Tourist mentality checked at the door

Apparently this weekend was longer than your usual weekend for all involved. Yesterday was some mysterious holiday here, so we didn't have class on Friday or today. I hope everyone on the other side is enjoying Columbus Day weekend. I can tell you that I'm pretty sore about missing the Scituate Art Festival - not physically, sore like a guy who's angry in a movie in the 1950's. If any supermarket is open today I am going to go buy some eggs and try my hand at making apple dumplings. I will post pictures of my success or shame.

So this weekend featured an Erasmus trip to the pretty impressive and certainly tiring-for-the-pedestrian cities of Oviedo and León. I was most excited to see Oviedo, as I saw it featured in Woody Allen's newest, 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona,' and was impressed. The city was very impressive for what I saw of it. The food was great, the drinks were cheap and theatrical, the public parks had soft grass for laying, and the people were really helpful to two wandering Americans.

We actually spent the most time in León. I wasn't so impressed with the city itself so much as I was by its history. It was like any other city really, save for its impressive story. The cathedral and smaller church were impressive in the way that a really old cathedral and church should be, and the city also features one of Gaudí's building projects, which was cool to see, though I thought it seemed a bit subdued for what you expect from his stuff. But really, I have to say, the place, Casa Botines, would have made an amazing castle for Super Mario Bros. I recommend that you go there and hum the Castle Theme from Super Mario World for Super Nintendo for the full effect.

My favorite part of the Léon stay was cutting off from the group for a seemingly endless, though entirely successful at every step, journey for draught beer and its acommpanying snacky goodness, the delicious tapa. Andy and I probably hit near a dozen fine establishments, though we found seven that actually served tapas with drinks. Really I had been looking forward to the trip as a good way of forging stronger relations with my fellow Erasmus kids, because that's what these trips are usually good for. Instead it happened that the trip gave me the opportunity to reflect lot on myself, in a good way, and to strengthen the friendship between myself and my likewise male flatmate through the copious sharing of food, drink, and pedestrian adventures.

It had taken me a while to figure out, but I decided on that trip that the thing that separates me and a select few from the whole of the Erasmus group and the thing about some that really grates on me is the fact that they seem to have it in their heads that they're on a long vacation all the time. While I am having fun and this is a break from the norm, I had some time ago committed myself to the idea that this is not a vacation for me. I am living in Spain for one year; this is my home for the time being, and I will compose myself in an according fashion.

Pictures to follow.

Love,
Cory