June 20, 2007 Torromolinos, Spain

I think Gaudi made a new step when putting a museum in Spain because it was like a new Gaudi. The color and tile that he used, the stone and mortar and the different designs is a new tradition. Having it done in Spain has inspired people, and it gives a new meaning to me. I think with having the museum put up, it means Gaudi still has his unique talent.

Since I was young, I thought it would be cool as a hobby to be an artist, but because of Gaudi and his work, I realized it doesn´t mean just painting. With Gaudi, it´s a new modern art, a different interesting way to have people understand and relate. What I love the most is when you know what the design or painting is about and you find it amazing how out of a story or a certain event a creation was made.

So yes I do think Gaudi has started a tradition in Spain.

June 15, 2007 San Sabastine, Spain

Gaudi´s art work is like no other. He´s unique and talented. His work can be seen in several places; he´s known for the designs in the chimneys, balconies, and other architecture. In the 1800s many writers came together and they came up with what is known as ¨The Generation of ´98.¨Franscio Giner de los Rios was wanting to give free education via a school that was known for liberal, secular, and European. Thinking the school had to be divided into Catholics and liberals; it was another obstical to adjust to.

Around the early 1900s there was something called ¨Tragic Week¨in Barcelona. General strikes were increased, barricades were torn up, bombs were being thrown, and churches and convents were badly damaged. During the 1930s, Franscio Franco was the one to form a one-armed Gerneral Millan Astray. There were many crimes from rape to murder and torture; the majority of these crimes were done by the Moors. With so much chaos going on, by the time they knew it the Spainish Civil War had began.

June 18, 2007 Barcelona, Spain

Have you ever went walking downtown or the mall and you listen to people having a converstation? WOW! It is crazy to hear what they say at times.

Last night in downtown Barcelona we were hanging out to see the night life, but at that same moment there was a soccer game going on. Madrid played against Barcelona and people were saying it will be crazy to be downtown especually if Barcelona wins. I agree it´s like the San Antonio Spurs playing the Dallas Mavericks in basketball for the championship and the Spurs winning; it will be chaos. I do have to say the Spurs did win the 2007 chamionship but agaisnt Calvalers, I bet that was a huge city party.

So after a walk down town I start seeing camera crews on the balconys and I hear people honking the horns on their modpeds and yelling, but I hardly saw anyone. Turns out Madrid won the soccer game. Just a heads up Madrid and Barcelona don´t really get along. I hear a group of guys talking English but they sounded like they were from some other country and I began listening to their converstation.

¨Madrid won the soccer game, damn dude I´m going drinking tonight,¨ said a man in his 20´s wearing a Madrid soccer jersey with David Beckham´s name on the back. The guys that he was with began yelling and all together they shouted out loud singing ¨Madrid, Madrid, Madrid, oh lay, oh lay, oh lay, oh lay,...Madrid thee champions!!!!¨ I was happy they won so the following day I bought my David Beckham´s Madrid jersey.

It`s funny sometimes when you over hear other people converstations, what their plans are for the night, who did what, who did who, but make sure whatever you hear think about it to see if you want to tell someone what you heard. You can hear one thing but it was something else and that´s how rumors begin.

June 16, 2007 San Sebastian, Spain

In San Antonio, Texas we have a few historic things that went on, but we don´t have much and show it like Spain does. Spain is proud of the history and when you have a buildings from Hapsburg and Burbon that are still up today from centuries ago; it´s great to look and think about what went on back then. The same goes for the Alamo and the missions, but Spain have more historic buildings, museums, and treasures.

Goya´s painting of the Third of May was not what i pictured but i can understand it relating to the war. In the painting he focuses on one man to stand out and for the others they just blend in dark colors. From my understanding the soldiers have the Spainards surrounded and had killed a few. The Spainards couldn´t go against the French and to me that´s how I see the painting.....to be continued.

