Forever Young

Hey Guys!!!!

Sorry it has taken me so long to write.... I have sent my luggage home (which includes my laptop) and things have been a little crazy making sure everything was in order before leaving Montpellier...that's right...Im gone... Montpellier 2007 - check (shout out to Gab!!!) It's actually super sad. I didnt realize how attached I was to that city.... my heart might have broke just a little when the train pulled away (with me in it!!)

At any rate, let's go back to my Spain trip!!!

Forget me nots from Madrid:
- I was walking in a park when a black came up to me, hit me (lightly) at the back of the head, and told me he was not a terrorist....always good to know!! lol
- Bull fight! It was raining, and I understood nothing! But it was super fun and a great experience. Still not sure about the morality of the sport.
- Flamenco dancing! Beautful dance and the music is done by only vocals and a guitar! One of the singers told me I was beautiful! lol
- Our hostel was an old palace, so I was able to pretend that I was a princess!
Although I had an amazing time in Madrid, it ended up being my least favorite place in Spain, because it felt like any other big city. I could have been in the USA and not have known the difference...it didnt have a Spanish fell to it!

Forget me nots from Valencia:
- The bus ride to Valencia from Madrid was long but the view was amazing. It all of a sudden became more Spain like, which was a nice change from Madrid!
- We met up with the guys from our exchange that night and the next day we did a tour of the city. At one point, we climbed to the top of a bell tower (Miguelete bell tower)...the stairs were narrow and SUPER high...oh ya, and did I mention there were 250 of them! Just as we arrived at the top, the bell started dinging...I think I may have lost some hearing in my left ear. The cathedral was beautiful (kind of like all the other churches in Europe) and is the only Holy Grail recongnised by the Vatican!!! We also visited the Mercado Central (market) which had all sorts of fruits and different foods including pig heads... yummy!
- The beaches in Valencia are super nice...the water, however, was freezing. Also, most women do not wear bikini tops... dont worry parents...my top stayed on! lol
- The American Cup: an international regatta
- Paella: the national food...SOOOO good. Basically it is fried rice, sea food, and chicken!
- We did our own pub crawl. We would get these tickets on the street giving us a free beer to a specific bar, so we'd go into the bar, get our free shot or beer and then leave. It was ridiculous!
- Felix threw a lizard on Gab...she freaked out...I thought it was funny... so I laughed!

Forget me nots from Barcelona:

- Las Ramblas is a pedestrian boulevard with ppl pretending to be statues and then moving and scaring the crap out of innocent travelers like me, street artists, news kisoks ad vendors selling everything from live chickes to blue roses and beer!! It also is home the market (Mercat de la Boqueria), which like in Valencia, sells lots of different types of fruit, bread, meat and the like.
- Gaudi: we saw everything he ever did! His garden is beautiful and the seats are made from his designs which are super cool. We also visited his museumad and la Sagrada Familia, which is Barcelona's most famous buildig and visiting it is apparently a "once-before you die" sort of experience (according to the lonely planet!) Construction becan in 1882 and it's only half-built! It is supposed to be done in 2082...
- We went went for Tapas for Gab's birthday (which are like mini meals...the whole concept is to buy several and share! They are also eaten as small snacks around 10pm (they have a larger dinner at around 4pm...) Afterwards we went out to a random club which was pretty cool! The clubs there never close! It's a little ridiculous! That night, I did not have a place to sleep because plans changed and I ended up being in Barcelona a day early. At any rate, the guys and Gab had booked their hostel already and there was no more space available for me. However, given the fact that we are so smart, and apparently have no morals, we scammed the hostal because when they asked for proof of us staying in the hostel, I showed their room key and they showed their card, and we all got in, and I just spooned with my friend for the night! Gold!
-All you can eat sushi....SOOOO good!
- We had to say goodbye to our boys because they were heading back to Montpellier and leaving again for Italy and Croatia so we were not going to see them again (until summer!). It was sooo sad. Gab and I cried like somebody had just thrown away our ice cream cones!!! It was soo sad. They were like my family for 4 months. We ran after the train....we couldnt catch it though...
- Gab, Justin and I fell asleep on the metro on our way to a church, and we ended up in the middle of a nowhere town! So we decided to get out and walk around! The town was SUPER beautiful...in the middle of mountains and green scenery! We picked flowers and I pretened like I belonged and said hello to everybody I met on the street!
-Once the boys left, we changed hostels and stayed at the alternative hostel. They do not adverstise on the internet or the like because the whole concept is one travel tells another travel about it, who tells another travel and so on and so forth. At first it seemed really really REALLY cult like, but eventually I took a liking to all the ppl and the owner and we all ended up going out and eating pizza. A few of us ending up finding a bar that sold 2L beers...that's right Stephy...2L! Beats the 1L beers in Munich eh! hahaha

