Travel blog kick-off

So the study abroad blog idea was essentially a failure, but I'm back with my new travel blog. I fear that it will probably succumb to a similar fate, but here's to trying.

First and foremost, I am officially DONE with fall semester. Today, in a somewhat dingy coffee shop in Cordoba on a pay-as-you-go computer, I submitted my final essays. It was glorious. I had written my final project last night (finishing at 4 am) but had a couple little guys to knock off before the 1 pm deadline today. But enough with that boring stuff.

Here's a quick run through of my day:

Today I got up at 8 to grab my train to Cordoba. Running of 3 1/2 hours of sleep, I set my alarm for a few minutes before we'd arrive at the station and nodded off. When I woke up, we were coming down the off the Meseta and there were just gorgeous moutains and rolling hills, covered in green. The sky was covered with clouds, but fortunately, we went into a tunnel and came out on the other side to a perfectly blue sky and the sun shining. It was beautiful.

When I got off the train, I could swear it smelt like the ocean. Cordoba all day has been a huge tease. I keep thinking, smelling, feeling like I'm near the ocean, but I am absolutely not near it. Something about the palm trees and the orange trees and the would-be ocean high rises is completely tricking me and in the most disappointing of ways.

In the train station, I picked up a ticket for the last missing leg of my trip (Granada-Sevilla), found a map, and started walking. I just was wandering in search of a café with free wifi (something I've realized I'm horrible at doing). I passed through the wall into the Jewish Quarter and walked a bit around it's narrow streets, which was amazing. Once I found a café, I got my work done and then hit the streets in search of a new camera charger (mine was mysteriously absent when I was packing last night). In the midst of the search, my friend Jocelyn from Middlebury got off class so she called me for lunch. I had a great time eating with her, trying the local Salmorenjo and practicing good ole español. Stopped by her apartment to look for a Sony retailer and took the trek out there. They charged me and arm and leg for it, but in the current bind, I didn't feel like I had much of a choice. Then walked from there through the Old City (the Mosque, the Alcazar, the Roman Bridge) over to the hostel from where I'm writing you all now.

I have a super sassy roommate that just walked in. Dusk is falling right now and he just mumbles to me "Do you want a light on?" and then gave me this very sassy look. Anyways, I am now off to tour the inside of the Alcazar (fortress) since it's free on Wednesdays until 7:30.

Hope you are all excellent. Miss you lots.

jason

P.S. As a general outline, my travel plans for the next three weeks are: Cordoba, Granada, Seville, Madrid (home), San Sebastian, Bilbao, Bordeaux, Poitiers, Paris. Should be a good time.