the Wonder Luster

The Saharan Desert

2012-03-06T15:22:00.002-08:00

I suppose when you think of an excursion in the Saharan Desert riding camels and nomading it up like a real "Berber" you feel like you're doing something pretty darn exotic. And yes, riding on a camel was definitely exciting (although painful) and I even managed to get some badass photos, but in all honesty, it's a HUGE tourist attraction. But I'm not gonna lie, I loved every damn moment of it.

There are two main types of excursions you can do; one being a two-day excursion to Zagora where you spend a full day in a van through the windy roads of the Atlas Mountains all to see some baby sand dunes and the other being a three-day excursion to Merzouga where the reward is a legit desert, humungo sand dunes and all. We decided to do the two day due to restraints of time and to be completely honest, it wasn't enough. I felt like I was put in front of a delicious batch of freshly baked cookies and not allowed to eat any of it. Punishment in its cruelest form. Of course it didn't help that the Berbers were telling us about some 12 day excursion in the desert where they make some sort of bread that cooks under the heat of the sand. Apparently it's "amazing, wow". Of course, if you're like me and don't have much time, definitely do at least the two day excursion. You still get to see a good deal of really beautiful sights in Morocco while in the car (unless of course you knock out) and of course, being the Saharan Desert, baby dunes or daddy dunes, is still pretty stinkin' cool.

We also got an "added bonus" to our excursion package - free of charge - because the Berbers took us to see the camels at night to show us how they really travel when trekking through the desert. Apparently camels give off a great deal of body heat, so the nomads lay the blankets down right next to their camel (yes, on top of it's poop) and cuddle with their stinky mate for protection against the cold desert winds. We were also given many other very useful camel information, you know, just in case we decide to live a nomadic life in the desert with our loyal camel companion. And in case we get bored in the desert, we were also given a handful of jokes and riddles. So, to say the least, our excursion was worth every penny; I mean free jokes, free facts... what more can you ask for?!

Beautiful snowy Atlas Mountains in the background. Who knew Morocco could be so not desert-y?

Strong gusts of wind that give you that sexy model windblown look... for FREE!

The American in me is evident in the amazement that I felt every time I saw someone riding a donkey. But let's be honest, isn't it cool?!?

Atlas Mountains

An amazing gorge that we saw on our drive. Too bad I have no idea what it's called... Oh and a heads up for those of you who like photography, sit window-side and be prepared to snap away while moving because the vans only stop at touristic sites.

Grand Canyon?

Draa Valley

At every stop we made en route to Zagora, there was a "street vendor" selling some trinket or another

Again, I would get really excited to see people wearing the traditional Moroccan garb: the djellaba. After much wild guessing as to why the hoods are pointed, my good ol' friend Wikipedia tells me that it is used to prevent heat loss during wintertime as well as a nice little pocket during warmer weather that holds loaves of bread or groceries.... now I'd pay to see someone doing that!

Again, more street vendoring

UNESCO World Heritage Sight (dos puntos!): Aït Benhaddou. It's pride and crowning glory, for tourists at least, is that the Gladiator was shot there. The fortified city or "ksar" is made entirely out of mud and straw and is still very well preserved with stunning views of the neighboring villages.

Gettin' her Moroccan on!

Voila! And thus begins the bumpy trek into the desert on our camels.

Struttin' their thin and shapely legs for us!

A bonafide Saharan sunset. One of the many attempts to get this semi-decent picture because of all the shaking from being on the camel.

Our lovely little tent. The beds were more comfortable than that of our hostel... An indication that once again, that this is a huge tourist attraction.

Optical illusions

The brown stuff you see on the floor? That's called sand. Just kidding, I mean the little dark brown balls? Camel poop. Yes, they just looooove to poop.

It looks so happy! I know my heart holds a special place for elephants, but camels are pretty effin' cute too.

An oasis of palm trees that stretches for as far as the eye can see.

And another special treat us "Californians" got is to finally see some snow. Not to mention that I have yet to see snow in Europe, but thanks to Northern Africa, I got to witness a legitimate snowfall.

Tajine!!!

Wild dog was so sweet!

Stuffed wannabe camels anyone?

And last but not least, proof that Coca-Cola rules the world.

Marrakech, Morocco

2012-03-01T12:48:00.000-08:00

Where to even begin... last week, I spent 6 days in Northern Africa, more specifically, in Morocco, wandering through the streets of Marrakech and trekking through the Saharan Desert. Now, when I think of Morocco, a rush of sensations swells over me- the smells, the sounds, the tastes; all so vibrant and intoxicating that I can't seem to put my thoughts together. But maybe, that's exactly what Morocco embodies: chaos. Especially evident in the lack of streets in the Djemma el Fna or "the old city" where horses, donkeys, motorcycles, bicycles, and people all fight their way through the crowds to their final destination. But it's exactly this "chaos" that I fell head over heels in love with because everyday presented itself with something new and unfamiliar; something different from my status quo, and what's life without a little spice?

Cute boy whose whole face lit up when we offered him something so simple like our freshly squeezed orange juice (which I will post about VERY soon)

Dried fruit and nuts stands are numerous in the square as well as throughout the tiny alleyways in the Djemma el Fna

The Djemma el Fna at sunset

My only souvenir of the hammam baths in Marrakech. I definitely felt "Clent" and Beautiful afterwards.

After our desert excursion, my friends and I emanated an alluring scent that is best described as camel excrement. Realizing that this lovely smell wafting from our bodies was too much sexiness for the Moroccans to handle, we decided to do a little "cultural activity" and basically strip down and don what I assume is supposed to maintain some sliver of our dignity via a teeny tiny underwear-y type thing and participate in a "hammam bath". Basically a communal steam bath where a woman lathers, scrubs, and bathes you until you're squeaky clean. Did I mention that it's "communal"? Yes, bonding in its truest form happens in these baths my friends.... but you do feel amazing afterwards, especially after smelling like sh*t and having sand in places where it should never be.

Beautiful hand beaded rugs

Apparently in Morocco syringes are used to spray perfume...

Perfumery by our hostel where he mixes different scents to create one of your choice

Indigo

The famous spice cones!

Moroccan toothpicks

Ladies crushing argan nuts for their oil which has many valuable properties. The most popular way it is used is as a beauty product for the face and body.

umm...

The REAL Marrakech

After my trip to Sintra in Portugal, my new mantra for traveling is "getting lost" and in Marrakech, we did exactly just that. We ended up in a part of the city that had no tourists in sight and we got to see the ins and outs of daily life of the Moroccan people. There were meat stores with huge hanging legs of meat and live chickens in cages, the alleyways were filled with kids playing soccer with a makeshift ball made from a clump of plastic bags, and the buildings were unkept and rundown for the most part (unlike the ones in the very touristic main square). It was nice to escape the craziness of the Djemma el Fna and jump right into another kind of chaos in this authentic part of Marrakech

A man making textiles in a tiny little workshop

Sneaked a picture of a man sitting down. You may think that my actions border on creepiness, but I prefer calling it "art in action".

