We interrupt these blogs about San Sebastian to tell you about Burgos and life in Valladolid.

 Life in Valladolid is going along pretty smoothly. It has been raining here. Well. It rained on Wednesday and Thursday. So I bought an umbrella at the “Todo a Dos Euros” store. It’s plaid, and obviously very cheap, but it serves its purpose.

Also, last night I went to a discoteca and actually enjoyed it! We went out to a few bars first, where I just stood around and talked with people because I didn’t feel like spending money on a drink, but then we went to El Lio, which I liked because 1) their sign is so cute. And 2) they played enough Latiny music for me to feel comfortable dancing. So I actually danced instead of standing around awkwardly. Oh yeah! I thought of another reason that I like El Lio: It’s like a block and a half from our house!

Anyway. . .I didn’t get back until after 3, so. . .I was tired today and probably didn’t enjoy Burgos as much as I would have had I had a full nights sleep. However. Burgos was still pretty and it didn’t pour and make it miserable like the forecast said!

Burgos is the town our professor Dr. Hiltpold calls home. I finally got a clear picture of him so you can see what he looks like. 

Also, he's very tall. 6'4"

 

Anyway. Burgos is very picturesque as you can see here:

They apparently tie the branches of these trees together and then they grow together.

Plaza Mayor

A picturesque street

And it was also the home of El Cid, mercenary and legendary war hero of Spain.

You can’t see it very well here, but his beard is very flowing. Amy and I agreed that it was like Davey Jones' beard in the second Pirates of the Caribbean movie, but with hair instead of tentacles

And this is my face in reaction to having “Call Me Maybe” stuck in my head. Grrrr. I am surprised to find out people actually like the song. Yes. It is catchy. But it’s so. Stupid.

If you are one of the people who enjoys the song, you have my complete respect, but none of my sympathies.

La Catedral: the highlight of Burgos. And like most of the sights I take pictures of, these don’t do it justice, It is grand and beautiful. It’s a gothic cathedral so the original was built in the shape of a cross, but so many chapels and other additions are now part of it, that the cross shape is hidden. This is where we went first. And I think my favorite thing about it overall was the ceilings. And I also tried to actually take pictures of the people in the group so you can see who I’m talking about.

Ok, so this isn't pretty or grand or anything, but I thought it was an odd juxtaposition.

Inside:

Left to right, starting with the guy in the dark blue sweatshirt: Andy, Chris, Daniella, and Dylan

The choir place. Beautiful wood.

After the cathedral we hiked up a lot of stairs to see the castle, which was rather unimpressive, especially after the cathedral, so the highlight was really getting to eat our lunches that our mamás had packed for us. (Our mamá packs us good lunches. Usually a bocadillo or sandwich, and a juice box and fruit and a snacky thing. Today it was peanuts in the shell!)

Burgos is one of the few cities in Spain that still has all its medieval walls. I think.

View from the viewpoint

The view of the group from the viewpoint

Creativity in eating lunch in the kind of rain.

After the castle we had free time, with which Sam, Mary, Daniella and I got chocolate and churros and shopped.

Then we went to a monastery after lunch (home to an order of monks which don't talk most of the time), which I was super tired for. . .but the ceiling was pretty. And it smelled good.

And that's pretty much Burgos!