"You look like a milkmaid."

First, some photos that don't really require an explanation but I'll give one anyway...


Jess and I having the time of our lives on a merry go round that was turned off...the people who were watching us do this acted like nothing was going on so it was somewhat awkward.

Jess, Jess, Maya, and I had an amazing peanut-butter and jelly snack time extravaganza. (10 slices of bread, 6 p.o.s., half a baby jar of peanut butter, half a jar of strawberry jelly, and four happy tummies!)

When we visited the "mezquita" of Madrid we had to use scarves to cover our hair. I think Jess and I look like Arabian princesses.

I successfully completed my first load of laundry! I hung up all my clothes myself and surprisingly didn't drop anything even though my soaking wet jeans seemed to weigh 20 pounds and I had to reach all the way to the fourth line out to hang them. When I got back from Toledo today (see below) my Senora had folded everything for me, even my underwear into cute little squares! She was a little bit confused about what to do with my mismatched socks (she obviously doesn't realize that white sock with blue whales clearly matches the gray sock with yellow whales...) and my clothes are a bit too crispy for my liking but I suppose that's how we roll in Spain.

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Second! Today we had a group trip to Toledo. The town itself is really pretty and very cute. During the 14th and 15th centuries Arabs, Jews, and Christians all coexisted in Toledo which makes it a pretty unique place. We saw the "Catedral," "la iglesia de Santo Tome," two Synangogues: "El Transito" and "Maria la Blanca" (the latter of which was built by Arabs and later converted into a Christian church). During our free time we wandered the narrow streets, escaped the cold with some warm drinks, and Vera told me that I looked like a milkmaid.

"Vista panoramica de la cuidad" (click it to englarge-it almost looks fake!) and our group in the tiny streets

illegal picture from inside the cathedral and AZULEJO

cuddling in a park after a long day of walking and goodbye to Toledo

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Also, last but not least, I booked Amsterdam with Jess, Maya, and Vera (and others??) for March 7 - 10!

and oh yeah, NILS I MISS YOU SO MUCH.