The coolest modes of transportation in Marrakech

Fearless old man cruising on his bike in a street full of cars whizzing by. Talk about bad ass

One of the numerous pregnant kitties roaming the streets of Marrakech.

Palais Bahia

A palace built to be the greatest of its time.

Breath-taking architectural design

A large art piece known as "the loom" in front of the mosque in the Medina

The terrace of our hostel: Hostel Riad Marrakech Rose. Excellent budget hostel in Marrakech. The owner is such an amazing host and it's literally a one minute walk from the main square. Free breakfast, shisha, and Moroccan mint tea! WIN.

Fatten Me Up Saint Valentine

2012-02-16T06:20:00.003-08:00

As you can see by the last couple of posts, I've been doing a good job of stuffing my face lately. I could blame it on the cold weather and my body's primal need to store fat for insulation, but I would just be kidding myself. In all honestly, I just love food. There, I said it. They say the first step is admittance. Hi, my name is Hannah and I'm a foodaholic.

So of course, if it's an occasion where food is involved, and let's be honest, even when it's not, you'll be sure to find me indulging myself in some restaurant committing the one of the seven deadly sins: gluttony. Naturally, this Valentine's Day was the perfect day for midweek sin committing so a few friends and I headed over to Bazaar in Chueca.

Bazaar has a very bougie, chueca-esque vibe to it and looks like one of those gourmet restaurants where the food is practically invisible and the bill afterwards is like a slap to your face. But, I've been told that the food is pretty good and that it's pretty cheap so I couldn't resist the opportunity to treat myself to a chic Valentine's Day dinner. The restaurant has two floors, where the upper floor is for eaters to have a nice view and the lower floor is for street passerby's to have a nice view of the diners. Just kidding, I'm not sure why there is a small sliver of window for the bottom floor, probably to let light in, but it's a really cool look and it definitely has a magnetic affect on me where I can't help but stare at what's below every time I pass by. Inside the restaurant, there are shelves filled with bottles of sauce and packages of pasta and other random assortment of items that are neatly displayed in a supermarket fashion but it works. It gives the restaurant something to look at and not just plain white walls.

The menu is a mix of french, asian, and italian but they claim to have a "Mediterranean based cuisine" so I don't know if they're confused or if I'm confused, but regardless it's confusing; as proved by my friends ordering "lasagna" which turned out to be a stack of meat... I'll just blame it on being lost in translation.... Of course, the food overall was good so it's not to say that the confusing nature is a reflection on the quality nor the taste of the food.

Okay, I'm not going to lie, the bread had to be my favorite part of dinner. It was served steaming hot and perfectly crispy on the outside and soft and pillowy on the inside. Oh so beautiful bread, will you be my Valentine?

And of course, what's a dinner without summa dat Ribera?

I couldn't decide between two plates so my friend and I decided to split two dishes... and two desserts. And boy, did we do a number on these bad boys. Let's just say we made washing dishes very easy for the restaurant staff.

Milhojas de magret de pato y foie, 9.85 EUR

Puff pastry with duck breast and liver topped with sweet gravy. I'm not exaggerating when I say we inhaled it; partially due to the fact that we were starving but mainly because it just tasted really damn good. I always like to order something that I know I can't make at home so for under 10 EUR, it was definitely worth it. The duck wasn't too game-y (although I like the taste of game-y meat) and its chewy yet tender consistency complemented the flaky milhojas; and of course the sauce - a simple yet crucial ingredient to the dish.

Unfortunately, I was too mesmerized by the deliciousness of the next dish we ordered that I completely forgot to take a picture. We ordered the Salmon al laurel y perifollo, 8.95 EUR. No idea what perifollo meant so my friend looked it up and told me it was "chervil"... what?! Wikipedia tells me that it's some herb related to parsley, just so you know for future reference if someone ever asks you a question about chervil at a cocktail party.... anyway, back to the food. Just a simple salmon dish with boiled potatoes and grilled veggies. The salmon was so tender it literally melted in my mouth. Ugh, I'm almost disgusted (in a good way..?) by how good it was. Definitely going to go back for round 2 when I get my salmon cravings. Especially because a minuscule piece of salmon here is ridiculously expensive even at the grocery stores. At least at Bazaar I can pretend I'm a classy beezy.

Gratin de frutas de temporada con crema de mascarpone y vainilla, > 5 EUR

This was my favorite of the two desserts we shared because well, first of all it's served in a martini glass and also because they torched the top of the dessert so it was kind of like a creme brulee- my personal favorite dessert because it's such a guilty pleasure to crack the top with my spoon. And the fruit added a nice bit of bite instead of just having a creme martini... which doesn't sound half bad.. does it?

Lasagna de queso fresco con crocanti y coulis de frutas, > 4 EUR

Meh, next time I will skip out on the cheese lasagna. It wasn't anything special and didn't taste good enough for me to want to order it again.

Another friend ordered this dessert and I was able to try a little bit of it. I don't know what this is called but it's an upside down cheesecake with kiwi and strawberry fruit coulis and it was so good. Normally, cheesecake outside of the U.S. is an awkward texture. Usually more bread-y than cheese-y and although this cheesecake had a similar texture to flan, it was still cheesecake-y enough for me and the best part was the kiwi sauce. YUM

I only posted on the food that I personally ate, but the others ordered different dishes and overall I would say the food was at least decent. It's also nice because no dish is over 10 EUR. Some of the dishes are small portions (like our duck dish) but others are decently sized. Also, in terms of size, I'm speaking with an American mentality where in my mind, every dish should be the size of Texas. I really enjoyed the ambiance at Bazaar; lot's of couples and painfully handsome gay men. As we were finishing up our dinner, a table next to us ordered some kind of salad that looked like a work of art while looking deeeelicious at the same time and you know what that means... I have got to go back.

Bazaar

C/ de la Libertad, 21

Madrid, 28004

Barrio: Chueca

+34 91 523 39 05

Creative Cooking

2012-02-13T18:45:00.000-08:00

Outside of California and Mexico and some Asian countries, spicy food is practically non-existant; in some cases, hatred is the best word to describe how some people feel towards that burning sensation. Well, haters gonna hate but I lurrrrv the feeling of fire in my mouth. I remember my host dad in Buenos Aires once told me that black pepper, yes, black pepper, is too spicy for him... seriously?

Luckily, a spicy ingredient exists here in Madrid: cayenne pepper. Yeah, I put that sh*t on everything; literally. It's cheaper than buying imported "luxuries" such as Sriracha or Valentina and you only need about one tiny little dried pepper to set your food on fiyaaaa. If you wanna burn it down, I permit you to use two. Look for it in any grocery store and it'll be waiting patiently for you to lovingly save it from abandonment by the Spaniards.