Forget me nots in San Sebastian:

- We arrived at 6am (we had taken a night bus!) and we were trying to find our hostel. I guess we looked really really lost because an old man who was taking his morning jog stopped and actually brought us directly to our hostel! He was so adorable! I didnt really understand what he was saying, but ud be suprised how much sign language can help! lol
- Our hostel was super different from the other ones we had stayed at. It was a little old couple who rented out the beds in their house! They became my spanish mama and papa! Super cute! Also, the Canadians took over the hostel. We met 7 different Canadians! Represent! hahahaha
- San Sebastian is BEAUTIFUL! It's in the middle of mountains and has the most beautiful beaches EVER!
- We did a tour of the city and climbed to the top of Monte Iqueldo for a panoramic view of the city. It is honestly breath taking. We also saw random "art" near the waterfront. I swear, when i return to Montreal, Im going to stick a fork, a knife and a spoon in a rock, and call it art and make ppl pay to see it! lol
- Apparently there was a beautiful lookout from another mountain, but it required a 30 minute walk uphill. I was not really for it (I figured we had already seen a panoramic view, what more could be want right!?) but Gab convinced me otherwise and we began our hike up a 90 degree hill! Eventually we ended up in the forest and were following drawings painted on trees. We eventually came to the conclusion that we were no longer on the path to the lookout. We did, however, get to see a wild donkey, and some amazing views. We ended up in another random local town, which was fun! We never got to the lookout.....
- The last night there was a guy about our age who was an artist who apparently wanted to draw Gab and I ALL THE TIME. At first it was fun, but after a while it was a litle annoying. Plus, in the morning, he woke us up saying that he was cold and wanted to spoon...hello...NO!
- Day trip to Pamplona: famous for the running of the bulls which takes place in July. In May, however, it is very non touristic, which was exactly what I wanted...you really got the feel for a "normal" spanish town! We got to walk down the street where the bulls usually run! We pretended like we were bulls and took pictures!

Back in Montpellier I said bye to all my friends and finally managed to send my luggage back home (1000000000000$ later!) We stayed in the guys villa because I gave up my rez in April.. we didnt hafta pay, but we had to clean instead....yay! It was super sad saying bye to everyone.... we all say that we will keep in touch....I wonder how many of us actually will?

Now I am in Toulouse visiting Sofia! Today we did rock climbing...and not rock climbing up a wall....I mean rock climbing up rocks!!! It was soooooo fun! I loved it! I am sooo bruised and cut and sore now though! It's pretty funny! Tomorrow we met up with Angie and we will do the tour of Toulouse, which will be good for Fia too because she hasnt really done that since she's moved here! lol Monday we are going wind surfing and then we will take things from there!

Alrighty well that is pretty much all I got for now!!!! Missing you guys tons and Ill be home before you know it! Keep me posted! Love you all lots and lots!

Gros Bisous!

-Ash
xoxo

Summer 2007 Begins...

Exams are done, and summer is finally here... im by the ocean and life is good. But i cant help but wonder if this is the beginning of the end or the end of the beginning?

Summer in Montpellier is crazy. We spend afternoons at the beach, go to vineyards and have beach parties. The first bunch of people have already left back to their country of origin and it has hit me that my exchange experience will soon be coming to an end....Ive met some of the most amazing people, done some of the craziest things, seen some of the most beautiful countries in the world and had an amazing time...it is kinda hard to picture the fact that it will all end!!!

Presently i am in Spain. I was in Madrid for the past three days. Madrid is in the center of Spain, so there are no beaches...not that we could have gone to the beach even if there had been one because it was raining and cold.... BUT we managed to be there on May 2nd which happens to be Madrid Day!! So it was one big party! We went to a bull fight which i still have mixed emotions about. ...they kill the bull.... very disturbing if u ask me, but definitivley an experience. I got to see a palaise and pretend that I was a princess while i walked throught the gold rooom!!! We also visited some of the most beautiful churches that I had ever seen, and walked through some outstanding parks. At night, when we werent watching bulls being killed, we were watching Flamenco shows...the national dance! It is amazing...lost of clapping of the hands and snapping of the fingers and crazy stomping of the feet and twirling of the dresses!!! Loves it! Today we left super early in the morning for Valencia. We visited the largest and apparently the best aquarium in Europe. I got to watch a dolphine show, which was cool, but besides that, it was definitivley not worth the over priced entrance fees! Tomorrow we will meet up with some other friends from our exchange program and will finish touring Valencia before heading off to Barcelona!!!! The weather is much better here so Im hoping it will keep up like this for the rest of our trip...

Adios!

-Ash
xoxo