The Easter holidays begin tomorrow, the second-longest break I will have during my contract (other than Christmas). Although I have not traveled much since I've been here, I've been reserving this week and a half for a trip back to Holland since I got here in October. Just to make it interesting, I'm planning to go to Maastricht without flying, which means my outward itinerary looks something like this:
April 21, 10.00: Bus from Logroño-Hendaye (just over the border in France)
14.00: Train from Hendaye-Paris (the world-famous TGV high speed train)
Overnight in Paris
April 22, 7.01: Train from Paris-Liège
9.22: Train from Liège-Maastricht.
I'm excited about taking the TGV, as you can probably tell. I'm also excited to see my friends in Holland again, and to be leaving Spain for a bit. I need a change of pace after this happened today:
This week was fairly easy in school, as it was only three days long and there were plenty of special events going on. Today I taught one class and headed home about two hours early. The joy of getting out early quickly disappeared when I stopped by the grocery store. These are some of the only businesses that stay open during the siesta, which also happens to be when I get off work, so I often do my shopping then, when the stores are not busy. Today, following my usual routine two hours earlier, I went shopping at around 12.30, well before siesta. Only three of five cash registers were open, but each one had a line of at least six people, many of whom were loading up before the stores close for the holidays. Needless to say, the wait was significant, especially as I was preceded by a group of around six high-school age boys stocking up for a barbecue (or so it seemed). Quite the contrast to what I remember in Holland, where every cash register stays open, and one store even offers a discount if there are more than two people ahead of you in line.
Another of my regular frustrations is the traffic system here, which primarily relies on pedestrians to stop the traffic by walking into the road. I don't always feel safe doing that, so I often put a foot in the road to indicate my intentions, then wait for cars to stop. But many of them resent having to come to a complete stop, so I've slowly adopted the custom of looking quickly, then charging into traffic. It worked fine until today, when I was cut off by one over-eager right-turner, who passed the car in front of him on the right in a single lane before cruising right past me, inches away. Later on the same walk, I was cut off by another right-turner who, after completing his turn, shifted into the left lane rather than stop for me, nearly shaving a layer off the toes of my shoes in the process.
So as you can see, a little vacation is exactly what I need. I have two more tutoring lessons before I'm completely free, and tonight is the final of the Copa del Rey, Spain's single-elimination soccer tournament (which accompanies its league, but is not dependent upon its results). Real Madrid is playing FC Barcelona in Valencia, the second of four matches in less than two weeks between these two rivals. It should be a nice little send-off, especially if I win the pool I'm hosting.
In unrelated news, I received my absentee ballot in the mail today and will be able to vote in the Canadian election (had it come while I was away, I would not have been able to). That boosted my mood after such a frustrating walk home.
No comments:
Post a Comment