Anyway, like I said, I put it on everything and since I don't have my beloved and most loyal BFF a.k.a. Trader Joe's to help me out with my meals, I've been getting very creative with my cooking. And on the bright side, it tastes pretty darn good. A favorite dish of mine that I've "invented" is something I like to call Flamin' Pasta - okay, I don't really call it that. I don't really know what to call it to be honest so you can call it whatever you want. It's a simple pasta dish with fried garlic, sausges, freshly grated parmesan, tomatoes, and yes, the golden ingredient: CAYENNE PEPPA!

I prefer using whole grain spaghetti, but of course any kind of pasta works

Very essential garnishings as this is what makes the "sauce"

This is where the heavens part, and Handel's Hallelujah starts playing. Two of these small peppers will give you that joyous nose running-mouth watering-fire burning sensation. These dried peppers can be added to dishes whole, or in flake form by simply crushing them with your hands.

Tadaa! It's a very simple dish that takes less than 30 minutes to make and tastes amazingggg. The crunchiness of the fried garlic is a nice juxtaposition to the soft and fresh diced tomatoes.

It's not avant-garde cooking but I'm not gonna lie, I feel like an Iron Chef in my Spanish kitchen with crappy knives and pretty much crappy everything else. I would probably have a foodgasm if I could get my hands on some Hebrew National kosher sausages, but sadly, for now I will settle on some random Spanish brand. The Spanish do love their pig meat after all so, it can't be that bad.

Flamin' Pasta

Makes 1 serving (for those loners like me... no judgment)

Ingredients:

2 oz whole grain spaghetti

1 sausage thinly sliced

1/2 tomato diced

1/4 medium onion thinly sliced

Freshly grated parmesan

2 cloves garlic

Sea salt & pepper

Hierbas provenzales (herbes de Provence)

Extra virgin olive oil

2 cayenne peppers ground

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and then add the spaghetti. Read the cooking time instructions on the package because times will differ with whole grain vs. regular pasta.

Mince the garlic and fry them with extra virgin olive oil and a dash of sea salt until golden brown. On a separate pan, fry the sausage and the onion.

When everything is perfectly golden and fried, drain the pasta and mix with the fried ingredients. Toss in the diced tomatoes and parmesan. Drizzle the olive oil on top and season with salt & pepper, hierbas provenzales, and of course the star ingredient: the cayenne pepper. Serve immediately.

diurno

2012-02-07T17:35:00.000-08:00

Okay, enough neglecting and more blog lovin'. I admit, having to study for exams ages me greatly and my over-caffeinated dark circle eyes are something that shouldn't ever be allowed in public. Trust me, I do it for the good of the world. Throw in a good old moving day and voila, you have a vision of a nightmare in human form before your eyes, perfectly packaged and aptly named: Hannah. Luckily, my new and fabulous neighborhood here in Madrid gives me a plethora of reasons to cake on the makeup and show my face to the real world. I mean, come on... what would life be without happiness? And by happiness, yes, I mean FOOD. You know me, I just love a good thing in my mouth ;)

Anyway, the barrio of Chueca in Madrid has many, many dining and of course wining* options- heavy emphasis on the wining. Luckily, you can do both at Diurno, a take away cafe that has... wait for it... food ALL DAY LONG; unlike the rest of the Spanish restaurants that don't open their kitchens until 10 o'clock at night. And who can resist a place that offers pasta or rice + a specialty bocadillo + drink + dessert all for the seductive price of 8.90 EUR?!?! The whip cream and cherry on top is that the ambiance is amaaaaazing with a super American-friendly owner who offers free "wee-fi" (as he pronounces it) for American students and deals on drinks. 5 EUR cocktails? Count me in... all day errday. We were lucky enough to receive a strawberry mojito on the house... I think I just died and went to heaven. Looks like living in Chueca is going to do my figure any good... joooooderrrr!

The glorious wall of "fridge food". If you order the "menu", you are limited to just the pasta and rices but if you decide not to be fatass and order just one thing to eat, I higggghly recommend a wrap or a bocadillo recien hecho (which you can order at the cash register). Next time, I want to try one aka all of their dips which include: hummus, guac, and grilled eggplant!

My friend ordered the "menu" and she got the Luigi pasta (as shown here) with sun-dried tomatoes, black olives and arugula, topped with goat and feta cheese and balsamic. I can't remember the name of her bocadillo recien hecho, not to mention she had inhaled it before I sat down with my food ;) It must've been DEEELICOUS.

I decided to choose something different and got the Pasta Verde; a simple pesto pasta topped with walnuts and mozzarella. A little bit oily, but what's life without a little oil?

My FAVORITE part of my meal, the Bocadillo Sueco. A Spanish style baguette with smoked salmon, queso fresco, spinach, and sweet mustard. And I love that they didn't skimp on the smoked salmon. YUM!

With its very industrial-chic look and its prime location, you would expect Diurno to be over-priced and not worth your time or money but with extremely affordable prices, drinks included, it's a place in Madrid that I might have to call my second home. The "menu" is well worth the 8.90 EUR. At first, I thought it was too good to be true. Really?? Filling pasta/rice + decent sized bocadillo + drink (non-alcoholic) + dessert?!?! Impossible! But you better believe it because I can testify myself that it is true fact because yes, I shoveled ALL of that down my throat and I liked it! And if eating or drinking is not really your thing, then you can choose from a large selection of DVDs to rent. Random? Very. But I ain't complainin'. And trust me, even if you hate food (which I personally think is humanely impossible), Diurno will treat your taste buds well. It's simple yet delicious and you can't help but skip all the way home because your wallet will still feel full of them euros.

Diurno

C/ San Marcos, 37

Madrid, 28004

Barrio: Chueca

+34 91 522 00 09

*wining [wi-ning]
noun
1. the act of drinking and drinking...and drinking some more; can be wine but other spirits are definitely welcome.

Probably a real word, but I've decided to coin it as so. It's funner that way, dontcha think?

Sushi Club

2012-01-27T04:39:00.000-08:00

The search for that mouth-watering ever so delectable morsel of raw-fish goodness seems to be like finding a needle in a haystack when it comes to being abroad. Most places offer you what I like to call the cream cheese roll of doom where you take some rice and roll it up, stuff that sucker with a big 'ol slab of cream cheese, put in some microscopic pieces of raw fish, and slap on some seaweed and voila! you have yourself an "authentic gourmet Japanese" dining experience. Oh the horror. The worst part? It usually costs you an arm and a kidney. So, in hopes of finding that ONE decent place where I can actually swallow what's put in my mouth, a friend and I headed over to Sushi Club.

