Barcaa woo, Madrid yuhh

La vida esta muy loca;

Mañana I am going here..

Barcaaaa woooo

and sabado I am going here...

Madre Mia Madrid

Jealousy is okay everyone. It is a real feeling and every feeling is validated by a reason. And that reason is that I just kick sincere ass and y'all are jealous of my good looks and kick-ass ability. Thank you MOM and DAD. 

I'm heading to explore the wonderful country that is mine - or that I reside in - with 3 Brits and my Belgium Princess. And I cannot wait! We are taking a plane to Barcelona tomorrow night, a plane to Madrid from Barcelona on Saturday, and the train home to Malaga on Monday evening. I am quite looking forward to the train because we've got a table - so we're going to bring snacks and cards and play M.A.S.H. and talk about boys and play Girl Talk and wear the red sticker zits and OH GOOD FUN.

Okay... maybe not so much... but this weekend will be one great big SLUMBER PARTY. 

I am beyond excited and I cannot imagine spending this weekend with anyone else. This is my last hurrah, my last big journey, or journey, period. I'm home in 3 and a half weeks. 3 and a half... how is this even possible? And although I am bursting with sheer excitement to come home and see everyone and get lots of presents at Christmas, I am heartbroken that I am not returning after Christmas! So this weekend means a bundle more to me than simply a drunken Spanish adventure, it symbolizes some serious memories with girls who have changed my life significantly. 

BUT. On another note, I am so giddily excited for home, for CHRISTMAS. It's the most wonderful time of the year, TRUTH. Beyond the stress of gift giving and finances, and making the effort to be everywhere you need to be, weather permitting - Christmas truly is wonderful. And I have never appreciated snow as much as I do this year. It is so strange to be listening to Xmas music while walking beside palm trees. Dont get me wrong - it's cold here. Y'know +14 with a windchill today, burrrr. When you're used to weather in the 20's - it is quite the change! I have a feeling I'm in for a real shock when I get home and I cant see over the snow banks.....awks.

OH! But rumour has it they are turning on the Christmas lights this weekend - which means we will get to see Barcelona and Madrid in all of it's Christmas glory!

MERRY HO HO TO ME. 

xoxoxox

- CB

Costa del lluvia...

So. I have a bone to pick. When I chose to spend my semester abroad in the South of Spain, Costa del sol, Malaga - I was under the impression that it was... I don't know... the coast of sun. FAULTY INFORMATION. In fact, we have all renamed it Costa del lluvia - the coast of rain. 

It is said that Malaga suffers from a sheer 60 days of rain. 60. Out of 365 - that's it! Only 4 days per month on average. BS. Malaga has literally rained and rained and rained and rained. The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plains? NEGATIVE. The rain is Spain follows my CB around and POURS.

I bought an umbrella here... I haven't owned an umbrella in years... (sorry Patti - yours is still at Christina's.. IOU)

okay. I can't completely complain - the temperature is still beautiful. Tonight I went out in a tank top, shorts and some tights, and I was a bit chilly walking home at like 1130pm - but it wasnt anything unbearable. Nothing a light cardigan couldnt fix! So in that respect - I am dreading coming home to the snow and cold, blizzard that the Great White North is. And When it is nice out, it is absolutely gorgeous! 20 degrees and sunny is PERFECT weather for late November.

However. While the girls and I were in Ronda on Saturday, we came home to a not so pleasant surprise. Malaga flooded. Malaga flooded badly.. here are some lovely photos from Saturday..
Keep in mind, all of this rain in Malaga is the equivalent to getting an inch of snow in Africa, they aren't used to it - and they don't know how to handle it!

Kayaking down a street I walk down daily! 

Oh! And a tornado at the airport.

