I was so surprised...I have volunteered myself for running...
Yes, I said it. Anyone who knows me knows I do not like physical activity of pretty much any kind, but I especially hate running.
However, this weekend, I was browsing through my Facebook feed, when I saw pictures someone had taken at a Color Run. I thought, "Man, that looks like fun." And then, "Too bad I'll never be able to do that."
And that was stupid. I'm a healthy (now that my husband has pulled my junk-and-fast-food-eating leash in a fair amount), four-limbed, capable 23-year-old. Why can't I participate in "only" 5 kilometers? (For those of you that don't want to google it, that's just a bit over 3 miles.)
I thought about all those times I've turned people down for working out (including my husband and probably Nicole) and told myself, "Nooooo, thank you" and how many times Russ has told me he wants to make sure I'm around for a long time. (You guys, I like junk food and not working out.)
Well, why not have some sort of goal for working out? Clearly, I can't maintain a "work out every day to be fit" goal. Nope. Don't care. I'm fit enough for my lazy ass. So, maybe a "run this fun 5K" goal will work! I'm hoping it does. Not because I care too much about being able to run forever--'cause I don't--but because I've seen all the ads for the cool 5Ks and I'm curious.
So I immediately texted my best army wife friend, and she said, and I quote, "Yesssssssssss". So I take it she liked the idea. haha And now we're starting our "training" tomorrow morning! I found an app called "C25K"--short for "Couch to 5K--so we'll see how it works out. It's supposed to work you up from being a couch potato to jogging a 5K. And I think both of us could use the slower transition and the guidance. I know I could.
Jesus. I can't believe I've volunteered to run.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Friday, August 16, 2013
Granada and Madrid in One
I was so surprised...we are exhausted. (Uhh, were exhausted. I started this post our last night in Madrid...haha)
I left off last time with us thinking about going out and seeing the cathedral in Granada, and, well, it didn't happen. I'm pretty sure we both had food poisoning--Malaga strikes again!--so we spent most of our first day in Granada in the hotel room reading. It was actually a very nice day, considering. Haha
The next day, we were scheduled to see the Alhambra in the morning, so we sucked it up and went. And it was awesome! The palaces were so ornate, with such detail in everything---it was gorgeous. We loved it. But our feet were dragging a bit by the end of a tour through the Generalife--the royal gardens--and it already had been a few hours.
So, after a siesta, we decided to check out the Parque de Ciencias (Science Park) and were thoroughly disappointed. It looked really cool and interactive and fun, but it was pretty much none of those. OK City's science museum was way better! So, hot and tired and disappointed, we trudged back to our hotel, after stopping for dinner--delicious bocadillos! Bocadillo is just the Spanish word for sandwich, and I became enamored with them. The meat and bread are just so yummy!
The next day, we were off for Madrid, and our final two days in Spain! We were excited, but also very, very tired. And kind of ready to be back in the States. After a confusing and stressful, final, four-hour drive, returning the rental car, and checking into our final hotel, we spent the first early evening in our hotel room and in Torrejón getting dinner. My stomach still wasn't feeling quite right, and we weren't sure we wanted to wander around hot, populated Madrid quite yet. So we rested for one more night and checked out the local areas around our hotel instead.
The next morning, we took the train over to Madrid and wandered around a bit. We found a cool marketplace that reminded me a little of the kasbah--only more modern and big-city-setup. It was pretty cool. But we were on our way to the Royal Palace, and we were on a mission. Also, it was really hot outside in the middle of the city. So we kept walking all the way down to the palace, stopping by the Royal Cathedral before, and admiring the colorful paintings all around the huge, vaulted ceilings and walls. I'm personally a bigger fan of the Gothic and Baroque styles, but the sleeker, more modern look inside a simple cathedral exterior was really perfect for the feel of Madrid.
After the Cathedral, we finally visited the Royal Palace, which turned out to be really awesome! I wasn't terribly excited for it, but I am so glad we went. There were just so many cool details, and fresco paintings and painted ceilings and really old furniture and floors and silver and sculptures and, finally, the armory, where there were endless rows of armor. Royal armor, common armor, 14th century, 15th century, horse armor, little prince armor, helms, breastplates, gauntlets, swords, crossbows, rifles, spears. Everything. It was so cool. We loved it.
Finally, we ended with some delicious montaditos--another Spanish word for sandwiches...And got some inspiration for a possible future venture. Russ really wants to start up a deli or something, and maybe a montadito shop with tiny sandwiches is just the thing. We'll see what happens. :]
Anyway, we finished off our final day in Spain with tapas--my favorite croquettes and chicken skewers--and a pitcher of sangria, of course. It was amazing.