The restaurant's concept is a unique avant-garde Asian dining experience and when you first enter the establishment, it looks more like a lounge than a restaurant. With a well-stocked bar, dim lights, white leather chairs, city image projections, completely random mix of American music and a walkway that I personally thought looked like a mini dance-floor, I had a moment of confusion as to whether I was there for some sushi or for some cocktail chuggin', culo shakin' partay. When I was finally able to get my bearings, we were seated on the top level right by a wall to wall window with a nice view of the street below.

So where does it all go downhill? Starting with the waitress speaking to us in English. I should have known that that can't possibly indicate anything close to "authentic" sushi. But the inner optimist in me hoped to god that it wasn't so. Unfortunately, one brief look at the menu and I knew not to expect too much. Almost 90% of the rolls contained my best friend, Mr. Cream Cheese. Wooo... I've officially walked into my worst nightmare of a sushi restaurant. But after taking another look at the prices, I had a new wave of hope wash over me because for what they were charging, I expected BIG portions. But again, la culpa mia, for wishful thinking because our rolls were almost laughably small. I get it, gourmet food is supposed to be served in teeny tiny portions for whatever reason, but this place was trying way, way too hard to be "gourmet".

View from our table

Our "free" miso soup shooters. I say "free" because although they were supposedly "on the house", we each had to pay a 2 EUR table service fee.

1/2 Spring Roll (left): filled with avocado, salmon, and prawns. If there were prawns in that thing, they must be the invisible kind because I sure as hell did not taste nor see any prawns. Overall it was just a simple salmon roll that wasn't bad but definitely not worth 14 EUR (entire roll).

1/2 Oceanic Roll (right): filled with raw tuna and caramelized mangoes and then topped with avocado and teriyaki sauce. I really had high hopes for this one, but to my mouth's great disappointment, it failed miserably. The tuna was way too fishy which in sushi lingo means it's not fresh... at all. 16 EUR (entire roll).

1/2 Crazy Roll (left): My friend did the unforgivable and ordered a roll with CREAM CHEESE. At the very least, it had some eel and avocado, so I'll forgive him just this one time. But, for a roll that's supposed to be "wrapped" in salmon... it hardly looks wrapped.... 14 EUR (entire roll).
1/2 Citric Roll (right): stuffed with cooked prawns, tempura, and cucumber and drizzled with a citrus sauce. 15 EUR (entire roll). No comment on this one because quite frankly it doesn't look like it deserves a comment.

The best advice I can give you is to STAY AWAY. Yes, the ambience is great, and yes the service was great (it better damn well be amazing if we're being forced to pay for it) but the most important part of a dining experience a.k.a. the food, sucked. BIG TIME. Even if I had these rolls for free, I would still think it was pretty bad, so to pay 15+ EUR for a sad excuse of a sushi roll is like a big fatty kick to your balls. More energy and attention was put into the ambiance and dining experience rather than the actual food and that's a crime against humanity that cannot be pardoned. In all fairness, as I was walking out, I saw people with some cooked dishes such as chicken and it looked good, but definitely not 20+ EUR good. The only positive thing about the food is that you can order half of a roll which means one of two things: you order only half a roll and leave the restaurant hungry and wallet only semi dented OR you can try many different rolls, although in my humble opinion, it's not even worth it. You'll walk out 20+ EUR poorer and so hungry that you might walk over to a burger shop on the same street and order yourself some meaty goodness. So, if you like sh*tty food at high prices, then Sushi Club is just the place for you!

Sushi Club
Plaza Santo Domingo
Madrid, 28013
Barrio: Palacio
+34 91 542 80 80

Hello Madrid

2012-01-21T08:35:00.000-08:00

My favorite way to get to know a city is to take my two legs for a walk and last weekend, my friend and I decided to explore the southern part of town and we were very pleasantly surprised. We frolicked through parks, stalked exotic birds, paid homage to the dead, played like little children on some swings, and burned off a shizton of calories.

The shops here in Madrid really have some unique tactics in drawing people into their stores. Definitely made me stop dead in my tracks to see what the hell kind of store this is. Can't say I remember though, the mannequin head was just a tad bit distracting.

Globalization at its finest

Puerta de Toledo. You can take the metro line 5 (green line) and get off at Puerta de Toledo. I prefer getting off at La Latina, also off line 5, and walking down Calle de Toledo because you get an amazing view through the archways of the puerta.

Puente de Toledo

Rio Manzanares

Parque de San Isidro

Our tour guide for the cemetery

Club Atletico stadium

Some exercising forest? Not quite sure what to call it but there was a ball that you were supposed to push back and forth and it's supposed to work out your arms. Effectiveness? The only conclusion I can make is that it has to be a workout station for older... much older people who have jiggly arms. I felt like I was slapping a cotton ball.

Swinging under a bridge in Madrid. The inner child in me thinks this is pretty effing cool.

Salta!

The park that's been created along the shore of the Rio Manzanares. It's a nice place to relax and watch men running in really, REALLY short ass-grazing shorts- I mean, if you're into that kind of thing of course...

Terra Mundi

2012-01-13T05:02:00.000-08:00

During my week of restaurant indulgence, my friend and I had planned on eating at a cute little restaurant in her neighborhood. For whatever reason, it was closed without notice... typical; the Spanish are never predictable. So we made a new game plan and decided to head down the street over to Terra Mundi. I had seen it packed like a can of sardines a couple weeks back so I was excited to try the food.

We walked in and there were several other diners, but it wasn't as full of people as last time. Probably because having dinner at 10pm is "too early" in this country. Anywho, we sat down, ordered water, ordered food, yaddah yaddah- the usual exciting restaurant routine.

Terra Mundi attempts to recreate old traditional Galicia cuisine. According to their introduction video, they "recuperate their ancestor's recipes"

The decor of the restaurant was very "rustic chic"; as oxymoronic as that sounds. Come to think of it, most of the diners were classy peeps popping bottles of wine and paying with 100 EUR bills like they wipe their culos with it...

Uhhh... yeah, they most definitely served AND charged us for plastic bottles of water that can be found at the chino stores for 30 cents... My friend and I couldn't help but burst out laughing at how ridiculous the situation was and on top of that we just assumed they would bring us a larger glass bottle of water so we only ordered one. How the hell is that tiny bottle going to be enough for the both of us?? You would think the waitress would have enough common sense to ask "Are you sure you just want ONE minuscule bottle for the TWO of you?" But I guess they follow a no questions asked kind of policy or something, who knows? Being confused in this country is like sun in California - it's a permanent state.