And I'm hoping this link works.. MUST WATCH.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4600438300317

But I can't complain too much - because when it is nice out - it is absolutely perfect! 

xoxoxox

- CB

Ronda Ronda Ronda

Ahh! I feel like I always have so much to say, but it gets lost in text, and my fingers move too quickly for my body - out of sheer excitement - and I just can't handle all of the typos! But If you could see me right now I am bursting with JOY. Hardy HAR HAR. Happy Happy JOY JOY. Well... that seems mildly aggressive.. even for me. Like our usual, late and lazy Spanish fashion - on Friday, we decided to go to Ronda for a day trip on Saturday! We booked our bus tickets last minute, as per the usual, and of course began just another spontaneous adventure!This is seriously the most beautiful natural place I have ever witnessed in my life. And these eyes have witnessed a lot, I have to look at myself every day in the mirror, and if that isn't beauty - then what is? But seriously. Ronda kicks my ocean-blue-eyes and sun-kissed-freckles ASS.

Okay! So! Let me just BURST with history and descriptions of this beautiful creation of God. Ronda is about 100 km west of Malaga - it's a little town that is divided in half by this huge valley. The Old town, and the new town. The only way these two areas are connected is by this gorgeous gorgeous bridge. Look HERE..

There are old churches, old bridges, buildings from its Islamic times, Arabic Baths, cayons, valleys, rivers, and so much green. 

Ronda is full of ridiculous history and dates back to the Neolithic Age.. like what!? It was affected by Islamic domination, suffering from the Napoleonic invasion and the Spanish war. In fact, Hemingway's novel For whom the bell tolls describes the execution of Nationalist sympathizers early in the Spanish Civil War. The Republicans murder the Nationalists by throwing them from cliffs in an Andalusian village, and Hemingway allegedly based the account on killings that took place in Ronda at the cliffs of El Tajo.

How is this real life? For a girl that strives on history and comes from such a young,  -and sometimes a quite boring country (the war of 1812 can only be so interesting) - this stuff is GOLD. I adored it. I loved climbing and exploring through the streets and despite my fear of heights I enjoyed tempting my fate and leaning over the edges of the steep cliffs!

And of course, I was with some of my favourite people. I mean, really. Everyone deserves friends like mine!

That's all for now! I hope that you are all surviving the cold! Stay tuned for some photos of Malaga's flood while we were busy culturing ourselves in Ronda!

xoxoxo

-CB

To Paris with Love

Okay, okay. I know that this post is WAY overdue. But I just had so much fun in Paris I haven't been able to even think about writing it down because I like to pretend Im still there. You know, like speaking french to myself in the shower and ordering a hypothetical croissant, or hanging my clothes on the line as I sing french songs. It happens. It's my life. 

Now, excuse me while I adjust my music settings to an appropriate soundtrack for this blog. Gotta feel like I was right back in Paris. R & B it is, gotta love me some R. Kelly. 

It all began when we found a Starbucks in the Malaga airport. Absolute Success. A real cup of coffee. A fabulous change than the little cafe con leche I get. The plane ride was only about 2 hours and we arrived giddily in Paris around 10pm on Wednesday night. There was this really friendly guy, about our age waiting for a taxi. So naturally we started talking to him, you know, a young tourist is harmless. We found out we were heading in about the same direction and decided to split a cab with him. And then we were TAKEN. 

Nah, but seriously..

We walked out to our taxi where we met the love of our lives.. Mehdi. Mehdi used to live in Montreal for 12 year, is every race known to man, and offered us great advice on where to party. He informed us, that in fact, our hotel, was in, the, ghetto. Truth. Bag ladies, cart men.. the whole shabam. MEH. We were in PARIS. As we unload out bags from the taxi some creeper on the street screams to us about how he wants to sleep with us.. oh the ambiance. The city of love.

Fabi and I decide to set off and try to find some alcohol - her birthday was in 30 minutes! We walk into this place and the ambiance was just divine. Candles, sultry music, drapes and the scent of something high class. We begin to attempt to speak to the man who works there, and we though "Oh hey, he's taking us to look at the menu". Instead, he pulls back this curtain and leads us down this dark hallway with doors on either side. 
"OH MY DAYS. WE'RE IN A BROTHEL". Panic. Nerves and Anxiety over take my body. I didn't sign any contract, so I can't be held here out of my own true will. Until the man finally gets out the word "sauna". Thank the lord. We're just in some sauna, bar, pool table place, totally common folk.. So naturally, we have a couple drinks and head back to the hotel for our jammed packed day in Paris!

