A Weekend with our Host Families

Over the weekend our students spent some time with their host families. Some people went to see the fireworks that take place after the Hogueras festival, many went to the beach during the day, and others went on trips. Charlotte Burnham will be in charge of our blog today writing about her trip to Granada in English and Spanish!

This weekend my host family and I took a little trip to Granada! We got there at around 12 pm on Saturday, since the drive from Alicante was about 4 hours by car. Granada has so much to see, with the Sierra Nevada Mountains only a 30 minute drive away. We went to eat with some of my host family’s friends, and we went to a very traditional Spanish restaurant. We started eating at 2, and after 6 courses of rich, healthy Spanish food, we finally left the restaurant at 6. From there, we walked around the beautiful streets, and walked up to the Mirador de San Nicolas, a lively plaza overlooking the whole city. On our way back down to the hotel, we stopped by an Arabic tea shop, and drank traditional tea and pastries. Because of its unique location and history, the city has strong Arabic and Roman influences, which can be seen in the both infrastructure and culture. There was also an incredible cathedral in the middle of the city. Since we had a late lunch, my family and I weren’t very hungry by the time we arrived at our hotel, which was only a 10 minute drive from the center of the city, and 5 minutes from the Alhambra. When we woke up in the morning, I ate a full breakfast of fruit, meats, and churros! We went to the Alhambra, which was the palace of the royal Arabs when they ruled over Spain from Granada for more than 700 years. The Alhambra was the most beautiful landmark I’d ever seen, and I didn’t even go inside. But around the outside, there are gardens (with hundreds of different plants), shops, museums, and ruins to explore. We stayed for 3 hours! I have never seen a city as rich in culture and beautiful as Granada, and am already waiting for the day I can go back!!

Este fin de semana mi familia anfitriona y yo fuimos a Granada, en el sur de España. Fuimos por el coche, y el camino fue 4 horas. Cuando llegamos, fuimos a una restaurante muy tradicional de España. Comimos un almuerzo muy largo, y comimos croquetas, jamón, cola del toro, y alcachofas. La restaurante tenía muchos fotos de personas famosas que lo habían estado. Despues, andamos por las calles y subido al Mirador de San Nicholas, lo que tenía una vista de todo de la ciudad. También, vimos el catedral de Granada, pero no lo entramos. Los calles y edificios se influyeron por los árabes y los cristianos, y la hace una vista muy interesante. En la mañana, fuimos a la Alhambra, el castillo de los Moros cuando vivían ahí en el siglo catorce. No entramos al palacio, pero fuimos a las jardines y afueras. Todos del los muros y techos tenían detalles muy intrigantes. Aprendí mucho de la historia, y estaba enamorada de la ciudad.