...These & Those..

Note: Written last night!

I find myself watching a dubbed Spanish documentary about science fiction movies with my roommate Lucia in the living room of our house in Murcia. As an unseen narrator sputters details regarding a film set in Mars the first sensation of cool breeze for the day enters the room via an open side door. Being almost 10pm this previously unknown stranger is a highly welcome guest.

After a little over three weeks living in the southern Spanish city of Murcia the sensation of actual breeze has become something to truly cherish. Despite seeing some rain within the first handful of days in Murcia the general climate for this region of the country is typically sunny and arid. On average the temperature each day has hovered around 85 degrees fahrenheit however people have warned that during the summer months there are consistent weeks of inferno-like heat ranging in the 100+ variety. This kind of heat also brings to the forefront a very simple yet extremely important natural phenomenon: the wonders of shade. I feel safe to say that after almost a month as an English assistant I still hardly know anything about Spain, it's vibrant history, the endless gastronomic adventures it offers, and it's wonderful culture. The one thing I absolutely DO know is where to find shade. This has been arguably the most important thing to learn, more so than bus routes, directions to pubs and locations to restaurants. Without capitalizing on shade it is hard to get by each day in Murcia.

Thanks to the presence of lingering warmth at all hours of the day Murcia is prime for those who enjoy spending afternoons or evenings in plazas or outdoor dining establishments. The people of this city love being outside and at all moments of the day is it hard not to find a allies, streets, and terraces filled with locals of all ages having a good time. For many people the day starts and ends in a plaza. Groups of elderly people can be seen replaying the events of their day alongside university students priming for a night on the town all on the same park bench. Musicians play flamenco guitars or soft accordion serenades reminiscent to Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris" as couples go on slow strolls through winding dim lit stone passageways. A fun evening can easily consist of simply ordering a "caña" (beer) and a tapa while watching life unfold in refreshing relaxation. 

Tonight will be a fairly calm evening because tomorrow Lucia and I will take a Bla Bla car to Granada and will spend two days visiting the son of our other roommate Lola. Just in case no one has heard of Bla Bla you are not alone. I had never heard of it either until arriving in Spain. Bla Bla is a ride-sharing service similar to Lyft, Sidecar, or Uber however instead of traveling within cities it is used as a means of going from one city to another. It's by far the cheapest way to travel in Spain and also maybe the most interesting. 

Granada, a city of roughly 250,000 inhabitants, is located about 1.5 hours southwest of Murcia and is famous for its bountiful tapas community, rich Moorish heritage, natural landscapes thanks to its close proximity to the Spanish Sierras, and arguably the country's most famous citadel in Alhambra. Once in the city we plan on hanging out with Paco, Lola's son who is studying there, and wander like its becoming a trend. 

The return from Granada on Sunday will keep alive a three weekend streak of managing to explore neighboring cities outside of Murcia. Last week two friends from the teaching program, Lieven from Belgium and Susie from Los Angeles, and I took a short bus trip in order to spend a Sunday in Cartagena. Between meeting two Couchsurfers for tours around the beautiful Teatro Romano and seafood at Santa Lucia's the day was fantastic. The weekend before that Lieven and I visited Alicante to walk around the coastal cities sun scorched beaches and see El Castillo de Santa Barbara. Both cities are located along the Mediterranean Sea and boast picturesque views of endless water horizens. The region of Murcia is highly underrated and is a great place to visit especially if you know people who live there (hint hint hint!!).

More updates are coming soon about Granada but until then I hope that who ever reads this is having a nice Friday!

Sorry for the very wordy update and thank you for checking out this blog! You look really delightful right now :)

                          Cheers ;)