PARENTS!!! 08/03-11/03

Friday- 08/03
Today I woke up naturally again and then laid in bed for an hour just resting. It was a wonderful morning! I took my time getting ready and then went off to my cine class.  It is cloudy today but still warmer than it has been. I think spring is really here! In cine we watched a very violent movie about some spanish king (it all blurs together after a while).  I then stayed in the classroom to do some homework before deciding to head home.  On my way home I again ran into those two CSB/SJU students and I chatted with them for a while before actually getting home. I ate lunch with Sakina, Puri and Puri's good friend Virginia which was a really fun time. Virginia is a really nice lady and it is always nice to have one more around the table.  I had to leave lunch early (4:10="early") to get to the Plaza Mayor for an excursion with the group.  We went to see the Cathedral at the Plaza Mayor that I went to mass in earlier this semester.  It is pretty much like every other cathedral ever but our tour was SO long and it was really cold inside.  We were told it would be a bit less than an hour and we toured for 1.5 hours because our professor really likes to talk. Normally it would be ok, but 30 min into our visit mom and dad texted that they were here and I just wanted to go see them! So I texted them during the tour and then told them to meet me in the Plaza Mayor after I was done.  I ran out to greet them when we were finally released and they got to see my whole group! They then took me and a few friends to a bar called Juan Bravo for a glass of wine and some tapas. It was really fun for my friends to get to know them and for them to put faces to my friends.  After drinks and tapas we headed to Puri's house so that I could pick up some clothes and such to stay at the hotel.  We of course got held up chatting for a while which was good, but then escaped to go find a place to eat dinner.  We stumbled across this place called Jose Maria really close to the hotel that was wonderful. Dad and I split a salt baked cod and mom got some sort of steak which she said was delicious! We had wine, dinner, dessert and everything was wonderful. Come to find out this restaurant was number one in Segovia and had 5 stars from trip advisor! We are good at finding yummy places! After dinner we went back to the hotel and went to bed. They had had a long day traveling and I always like lots of sleep.

Saturday- 09/03
We slept in pretty late and got ready quickly to make it to the hotel breakfast before it closed at 10:30am.  After breakfast we went and took a tour of Alcazar, walked around, went to the top of the aqueduct and then went to say hello to Puri and Virginia again. We were supposed to just be saying hello for a min but Puri ended up cooking a huge lunch and we were here chatting for a long time! It was really fun. Mom and Dad did really well holding their own but a few hours into conversation started getting tired so we decided it was time to leave.  Mom had read about a convent full of cloistered nuns that sells sweets so we went on a wild goose chase to find it. After asking lots of people we found it and bought all different kinds of cookies! We went back to the hotel to try them and they were delicious.  After that we went to a bar on the Plaza Mayor for a drink and a tapa (tortilla on bread) which was delicious and very fun! Very crowded time and very typical thing to do. It was then time to wander around and kill some time before dinner so I showed them around and we stopped by a churro place that only opens on weekend nights.  We each got a little one and ate it as we walked around.  It was finally then time for dinner (mom and dad made it until 9pm, it was great!). We went to a restaurant that was recommended by people and #12 on Trip Advisor.  Mom was brave and tried the cuchinillo (suckling pig) and it was not her favorite.  I got a goat cheese salad that was just ok and dad got a fish that was dec.  The best part was that for dessert I got a sheep milk yogurt with peach jam that was wonderful! Not our favorite restaurant but it was a good experience.  After that we were tired and decided to go back to the hotel and call it a night.

Sunday 10/03
Today we slept in again but not as late as yesterday. We all showered, put our walking clothes on and went to breakfast.  I took them down by my school and then around lots of walking paths that go above and below Alcazar.  We also saw the Jewish Cemetery that I found at the beginning of the trip. Turns out we walked over 6 miles! After that long walk we went to a restaurant that Gladys had recommended, it had a Jewish influence and was close to the hotel. I was starting to crash and need food so we all just got the "menu del dia" which was ensalada mixta, salmon, and then ponche (a typical segovian cake). The lunch was amazing! Everything was wonderful and then we got the best cup of coffee I've gotten in Segovia. I loved this place.  After such a busy morning/afternoon we went to the hotel and mom napped while dad and I watched Clear and Present Danger which was really good. It took a lot of motivation to pull ourselves out of bed to go out again.  We decided to go bar hopping and just try several different tapas.  We started off at the Cerveceria where beer, tapas, and a sparkling wine I like are all just one euro each.  We got a few little sandwiches and fries to share.  We then moved on to three different bars in the Plaza Mayor (close to the hotel, one was in the hotel!) which was very fun. I got hot chocolate at one of the bars which was delicious! It was good to have a light dinner because our lunch was huge! After so much bar hopping we were tired and decided to go to bed because it was going to be an early morning.

Monday 11/03
Sadly I did not sleep well last night and woke up in the middle of the early morning with the worst stomach ache. It was not the most fun! I walked mom and dad to the aqueduct, said goodbye and then took a 30min nap before getting myself ready for class. Mondays are my long days which was hard after not sleeping well but it went ok. I gave out the rest of the convent sweets mom and dad bought to the class and everyone was very grateful. I also gave Gladys her gift from mom and dad and she was so sweet, so sad to have missed them but she was out of town for the weekend.  After class I had a huge lunch with Puri and Sakina and then was wiped! I was planning on having tonight and tomorrow before my 4:30 class to do homework and rest (we have a lot of stuff coming up) but now tonight I have to do a group project (I HATE group projects, why must they exist?) and tomorrow Puri is having me meet/chat with one of her friends all morning. So that will be great.  But anyways after lunch I took a nice nap which was much needed. I would have probably slept longer but I had to get to school for the group project! It went fine, I did a lot of the work which always happens. I just wanted it to be done! I came home and then had dinner with Puri and Sakina which lasted for a long time and was a lot of fun. We talked about life, gay marriage, and lots of fun things. After dinner Sakina taught me some more about Japanese and we made paper cranes. It was a really nice night! Even after napping I'm still tired so it is time for me to call it a night and get some sleep. What a great weekend :)