Spain Entry :D

Yay! Finally started to write about my Spain Holiday :D


Day 1: Putten-Amersfoort-Rotterdam-Paris-Irun-Madrid

The day started at 6.45 AM when my alarm clock rang. At 8 I was at our trainstation, ready to leave. The next thing I found out was that the train wasnt leaving at that moment so my parents brought me to Amersfoort. From there I took the train to Rotterdam. There I purchased the traintickets I needed and waited for the Thalys (high speed train) to Paris. I prepared myself for a long and lonely journey, but that wasnt nessecary. In the train to Paris I met 3 Texans. One mother with her daughter who were travelling around europe and Luke who was travelling alone.
In Paris we said goodbye to each other and because I had 9 hours of waiting in Paris, I lned up in the line in front of the Tourist Information when Luke suddenly appeared next to me. We agreed on spending the rest of my time in Paris together. First we went to Gare d’Austerltz where I lcoked my bag away and then we went to Luke’s hostel. After he checked in, we went to eat something for only 3 Euros! Then we started our little sightseeing tour around Paris. We saw the Notre Dame, The Eifeltower, L’Arc de Triomphe, The Champs E Lysee and The Louvre with its glass pyramid. Then it was time for me to go back to the station and take the nighttrain to Irun.

Night trains are awful. You have too little space to share with 6 people. I did meet 2 Canadians and someone from Equador though.

Back to the nighttrain...Too little space and too many people. Everything smelled like sweat and bad cleaning. The temperature changed every second. First it’s too hot, then too cold :P I slept quite good though...


Day 2: Irun-Madrid

At 7.30 AM I arrived in Irun. I felt so dirty, but couldnt take a shower or anything else. I washed myself a bit in the toilets. My train left quite soon as well.

In the train I first sat on a wong seat, but my seta was occupied. I was sitting next to this Spanis boy. Then the cunductor came and madde me go to my seat. Not much ime after it, an Australian girl came siting next to me which I didnt mind at all. We talked a lot and I also watched a film. That was the Motorcycle Diaries which was really good. I didnt understand anything, but the pictures were really nice.

After an 5 hour journey, I arrived at Madrid Chamartin where I took the train to Madrid Atocha. From there I walked to the hostel which took me 1 hour! And that in the afternoon heat with 2 heavy bags.
When I finally arrived at the hostel, I didnt see the sign of it so I walked a bit back. Then I asked someone about it and he didnt know it either. Then I went to an Internetcafe where I asked someone if I could use his internet for a few seconds but he didnt understand it Then I asked an English girl and she let me. I found out that it really was there where I first was so I walked back again. Then I finally saw the sign and went up.

The hostel was really really nice and when I came in, Pedro was alread there with Vivi! :D
After my check-in, I immediatly took a shower which was sooooo nice! Then I took a nap and after that we brought Vivi to the bus-station because she had to get back to the Ruta. Pedro took a cab which was very unusual for me, but it was a nic eexperience. And way cheaper than here in The Netherlands :D

After Vivi left, we walked back to the hostel. That was really nice. The temperature was finally low enough to feel good etc :D

Back at the hostel we went to bed immediatly, but I couldnt sleep because suddenly a girl from Brasil came in and we started to talk a bit. She’s really nice :D But she needed to eat and when she went to cook something, I was finally able to go asleep

Day 3- Madrid

I woke up quite early, but Pedro was already gone to Boadilla to say goodbye to Vivi and the Ruta. I did everything really calmly; take another shower, eat breakfast, looking through my things etc. Pedro and I said to each other that he’d be back at 9.30 (I think) or 10.30 so that we’d go to the airport to pick Laurie up. Something went wrong so he picked her up alone. At some point they called me on my mobile and half of my money was gone :P

Pedro and Laurie came back at 1.15 PM but the hostel was still closed, due to cleaning. We went to Starbucks which was next to the hostel and sat down in the best chairs I sat in in my whole life. There Laurie gave us our ‘I Love NY’ t-shirts. After that we went to an internet cafe where we went on the internet for half an hour.

By then the hostel was open again so Laurie checked in. Then we walked a bit around Madrid and ate somewhere cheap. Then it was already time to pick the rest up from the airport. When they all had checked in, we put our new t-shirts on and went out.

Day 4- Madrid

This night I almost fell out of my bed! :O I thought that I could turn left once more, which was absolutely not true. But luckily I didnt :P

Today we went to the Reina Sofia Museum where all kinds of modern art was. That was really nice. We saw many paintings of Dalí and Picasso. We also saw a photograph made by Man Ray.

After we went there, we bought some food and sat down in a park to eat lunch. After that we did a siesta :D I really like dthat. Just sitting around and doing nothing.

When we finished this, I went to a Keith Haring exhibition :D That was so cool! He’s one of my favorite paintors.

At 6 we were back at the hostel and Laurie and Pedro thaught me Mahjong. When you hear the rules for the fist tim and play it for the first time, it’s really weird, but after a while you get used to it :D

At night we went out with some other people from hostel. A roommate of ours had a sister who lived in Madrid and she took us to th emost expensive Night Club of Madrid. 1 beer cost €5.--, a small bottle of water €6.—and the rest was from €9.--. But we got in for free and got a free drink! :D

Day 5- Toledo

Today we went to Toledo tpo meet up with the Ruta 2005 and some old Ruteros from last year. I had such a great time there! We met so many old friends and made so many new ones! :D

We had to get up really early though, but it was worth it. When we arrived at the big square of Toledo, we met some camara-men from the ruta who asked us all kinds of questions. We ended up doing an interview for the Spanish tv! :D

Then we met José who took us to other Ruteros. Together we went to a Tapasbar where we met more Ruteros from last year!