My brave friend ordered the Pulpo a la Gallega aka "fair style octopus"- a very traditional Galician dish of boiled octopus which according to my trustworthy friend, Wiki, the tentacles are dipped in and out of the boiling water first while the head is held out of the water in order to "curl" the tentacles. Once cooked al dente like Italian pasta, it is chopped up, sprinkled with sea salt and paprika, drizzled with olive oil, and served with boiled potatoes on a wooden platter. I know that it's not easy on the eyes, but I actually enjoyed it very much. It didn't have a fishy taste or a rubbery texture which I normally associate with octopus. But it was moist, tender and seasoned to perfection. Be brave and stick some tentacly goodness in your mouth.

*Interesting fact: If you know anything about how they name their shops in almost any Spanish speaking country, you know that they just add "ria" to the end of some word and voila! it's a store! Demonstration: peluqueria- hair salon (pelo = hair) or sidreria- sidra/cider shop or even cerverceria- bar that has beer and you get the picture. Well, apparently in Galicia, they have your bonafide "pulperias"aka octopus restaurants. Yes, es la verdad, restaurants for the sole purpose of serving you octopus in all its curly glory.

Merluza fresca del pincho a la gallega I chose the safer route and ordered hake which is just a type of codfish. Again, the paprika, salt, and olive oil seasoning with boiled potatoes. I didn't think this was as good as the pulpo only because the fish was bland. I would have thought that a fish with a face like that would have a little sumthin sumthin to its flavor, Again, very moist and tender which was good and a very healthy meal. PAT ON THE BACK for someone who has addiction problems with anything fried.

We had one semi-nice waitress, and one B-I-T... I won't finish that one. The average price per dish was over 10 EUR but under 15 EUR so it's not too bad for a semi-fine dining experience. Overall, the experience at Terra Mundi wasn't bad but it wasn't anything to write home about. Maybe if the gods throw some extra euros in my lap, I'll check it out again and try something else that might blow my mind away.

Terra Mundi

C/ Lope de Vega, 32

Madrid, 28014

Barrio: Cortes

+34 91 429 52 80

+34 91 429 63 80

London, UK

2012-01-11T13:46:00.000-08:00

This December, I was lucky enough to have a friend from back home come visit me here in Madrid. Thanks to her, we were able to travel to various countries during her stay and London, of course, was a MUST.

Being the poor college/post-college students that we are, we decided to spend our first night at the airport. For fellow backpacking airport sleepers, Gatwick aiport is a pretty comfy airport to sleep in. I mean, it's no 5 star hotel, but it was warm and the seats were cushioned and didn't have armrests dividing each seat. Halfway through the night I was awoken by the sound of some man munching and CRUNCHING very loudly on some potato chips... he definitely made them sound like the most delicious potato chips on the planet. And at about 8am the arcade (I know... an arcade in the AIRPORT?!?!) rudely woke us up with it's loud music. But overall, it was a pretty good night's rest.

As for the city itself, we went during the holiday season aka spent Christmas Eve, Christmas, AND Boxing Day, in London so we experienced both the insanely crowded streets (I thought Madrid was bad...) and the insanely empty ones as well. I'm not sure if I got an entirely adequate experience of how the city is like on a normal basis, but we were still able to squeeze in all of the famous tourist-y sights, thanks to our Londonite friend- Shyam P. and eat and DRINK like the British, with an emphasis on the "drink"- just in case you couldn't tell :).

My only sighting of a British soldier with his fuzzy hat.

The cute British taxis.

Umm.. this must be some sort of joke that I don't get. Or maybe it's "abstract art".... who knows.

The British version of TJ Maxx maybe?

For those of you fellow study/living/working abroaders here in Spain, you know that it's seriously lacking in the authentic Americanized Mexican food places. Namely being Chipotle. Misfortune decided to slap me in the face and close this baby down while I was in London so I PERSONALLY have not had a single morsel of this succulent taste of Mexican-Americany heaven enter my mouth since August 2011. But for all of you other people who are craving a taste of home and happen to be in London, there are two locations in the city that are pretty easy to get to.

BAMF motorcycling Santas.. lol

Big Ben chilling with his homie, London Eye.

And now, my FAVORITE part - food and beer! While waiting for the sun to go down to see London all lit up/hide from the cold, we decided to go to Russell Square and have our very own authentic British pub experience. The warmth and the massive wall filled with alcohol (and it was only the first floor!) at O'Neill's was definitely a welcoming sight. I felt right at home... hmm that's probably not a good thing... Anyway, we headed up to the second floor to find a place to sit, and again, another massive bar- not as big as the one on the first floor, but a close contender.

I, of course, opted for the Stella but this time, I was given something even better. Meet my new best friend: Stella Black on TAP. Holy crap... I can't even explain the raging party that went on in my mouth. SO GOOD.

The main reason to fly all the way to London every weekend. That, and to buy some Haribo Strawbs, but more on that later! The Stella was so crisp and refreshing and had such a wonderfully smooth flavor to it that I felt like I had died and gone to beer heaven. Ay dios mio!

Okay, how good can fish and chips get just because they're made from their country of origin? Pretty damn good I tell you. Probably because they were Guinness beer battered and I would be lying if I told you that that was the sole reason why I ordered this dish. The fried fish remained perfectly crispy until my very last bite and I didn't feel like a tub of lard after finishing my meal, and let me tell you- I practically licked my plate clean.

Toucan Sam knows best.

The british version of a "snakebite" - half Strongbow cider & half beer with what I think was some kind of fruity syrup? I'm not sure, but it was pretty good and apparently it's strong enough to be illegal in some bars! My personal favorite is still the raspberry snakebite from the Anthill Pub at the University of California, Irvine but this version was different in a refreshing sort of way. I highly recommend both beer and non-beer lovers to try this drink or even just a regular cider while in London because DELICIOUS is a severe understatement!

Is it just me or do the warning signs in the Underground have a slightly motivational tone to them? Whatever the case, I love it!

Ugh, it's disgustingly beautiful. I wish I could see this everyday. The SEA LIFE London Aquarium.

And the impressive London Eye at nighttime. Basically, a glorified ferris wheel with apparently gorgeous views of the city. Located along the Thames River in London, it used to be the world's largest ferris wheel in 1998. But apparently, in 2008 the Singaporeans outdid their former colonizers with the Singapore Flyer.

St. Paul's Cathedral. Sooo gorgeous at night with the Christmas tree!

Beautiful street with leaves permanently imprinted into the ground as a result of thousands of cars fossilizing them while driving over them. Who would've thought nature and man made creations could produce such a striking work of art?

Another torturous reminder of what I'm missing out on back in the States: Earl of Sandwich

I wasn't able to get a good picture of the actual tower but I guess that means you'll just go have to see it for yourself! It was one of my favorite sights in London, not because it was the nicest looking structure, but because I used to be obsessed with Henry VIII and his 6 wives (pretty hilarious quiz to see which wife you are) ; he was quite the scandalous man back in the day! Both Anne Boleyn & Kathryn Howard were imprisoned AND beheaded at this very site - you can see where it all went down apparently. Also, Queen Elizabeth I was imprisoned here at some point in her life.

