BETSY'S GUEST BLOG

Hammin’ It Up!

I just couldn’t decide what to “blog”!  There were so many wonderful sights and experiences from which I could choose……that I couldn’t choose.  So finally I simply decided to share what I learned about one of my favorite subjects in any country…..food!  I did not know that Spanish people really love ham!

Like in the U.S., you can have ham for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Over the course of our two weeks in Spain, we probably did have ham for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  And it was quite tasty!  But, it just felt to me like the Spaniards are particularly passionate about their jamón (ham)!  I mean we even saw a Museo del Jamón (Museum of Ham) in Madrid.  As is turns out, this is the name of a bar.  Travel writer Rick Steves calls the Museum of Ham a “stand-up bar (with famously rude service)” that is “tastefully decorated – unless you’re a pig (or a vegetarian).”

Rows and rows of whole legs of pigs including the hoof were on display in shop windows in every city that we visited, so I think it’s quite common to purchase the entire leg of ham, as well as buying it sliced.  On our flight from Madrid to Sevilla, I saw what appeared to be several businessmen boarding the flight each holding a leg of ham wrapped in paper (you know, as a carry-on item!).

Here’s what I learned from additional research after returning home.  The best ham is the jamón iberico.  It comes from a line of ancient black pigs originating in Spain that have a different DNA sequence than traditional pink pigs.  The secret, it seems, is that they are “happier” and fatter pigs; raised in a more stress-free open environment, fed acorns, and slaughtered much later than regular pigs. Their fat composition is very high in mono unsaturated fatty acids on par with extra virgin olive oil.  These are the good fats that raise our good HDL values while lowering the bad LDL cholesterol values.  Jamón iberico is specially prepared and cured over two years to deliver a sweet and unique nutty flavor.  However, as with anything that tastes this good, it does not come cheap.  From what I have read, this ham sells from $17 to $32 per pound.  I guess that why it was always served in very thin slices.

Here’s one last ham tidbit from Rick Steves:  “Spaniards treasure memories of grandpa thinly carving a jamon, supported in a jamonero (ham-holder), during Christmas, just as we savor the turkey-carving at Thanksgiving.”  And with that, let me wish all my readers a Happy Thanksgiving!

tis the season

i know, i know.

it's not even thanksgiving yet.

it's not time to start "tis the season"-ing.

but isn't it always the time "to be jolly"...?

and according to what i'm seeing around here...

it's the season to prepare yourself!

see? pretty awesome.

i cannot wait until the decorations start to light up.

i'm guessing that'll happen come december.

december!

(fun fact: that ridiculous amount of people...

you can't even see most of them from this picture...

that's the line to see the world cup.

yes. THE world cup was in sevilla, in my neighborhood (triana).

on the street on which i walk to class (san jacinto).

ya know what else it's the season for?

hint #1

hint #2

hint #3

VILLANOVA BASKETBALL.

the season opener is tonight in the pavilion. 

(sigh)

"The Sixers averaged 14,224 fans last season at the Wells Fargo Center while Villanova played to a near-capacity average of 19,001 fans in its five regular-season games in South Philly last year… The Wildcats boast of their ”Nova Nation” and it looks more like a continent when dressed in blue at the WFC." (foxsports.com)

make sure your volume is on.

i may be the only one that gets a kick out of this.

BUT

i decide what goes on here, so....

un anuncio:

well, a few:
-so i added pictures that dad wanted to share with his 2 posts. check those out. i'm jealous i couldn't go to nerja too! (also, there is still some thoughts from spain coming from the backseat of the 'moto.')

-also, i'd like to announce to anyone who may come across this...i'd like to say i'm officially homesick. yup. i know i've experienced culture shock. that was the real deal for the first couple of weeks here. and now it's homesickness. the real deal. two months in and here i am. making lists of things i miss about home. to be fair, i made a list of what i'll miss about spain. it's not quite as long, but there are some big things. thanksgiving's right around the corner, too. dun dun dunnnn
no, but really. i don't want anyone thinking i'm taking this adventure for granted. that's what it is, probably my biggest adventure yet.
i just finished the book "tuesdays with morrie" (in english. i know. don't tell anyone.) and morrie talks about how you let yourself feel immersed in whatever emotion, then you know what it feels like, and you can let it go and move on. he let himself feel self-pity and sorry for a little bit every morning. then familiar with that emotion, he can move past it. so...familiar with the aches of homesickness, i'm gonna keep busy (obviously), continue experiencing what sevilla (and other great places) have to offer, then be able to share them with home once i get there.
also, i think i need to swear off michael buble's "home." i did that before. i wouldn't listen to it until i acutally was home, or until december 17th, when the lyrics would be appropriate. but then we went to that concert. and then i listened to it last night. so well...i gotta give it a break.
as much as i'd like to swear off skype, too... i'm not quite that strong. i think that was the root of this homesickness plunge. skyping with friend who sat together on the other end of the call. i realized it's one thing to miss people individually, which i am doing quite passionately. but it's another thing to miss people together, their relationships, how one plays off the other. that's just as important to me. for example....if you watch the office....jim is a great character. dwight is a great character. but their relationship is what really makes the show. all those relationships. michael and toby is another one. (well, then there's andy and kevin who don't need anyone else. they're just the bomb by themselves.)

ok. class time.
can you believe that i couldn't wait for monday to come? who does that?
this girl did. gotta stay busy!

(enjoy the moment)

PETE'S GUEST BLOG (numero dos)

Oct. 27^th and 28th

Planes, Trains and Automobiles!

