Oslicante Part 2: Alicante (Spain)

Most people have never heard of Alicante, Spain. I surely had not before Sasha mentioned that her friend was studying abroad there. Unfortunately, her friend left and went home early from studying abroad there but at that point, we had already decided we were going to Spain and we needed to go somewhere on the Mediterranean. Most would suggest Barcelona but for some reason there are no flights from Barcelona to Edinburgh on the cheap airlines so Alicante it was. Alicante is clearly a tourist destination for young English twenty somethings in the summer but because we went in the winter, it wasn't that crowded and therefore very pleasant.

On the first day, we got there late at night and went out for tapas and cervezas. We started to realized not many people spoke English in this town but were more than delighted to help (and laugh) while you tried to speak Spanish.

This is what our hostel looked like. I think I would really love to go back in the summer when everything is really in swing.

We decided the first order of business was la playa. So, after we got some snacks at the nearby market, where we eventually became friends with the owners, that is what we did. 

We got lunch at a spot near the beach and then decided to go back into town to see if we could catch some sort of celebration for Spanish Independence Day, since we happened to be in Spain on that very day. As soon as we started walking we heard music and noticed there was a parade coming. 

A note on that first picture: that woman was about three times the size of a regular person. 

After that we decided it was time to visit the Basilica de Santa Maria, Alicante's main attraction. The basilica is an old castle now in ruins that towers high above the city. The hike took a little while but the view was awesome. 

Our next idea was to drink wine and watch the sunset because we were in Spain and it just seemed right. Once we'd hiked back down from the basilica, we realized everything was closed. Siestas are a real thing. From about 4 until 6:30 or 7, most shops are closed so everyone can take a nap. But, we managed to find one store that was open so we bought some wine and ingredients for guacamole. The guacamole was for later so we took that back to the hostel and then took the wine up to a spot we found on the way up to the basilica. 

The sunset was clearly incredible. After the sunset, we made the guacamole and then somehow ended up hanging out with an old man who appeared to be friends with the hostel's owner. He was playing the guitar outside and we offered him some guacamole and then ended in about a two hour story-telling session. He spoke minimal English so while both Sasha and Zach spoke Spanish, I was quite lost. But no matter because he took an interest in my real name being "Nancy" and was convinced I knew how to play the guitar. 

I played my rendition of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Stars." I don't think I lived up to his expectations. 

That night we went out again for tapas and in the morning we left. I imagine most of Spain is like this so I would really love to return but I think I need to work on my Spanish. 

Oslicante Part 1: Oslo

Before exams in Edinburgh, they give you a reading week where you don't have class or exams. A WHOLE WEEK. So naturally, Sasha, my friend Zach and I decided to take a trip. Zach wanted to go to Scandinavia and Sasha wanted to go to Spain so we found a 15 euro flight from Oslo to Alicante, Spain and made a plan. We arrived in Oslo on a Tuesday afternoon but it was already dark because it gets dark around 3:30 in Oslo.

The start of a great trip:

The first night, we basically just walked around downtown and got Mexican food at a place called Mucho Mas. Despite the name meaning "much more" in Spanish, it was a very good albeit overpriced burrito.

The next day we decided to take the metro/train outside of downtown up the mountain to see the whole city. The view was incredible! Downtown Oslo is would be down the mountain to the left in this picture.

Then we preceded to walk around this neighborhood, called Holmenkollen. We saw the Olympic ski jump stadium, a very Norwegian church and a large Viking sculpture.

After that, Zach really wanted to go to the Folkemuseum which was is essentially an outdoor Norwegian history museum. It is organized like an old Norwegian village. 

After having lunch at a nearby cafe, it was nearing sunset and we wanted to see the Vigeland sculptures in Frogner Park. If you do anything is Oslo, you should see these sculptures at sunset because it is amazing!

(The pond was icing over at the beginning of December)

At this point, we were slightly exhausted from doing Oslo in basically one day so we went to the Christmas markets, got some mulled wine and got dinner at a very nice place kind of near the Grunerløkka neighborhood. 

The next day, we saw the opera house, a building Oslo is known for, before heading to the airport for Alicante!

Family Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving, my family came to visit. It was kind of weird not having a proper Thanksgiving but nonetheless very eventful and fun. On the first day, I showed my family around Edinburgh and then, for dinner, we went to a Spanish tapas restaurant, Cafe Andulaz.

The next day I had class while my family took a tour of the city but then we met up afterwards to go to Edinburgh Castle. This was probably good because otherwise I would have never dished out 15 pounds to see yet another castle but the Edinburgh one was particularly amazing because of the view. You can see all of Old and New Town from the top.

On Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), my dad rented a car and we went to Stirling Castle and Linlithgow Palace. Stirling Castle was really cool and there was a tour while Linlithgow was in ruins but still awesome and somewhat maze-like. The pictures from Stirling are first and then Linlithgow. 

It wasn't windy at all. 

That night we went to Spoon with my family from Aberdeen. One of my favorite things about my family's visit (besides their presence) was all of the good food we ate. The night before, we went to one of my favorite bars/pubs in Edinburgh, The Southern, which was equally delicious. 

The last day we went to the National Museum which is free but I had strangely never been. Then, per the suggestion of one of my family members, we went to see the Royal Yacht. I was just expecting a large boat but I was quite wrong. The yacht was the size of a small cruise ship. Located in Leith (slightly outside Edinburgh), the ship contained rooms for all of the royal family and crew along with lots of other [albeit frivolous] fancy rooms. I wanted to take the fam to Arthur's Seat as well but no one had the proper shoe ware. 

That night we went to the Indian Calvary Club which was some of the best Indian food I've ever had (besides my other favorite, 10 to 10 in Delhi, also in Edinburgh). Sasha came with us and there was so much food that me and Sasha had more than enough for another meal the next day. 

All in all I think it was a great trip and it made me feel like an Edinburgh local even though I am clearly not. 

London

Having been to London two times before, I really didn't need to go. But I had a free place to stay with a friend from UNC and I am in the UK so I saw no real reason not to. The first day, Sasha and I did all the touristy things because she had never been.

After that, we walked along the South Bank and found a market to eat at. I got an amazing chicken shawarma wrap from a Mediterranean stand. 

Then we went to a Christmas market nearby. We saw this guy playing a tribute to Lou Reed. 

The next day I got to meet up with some friends from camp and so Sasha, my friend from UNC, Bridget, and a few of my friends from camp all got to hang out. So many friends. We went to Borough Market for food (my favorite market in London, not that I've been to all of them but whatever it is amazing) and then did some walking and went to Brick Lane, an area of London know for it's Indian food and graffiti. 

That night, we found out that Ellie Goulding was playing at a club for SIX POUNDS (a deal if I might say so myself) and despite our tiredness, we got ourselves together and went and it was amazing!