Alright, a little London for Dummies for those of you numskulls like me, this is the Tower Bridge, NOT the London Bridge. This is the bridge that opens up to let large boats pass through and the same bridge from the beloved Spice World movie. The London Bridge is actually flat and we weren't quite sure which one it was... there are quite a few flat bridges over the Thames.

Overall, London was a great city with polite people (aside from the customs lady who must've woken up on the wrong side of the bed) and although very different from the States, it felt like home to a certain extent which was nice, especially during the holidays!

Segovia, Spain

2012-01-08T06:49:00.000-08:00

Every time I take a trip outside of Madrid, I am always amazed; my imagination apparently doesn't have the capacity to imagine how beautiful these places actually are. And of course - seeing anything in person is always so much better than in pictures. So, if you're hanging out in Madrid and need something to do instead of twiddle your thumbs and grumble about the disgustingly crowded streets in the city, I highly recommend a day trip to Segovia. There are trains that go every couple of hours from the Chamartin station (best to get there early) and you can get roundtrip tickets for about 20-30 EUR.

Beautifully FREEZING cold

Our yummy homemade sandwiches with hard-boiled eggs, tuna, and a homemade honey dijon mustard sauce. MMM

The Roman Aqueduct of Segovia is one of the main attractions in Segovia and is believed to have been built around the end of the 1st century and the beginning of the 2nd. It is one of the most well preserved and still functioning aqueducts in Europe.

At about 96 feet high, it's a pretty impressive structure that left my friend and I in awe. Literally. My friend almost hyperventilated right when we got off the bus.

The cathedral in the Plaza Mayor

Knock if you dare #2

Beautiful Castilla y Leon-ean countryside.

Translation? Don't piss on the grass! Okay, it actually means "Don't step on the grass" but.. come on, my version is better, no?

Supposedly Sleeping Beauty's castle is based off of this one here in Segovia

The Segovian Alcazar. I know what you're thinking... what's the difference between an alcazar and a castle? Well, it's basically the same thing but the word 'alcazar' derives from an Arabic word al-qasr meaning fort, castle, or palace. Curiosity DEFINITELY killed the cat on this one -___-

Cool tiled map in the informational center of the alcazar.

This I dedicate to my dear friend, Jackie K. Enjoy.

The beautiful sky.

More beautiful sky

In the Jewish Quarter

(Yes, I know... Christmas is over but I couldn't resist sneaking in one last remnant of the holidays)

I think Segovia has stolen my heart because it's my favorite Spanish city so far. I can't really pinpoint why because the Alhambra is definitely breath-taking and magnificent and even Toledo is very quaint and charming, but something about Segovia's quiet majesty really made an impressionable mark on me. Until next time, mis amigos. Besos!

Naif - Sandwich(es) & Bar

2012-01-06T12:54:00.000-08:00

So I haven't updated in awhile due to this terrible disease called writer's block. I'M NOT EVEN A WRITER.. wtf. I blame it on the 2+ weeks of winter vacation slash 4+ months of my extended "educational" vacation here in Spain. So, I'm turning to my best friend and simultaneously my worst enemy - food. Since I can't ever stop stuffing my face, I figured I wouldn't run out of things to talk about when it came to food, you can thank my inner fat kid.

Surprisingly, I haven't been eating out at a lot of places here in Madrid thanks to the euro being stronger than the dollar, my already starving college student's culo is starving even more. Okay, I kinda lied, I don't think starving is an option in my book BUT you know what I mean - my wallet seems a lot lighter these days. But if you know me at all, it's really hard to resist my urges when it comes to food and this week, my lazy bum has been craving some good old restaurant food where the only finger-lifting I'm doing is when I'm picking up my spoon to shovel food down my throat. And let me tell you, the food at Naif, a newly opened sandwich shop and bar in Malasaña was well worth all that work that my finger had to do because it was finger lickin' delicious.

Menu written on the wall

Cute placemats

First order of business - vino tinto of course! Well, being American, we popped into the restaurant way before the kitchen opened aka 7:30pm (yeah, I know, soooo ridiculously early for dinner. What was I thinking??) so I gladly obliged when our waitress suggested ordering a drink while waiting.

With the weather being so chilly, the soup of the day called out my name. Upon asking the waitress what today's soup is, she ran to the kitchen to ask and came back with "the chefs told me vegetable soup...I'm not sure what that means". Erm.. okay.. luckily I still wanted a bowl of something warm and without expecting much, I patiently waited and what was placed in front of me was this glorious blended vegetable soup garnished with croutons and sesame seeds. Everything you could ever want from a soup and MORE.

My friend and I both ordered the "rolls" - she the curried chicken and I the mixed veggies with brie thinking it would be something like a wrap, but no... it was literally a roll like a sandwichized sushi roll. Uncertain of how to eat such a thing, we both proceeded to barbarically eat with our hands *gasp* instead of using the fork and knife they provided us. But, personally, I think it made it taste even better; something about going back to our primal ways of life is just so appealing. Anywho, about the roll, it was DELICIOUS. So simple and light paired with the creamy melted brie, when I finished I felt full yet not heavy. And the juxtaposition of the soft filling of the roll with the toasted bread satisfied my incorrigible penchant for textures.

La cuenta, por favor.

Industrial, intimate, hip, and comforting all at once. It's like a personality disorder was constructed into an edifice and named Naif.

The ambience alone sold me when I walked in. I mean, if the food sucked, I can always just sit and have a glass of wine or a caña. But I'm so so glad that the food turned out to be delicious. With nothing over 10 EUR, it's affordable and has great service. It's definitely a place that I will be frequenting quite frequently while living here in Madrid. They have a variety of sandwiches and even burgers that I can't wait to try!

Naif
Plaza de San Ildefenso, 1
Madrid, 28004
Barrio: Malasaña

Fête des Lumières

2011-12-18T01:24:00.000-08:00

Lucky for me, I was able to travel to Lyon, France's second largest city (after Paris) and attend the annual Fête des Lumières or the Festival of Lights. Umm and DOUBLE lucky to be able to stay with my good friend Vicky P. and her absolutely lovely French host family. I know I say this often and I'm starting to sound like a broken record, but the Festival of Lights is definitely a bucket-lister. The amazing light shows (almost like a MASSIVE rave but oh so much BETTER), the tantalizingly unhealthy street food, and the boozably warm vin chaud aka mulled wine ALL stole my poor little heart. Lyon, je t'aime <3

Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière

Place Bellecour

Nosy as I am, I tried running towards it to see what was going on but the firefighters beat me to it... poop.

Art installation of dancing light people

View of Lyon from above

The interior of the cathedral

Gallo Roman; ancient roman ruins

Homemade French raspberry jam + croissants = yum yum in my tum tum!