It seems I remember a movie by that name.  As our Moto tour continued Bets and I left Granada headed to Nerja on the Mediterranean coast of Spain.  Looking at the map I suggested an alternate route through or over the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  This was the most beautiful ride I have ever taken. 

Through the twisties (switchbacks) we ascended to 2500 meters before we found ourselves at a military gate (on a public road I thought) and a guard saying we could no longer continue on 2 wheels due to the snowy conditions on the road ahead.  We had to turn around and “go back to Granada” to get to the south.   “Maria” (our Spanish gps host) helped again with an alternate route after we descended.  I absolutely did not care if it took 3 weeks to get to Nerja as long as we could keep riding in these perfect conditions, although my riding partner was very relieved to be off “that mountain”.  

We rode on to Nerja along the coast and decided the Pacific Coast Highway had nothing on these sights.  Amy taught me in Sevilla to ride where I needed to go so I took us right down to the front door of our hotel.  Bets checked in and I gathered our gear and readied to unload the moto.  The hotel owner came out and suggested I park elsewhere before the police came and cited me for driving in a pedestrian zone.  Thanks Amy!  I parked underground and returned to the hotel.  We were on the second floor of three and were invited up to the roof top when we were settled.  Up on the roof terrace we “checked in” with Ian the owner and learned a bit about the city.  We then walked through the streets to the coast and dawdled in the surf admiring the sights, smells and old world charm that the walls and buildings exuded.  We walked back before dark and put in our order for breakfast.  Off to bed to prepare for another adventure tomorrow.

                
  After a relaxing breakfast we left Nerja, headed to Sevilla around 10:30 following a combination of Ian’s directions and Maria’s commands.  We arrived in Sevilla about 2:15 to meet Ignacio, our rental service manager at the dealership and return the moto until next week.  Taxi to Amy’s and wait for her to get back from school.  Pack for a 4 day trip to Toledo and Madrid, then a Taxi ride to the Airport.  We flew to Madrid, subway (Metro) including a pick-pocket attempt, High-speed train, then taxied to the hotel in Toledo.  Motorcycle, airplane, underground train, automobile, high-speed train.  Thank God for the transportation geniuses before us!  All together again we collapsed in the hotel Eurico in Toledo and rested for more adventure tomorrow.             

PETE'S GUEST BLOG (numero uno)

“Pinch me”……Worth the (a little bit) over ½ century wait!!

Well, I’m sure I don’t deserve the honor of being a “guest blogger” on Amy’s alive abroad page but we are abroad with her……God doles out many of his gifts as surprises and I sure am glad I get to share this magical birthday with my family.  Looking back is always interesting and it brought Betsy and me to southern Spain to visit Amy as she is in mid-semester “studying abroad” from Villanova.  Having never been abroad, I knew not what to expect.  The individual perspective on life is so different than what I am accustomed to in the US.  It is apparent in the culture and all of the activity from how the Spaniards work and relax to the perpetual history and it’s ramifications.  But I digress, today Amy and I left Bets in Seville and took off for the Atlantic coast on our rented motorcycle (moto).  We got to our destination, Jerez, and decided to continue to the Gulf of Cadiz.   

The weather, traffic, company and machine were perfect as we strolled on the beach and I thought life could get no better.  Ahh but it does, we returned to Seville to catch up with Bets and decided we needed a late siesta.  Sorry, we were tired!  We woke up to find Bets ready (still) to go for a walk and look for dinner around 6 ‘ish.  We walked toward the Cathedral and decided to go to Las Escobas Restaurant.  As many of the restaurants do, the tables were set up on the broad walks on the street and it was very busy.  Amy introduced us to the local fare and I had Paella and Cerveza.  I really enjoy hearing Amy speak the language with authority.  I am very thankful also that she bailed us out a few times (times one hundred!).  On an unbelievable Spanish night with my beautiful family after a tremendous travel day including the gorgeous sights it has not been any better in my life …..yet. 

a few things i learned in madrid:

1. ticketmaster is not the coolest. don't expect customer service from them. if you leave 3 messages for them, don't expect a call back. but actually... if you'd like to avoid any of this hassle, remember to bring your tickets to the event. better yet, choose 'will call.'

2. water and contact solution are not equals. 'nuff said.

3. i am such a mix of both of my parents, it's funny. when things happen that are negative or unfortunate, instead of looking back on it and saying what should have been done, look forward and figure out what you're going to do to make it right/fix it. when there's a deadline, go confidently, work patiently, one thing at a time, and you'll make it. everything will work out.  --  i keep to myself more, don't say much when there's nothing really to say. i find myself sitting quietly instead of searching for something to say. i soak things in, but exclaim when something seems a little ridiculous. i need help, but only if i ask for it. i'm strong and i know it. i can do a lot of things. i can keep up and hold my own.  --

4. michael buble is the man. quite the entertainer. quite the musician. he sings and it seems effortless. sometimes i think i should have been born in sinatra's are. i love that crooner stuff. (i mean, i do love me some jay-z, kings of leon, third eye blind...love the variety). but the man is funny. he busted out a little black eyed peas, michael jackson (moonwalk & all), some spanish speaking... i was loving it.

5. going from sunny sevilla to rainy madrid in late october is a shock. i think because i didn't ease into the temperature change... shoot. i may or may not be in trouble come mid december when i go from a place where it never gets below freezing to winter in pa.

6. midterms may be a little more effort than i thought. i'm not on vacation? haha no, i know that. but i have some work to do this week! (how am i supposed to catch up on my tv shows that i missed last week?)

mom journaling and dad typing...

is this foreshadowing?

maaaaybe you should look out for a guest blogger.