mention 40 people you know and see on a daily basis plus a bus of asian tourists. Like I said, no place to hide. It was done. . .That is all I will say. . . I thank my friends Kristen and Cyndi for their watchful eyes and careful guard. . .
All this happened before lunch. :-D
So we have another hour bus ride to Toledo. when we get to the city was arrive at our quaint hotel and split off into our rooms. I had a different roommate for a night and she was nice. What was really nice was the warm shower I had later that night.
Anyway, our professors had given us a map and said . .here is where we are, and here is where you need to be by 3:30. and the city is all little streets winding this way and that way and they don't necessarily have names. But I took off and we found our way to the church without a whole lot of trouble. We just kept walking (always uphill). For this reason I love Toledo.
The painting by El Greco was pretty cool it was about the death of the count. You could probably find it on google. It's a burial scene with two saints dressed in Gold. (st. augustine and another I don't remember, though I should seeing as it's for art class, I think it's san sabastian). and then there's this scene in the heavens of the count's soul being let up into heaven. definitely interesting. Tons of symbolism.
After holding up the rest of the tourist groups we moved into the church proper where noone really wanted to go because the main thing to see is the painting. I ended up climbing a tower and having a moment of claustrophobia. It was this tiny stairwell and tons of people going up and down.
After that church we went to a Romanesque Monastery that was absolutely BEAUTIFUL (view pictures). we were there right before a wedding so there were flowers and decorations for the wedding.
The rest of the day was our so we went wandering around looking in sword shops. My roommate, Dani, bought 5 swords. Pretty much insane. After shopping we looked for a good place to get dinner and found this amazing restaurant that was inexpensive and had great service. I got Soup, a good bit of chicken with fries (typical Mediterranean) Flan (that was Amazing and closer to a bread than a custard) a drink and a coffee for about 8 euro. It was probably the best deal I've seen here. The next day was spent touring the main cathedral of Toledo, and then we had the rest of the afternoon free until 3:20 when we had to be back on the bus. I just wandered around the city a bit. I bought a pair of pants, and a scarf. Now these pants aren't just any pants. They're pirate pants. I have found that those puff pants, with the crotch at the knees are really popular here. the pants I got are almost like those but not quite. Someday there will be a picture. Not today.
I ended up getting sick over the weekend too. lIke I said before, my sinuses decided they wanted to destroy me. and they still do. yesterday (saturday) my head felt like a balloon. today hasn't been too bad but I haven't been doing a whole lot aside from sitting around in my pirate pants trying to get better and watching "back to the Future" or "regreso al Futuro" in Spanish, of course. I think I'll be fine by the morning, just a bit more rest and some water and I'll be as good as new.
When we got back yesterday we discovered that our señora was sick too. she just has a cold, but she has had a smoker's cough since before we got here and with a cold she sounds about like she's going to die. I think she's headed to the doctor tomorrow (monday) I just want her to feel better. It's hard enough to understand her when her nose isn't stuffed.
I have decided that some time this semester I want to go back to Toledo. It's that picturesque city on a hill. Beautiful weather, people, and not a whole lot to do but relax.

Some of my posts may sound like I don't like it here. I do. I really do. I just have found it easy to talk about the things I don't like as opposed to those that I do. I like the people, I like the school, I like Siesta, I like the food (even though I wrote about all the strangeness of it). I like the school. I like the language. But like I'm sure all of you know, it's difficult to be away from everything that you know, with people you don't know and won't see again after these 4 months. It's hard to make a real connection with anyone. That's really the only thing that I feel makes this trip difficult. It's stunted. The end come too quickly, but at the same time I want it to come so that I can return to everything comfortable, to my friends, to the life that I had. But I love it here, and like I said, that can be the problem. I resent the fact that it's so short. part of me keeps looking for things to dislike so that I'm ok with leaving when the time comes.