Then, after a stressful time getting back to the airport the next (very early) morning--turns out the buses didn't start up in our area until 7--we got on the plane and made it home!
And thus ended a wonderful, amazing, so-fun honeymoon. I wouldn't have traded it for anything.
I left off last time with us thinking about going out and seeing the cathedral in Granada, and, well, it didn't happen. I'm pretty sure we both had food poisoning--Malaga strikes again!--so we spent most of our first day in Granada in the hotel room reading. It was actually a very nice day, considering. Haha
The next day, we were scheduled to see the Alhambra in the morning, so we sucked it up and went. And it was awesome! The palaces were so ornate, with such detail in everything---it was gorgeous. We loved it. But our feet were dragging a bit by the end of a tour through the Generalife--the royal gardens--and it already had been a few hours.
 |
| Isn't it beautiful? |
 |
| Such intricate detail--I'm obsessed! |
The next day, we were off for Madrid, and our final two days in Spain! We were excited, but also very, very tired. And kind of ready to be back in the States. After a confusing and stressful, final, four-hour drive, returning the rental car, and checking into our final hotel, we spent the first early evening in our hotel room and in Torrejón getting dinner. My stomach still wasn't feeling quite right, and we weren't sure we wanted to wander around hot, populated Madrid quite yet. So we rested for one more night and checked out the local areas around our hotel instead.
The next morning, we took the train over to Madrid and wandered around a bit. We found a cool marketplace that reminded me a little of the kasbah--only more modern and big-city-setup. It was pretty cool. But we were on our way to the Royal Palace, and we were on a mission. Also, it was really hot outside in the middle of the city. So we kept walking all the way down to the palace, stopping by the Royal Cathedral before, and admiring the colorful paintings all around the huge, vaulted ceilings and walls. I'm personally a bigger fan of the Gothic and Baroque styles, but the sleeker, more modern look inside a simple cathedral exterior was really perfect for the feel of Madrid.
After the Cathedral, we finally visited the Royal Palace, which turned out to be really awesome! I wasn't terribly excited for it, but I am so glad we went. There were just so many cool details, and fresco paintings and painted ceilings and really old furniture and floors and silver and sculptures and, finally, the armory, where there were endless rows of armor. Royal armor, common armor, 14th century, 15th century, horse armor, little prince armor, helms, breastplates, gauntlets, swords, crossbows, rifles, spears. Everything. It was so cool. We loved it.
Finally, we ended with some delicious montaditos--another Spanish word for sandwiches...And got some inspiration for a possible future venture. Russ really wants to start up a deli or something, and maybe a montadito shop with tiny sandwiches is just the thing. We'll see what happens. :]
Anyway, we finished off our final day in Spain with tapas--my favorite croquettes and chicken skewers--and a pitcher of sangria, of course. It was amazing.
Then, after a stressful time getting back to the airport the next (very early) morning--turns out the buses didn't start up in our area until 7--we got on the plane and made it home!
And thus ended a wonderful, amazing, so-fun honeymoon. I wouldn't have traded it for anything.
 |
| Cheers! |
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Not-So-Impressive Malaga
I was so surprised...we walked a very long way up a winding, slippery-rock-paved road, in the very hot Malaga sun...to look at walls and trees and puppets...
Yeah, well, that one was due to our excitement at seeing the "castle" down there...But I'll get to that shortly.
After a very late start in Tarifa, Russ and I were off for Malaga--a city I wasn't terribly excited for, but still: Mediterranean views and old, Moorish architecture.
Well, we kind of hit the ground running in Malaga, walking off for the Alcazaba (fortress) and Castillo (castle) after lunch. (Which, by the way, is getting on track with the Spanish schedule, with lunch at about 2 or 3 pm). Though at first we were under the impression that these sites were closed on Mondays, so we were actually on our way to the Roman Ampitheatre (which we actually never found). On the way, we stopped for some pretty souvenirs, and came across the entrance to the Alcazaba, found it open, and bought our tickets.
The Alcazaba itself was mostly gardens and winding stone pathways and small plazas, surrounded by tall, stone-and-brick walls. It was pretty cool, especially with the Moorish details, but it was also very hilly and filled with stone staircases. Very tiring, especially under that hot Malagan sun. We were sweating (and slightly panting, on my part--I am definitely not the soldier haha).
After we wandered through the Alcazaba, looking for the walkway that would lead to the Castillo (which we finally, after a lot of stair-climbing, found out were not connected for tourists), we stopped back at the hotel. The light, breezy t-shirt and short skirt I had on were not cutting it and I was in desperate need of free underarms so as not to completely die of heat exhaustion. Plus, skirts are not conducive to long walks with some uphill battles.
