Let it Burn

The Georgetown Students I met at the Aquarium. Victoria and Donald



The Falla in the background is the one that burned when the firemen would spray people.



This is the Falla that burned in the center of the city... It was huge!
The train station next to the Bull fighting stadium.

Placa Catalunia del musica. I have mentioned it before. Basically the music hall here. Very beautiful.


This week I became sick. I could not wake up for a class and since the attendance policy is so strict here, I had to go to a doctor to at least get excused. The doctor visit was sooo cool. His office looked like a really old library mixed with Dumbledore’s office. Turns out he studied at Northwestern so we had some stuff to talk about. He gave me some antibiotics and wrote me a note that I asked him to excuse me through Friday. So that means I did not have to go to class all week! However, I did have two finals, which I think went decently well. I also went to Las Fallas in Valencia. This was soooo cool! Fallas are these huge extremely well crafter float looking sculptures. It looked like they are made out of wax with a wooden structure. These ranged from really small ones to huge ones which were taller than some buildings.

I went to Valencia by myself before my friends since I was the only one who had to be back for Friday. Quick note. My train was at 12:00 and for some reason I did not set my alarm. Paco, woke me up at 11:40 and I made it!! Can you believe it!! I guess that is why you always pack before bed. When I was in Valencia alone I checked out the Fallas and wondered the center of the city. It was really cool! I also went to Europe’s largest Aquarium. It was pretty cool, and I met some Georgetown kids who are studying abroad in Madrid. A pure coincidence. Then Matt, Steve, and Louis arrived and Louis had some friends who have a summer pad there that we go to use. It was so nice. I had my own room and bed, and we did not have to pay a dime. The people who owned the pad had a French friend named Florian, who met us and took us to the place and hung out. He also took us around to all the Las Fallas. Big and small. We saw a few small ones burn at around 10:30 then we made it to the center of the city. It was accompanied by fireworks and the biggest fire I have ever seen. Oh also las Fallas are normally some sort of commentary on the past events in the year, for example one was Obama, but I did not get to see that one.. Then we started walking around and stumbled upon one that has not been lit yet. We hung out there for a while and got front a row view. We were next to a screen writer who was really nice and we chilled with him. While we were waiting, which was a long time, we made noises on the fence with everyone else in anticipation of the fire. Finally the fireman (bomberos) showed up. They lit fireworks and then lit a string of like baby dynamite which ended up lighting the Fallas on fire. It was really cool. Afterwards the bomberos started spraying the people with their hoses. It became a game after awhile as they would ag them on calling them bomberos maricones (“gay firmen”) or Coños (pussies). Not the nicest sayings but it was fun because people would aging them on and then they would spray us, but we would try and run away down the street and not get soaked. Some people got drenched though. At the end, when they stopped spraying the entire plaza started chanting ole, ole, ole, ole. And was jumping around and sorta huddled around the bomberos. It was really cool to say the least. We went and got some churros and then headed home to our own rooms a like 4 am.

Then I woke up at 9 am to get my train at 10 am to get back for my exam. I think my exam went well, I was the first one to finish so we shall see. On Friday night I went out to a new part of town around the Universitat metro stop. I went with the other Louis from Georgetown to a bar and then to a club after. It was a fun night since it was something new. On Saturday I hung out with Vin Jeffery on the beach. It became way to cold so we went to his place and I met his roommate Jackie from Scotland. She was really nice. Then we went to a movie called The Reader. Kinda strange but in the end I liked it. Then I rushed home took a shower and headed off to L’Oveja Negra in the Poble Nou. Here I met a bunch of my friends before the Girl Talk Concert at Razzmatazz. This concert was amazing. We pushed our way up to the front row. There were sooo many people that it was almost like one big giant moshpit. The music was great and it was a good time but I was exhausted and we all went home from there. I woke up on Sunday at 5:30 pm haha. I guess I needed it. Oh also quick note on the week. I am done with my two ESCI classes now and I got to see the new apartment in Atlanta via video chat with mom of GChat. Pretty COOL!!! And it was Moira’s BDAY!! Happy Bday Mo!