And thus begins the madness....

The Lumiere brothers projected onto the front of a cathedral

Light show installation. The cool part about all of these light shows was that they played music along with it so the whole experience was very beautiful and moving.

Sortie means "exit"

Our ghosts haunt us

Furry man selling roasted chestnuts :)

Full on dead chickens.... feathers and beaks, intact in all its glory. I love to eat chicken but this for sure ain't makin' me hungry

French nougat SO good

Tartiflette - similar to potatoes au gratin, it's a potato dish with cream, cheese, and bacon. MMMM

erm.. Just a wild guess, but I don't think that's quite the right way to ride a horse...

Free metro ALL NIGHT LONG!

Donate 1 euro to buy a tea light to help light up the unicef display

French kebap's

Sunshine after the rain

I know, too beautiful for words.

The Mirrors to My Soul

2011-12-15T05:49:00.000-08:00

Parque Oeste; Madrid, Spain

Tipos Infames; San Joaquin 3, Madrid

Westin Palace Hotel; Madrid, Spain

My first gypsy sighting!

Medusa's got nothing on me!
Taken by Christian Guzman

The key to life.

J'adore

Intelligence is sexy

Amsterdam

Very close contender to my beloved Pinkberry. Shocking, I know.

Fête des Lumières; Lyon, France

Hmm.. Whatever keeps you dry I guess...

Taken by Anthony Armenta

Knock if you dare.

The Pantheon; Paris, France

La Tour Eiffel; Paris, France

The Arc de Triomphe; Paris, France

Chinatown; Paris, France

The Moulin Rouge; Paris, France

fire + spice makes everything nice

Apple "jusing" along the Seine with the Notre Dame chilling in the background. NBD

Catacombe Space Invader!

Parisian vintage

Jardin du Luxembourg; Paris, France

Amsterdam, Netherlands

2011-12-14T05:23:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows that when you go to Amsterdam, you're going to have a good time (wink*wink*). It's one of the most liberal places when it comes to mood/mind altering substances. But, what many people don't know is how beautiful the city itself is. Aside from the eery red glow emanating from the window displays of prostitutes and the pungent smell of marijuana wafting through the air, the city of Amsterdam is very quaint. And although my body felt like a frozen popsicle the whole time, I can't deny the fact that Amsterdam's breath-taking canals, picturesque buildings, and extremely kind people melted my heart.

Globalization at its finest. Subway. Burger King. McDonald's.

Christmastime at the Schiphol Airport

The famous Amsterdam canals.

The famous I amsterdam sign.

The famous Dutch tulips.

The famous Dutch flower market.

Oh Amsterdam....

The famous Dutch cheese... do you see a trend here? I am proud to say that I engaged myself in cultural activities while in Amsterdam :)

Balsamic Mustard... tastes soooo good! Who woulda thunk?

Yeah.. that's not a common sight now is it?

My new Dutch clogs!

Erm, I probably gained a good 10 pounds while in Amsterdam all thanks to this delicious meaty cheesy thing called a kapsalon. Oy veyyy. Apparently it's a typical dish from Holland, although oddly enough it is only sold at Turkish food joints. It's basically a carne asada fries lover's dream. Chock full of MEAT, fries, CHEESE, veggies and crack-cocaine-garlic sauce, it's a party in yo mouth!

Street break-dancers.

Beautiful sunset.

Lucky for us, on Sunday, the public transportation system decided to go on a strike. Pain in the ass for tourists like us who have no car and have to suffer in below freezing temperatures; but I'm glad people stand up for their rights. FIGHT ON!

Of course Amsterdam's symbol would be XXX.

Trying not to fall into the canal. I value my life and getting hypothermia is not really my thing.

For every size and shape... literally.

Amazing Dutch ice cream at Van der Linde. They only have one flavor, but that's all you need. Plain and simple vanilla that's so rich and light at the same time that it almost tastes like buttery homemade whipped cream slightly frozen. Oh soooooo good.

Porto, Minha Bela Cidade

2011-11-03T11:40:00.000-07:00

If you're anywhere in Western Europe, Portugal should be a mandatory destination for your travels. Why? Because I said so. Totally kidding, but really, just trust me on this one - it'll be a decision you'll never regret. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to travel throughout the whole country but I made it to two very wonderful and beautiful cities, each in their own way. The second city I visited in Portugal was Porto, the port wine capital of the world. Yes, I know, I would. But hey, why not? A glass.. or two.. or three.. or four (maybe more) is good for you! Anyway, Porto is what I imagined every European city to look like with its old alleyways and beautifully colorful and old buildings. The people are wonderful, the food is cheap cheap CHEAP and delicious, and it doesn't hurt that almost every guy is good looking :P

Most of the buildings in Porto are covered in beautiful tiles.

As well as AMAZING street art.

The main cathedral of Porto.

The tall tower in the distance is called Torre dos Clerigos or the Clerigos Tower and is one of Porto's most iconic landmarks.

Old alleyway that my friend and I decided to meander through to see where it would lead us.

And here I trademark the wind-flattened hair look. I promise you, it'll be all the rage.

A Ribeira - the most touristy part of Porto which overlooks the Duoro River with it's colorful riverfront restaurants.

Behind me is another city along the Duoro River; Vila Nova de Gaia. And is also the world's port wine capital.

Can you tell just how excited I am to be drinking? Sometimes I scare even myself...

Sardinhas y arroz com tomate - Whole sardines with tomato rice aka DELICIOUS. Normally I'm not too big on sardines, but the fish was so fresh and had such a wonderful taste that I practically inhaled it. Oh, and a word of MUCH NEEDED advice when going to Porto - the portions are usually for 2 people. We didn't know, so we ordered 2 orders of the sardines aka enough food for 4 people and then some...yeah... good thing you can't have too much of a good thing, or so they say.

An old trolley we took to the beach.

And here my friends is the Atlantic Ocean.

Photoshoot

Note the look of pure bliss on the dog's face from us scratching her butt. Hilarious.

"Cali" as the Europeans would say for California

All the billboards with names on them are the wine caves that house the famous port wine.

City lights at night

The main plaza in Porto

My hostel in Porto - Gallery Hostel Porto. Probably one of the most amazing hostels I've been to. The hostel staff were the most friendliest and helpful and the bed was the most comfiest I've slept in since I've been in Europe and that's including my own bed at home... sadness. Once again, trust me on this one - this hostel is worth every penny.

Bite size perfection. Here I present to you a Portuguese limonhata. Filled with custard, sugar, and covered with a baked sugar coating. Sweet baby Jesus...

Pasteis de nata - the most traditional Portuguese dessert and my personal favorite. It's a simple egg custard like your typical egg tart but creamier and oh so fresh and heavenly. Gawd, my stomach is growling so loudly I think I might wake up my neighbors!