And they were certainly uphill battles. I really mean that. Haha The road leading to the Castillo, which sits atop a tall hill overlooking the ocean and the city, is long, winding, and extremely steep. Russ joked about wishing we'd had segways for the walk up, but I honestly don't think those things could make it up those hills. We'd have to lean onto the ground to go forward. Haha we had to stop several times so my heart didn't burst of of my chest and beat me with its tired, angry arms, and we were both drenched in sweat by the time we mde it to the top. My legs were ready to collapse.
"This castle better be worth it," we both chanted. And what did we find, you ask? More stone walls surrounding sparse trees and bushes, around tiny stone buildings with no access to the inside...Oh, and the information center, which showed us the various items and military uniforms for the first several centuries of the castle's existence (it was built in the 14th century!). It was cool to see...however only if it had been at the bottom of the hill...the only thing the castle really could have boasted, in my opinion, would be the views. I'm sure they were beautiful, but Russell and I were not climbing another ten feet of stairs up the walls...I would've collapsed.
And then we had the walk back down the steep, slippery rocks. By the time we made it back to the city, we were starving and decided to try a BBQ restaurant, which really just means grilling the meat in Spain, not being drenched in BBQ sauce. Haha Basically, we ate a lot of meat (pork and duck) and drank a pitcher each of sangria and tinto de verano (which is just red wine with carbonated soda mixed in).
Unfortunately, we woke up feeling a little sick to our stomachs this morning, so, though we'd planned on going down to the beach, we headed straight for Granada, which thankfully was an easy drive--not too many crazy roads/drivers. After buying tickets for the Alhambra for tomorrow and very slightly attempting the cathedral, we returned to the safety and comfort of our hotel to recover a bit.
Now Russ is saying he's feeling better, so we'll see if we can tackle at least the cathedral tonight before dinner. If not, we still have tomorrow! Hopefully we'll be feeling better by then, because I've dreamed of going to the Alhambra for years. So, anyway, hasty mañana, compadres! Que tengan in buen dia! Besos!
Yeah, well, that one was due to our excitement at seeing the "castle" down there...But I'll get to that shortly.
After a very late start in Tarifa, Russ and I were off for Malaga--a city I wasn't terribly excited for, but still: Mediterranean views and old, Moorish architecture.
Well, we kind of hit the ground running in Malaga, walking off for the Alcazaba (fortress) and Castillo (castle) after lunch. (Which, by the way, is getting on track with the Spanish schedule, with lunch at about 2 or 3 pm). Though at first we were under the impression that these sites were closed on Mondays, so we were actually on our way to the Roman Ampitheatre (which we actually never found). On the way, we stopped for some pretty souvenirs, and came across the entrance to the Alcazaba, found it open, and bought our tickets.
The Alcazaba itself was mostly gardens and winding stone pathways and small plazas, surrounded by tall, stone-and-brick walls. It was pretty cool, especially with the Moorish details, but it was also very hilly and filled with stone staircases. Very tiring, especially under that hot Malagan sun. We were sweating (and slightly panting, on my part--I am definitely not the soldier haha).
After we wandered through the Alcazaba, looking for the walkway that would lead to the Castillo (which we finally, after a lot of stair-climbing, found out were not connected for tourists), we stopped back at the hotel. The light, breezy t-shirt and short skirt I had on were not cutting it and I was in desperate need of free underarms so as not to completely die of heat exhaustion. Plus, skirts are not conducive to long walks with some uphill battles.
And they were certainly uphill battles. I really mean that. Haha The road leading to the Castillo, which sits atop a tall hill overlooking the ocean and the city, is long, winding, and extremely steep. Russ joked about wishing we'd had segways for the walk up, but I honestly don't think those things could make it up those hills. We'd have to lean onto the ground to go forward. Haha we had to stop several times so my heart didn't burst of of my chest and beat me with its tired, angry arms, and we were both drenched in sweat by the time we mde it to the top. My legs were ready to collapse.
"This castle better be worth it," we both chanted. And what did we find, you ask? More stone walls surrounding sparse trees and bushes, around tiny stone buildings with no access to the inside...Oh, and the information center, which showed us the various items and military uniforms for the first several centuries of the castle's existence (it was built in the 14th century!). It was cool to see...however only if it had been at the bottom of the hill...the only thing the castle really could have boasted, in my opinion, would be the views. I'm sure they were beautiful, but Russell and I were not climbing another ten feet of stairs up the walls...I would've collapsed.