We start Thursday off correctly by stuffing our faces with pizza, croissants, baguettes and salad. Each of us with our own portion. We meet a great cab driver who provides us with latin music, Fabiola expressed that is is her birthday and he hands her a pack of random CDs and a package of gum! How kind!

We meet up with Fabi's cousin who lives in Paris, and we wandered all around! Taking the metro everywhere. We went to the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Champs Elysees, Museo d'Orsey, Notre Dame toutes les choses comme ca! We walked and walked and walked. And for the next day we did typical Parisian things.

Then, Friday, we get ready to go out hard in Paris! I asked the ladies at reception to open up our phone line so we could call a cab and call Fabi's cousin because we were meeting her the next day. But, of course, our phone wasn't working and the reception desk was closed. So, we prop open our door, and decide that we will wait to listen to see if we can hear anyone coming in or out, and we'll ask to use their phone. Keep in mind here, I am the only one who speak a lick of French. Fabi speaks Creole, but it is not the same. Then suddenly, we here the hustle and bustle of people, and Fabi pushes me into the hallway. Keep in mind, I'd just woken up from a nap, I was wearing pajamas, and I had makeup smeared down my face. So, I run. And I dont mean jog, or gracefully walk quickly, I mean, I ran. I was running a 100 meter race and there was a HUGE poutine waiting for me at the end. I just holler in a singsong voice "Bonjour" - because everything sounds better when it is a song. The look of sheer confusion on these poor Parisian students faces. I politely, yet frantically ask them if they speak English. And explain that I need to use their mobile if it is possible to make one phone call to Fabi's cousin. They werent sold on it, but then they took a second look at me and realized they were helping the less fortunate ( *refresher - makeup on face, pajamas..)
So Fabi dials her cousin, and after the phone call, says 'I need to make one more phone call". She pulls out Mehdi's business card and calls him.
"Bonjour Mehdi, C'est Fabiola and Katie"
'Oh Fabiola! Happy Birthday to youuu, Happ-'
"Shut up Mehdi, I dont have time for this."
They begin to exchange banter like a married couple about what club we should go to etc etc. Mehdi tells us he is send us a cab at midnight, out front of the hotel. 

That is in one hour! I HAVE MAKE UP ON MY FACE! IVE GOTTA GET READY.

So we get all nice and beautiful, and await our personal driver, later referred to as "Katie's Teddy". I was the only one able to communicate with him because I was the only one who was able to speak french. Fabiola thought she could communicate, and began screaming things in Creole, she'd look at me, and I'd have to translate. Teddy looked over at me and said "Elles sont folles". THEY'RE CRAZY. Yes, Teddy, you are more than just a cuddly bear, your'e observant as well. He takes us to the fantastic Latino club where we danced the night away. There were floors and floors of bars and different rooms. It was unbelievable. We got free drinks all night. We went to this VIP area where we got a free glass of champagne from these guys... and then I stole the bottle... 

Me and Teddy.

We danced and danced. But wait. It gets better. The very last song they played was from Dirty Dancing - "I've had the time of my Life". The lights went up, and people started to leave. But of course, as all of you know, give me a musical number and I will steal the show. The dance floor became my stage and I started to dance all of the musical theatre steps I know. All eyes on me. The world as my oyster. Fabiola comes rushing in, and it becomes a duet, like it is meant to be. And at last, comes the infamous jump. I'm ready, I've been waiting for a career break through like this my whole life. So, maybe it wasn't quite as magical as the movie, but it is a close second. Definitely up to par to my sister and her friend when they did a contemporary dance to "Meatloaf - I'd do anything for love" in her living room..

We headed to this other club which offered sub par music, lots of flamboyant men and then we called it a night. We persuade the cab driver to get us some necessary drunk food and crawl into our beds while we giggle about our night. Sleepovers rock.