At some point we left them and searched in the streets of Toldeo for Ruta 2005 which we found easily. Back at the big square the ruta 2005 got Tiempo Libre. We went to eat pizza with some of them :D

But then the day was already finished and we had to hurry to catch the last train bak to Madrid.

Day 6- Madrid-Granada

Today we got up realy once again because we had to catch the train to Granada. The journey wasnt really special...We talked a bit and watched Cold Creek Manor. I understood this one better than Motorcycle Diaries, but well... ;P We also played Hearts which was really fun to do.

At 2.20 PM we arrived in Granada and were greeted by Alvaro, also an ex-rutero. He went with us to our hostel.

The hostel wasnt that good. It was kind of dirty and looked a bit dark. There wasnt a warm atmosphere, but it only costed (I’m sure this word is wrong, but meh ;P) €9.--. The rooms were quite big, but we had no windows so it got a tropical temperature after a while. The good thing about the hostel was that it had free internet and a nice swimming pool!!! :D

When we had doen our things there, we went to the centre of Granada where we ate dinner. After dinner Jakob, Richard, Pedro and I went looking for a piano bar. We found 1 in a Jazz cafe, but they didnt let Pedro play first. In the end they did however and it was great! He has improved so much in th epast year!

Back at the hostel I just went on the net for a few minutes and then I went to bed.

Day 7-Granada

Today was the day that HBP was released and I couldnt get it! :’( That was sad, but I didnt mind that much when I’m honest.

After breakfast we went to the pool on the roof of the hostel where we stayed for quite a while :D The boys even threw Laurie and me into the pool with our clother on! It was rfreshing though! :D

At some point I went down to check my emails. I read a very disturbing one of my dad about my granddad that he was really ill. I phoned them immdiatly, but the phone didnt work well. At some point I could give my dad the number of the hostel before the phone line went dead again. He called me there and I got to talk with my granddad as well. I remembered how I begged him to stay alive till I came back so that I could see him again and show him pictures etc. Then I told him that I lovd him and he said back that he loved me as well. That were the last thing we said to each other....

I was quite in tears after the phonecall, but everyone comforted me. I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!! That meant so much to me!

Then we went to Granada where we looked around. After dinner we went back to the hostel again because we wante dto visit the Alhambra by night. Too bad that it was so expensive so nobody went. The rest went out though, but I really didnt feel like it so I jut updated my Travel Journal before going to bed.

Day 8- Granada-Sevilla

Today we spent half of the day by the pool swimming and sunbathing. I didnt even burn! :D At 4.30 we took the train to Sevilla where we slept at José’s house.

His house is really close to the cathedral of Sevilla. From his house you have the nices view on it! :D

Our dinner was pizza and after it we watched some Ruta-Episodes! :D That was so funny...all the noise you hear when we saw an English Clubber or a good friend of us! :D

Day 9- Sevilla

Today we got a sightseeing tour through Sevilla by our personal guide :D It really is a nice city, but it was soooooo hot!

In the afternoon we sat at the cool house of José, doing a siesta :P

What we did the rest of the day, I dont know anymore *Looks away embarrased*

Day 10- BEACH!!!!

Today we went to the beach! :D José has a house there so we could go. We were supposed to get the bus at 10 AM, but that became 12 PM. That was really annoying *grmble*

But at 1 PM we arrived at the beach. From the busstation we walked to José’s house where we were greeted by his family. They invited us fo have a real Spanish meal there after we went to the beach :D

So we went down to the beach. We all put suncream on so that we wouldnt get a sunburn. At the beach we swam a bit and built a sand castle. That was real fun, mainly because the sea flooded it regularly.

After we had been there for 1 hour, we went back to th ehouse again where the mother and grandparents had prepared our lucnh/dinner. That was awesome and everything tasted so good! Muchas Gracias!! :D

When we ate lunch, we decided to have a siesta. We laid down on beds...2 persons a bed :P My eyes closed really soon and all of a sudden I heard a loud crash. The first thing I thought was that someone dropped some plates or glasses on the floor, but it turned out to be that Carolin ran through a glass door. She got a big cut in her knee. A docor came and stitched it.

After that incident we went back to th ebusstation again and went to Sevilla.

Day 11- Sevilla-Madrid.....And The Day That Granddad Died 

Today was a sad day....I got a text message of my dad that he needed a phone number where he could reach me. I gave him one and he called me immediately. When I heard that my granddad died, I let out a dry sob and began to cry. I’m so glad that Anne held me then...Thank you Girl  I love you! That meant so much for me!
The rest just sat and stood there in silence. Everyone looked so shitty...Then someone else hugged me as well. That felt so good....I cant explain it. I nver knew what small gestures like a silent hug can do to a person...

THANKS GUYS!!!

In the afternoon I went back to Madrid and picked Bex up at the airport. We went out for dinner and after that we just talked till 2.30 AM with some other people from her dorm.

Day 12- Madrid

Today was my last day in Madrid. Around 10 AM Jakob, Richard, Carolin and Anne came. Later Pedro and Laurie came as well. Too bad that Natalia was still in La Coruna...

We didnt do much that day, just walking around the city and relaxing in a park. Then it was time for me to get my backpack from the hostel and to go to Atocha to get my train to Chamartin.

The bye was short....especially because we know that we’ll see each other again 

Day 13- Madrid-Paris-Brussels-Rotterdam-Utrecht-Putten

My trip back home was just plain boring. In the nighttrain to Paris I was in the compartment with 2 older French women. But it was better than the first nighttrain...

In my train from Paris to Brussels I sat alone and slept a bit. And in the rest of the trains, it was just all too Dutch :P No interesting people :P


THE END 


Love you all!


Besos,

Debz

PS....Photo's are here: http://photobucket.com/albums/a373/Debz3/Spanje%202005/