And then we had the walk back down the steep, slippery rocks. By the time we made it back to the city, we were starving and decided to try a BBQ restaurant, which really just means grilling the meat in Spain, not being drenched in BBQ sauce. Haha Basically, we ate a lot of meat (pork and duck) and drank a pitcher each of sangria and tinto de verano (which is just red wine with carbonated soda mixed in).
Unfortunately, we woke up feeling a little sick to our stomachs this morning, so, though we'd planned on going down to the beach, we headed straight for Granada, which thankfully was an easy drive--not too many crazy roads/drivers. After buying tickets for the Alhambra for tomorrow and very slightly attempting the cathedral, we returned to the safety and comfort of our hotel to recover a bit.
Now Russ is saying he's feeling better, so we'll see if we can tackle at least the cathedral tonight before dinner. If not, we still have tomorrow! Hopefully we'll be feeling better by then, because I've dreamed of going to the Alhambra for years. So, anyway, hasty mañana, compadres! Que tengan in buen dia! Besos!
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Tanger en Todo
I was so surprised...Russ and I got a little souvenir-crazy in Morocco today.
Okay, friends, I'm exhausted, so don't expect a very long post today. It's to your benefit anyway. ;)
Anyway, today we went over to Tanger, Morocco! We took the ferry this morning--about a 35-minute ride--and found the tour guide I'd booked for the trip. And boy, am I glad I did! Seriously, if you're ever in southern Spain and thinking about popping down to Morocco, I very highly recommend Aziz Saint Laurent for the tour. He got us safely through some sketchy (for tourists), but so cool to see parts and gave a very extensive tour of Tanger. Very fun.
Anyway, we got to see where the royal family of Morocco lives, the fish market, the fruits market, the spice market--basically all of the Kasbah, plus some cool little handmade shops. We also saw the Hercules Grotto--which was really cool, and Russ and I contemplated moving in--the sound, sight and smell of the ocean, paired with the dark cool of the cave. Plus, Tiger would have a blast hiding in the little cavelets (the technical term, I believe). :)
Plus, Aziz was kind of a celebrity. Everywhere we went, he knew at least half the people, and had "in"s for pretty much everything. It was fun.
Oh, and did I mention that he took us to a fabulous restaurant with authentic, local food? Well, he did. And it was amazing. Russ and I practiy scarfed the food, it was so good. They gave us what they called a salad, but really it was like a salsa, a plate of vegetables and bread, the. Some delicious Moroccan lamb recipe and some kind of chicken pie. Oh, it was amazing. So fresh and delicious.
Uh, anyway, we also bought some cool stuff in some little shops, and even had to haggle a good bit. We got a marble camel figurine, a pretty hand painted bowl, a couple beautiful tablecloths, AND (my favorite) a cool, Moroccan lantern! I'm obsessed, you guys. It's so heavy, but sooo beautiful! I can't wait to hang it up!
The only problem now is that we sti haven't bought any Spanish souvenirs yet...But we do still have a week, so we'll be keeping our eyes peeled for something cool. Until then, we're off to Malaga tomorrow, and then Granada! It's been a hell of a honeymoon already, and I can't wait for more!
Hasta mañana, mis compadres! Besos!
Okay, friends, I'm exhausted, so don't expect a very long post today. It's to your benefit anyway. ;)
Anyway, today we went over to Tanger, Morocco! We took the ferry this morning--about a 35-minute ride--and found the tour guide I'd booked for the trip. And boy, am I glad I did! Seriously, if you're ever in southern Spain and thinking about popping down to Morocco, I very highly recommend Aziz Saint Laurent for the tour. He got us safely through some sketchy (for tourists), but so cool to see parts and gave a very extensive tour of Tanger. Very fun.
Anyway, we got to see where the royal family of Morocco lives, the fish market, the fruits market, the spice market--basically all of the Kasbah, plus some cool little handmade shops. We also saw the Hercules Grotto--which was really cool, and Russ and I contemplated moving in--the sound, sight and smell of the ocean, paired with the dark cool of the cave. Plus, Tiger would have a blast hiding in the little cavelets (the technical term, I believe). :)
Plus, Aziz was kind of a celebrity. Everywhere we went, he knew at least half the people, and had "in"s for pretty much everything. It was fun.
Oh, and did I mention that he took us to a fabulous restaurant with authentic, local food? Well, he did. And it was amazing. Russ and I practiy scarfed the food, it was so good. They gave us what they called a salad, but really it was like a salsa, a plate of vegetables and bread, the. Some delicious Moroccan lamb recipe and some kind of chicken pie. Oh, it was amazing. So fresh and delicious.