Saturday was spent nursing some gatorade and walking the streets of Paris in the shopping district. What a great day. 

Our flight left Sunday morning and because our phone was broken we decided we should leave the hotel early and try to flag down a taxi. We walked for a good 35 minutes and realized that the further we walked, the deeper into the ghetto we were getting...
I went into a cafe to use their phone, but they didn't "have" one. We saw a Police car approaching., So. I did what any rational cop's daughter would do. I flailed the heck out of my life and flagged to Police down, you know, because the police are my friends. Besties. I explained our predicament and they kindly offered to call us a cab. They flagged it down on the street - stopping traffic for us poor North American girls - okay, so there was only one other car on the street and a lot of pigeons.. but still.

We successfully arrived at the airport. Hit some terrible turbulence on the way home. But made it safe and sound.

If that isn't a successful weekend trip, I dont know what is.
-CB xoxox

YOIGA

You're Only In Granada Once

CB & FE

It was 3:30pm on a hungover Friday afternoon and I rolled over to check my laptop to see how many unfortunate drunk messages I had sent to everyone back home the night before. And up pops a message from my favourite Brits. It began with the usual, 
"Can you believe -- insert hilarious moment that we did here -- happened last night?!?!".
And out of nowhere comes,
"Going to Granada tonight. Bus tickets are 10.62 one way, we'll leave at 8 and come back tomorrow." 
Hold on a minute. Can I just draw attention to the fact that as if I'm in SPAIN and we can decide to go to GRANADA and see and experience some of the most beautiful history I'll experience in my LIFETIME legitimately within 5 minutes of waking up. However, due to some serious website booking problems - we decided it would be best to leave Saturday at 1pm and come home Sunday at 7pm. So we walked in the rain to the bus station to get our tickets - sheer dedication. And we made the educated decision to have a chill Friday night so that we were fresh as daisies for our spontaneous weekend adventure. 
We booked our hostel and arrived at the bus station on time for once. In fact, the Brit Bitties were actually waiting on me - the tables had changed. We bought munchies for the bus ride and we were all buzzing with excitement. Keep in mind that this is the first trip we have taken outside of Malaga. The bus ride was beautiful, we drove through mountains and hills and the landscape was gorgeous. We saw abandoned houses    on their own secluded perch - we saw little towns hidden away amongst the hills - it was absolutely gorgeous. We giddily arrived in Granada while laughing and smiling and talking about the most bizarre things in the cab to the city centre. I really hope the cab driver wasn't able to understand English.. all I will say is.. foot fetish...
We arrived at our beautiful hostel! It only cost us 15 euro each for a night and it was nicer than the hotel that I stayed in when I first arrived in Malaga! And we decided to head out and explore. Some food for thought - these ladies are just as crazy as me (if not more so) . We ate some delicious churros - we walked the streets and explored a little bit and headed back to the hostel to get ready for dinner.
We danced around the hostel - jumping on the beds, taking inappropriate photos and being ridiculous girls. We went out for a delicious 3 course meal right in the centre and shared a bottle of wine. We bought a bottle of vodka, a bottle of peach schnapps, two bottles of 7up, 4 energy drinks and plastic cups for a total of 11 euros. Score.
After a few, or several, drinks we headed out to Granada Diez with a lovely girl who goes to school with Lily and Charlee in Birmingham. This club was unreal! It used to be an old theatre so it was huge and had all of these old doors and seats. The stage was amazing and the dance floor was great. The first thing you saw when you walked into the club was the spotlights on the stage. So of course, you can all assume how well I fit in. It's a good thing there wasn't a microphone or I would've reenacted my Audrey Monologue from Little Shops of Horrors.. "

"Oh Seymour, It's just a day dream of mine...."

