From the first day I arrived in Spain, specifically Toledo because that was the first Spanish city I was in, it became very apparent to me that food played a large part in the lives of Spaniards.  From the various bars and restaurants around Toledo to the lengthy and extravagant meals that Spaniards have in their homes, food is clearly a big part of Spain's culture.  Here's a photo of Enebro, a fun bar in Toledo that was very close to La Fundación José Ortega y Gasset.

         One particular dish that is an everyday tradition to every Spaniard is the Spanish tapa.  Tapas are essentially Spain's version of France's hors d'oeuvres.  As with hors d'oeuvres, tapas are usually small in size but definitely not in variety.  One of my favorite tapas in Toledo was called Patatas Bravas.  This tasty tapa consisted of diced and seasoned fried potatoes served with a mild tomato sauce.  Although I loved this tapa and had it quite often, I never got around to taking a photo.  However, here is an example I found online.

       Throughout all of Spain, every time time you go to a bar that designates itself as a tapa bar, with one drink order you would also receive a free tapa.  Pretty awesome deal, right?  Here are examples of another favorite tapa along with a very typical Spanish drink called Sangria.  Sangria, a mix of ice, red wine, a Spanish lemon soda, and tropical fruit slices, is both a perfect treat for the hot Spanish summers as well as a fun night out.

            In addition to Spanish tapas, La Tortilla Española, or the Spanish Tortilla and Paella are both very typical Spanish dishes.  Different from the Mexican flour or corn tortilla, Spain's version was made with potatoes, egg, salt and onions.  In actuality, it's a lot like the American omelet.
           In terms of Spain's Paella, which is a large rice dish that has its origins in Valencia, a city on Spain's east coast, can include anything from a variety of different colored rice, vegetables, seafood, or chicken.  Although I ate both La Tortilla Española and Paella very frequently during my time abroad, I never ended up taking any photos of them.  However, here are some examples I found online.

         Lastly, Spain is also the home of some deliciously sweet treats.  Spain's Churros, essentially an elongated Spanish version of American doughnuts, are often eaten with a very thick cup of hot chocolate.  It's common to see Spaniards eating Churros for breakfast or for a snack during the late afternoon.  Like with La Tortilla Española and Paella, although I did eat a lot of Churros with hot chocolate while I was in Spain, I never ended up taking a photo.  However, here's an example I found online.

            Well that's all for now, I hope you enjoyed my third post!  My next post will again show more of Toledo with a special focus on it's religion and Holy Week celebrations.

The following are the links where I found the photos of Patatas Bravas, La Tortilla Española, Paella, and the Churros with hot chocolate.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Patatas_bravas_madrid.jpg
http://0.tqn.com/d/spanishfood/1/0/c/7/-/-/tortilla-whole450x379.jpg
http://www.wikinoticia.com/images/saborgourmet.com/www.malaga-si.es.blog.wp-content.uploads.2009.05.paella.jpg
http://allisonshiman11.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/churros.jpg

          At La Fundación José Ortega y Gasset, one of my classes was about Toledo's art and architecture.  I had it every Thursday and I really enjoyed it because on those days mornings would include a tour of a prominent landmark, leaving the afternoons open to an interesting lecture explaining in extensive detail what I had just seen.  One very special day we saw a gorgeous monastery called San Juan de Los Reyes or Saint John of the Kings.  Here's a photo of it's outside.

           The inside of it had a beautiful courtyard full of orange trees as well as extensive detail in its sanctuary and on all of its hallway's ceilings.  Here are some examples.

         In this same class, we also had a whole unit on towers with a mudéjar of Muslim influence because before Christians conquered Toledo, it was home to people of Muslim as well as Jewish descent.  Here is an example of one of my favorite mudéjar towers.

             In addition to the monastery and the mudéjar towers, on my own finding while strolling through the city, I also find several other really beautiful places.  The first one was Toledo's largest plaza called Plaza de Zocodover.  Here's a photo of it during a busy afternoon.

             It was very clear that it was a spot for locals and tourists to spend time with family and friends.  It was also where Toledo's major bus stops were located.  In addition to Plaza Zocodover, in a plaza near my host family's house, I found Toledo's beautiful city hall.  Here's a photo of it illuminated at night.

              In addition to this being the plaza where Toledo's city hall was located, like Plaza Zocodover, it was also a favorite place for locals, as well as tourists, to spend time with family and friends.
             As well as all of Toledo's stunning architecture, it is also a city home to breathtaking nature.  When Toledo was built during the medieval ages of Spain, it was built a top of a plateau in order to be protected from outside invaders.  In addition to this plateau the surrounding river, El Río Tajo, acted as a natural barrier, enclosing and protecting the city.  Today the area surrounding the river is a relaxing place to take a nice afternoon stroll as well as the home of some pretty interesting graffiti.  Take a look.

            Well that's all for now, I hope you have enjoyed my second post!  My next post will again show more of Toledo with a special focus on its food.

       Ever since my first day at the University of Minnesota, I knew I had a strong desire to study abroad.  Since I had been studing Spanish since sophomore yeay of high school and I new that I wanted to cintinue studying it in college, my country of choice was easy, and I was quick to choose Spain.

      After two and a half years of undergraduate education in Spanish, a handful of meetings with the Learning Abroad Center, and several meetings with the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, I was ready to set out on my Spanish adventure.

       Now I had always known Spain was a country rich in history an culture however, it wasn't until I arrived that I realized the extent of its cultural richness.  During my four moths abroad, I not only experienced several of Spain's beautiful cities, but also experienced many of Spain's traditions and cultural uniqueness through my Spanish host family as well as through my own exploring.  Throughout this blog I will highlight some of my fondest memories of my study abroad experience as well as explain various cultural aspects and traditions that together makes Spain such a great place to be. 

       I can still remember the snowy January day I left, january 13th 2011 to be exact.  I had successfully packed all of my belonging in one large suitcase, a backpack, and a purse.  After saying goodbye to my parents at the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, and after a slightly delayed take off because of the heavy snowstorm, I was finally off!

      This is a photo of Toledo, Spain which by the new high-speed AVE train, is only about 30 minutes south of the city center of Madrid.  Toledo was where I spent the majority of my time in Spain because it was where my host university La Fundación José Ortega y Gasset was located.  Two of Toledo"s most important landmarks are the cathedral which is of this picture's left as well as the Alcázar which is on this picture's right.  Today the cathedral is still a very beautiful place of worship and the Alcázar is home to both a library and a museum.  The Alcázar's library was a favorite study spot for many students at La Fundación José Ortega y Gasset.

    In addition to the cathedral and the Alcázar, Toledo is also famous for its narrow, winding and steep streets.  All of my professors at La Fundación José Ortega y Gasset referred to Toledo's streets as a large labyrinth.  Here are several photos of them.  

                                                                                       

       Well that's all for now, I hope you have enjoyed my first post!  In my next post, I will continue explaining more about the beautiful city of Toledo this time with a special focus on its architecture and nature.