Fiesta del Colacho

I went to the Fiestas Del Colacho last Saturday, Sunday and Monday. It was in Bea´s ( my host mom) village. Castrilla de Burgos. The village is very small but during the fiesta people from nearby villages come and family also comes such as the 19 and 20 year old friends. Someone dresses as the devil and basically chases people and hits them with a stick with leather on the end. The people know who he is so they insult him and then he hits them, sooo fun! There is more to the fiesta then hitting people though but I really don´t know how to explain it. 8 men play the drums behind the Colacho and people my age dress in the traditional clothing and dance. Bea and I went to the cafe and I drank Kalimotzo which is wine and coke later and while we we were sitting there one of Bea´s friends introduced me to a boy and two girls who were my age and they asked if I wanted to go to with them to the medindero which is a gathering place that each family can have parties in. I was introduced to 15 or 16 people at once and they were all so nice! We spoke a little Spanish and some English. We had lots of drinks and at 3 am we headed down to where there was a huge stage and a band. I had the most fun ever I am pretty sure. I miss mis amigos but I will see them at the Fiesta del Santiago! and I will travel to Spain whenever I can! On Sunday afternoon babies are placed on a mattress outside and they are blessed and the Colacho jumps over them. It is a large mattress and sort of scary but I love the Spaniards! After there is music, wine, cheese, bread and AMIGOS!

So there was a Fiesta yesterday because it was the longest day of the year. It got dark at 12 and huge bonfires were lit and people did tradional Basque dances that symbolized history. When the huge fire got a tiny bit smaller people jumped over it. I am meeting my friends Johanna and Gaelle again tonight.

Hola! I love Spain! sorry for the italics, don´t know how to change it. Madrid is an amazing city and impossible to get lost in because I didn´t get lost when i was by myself. The metro is so amazing that you just find a sign, go in the ground and voila you are back! I went to Retiro park and walked around the Prado where I listened to music. I stayed with the Gillis family and had a great time. Pamplona is beautiful and surrounded by mountains. Today we went to the Pentona which is a human made lake the water was soooo blue and was surrounded by houses from a village so pretty! Beatrize my host mom took me to the city with Sabina and lorea the little girls. The food is awesome! more later! besos!

Day One

So I am helping Catherine with her blog as her access to a computer is limited. She left NC at 2pm on Wednesday had a connection in Newark and then on to Madrid. She got herself from the airport to a flat in Madrid. I think that is pretty good considering she and a couple of friends (you know who you are) recently had trouble going from South Point Mall to home.
Below is a message from Catherine:

"Hey guys today I took the bus to Prado (museum and art gallery). I went to Retiro Park and walked around outside and listened to a Spanish guitarist. The city has a plentiful area of walking space and people are enjoying tapas next door to the flat. Spain is very cool. I did not get to terribly lost finding my way back to the flat. I just asked people where the apartment was and it turns out it was really close. Love Catherine"