Uh, anyway, we also bought some cool stuff in some little shops, and even had to haggle a good bit. We got a marble camel figurine, a pretty hand painted bowl, a couple beautiful tablecloths, AND (my favorite) a cool, Moroccan lantern! I'm obsessed, you guys. It's so heavy, but sooo beautiful! I can't wait to hang it up!
The only problem now is that we sti haven't bought any Spanish souvenirs yet...But we do still have a week, so we'll be keeping our eyes peeled for something cool. Until then, we're off to Malaga tomorrow, and then Granada! It's been a hell of a honeymoon already, and I can't wait for more!
Hasta mañana, mis compadres! Besos!
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Whales!!
I was so surprised...Cadiz was not that great.
Okay, so we had no wifi again in Cadiz (we were in a little hostal--nice, but no private bathroom and no Internet :/), soooo now I have to inform you of our adventures for a few days. Since the last post, we saw a bullfight, enjoyed the beach of Cadiz, got lost on the way to Tarifa, and then went whale watching! It's been a fair bit.
As for the bullfight--it was fun, and we enjoys it, but Russ isn't really the biggest fan. I agree with him, and he respects the tradition and culture of it, but he'd prefer not to watch it again. And I respect that. No regrets for seeing it, though, so that's good. :)
As for Cadiz, well, we liked the beach (though both agreed Hawaii had nicer, cleaner, better beaches), and had a good time, but it's not a place either of us really care to go again. Just too tourist-y and dingy for our tastes.
Finally, after a few rough starts (very rough and stressful, being lost in a car in a foreign country, ugh), we finally made it to Tarifa. And I, for one, really love it here. The streets an buildings are cleaner, prettier. The city doesn't have as touristy or congested a feel. The ocean is nearly always in view. AND we had delicious Mexican food at a restaurant in the center of the city. I know, Mexican food in Spain? But holy cheese, man, it was the best Mexican food I've had. Ever. Like, if this was the Mexican I could get at home, I'd eat it all the time. Delicious. Oh, and we also went whale watching. That was awesome! We saw a few pods of orcas and several fin whales, on top of just having a great time sailing on the Strait of Gibraltar. Russ and I have decided that if we ever get rich, we wanna live on the ocean and have our own boat. We love the water. :)
Other than all those fun adventures, we're just excited now for Morocco tomorrow!! We're going to probably be pretty tired, so we'll see if I get to a post, but I'll do my best! Just know that we're having an awesome time and I can fairly safely say we'd both highly recommend Spain. :) And having a later honeymoon is kind of awesome in itself--thank goodness we already know how to handle each other stressed and tired and traveling. But, really, I couldn't have picked a better travel-buddy and we are having the best honeymoon ever. :)
Love de Espana!
Okay, so we had no wifi again in Cadiz (we were in a little hostal--nice, but no private bathroom and no Internet :/), soooo now I have to inform you of our adventures for a few days. Since the last post, we saw a bullfight, enjoyed the beach of Cadiz, got lost on the way to Tarifa, and then went whale watching! It's been a fair bit.
As for the bullfight--it was fun, and we enjoys it, but Russ isn't really the biggest fan. I agree with him, and he respects the tradition and culture of it, but he'd prefer not to watch it again. And I respect that. No regrets for seeing it, though, so that's good. :)
As for Cadiz, well, we liked the beach (though both agreed Hawaii had nicer, cleaner, better beaches), and had a good time, but it's not a place either of us really care to go again. Just too tourist-y and dingy for our tastes.
Finally, after a few rough starts (very rough and stressful, being lost in a car in a foreign country, ugh), we finally made it to Tarifa. And I, for one, really love it here. The streets an buildings are cleaner, prettier. The city doesn't have as touristy or congested a feel. The ocean is nearly always in view. AND we had delicious Mexican food at a restaurant in the center of the city. I know, Mexican food in Spain? But holy cheese, man, it was the best Mexican food I've had. Ever. Like, if this was the Mexican I could get at home, I'd eat it all the time. Delicious. Oh, and we also went whale watching. That was awesome! We saw a few pods of orcas and several fin whales, on top of just having a great time sailing on the Strait of Gibraltar. Russ and I have decided that if we ever get rich, we wanna live on the ocean and have our own boat. We love the water. :)
Other than all those fun adventures, we're just excited now for Morocco tomorrow!! We're going to probably be pretty tired, so we'll see if I get to a post, but I'll do my best! Just know that we're having an awesome time and I can fairly safely say we'd both highly recommend Spain. :) And having a later honeymoon is kind of awesome in itself--thank goodness we already know how to handle each other stressed and tired and traveling. But, really, I couldn't have picked a better travel-buddy and we are having the best honeymoon ever. :)
Love de Espana!
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