June 14, 2007 Burgos, Spain

This is like nothing back home in San Antonio, Texas. With a wake up call at 6am we got everything together and left Madrid to Burgos to continue the rest of the journey. After three in a half hours we made it and was lead off in front of the Plaza del Rey San Fernando where there is a beautiful Catedral. People who want to study abroad, or want to travel, maybe even have family in Spain and know nothing about it; I wish I can tell you how everything is but it´s words I can´t explain. I think you just have to come and see for yourself. In San Antonio we have mesquitos, dirty air polution, trash all over, the parks are scary to go to, and it´s nothing like Spain. I am not trying to talk bad about San Antonio but if you come and see how things are here in Spain you´ll feel like you´re in a dream. In Spain the parks are clean, huge, and beautiful with statues and water fountains all around. The parks have huge trees of all kinds and flowers of all colors, and I was amazed to see people laying down in the grass, a group of girls dancing like no one was watching, a group of guys playing soccer, and a couple having a picnic. In Spain they have small cars and little mopeds, so they have fresher air. Being in Spain is a new world to me. It´s a dream and I know when I go back home I am going to realize I am going to miss Spain, but I can always visit; who knows, maybe I´ll see you here.

June 13, 2007 Madrid, Spain

I saw the original painting of El 3 de mayo en Mardrid: Los fusilamientos en la montana del Principe Pio by Francisco de Goya in the Museo Nacional Del Prado. Which is one of the biggest museums in the world. Back in May of 1808 the French army killed innocent Spaniards assuming they had weapons; so Goya dedicated this painting for those who were innocent. This painting delt with part of the Revolution War and it was the first painting about the war. I spoke to four guys at the museum about the painting who were anoth race than Mexican. They all agreed that the painting is more significant to Mexicans than anyone else. I agree and also it is more abstract to me than it be realism. This painting in my eyes was very shady, dark, sad. Three men were dead, one Mexican had his hands covering his face in shame and the others had sadness in their eyes. Even the French army had dark clothes, but only one man stood out. One Mexican that was in the middle, he had a white shirt with gloden-yellowish pants.
My 2nd day in Spain...to be continued

June 13, 2007 Madrid , Spain

El 3 de mayo en Madrid: Los fusilmientos en la montana del Principe Pio was painted by Francsico de Goya (1746-1828). It was the first painting in history that delt with the war, with death; about back in May 2, 1808 a tragic happened in Madrid. The French army killd a few Spainards, back in the Revolution war; but the Spaniards were innocent so Goya painted this painting in memory. I spoked to four students at the Museo National Del Prado where you can find the orginal painting. One student was from Rome; one was from Chicago, and the other two were from California. They all agreed that it would be more significant to Mexicans and the painting wasn´t that realistic. I have to agree; the painting was more towards abstract than realistic, but I still got the feeling it was like. The painting seemed shady and dark, but the one model in the painting that seemed like he was surrendering stood out. Everyone had dark clothes on and he was wearing a golden/yellowish pants and a white shirt. There were three men dead, one with shame on his face and the rest with sarrow.



*June 13, 2007 Madrid, Spain

Today was a better day than the first only because today was a more relaxed day and time consuming. With a wake up call at eight in the morning I got ready, ate breakfast and began my day. First I set off to The Museo Nacional Del Prado and I saw the original painting that I studied in one of my art classes; the painting is El 3 de Mayo. After that we went for a boat ride, to the park, I saw the statue of the falling angel, chocolate´y chorros and met up with some family members that live in Spain back at the hotel. It was a great day and before going to bed that night we packed to head out to the next city the following day.

June 12, 2007 Madrid, Spain

I had a breath taking experiance when I first came to Madrid. The way people are walk down the streets, lay down the the grass, and for me to see things I haven't seen before. The feel of Spain is like no other. The sites are beauitul, and the food is a tad different from what I am used to. People here are very nice but you run into some that are rude; that can be anywhere. The time here is seven hours difference than Texas time. When we arrived at our hotel we put our belonggins up and began our journey. I had the pleasure seeing Palacio Real Madrid which is a palace and it had so much history and it was wonderful. What I thought was interesting was when we went into a room where they have a long table fitting up to 120 people and our last ten presidents have eaten there. The food here in Madrid is tasty, but I am not a big fan; althought if you love sea food you´ll be in heaven over here. Oh boy! the streets and cars is like nothing back in San Antonio, texas. Here you have narrow streets with tiny cars and for the busses it´s crazy, they drive soo close to the parked cars like nothing. Madrid, Spain ois like nothing else, it´s different, exciting, it has a lot of history to it and I am jusyt taking it all in because I´m not sure if I´ll ever do this again. I am excited to see what adventure I get to go on for tomorrow.

