rose_griffes (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
rose_griffes) wrote2008-05-06 07:28 pm
rose_griffes) wrote2008-05-06 07:28 pm
Entry tags:
picspam for the downtrodden
I had a terrible day. Technology (and its imminent failure) almost made me cry. But I went for a walk after work, got myself a free dinner (it's Teacher Appreciation day, which apparently means a free burrito) and as soon as I post these pictures I'm going to eat some chocolate. Yay!
In June 2003 I visited Spain for five days. They went by too fast, and I didn't get to see nearly enough. Here are pictures from my last full day in Spain, in the beautiful (Atlantic) coastal town of San Sebastian.
This trip actually included six days in France before heading off to Spain. I was with a friend of mine, who speaks much better Spanish than me. This is a good thing--I know enough to get into trouble, but not out of it. Anyway, we went to Barcelona first, then took a bus across the northern part of the country to San Sebastian. Along the way we ended up in conversation with a group of people who were returning to their homes in San Sebastian. Apparently they'd been to a work-related function for a few days. We found out from them that a very big soccer (football, outside the US) game was being played, for the National Championship--between Madrid and San Sebastian. All of the group was heartbroken when Madrid won the game, but they were still feeling celebratory, since it was the first time in many years that their team had made it to the playoffs.
When we arrived in town, very late at night, everyone else was feeling the same way. The game was over, their team lost, but people were out in large droves cheering, waving scarves and pennants--the atmosphere was quite festive... and a bit intimidating. We weren't sure how we were going to find a bus or taxi to our hotel. That's when we did "The Thing I Will Never Tell My Students"--accept a ride in a car belonging to one of the workers we'd met on the bus. Granted that we'd gotten to know them for several hours and that there were two of us to one of him, and that my friend Michele was almost as tall and probably more muscular than him, it's still not something I want my students to emulate. Heh.
At any rate, he gave us a late-night tour of the town and took us safely to our little hotel in the middle of town. We would never have been able to find it (especially not with our luggage in tow) on our own.
Too bad it was cloudy for the one full day I was there.
Near the ocean:
Another view of the same bridge:
Huh. Apparently I really like bridges.
Water! Boats! Old shirtless men!
The water temperature was actually great, in spite of the overcast sky.
We took a tram, if I remember correctly. The view overlooks the whole city.
And that's it. This was my first trip with a digital camera. I've gotten much better (or worse, depending on how you view it) since then about taking lots of pictures.
In June 2003 I visited Spain for five days. They went by too fast, and I didn't get to see nearly enough. Here are pictures from my last full day in Spain, in the beautiful (Atlantic) coastal town of San Sebastian.
This trip actually included six days in France before heading off to Spain. I was with a friend of mine, who speaks much better Spanish than me. This is a good thing--I know enough to get into trouble, but not out of it. Anyway, we went to Barcelona first, then took a bus across the northern part of the country to San Sebastian. Along the way we ended up in conversation with a group of people who were returning to their homes in San Sebastian. Apparently they'd been to a work-related function for a few days. We found out from them that a very big soccer (football, outside the US) game was being played, for the National Championship--between Madrid and San Sebastian. All of the group was heartbroken when Madrid won the game, but they were still feeling celebratory, since it was the first time in many years that their team had made it to the playoffs.
When we arrived in town, very late at night, everyone else was feeling the same way. The game was over, their team lost, but people were out in large droves cheering, waving scarves and pennants--the atmosphere was quite festive... and a bit intimidating. We weren't sure how we were going to find a bus or taxi to our hotel. That's when we did "The Thing I Will Never Tell My Students"--accept a ride in a car belonging to one of the workers we'd met on the bus. Granted that we'd gotten to know them for several hours and that there were two of us to one of him, and that my friend Michele was almost as tall and probably more muscular than him, it's still not something I want my students to emulate. Heh.
At any rate, he gave us a late-night tour of the town and took us safely to our little hotel in the middle of town. We would never have been able to find it (especially not with our luggage in tow) on our own.
Too bad it was cloudy for the one full day I was there.
Near the ocean:
Another view of the same bridge:
Huh. Apparently I really like bridges.
Water! Boats! Old shirtless men!
The water temperature was actually great, in spite of the overcast sky.
We took a tram, if I remember correctly. The view overlooks the whole city.
And that's it. This was my first trip with a digital camera. I've gotten much better (or worse, depending on how you view it) since then about taking lots of pictures.
no subject
I'd love to get to Spain some day. I did a Europe trip at age 16 but no Spain. I want to do Portugal and Spain, and possibly Italy all in one wallop. But I have so many trips I want to take, I can't decide which will be next.
I took a ride from a stranger while I was in New Zealand. She was super nice and pregnant out to here, plus she had her two year old son in the car. I didn't really think she posed much of a threat. But I probably would never tell this to my nieces and nephews or any children I may have :)
Thank again for brightening my day.
no subject
I'm glad you enjoyed the pics! I hope you get your trip back to Europe someday soon. (Ack, the dollar is terrible right now! No foreign trips for me this summer.)
no subject
I know what you mean about the dollar, my boss was just in Germany and he said they tried to do everything as cheaply as possible. That's kind of sad. When you holiday you at least want to do a few fun things.
Hope you get another foreign trip in soon too.
no subject
I went to Spain in 1987 - a senior class trip I was eligible to go on because I'd taken Spanish all four years of high school. It was a whirlwind trip that I wouldn't probably remember hardly at all if it weren't for pictures. We went all the way south to the Mediterranean coast of Spain (we even took a day trip across the Strait of Gibraltar into Tangiers) and as far north as Madrid. I had a great time and would love a chance someday to go back.
Where did you go in France? I have this total fascination with France. I've been to Paris and Toulouse and a few places in between, but that's it.
no subject
France: I lived a few months in each of these towns--Périgueux, Béziers and Bordeaux. I've been a tourist in several other towns for very short periods of time, though there are LOTS of places I still want/need to see in France.
The low dollar is making any travel ambitions I have for this year get derailed. Bummer.