Tag: Pamplona

By meaggymurphy

Blurb:  Visiting a castle is a pretty decent want to spend a day, and I was lucky enough to get to go see an unexpectedly beautiful castle here in Navarra this past weekend. The fall foliage and beautiful weather made the experience that much more enchanting. The town where this castle is hidden, Olite, was also charming and definitely a hidden gem of the region. The only things that were missing from the experience were the dragons and Gandolf. #medieval #palace #spain #daytrip #GWU #GWAbroad

This past weekend, I got to see two things I love: my friend Sara (who is currently studying in Barcelona) and more of the countryside surrounding Pamplona. When Sara visited, we decided to go visit a nearby town called Olite, about a half hour away from where I live. Bus rides around this region of Spain are painless because of how pretty the mountains and roadside towns are; especially now that it's fall, the colors are changing from sunny greens and yellows to rustic golds and reds.

Once we got to Olite, we decided to stroll around and get situated in the little town. We entered a souvenir shop (where it's always ok to be a tourist) and asked where the center of town and restaurants were. The girl working behind the desk laughed a little and said, "This is it!" Apparently we were already in the middle of the town, which consisted of a plaza, the souvenir shop, a couple restaurants, and town hall. So, first thing's first, we sat down at a table in the plaza belonging to one of the restaurants and ordered some lunch.

After lunch, the next stop was the Palacio Real of Olite. At first, Sara and I almost made the HUGE mistake of being deterred by the entrance fee of 2 euros (later, we marveled at everything we had come so close to missing out on). Thankfully, we decided to go in. I had never really realized that I had never been in a legitimate medieval castle, unless you count Cinderella's Castle in Disney World, which I admittedly did before this visit.

This castle was built between the 13th and 14th centuries by King Charles III "The Noble" of Navarra. It's a Gothic palace, with geometric decorations over windows and spiral staircases leading up to one of two towers that overlook the town and the mountains. It's known for the disorder of it's design, but I thought it was more whimsical than unorganized. My favorite part of the whole palace was a square courtyard surrounded by a covered walkway with tall Gothic windows that allow you to see into the garden in the center. However, this wasn't the best part of the courtyard. The most enchanting part was the vines surrounding the walkway because they were bright, florescent red. After seeing all this, Sara and I were kicking ourselves for having almost not gone into the palace. It was one of the most beautiful things I've seen since arriving here in Spain. It get like walking onto the set of Game of Thrones or into a scene from Lord of the Rings.

After running around the Palace for a while, it was time to head back to Pamplona. Looking back afterwards at the pictures we took, I still can't get over how pretty it all was. Everything was perfect- the weather, the castle, the views, and being able to go with my friend made it one of my favorite days! I've written about hidden gems before, and I'll do it again. They're the best because, like the Palacio Real de Olite, they're surprising and always exceed expectations. And, it's never a bad way to spend a day feeling like a medieval princess.

By meaggymurphy

I'm learning that hidden gems are the best part of living in this region of Spain. I often get the feeling that people overlook northern Spain... It's not bustling Madrid, international Barcelona, or sunny Seville. However, I've been pleasantly surprised by how much Navarra has to offer. One small example of a hidden gem I recently uncovered is called the Necedero del río Urederra in the Parque Natural Urbasa Andía.

One of my friends recent ly acquired a car, which opens up a whole range of possibilities as far as traveling around the region goes. Along with another friend, we decided to take the 40 minute drive to this national park that allegedly had a beautiful, crystal-clear river called Urederra. It felt nice to drive into the mountains (but not so nice once we started climbing the winding roads and I realized I had the misfortune of being in the backseat, a.k.a. the whiplash seat). Once we arrived, it was a short walk through a little, mountainside town of about 20 adobe houses to arrive at the park entrance. At this point, we were joking nervously about how the weather looked like it was about to change for the worst and we were stuck without an umbrella. We decided to chance it, and I'm glad we did.

The walk consisted of a dirt pathway winding through the trees, with sweeping views of mountains and valleys before the forest became more dense. Soon the trees broke and we were looking down upon the most breathtaking river I've ever seen. It was a shade of blue, luminescent and clear, that I didn't know existed outside of the Caribbean. As if the color wasn't enough, there was also a waterfall cascading over the rocks. At first, myself and the two other girls were speechless; as soon as we could talk, we couldn't stop gushing over how beautiful it was!

Continuing on, every view of the river Urederra was more picturesque than the last. Trees growing on the riverbanks extended their roots into the turquoise water, and we could see clearly the rock formations arranged under the crystal cover of water. We stopped and had a picnic (my friends had packed me an extra sandwich, which I thought was really sweet!) and took it all in. Places like the Nacedero del Urederro, which are so unexpectedly and naturally beautiful, kind of temporarily stun you by how perfect they are.

I joked that I would build myself a little cabin right next to the river, and I was only half kidding because I can't think of a better view to wake up to every morning! After a couple hours of continuing down this path (and encountering surprisingly few other visitors), we reluctantly decided to head back to the car. In almost no time, I was back at my apartment, still in shock over the beauty of everything we'd seen.

