When in Rome (pun intended) we wanted to explore a bit more of Italy. 

An hour train ride and 30 euro later, we arrived in Florence. Firenze to the locals. The city had more of a hometown feel to it, and while it was a rainy overcast day, it was still beautiful.

The city, in general, was a lot more elegant than anywhere I have visited.

The true feel of Tuscany was apparent in the Renaissance architecture and tiny side streets with expensive buildings and shops.

The piazzas and palazzos are so historic and beautiful that you can't help but stop to take a picture of everything the city is lined with. 

And while some photos aren't permitted...
I was able to sneak a photo of Florence's most famous resident.

Florence, Italy was a beautiful city that made me feel less like a tourist and more like an Italiana.

On the particular day trip we made into the city, it also made me feel like a chocoholic. 

Spain, take a few notes, because while churros con chocolate are one of my favorite foods, the cioccolato festival in Florence's main square blew all of your tiny churreria's out of the water. 

I think I'd go back only for the chocolate!

I, my friends, have been a bad blogger. 

This post is solely for the purpose of stating my apologies for neglecting this blog and my readers for the past month. I have gotten a few strongly worded emails wondering what has been happening, and I just wanted everyone to know that sometimes life gets in the way, even in España. 

The truth is that living here it is just that....living. Another destination on a map. Another place where people work, live, play, siesta and fiesta. 

Overall, I apologize for being a bad blogger the past month. But life just got in the way!

Once upon a time... 
there was a young girl who went to a land far far away from her own. 

At six feet tall with blonde hair and light eyes, the girl looked nothing like the people around her. 

They stared at her and shouted at her on the street, "¡Rubia! ¡Americana! ¡Hija!" in a language she didn't understand. They spoke very quickly, and insisted on giving her two kisses each time they met.

The people ate strange foods she had never seen, like the ears of pigs. They drank, a lot. Sometimes early in the mornings. And usually until very late at night.

Their towns and cities shut down in the middle of the day. And they walked. Everywhere.

The young girl was very uncomfortable in this land, and cried almost every night wishing she could go back to her own land.

After time had passed, as it always does, the girl began to learn.
She learned the new language. She learned to like strange foods. She learned how to fiesta and how to siesta. She learned how to be comfortable in a land away from her own.

She not only began to learn, but, she began to love. With every new word she spoke, every bite she took, and every step she made, she began to love the new land she was living in.

In a short time, this young girl has turned into a young woman. In her heart, she remembers her old land, and still misses it everyday. 

But today, on this Valentine's day, she is learning and loving, in her new land.

What makes a vacation?

Relaxation? Adventure?
Is it the weather that's most important? Or the people you are with? The new foods you try? Or maybe your accommodations?

I went to a casa rural over the holidays with Spanish friends. Other than falling in the freezing cold river during a hike (me only, not everyone), we had a wonderful time. 

If you like hiking, beautiful views, skiing in the winter time, and overall just, peace and quiet, this is the place for you. 

La Sierra de Francia is an area in central Spain consisting of many small pueblos. Each day we visited a different area and took in wonderful new sites and adventures.
La Alberca had wonderful cobblestone streets and a tiny tea shop with the best Chai tea I've ever had in my life.
Our rented house was in Mogarraz which was a town in the middle of a hiking trail "El Camino del Agua" and in a perfect secluded location for renting a vacation house.
Béjar is the most beautiful pueblo, situated on a mountainside, covered in snow.
Miranda del Castañar and San Martín del Castañar were two other must-see picturesque villages to visit.

I am a Florida girl, all the way. I love the beach, and I have spent the most part of my childhood covered in sand. 

However, in the middle of Spain, in a rural house surrounded by good friends and beautiful atmosphere, this, for me, was a perfect vacation.

In the teaching program I am in, I will be re-newing for a second year.
As a second year teacher in the program, I will have priority of my choice of destinations.

My choices are limited to:
ANYWHERE in the entire country of Spain. 

For an American not living in Europe, you make think it's no big deal. But, this is like having a job opportunity in any state, and having to choose just one, when each one is filled with so much different culture. 

Before deciding, I'm doing my research on any and all destinations in Spain. Along with it, I thought I'd give y'all (I'd probably choose a southern state if this was the US....yeehaw!) a little lesson in Spanish geography.

Castilla y Leon has rich wine, beautiful cathedrals, and the best, purest form of Castellano Spanish you will ever find.

Salamanca has the prettiest plaza mayor and golden light in the streets. León has history and free tapas. Segovia's castles are breathtaking. And there isn't enough I can say about Valladolid. I really do love my cuidad. 

The weather is pretty much the opposite of Florida, and the people are said to be frio right along with it. I find this stipulation to be untrue, in general.

Asturias, Galicia, and Cantabria are all in Northern Spain. 