June 7, 2007 San Antonio, Tx.

The "Medieval Spain" delt with alot of the Gothic and religon. Gothic in Spain had a rough like country church, some pieces of jewelry, or a royal crown in a museum; these legacies that were kept for three centuries. with no suprise to Visigoths bosted the largest and strongest kingdom in the Western Europe. For Spain's first attempt to be a unified nation is when their unity was finally achived.

What i thought was interesting is how Catholic was first a ¨Roman religon.¨ The books says, ¨Goths had adopted the Arian view of Christianity (which denied the Trinity) and came to think of it as their own, while Hispanics praticed the ¨Roman religon,¨ later to be called Catholic.¨I am a Hispanic, catholic but now in days there are other ethnics who are Catholics as well.

June 6, 2007 San Antonio, Tx.

I leaned that the Romans ruled the Iberian Peninsula also known as Hispania because that's what they called them. I found out that the Ebro Basin created a race fear for courage. The Celts and the Iberians combined their names together and became known as "Celtiberians". The Celtiberians believed that they were heroic and loyal; they would rather poison themselves instead of going to fight a war alive. I think it is interesting to learned the history about the different types of groups and how they acted; also to know what they did back then and how it reflects Spain today.

I do think that the Romans had it easy because they had a genius for civil engineering and the Celtics and Iberians they've been intimidated by the glories of the Roman civilization. The Romans have been builders; they've built roads, bridges, and aqueducts. Rome ruled the Iberian Peninsula; Romans are like the typical popular kids that everyone wanted to be in high school. Even the north of the Ebro River fell under Roman's control. I also found it amazing how Roman Empire's first century came an event of monumental significance and introduced Christianity to Iberia. I am a Catholic and from my understanding Catholic came from Rome and I just would like to read more about the history of it and find out if I was told a different story. So yes before I get off subject I do think the Romans had it easy!

June 5, 2007 San Antonio, Tx.

I am very much into music and traveling, so if I could write a report that deals with one of the two if not then both it would be an accomplishment.

There is a massive variety of music all over the world, if I could travel to different places and listen to the types of music they have; to write about it would be words that I can't even explain. I would like to travel to Spain, France, Africa, Australia, Brazil, Jamaica, Bahamas, and where ever else life takes me; these are the places I could imagine that would have diverse music. I am interested in what kind of instruments they play, what beats they make up, and how the music goes with the culture. I enjoy listening to all types of music, so to listen to rap in French or to hear the beats of the drums from Jamaican music; it would be an overwhelming feeling. To see how different one culture is compared to my culture as well as others is full of excitement. It's like when you get an award for straight A's or a gold medal for the Olympics, it's WOW!

The Neighborhood Night Out is when we block off streets in the neighborhood and from evening to night we have the neighborhood come together. We enjoy each other company. We dance with the music we have from the live bands and DJ's, we eat good Mexican food, and we have a terrific time. This only happens once a year around August. I really enjoy attending the Neighborhood Night Out because I have the opportunity to meet new people, learn about who lives around me, and hang out with my old friends.

June 4, 2007 San Antonio, Tx.

Have you studied abroad before in Spain? Not I, but coming June 11, 2007 through July 2, 2007 I will. I am still in San Antonio, Texas just wondering about what Spain will be like. I hope I can discover many things that I can not do here in the States. I dream it would be a different world that I would fit in and be welcome. I hope to see the night life and imagine it to be an exciting night. I wish that every night there is always something to do, to see the locals play their music. I want to go to a music store and listen to the styles of music and I want to see and learn the way they dance. I only hope to have a great time and gain from what will probably be the experience of a life-time. I imagine it to be beautiful just like a dream that would come true. I want to see the historic places that I am always reading about. I hope all of Spain will be energetic and Spain would be a place where it makes me fall in love with all the surroundings and sites. I hope the food is amazing, and the people are wonderful; I hope it will be breathtaking and I will take it all in because I will never know when I will be going out of the States again. I could only imagine, but I rather live and see how Spain is with my own two eyes.