Not a very good photo but a photo regardless, of the inside of the Lello e Irmao taken by the rebel, yours truly. People are not allowed to take photos inside, but when you're told not to do something, you want to do it even more; it's human nature. Anyway, this bookstore is one of the oldest in Portugal AND third best bookstore in the world.

The bookstore's Art Nouveau facade.

We found some European coxinhas. Not as good as the ones in Brazil, but if it's got any kind of meat inside, I like it.

Really cool window displays

A Ribiera once again

Roasted castanhas (chestnuts) with a hint of salt. YUM.

Stylish hippie that I chased down to take a photo of... and ask where he got his shoes.

The wine cave we chose to go to for our "cultural event"

Their logo: "Sandeman, famous for pleasure"; I don't disagree.

Double-fisting crunkery with sherry (yellow) to my right and port wine (red) to my left. Very sweet and VERY strong. We made the best of our cultural experience by drinking all the left over glasses. Definitely got my money's worth.

Supposedly the best place to come and eat a francesinha - a traditional Portuguese sandwich that is the most authentic and delicious in Porto.

Rua Passos Manuel 226, Porto

With our two lovely Italian friends!

Sadly, I was too mesmerized by the beauty of this sandwich to stop eating and take a picture of the inside. But basically, a francesinha is a sandwich filled with layers and layers of MEAT: linguica or a smoke-cured sausage seasoned with garlic and paprika, another sausage called chipolata which is similar to Italian sausage, a fat piece of steak or roast meat, cured ham, tomato - all topped with melted cheese and drenched with a tomato-beer sauce. Egg; optional but not really and served with a side of fries and a tall refreshing glass of ice cold beer. Have I just described heaven? I think I have.

Finally, a beautiful picture of the town hall at night. One very profound Italian friend that I made on this trip told us that when we see something beautiful, we should take a moment and stop and soak in every ounce of beauty that emanates from it. Very moving and beautiful words. Thank you A.B. <3

Getting Lost in Sintra, Portugal

2011-10-25T05:29:00.000-07:00

From a recommendation by a friend, I decided to plan a trip to Sintra while in Portugal. Never heard of the place, but I figured hey why not? And boy was that one of the best decisions I've EVER made in my life. Thank you, thank you. Let's just say, it was really, really hard for me to leave. I even gave a hug to the guy working at our hostel to cling on to any last moments I could have in Sintra.... awkward? A little, yes but I couldn't help it.

Sintra, a small and extremely underrated town northwest of Lisbon is one of those places that puts you under some kind of magical trance. I know it sounds crazy, but I almost feel like the whole thing was a dream or a figment of my imagination because it was just too beautiful to be real. It's well preserved streets and buildings make you feel like you're part of a real-life fairytale. Sigh, it's been hard coming back to "real life" here in Madrid :P.

The people who work at our hostel stated that the best way to get to know Sintra and fall in love with it is to just "get lost" and that's exactly what we did.

Having a beer at 10am and boarding a train right after cannot be good...

Ummmm DELICIOUS?! Hamburger + beer = 3.70 euro.... yeah.. I know

City center

View from the window of our hostel

Travasseiros - a pastry native to Sintra that consists of puff pastry stuffed with almond paste and topped with sugar. I think it can only be found in Sintra because I scoured the bakeries in Porto hoping for one last taste, but unfortunately my belly was left travasseiro-less and very very sad.

City center at night. Everything in Sintra closes at 7pm... literally. Thus the empty streets.

Quinta da Regaleira - basically a residence for some rich man named Antonio Augusto Carvalho Monteiro... yep, he just built himself a palace as if he were a king cuz he mother effin' could. wtf.

Palacio da Pena - considered one of Portugal's seven wonders, this palace was built in the romantic architectural style.

WEEEE!

Dear Man Upstairs,

Can you give me a prince boyfriend ASAP?

With love, Hannah

Castelo dos Mouros - According to our trusty little friend, Wiki, this medieval castle was built during the 8th-9th century by the Arabs. Eventually, like the rest of the Iberian peninsula, this place was conquered by the Christians and is now a site where tourists can go and take pictures just like me :)

Little town of Sintra below!

Looks kind of like the ________________________ (hint: Beijing)

I can almost pass for Rapunzel - minus the long blonde hair, the royal blood, and a prince in shining armor to come and rescue me from eternal doom. mmhmm.

View of the Palacio da Pena from the Castelo dos Mouros

Bacalau, or cod-fish is commonly consumed by the Portuguese (maybe that's why they're all so gorgeous) and is a salted and dried version of the fish. So naturally, I had to try it and sweet baby Jesus was it delicious; ESPECIALLY after spending an entire day looking at castles sans food. This dish here is Bacalau a bras which consists of shredded bacalau with sliced onions, fried potatoes, and all brought together by an egg. It is usually topped with olives and parsley and it is the most popular way to prepare the dish. Yum

So this gallo or rooster is an iconic Portuguese figurine because there is a Portuguese myth that goes along with it. I would love to tell you the myth but I've heard like 5 different versions of it, so I'm pretty sure whatever I tell you won't be correct.

Final picture before walking back to the hostel to finally leave this beautiful and quaint little town... one of the saddest days of my life.

Snapshots of Life

2011-10-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

The past couple of weeks have been amazing. I've met some really wonderful people and have seen some really wonderful things and it's made me realize how much I treasure my sight and how blessed I am to be able to soak in all the beauty in this world with my own two eyes. A little sentimental, I know but sometimes I do have my human-esque moments.

Fresh and Fruity

Addictions

Catedral de la Almudena

Santiago de Bernabeu

Ayuntamiento de Madrid

Neon

When I came to Portugal, and I saw the people party I was like WTF.

BAMF

The color of friendship.

Change is Good

2011-10-15T11:21:00.000-07:00

Why is it always so SO true what they say about you inheriting traits that you detest in your parents? I loathed the fact that my dad couldn't stay put in one place for too long; I still break out in cold sweat when I see a cardboard moving box, or a Penske moving truck. But now, look at me - halfway across the world in Spain sitting in my room itching for some change. So what do I do to curb my incorrigible craving? Create a new effing blog. Yeah, exciting stuff, eh? Anyway, a friend has told me that at times I act like a libra (horoscope stuff for those of you who are completely lost) because I can't make up my GD mind and so here we are now, back to square one; back to the blogging platform I used when I first started blogging. I guess it's also true what they say - you always want what you can't have. Oy vey. Anyway, love me, love my blog, and love my ever changing mind... please.

And a photo to bribe you to love me:

Sad little girl whose friends don't love her. Don't let this be me. And yes, I was a creepy stalker and took this photo with 14x zoom.... I'm not helping my case am I? -.-