Guiri on tour

There are two things I will be talking about in this blog la romería de San Cecilio and my trip to Oviedo.

La romería de San Cecilio is celebrated the every year in honour of the patron saint of Granada, San Cecilio. It's a pilgrimage / street party in the sacromonte (gypsy part of Granada). We were mainly attracted by the free food being offered. We got given a piece of bread called salaíllas it was ok but too salty for me, we also got some habas (broad beans) and a piece of bacalao desmigado, this looked like a dried stick of cod. Although I've broadened my taste buds over the past year, I couldn't bring myself to try this cos it looked gross. When we got to the top and got our free food we went and watched some bailes tradicionales which were incredible. There was a dancer who looked the spitting image of me it was just weird. We also had a walk around and took in the incredible view of the city and the alhambra. It was the perfect Sunday.

I found my twin

A few days later, my exams were over and I was off on my travels to Oviedo. It took me 11.5 hours on the bus which wasn't ideal but there aren't any flights in the winter. Although most of the journey was quite boring the last hour was incredible as we went through the mountains. It was just like the Sierra Nevada here but more impressive in my opinion, with huge snowy mountains and iced over lakes it was incredible, I didn't feel like I was in Spain. This year makes me realise how stereotypical we are of countries, the standard Englishman thinks of sun and sea when Spain is mentioned but it is not like that at all. It has got a lot more to offer.

I could write in detail about every minute of my time there but I shan't. Here are my highlights

• Food: Centollo, paella, bígoros y merluza. (crab, paella, sea snails and hake).
• Museo Arqueológico.
• Noticing how much my Spanish has improved by now being able to hold decent conversations about things that don't involve 'how are you and do you want breakfast?'. 
• Going to Candás, the place I first went to in Spain with my family to meet them all.
• The countless glasses of wine shared with everyone along with good conversation.
• Being in a different country but still feeling at home with my familia española. 

Candás

sea snails

me and paula

me and paula

Now I'm back in Granada where they speak funny and I have very little to do. My classes don't start for another week so I am going to chill and look forward to my birthday on Friday. I'm really excited and so grateful to my family and friends who have made the effort to send stuff to me from England. You learn who your true friends are when you spend this amount of time living in a different country.