But was it ever a sausage fest. Boys, sweaty boys, tall boys, short boys, old grown ass men. But we owned the night. Asking the bartender if we were allowed to dance on stage was the greatest decision I have made. Because we got up on that stage, the 5 of us girls, and danced our hearts out. Legitimately ALL the eyes were on us and we were eating it up. We were the Spice Girls on tour in Spain and the audience was cheering us on. Now I think it is important to highlight the type of dancing that we did. We are not strippers or entertainers so there were no suggestive dance moves. Instead, it was more along the lines of screaming out the lyrics to the songs - dancing like our Moms dance, dancing like our Dad's dance, dancing like white girls in a club when their jam comes on and the occasional trip over each others feet. It was a girls night and any guy that tried to invade was not-so-kindly scolded away. After all, so you think Posh would allow for creeper fans to get all up on her business? NAH. And the DJ was our body guard. Anyone who tried to climb on stage and dance along with us, was rudely told to get down. HOW IS THIS REAL LIFE.

Dear Creep, deodorant is not super expensive. He is legit in about 4 of our photos - just creeping in the back.

Spice Up your life. 

I ended the night stuffing my face with a Kebab and making small talk with some guy from Atlanta. North America represent.

The next day we spent traveling through the streets. We had a delicious hangover meal, we did a wee little workout in the outdoor exercise area, and hiked up to the view point of the beautiful Alahambra. Oh my goodness gracious was it ever beautiful. I am disappointed we weren't able to go inside, but the view was just breath taking. 
                     
                           Belgium Princess, Candian Bacon, Brit Bitties

We saw the Catedral and went into the Chapel where King Felipe and Queen Isabel are buried. The extravagant detail is unexplainable. I cannot even begin to describe the sheer brilliance of this art. It is so hard to fathom that all of the intricate detail was produced by hand, centuries and centuries ago. 

This weekend was such a beautiful and stellar weekend that was very much needed. When everything else seems to be failing (spanish education system in specific), travelling is the one thing that makes it all better. And being able to experience it with my amazing friends.

Tomorrow? Je vais a Paris pour 5 jour et je suis tres excitee pour ca! 
Hasta luego, xox
--CB

Tis the Season

Happy November 1st! Do you know what that means? Today is the official day that I get into the Christmas spirit - Hallowe'en is over and although Christmas is still 54 days away - it is now socially acceptable for me to listen to Christmas Carols. If the stores are allowed to sell Christmas Candy then I am sure as heck allowed to listen to tunes and look forward to the holidays! 

Tis the start to Starbucks holiday drinks and sweets and I am awfully disappointed I am missing out on it. You know Christmas is coming when start to see all the red and white Christmas cups scattered across Laurier campus. Sigh. I miss it.
These holidays are extra special for me because it will be the first time I will be home in over 4 and a half months! What can get more exciting than that? A Kebab from Alameda, maybe... but I'll get my dose of those before I come home!

For any of you that know me well, you all know that Christmas is the KING of all holidays in my mind. Who doesn't adore peppermint tea, peppermint hot chocolate, peppermint candy, peppermint ice cream, and of course, peppermint shots. NO ONE. That is who. Tis the season for fresh breath and mistletoe. 

Plus, I'm quite a fan of the jolly old fat man in red that sneaks through your chimney and leaves presents. Don't forget to leave a carrot out for Rudolph!

So. As the holidays approach, the more excited I get to come home! So I decided to compile a list of things that I cannot wait for when I get home to the Great White North...and I bet it will be pretty damn white...

**N.B. In no particular order.

1. POUTINE. regular - gourmet - CHIPS - GRAVY - CHEESE
2. Starbucks - best caffeine boost of my entire life
3. Sushi. Sushi. Sushi. - tempura in and around my mouth please
4. Home cooked meals.
5. Cooking my own meals with groceries that I can actually understand.
6. PHILS.
7. Maple Syrup
8. Smokehouse wrap and Canadian Burger from good ol' Montys.
9. This really handsome guy that I know.
10. Family and Friends!

There are like a billion other reasons - but I will continue to add to the list as the holidays approach - can't give away the whole cow....or something...

Happy November 1st! And Thank you Spain for being so lazy we have a 4 days weekend! xo 
--CB