These regions bring fresh seafood and beautiful landscapes. You have the mountains on one side of you while the sea is on your other. It can be rainy at certain times of the year, but when it isn't, the landscape glows with green grass. 

In the south of Spain is Andalucia. 

When you hear "Spain"...this is what you picture in your head. Or at least I did before I knew my own version.

White houses (no, Americans, not like Obama's). Flamenco. Sangria. And SUN. In summer, it gets up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. 

On the east coast of Spain on the Mediterranean cost is Barcelona and the region of Cataluña. 

One of the most famous tourist spots because of its picturesque surroundings. In this region, they speak Catalan in the schools, which is an entire other language. That, I don't know if I'm quite willing to take on.

The Balearic Islands are off that same coast of Spain, situated smack in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.

The climate is supposed to be perfect, and the people are said to love fiesta. Ibiza, one of the islands, is a party capital of the world.

The Canary Islands are another option. A popular vacation spot in Spain, off the coast of Africa. And they are just a bit closer to my home in Florida because we both share the Atlantic ocean.

It goes with out saying there is MUCH more to Spain than these few highlights on the map. I haven't even touched on Castilla la Mancha, Extremadura, La Rioja, Madrid, Navara, the Basque Country, Aragon, Valencia, and Murcia.

If you had your choice, how would you choose? The hardest part, is I am not going on a vacation, I am going to live there. 

The first time I came here, I had no other option. The second, I knew where my heart was. 

Now, I'm ready for another year of adventure!

But, where do I go?

Only 80 km from Madrid and 7km from the city of Segovia, one of my favorite day trips this year has been to La Granja, Spain.

The most famous attraction, the 18th century palace, is the former summer residence of Spanish royalty.

This city has been called the Versailles of Spain because of its beautiful Baroque architecture and its sculptured fountains. Each of the 26 fountains that are located around the palace are different, representing themes of Greek mythology. 

Unfortunately, the fountains were off on the day we had visited, but they were still equally as stunning. 

The gardens surrounding the palace are of French architecture, and equally as beautiful as everything else surrounding the palace. They are made to gaze at, as we did for the entire overcast afternoon. 

We also opted for a hike through the woods and terrain surrounding the palace on our day trip. Many Spanish kings have used the over 1,500 acres of land for hunting.

You know You Live in Spain When:

-Every toddler around you has better style than you.

-Your own two feet (or Renfe) will take you anywhere you need to go.

-You add 'super' to any Spanish adjective to make it sound extra special.

-There is a can or jar of recycled olive oil next to your stove.

-You hear "GOALLLLLLLLL!" being shouted from somewhere within your apartment building.
(No joke, literally just happened while I was writing this blog.)

-You basically hock a loogie everytime you say 'jamon, jugar" or any word beginning with jota.

-You eat a bocadillo while keeping the foil wrapped around the bottom.

-You know a man in his 30's whose mother still does his laundry.

-You scan Mercadona at 9:10pm on a Saturday night just in case you are missing something you will need for Sunday's comida.

-You pay for other people on your birthday.

-Your new name to every stranger on the street becomes either your hair color or your nationality.

-The old couple walking hand-in-hand next to you makes you think of Allie and Noah from The Notebook and smile.

-You know the best place to store clean pots and pans is inside of the oven.

-When you, for the first time in your life, fall in love with a country and a culture. And never let it go!

And coming soon: You Know You Live in Valladolid When...

The Spanish language (and the fact that I don't know it) has limited me in social situations. I am normally the girl who strikes up a conversation with the woman at the checkout counter. I have no problem pleasantly questioning the cute guy on the bus about his equally cute dog. If you have ears, I will speak to them. 

In Spain, this has been almost impossible for me. There are times that just as I think of what I want to say in a conversation, the beat goes on, and the topic changes to something else.

I make at least one mistake everyday. I sound like an idiot, almost everyday. Today was no exception. And tomorrow won't be either. When I am tired, or sick, or in the mornings before my coffee, I am a Spanish desastre.

Committing to living in Spanglish was something I was prepared to do. But some days, it feels like I have commit to a vow of silence. I am funny, I am witty, I am intelligent, and obviously, very modest. But it is difficult to express myself in those ways in a second language.

That being said, I came to Spain with absolutamente no español. And now, I can find a way to say almost anything I want to. But my timing is off, my grammar is off, and I can't be the true Spaniard I want to be without the right words.

When will the Spanglish stop?

I am proud to announce that my blog has now officially become my very own web address:

 www.siestayfiesta.com

That's right everyone, update your bookmarks!

Keep reading, subscribing, questioning, and commenting. I love to talk and read about all things Spain, so anything you want to know or any suggestions you have about my blog, don't hesitate to write me at siestayfiesta@yahoo.com

Thanks for reading!

Muchos besos,
Jen