This day trip was definitely my favorite that I've taken so far here in Spain; I got to see a place that exceeded all of my expectations with great company, and in the end it didn't even rain! I left Urederra feeling extremely lucky. I felt lucky to have found this hidden gem, lucky to have found good friends to share these experiences with, and, most of all, lucky to live here in Navarra!

By meaggymurphy

One of my favorite words in Spanish is "vergüenza," or embarrassment. This is a feeling that I've become quite comfortable with since arriving in Spain. Especially in my classes (oh yes, I have examples).

So far in Spain, I've discovered that I can almost 100% guarantee that if a professor is going to ask for volunteers or give a surprise oral pop quiz, I will be chosen to answer first. I am a person who prefers to go to class, listen, take notes, and participate when I feel that I have something to contribute. I know very few people who relish being called on to speak in front of the class. By the end of my time here in Spain, I will never again feel uncomfortable being called upon to give an opinion or answer a question because it happens in every class here, everyday.

For example, last week in one of my classes we had a surprise visitor: a magician! How fun! Who does he chose out of everyone in class to be his assistant? Me. At one point, he has a coin and asks me to blow on his hand to make it disappear. This is confusing to me. I panic. I know what I heard him say, but what if I misheard?! Why the heck would I need to blow on his hand to make the magic happen? I'm afraid to ask and sound like a dumb foreigner. So what do I do instead? I fist bump him. It was the most awkward fist bump of my life. The class erupts in laughter. I cringe. Two lessons here: Don't be afraid to ask questions, and sometimes the best thing to do is laugh at your mistakes.

Another example was a surprise oral quiz in my Geography class. I am chosen first to answer. I answer correctly (PHEW), except for the professor is looking for one word specifically to describe the geographic structure we're studying. In my panic, I can only think of how to say it in English, and I know it sounds nothing like the Spanish equivalent. So I just say I don't know and move on. Looking back, it probably wouldn't have hurt to say it in English. But lesson learned: always be extra prepared for class with all of the proper vocabulary, just in case.

On the bright side, these moments of panic always result in me making new friends. After the Magician Incident, a few students from my class approached me to say I shouldn't be embarrassed because it was the best part of the entire magic show. Ok, I'll take it. And after the geography quiz, I'm approached by other students who tell me that they didn't know the word either, so I shouldn't feel bad about it. At least I wasn't the only one!

I'm learning that during my time in Spain, as a foreigner, I'm always representing my country to the people here. This is something that they tell you at orientation, but it really becomes a reality upon arrival. Professors aren't trying to embarrass me when they ask what I think in front of the class; they just want to know what someone who isn't from here thinks! At the end of the day, it's worth the occasional embarrassing situation if 9 times out of 10 I can add something constructive to class discussions. So, vergüenza only exists if I let it. Besides, no one ever died from an awkward fist bump.

By meaggymurphy

Patterns are funny things in life. They are so dependent on variables like timing, culture, necessities, and personality; however, patterns have a way of becoming rigid and invariable. They become routines whether we want them to or not. Part of the reason I chose to come study abroad in Spain was because I have a previously unspoken/unwritten promise with myself regarding routines. This self-contract is that I will always take the opportunity to challenge myself to break out of patterns. I know myself to be a person who becomes easily bewitched into a routine- if I could, I'd wake up at the same time everyday, eat the same thing for breakfast, and go through a series of comfortable motions until bedtime. But where's the fun in that?! Life is about variety, switching it up, and trying new things. This is why I love travel so much; it literally forces you to break out of habitual familiarities and adapt in an unfamiliar environment.

Spain has done a good job of shattering my well-established U.S. routine. For example, somewhere along the line in life, I was bitten by the "Early to bed, early to rise" bug. It's annoying, I know. When I'm in America, I take comfort in the pattern of waking up early, having a cup of coffee, and doing productive things until it's time for class or work. One of the biggest adaptations I've undergone in Pamplona is the acceptance that this routine simply does not work.

The life of a student in Spain is one that tends to start later and end later. Everything here happens later. Breakfast happens when I'm used to having lunch, lunch when I'm used to having dinner, and dinner when I'd usually be fast asleep. Life is very much more nocturnal; this past week I was surprised/horrified to hear a friend telling me that during exams, he prefers to play fútbol at night, return home to eat around 10 p.m., and then study from midnight till the sun comes up. That's his routine. I don't think I'll ever be that much of a night owl. But at basic as it sounds, I like talking to people whose life rhythms are different from mine- simple patterns tell a lot about traditions, preferences, and what people find significant in life. For me, it's just as important to participate in and experience as many life patterns as possible as it is to establish one for myself. Luckily, I'm getting to experience the routine-shattering shift that I was hoping Spain would provide. So far, I'm keeping my promise to myself and adapting. Someday, the time will come when I realize that I'm just as comfortable in my Spain routine as I was in my American routine, and then I'll know it's time for a new challenge. For now, I'll keep enjoying the novelty and freshness of my life rhythm in Pamplona.