it’s my life

The first week of May I spent in Spain traveling with my parents. It was a double pleasure �€“ meeting with my family and visiting such a nice country. But there was even more �€“ meeting with a friend. I had already written that living in Europe makes a person more open-minded in terms of accepting new cultures and nations. When I told my parents �€˜I have a friend here and I am going to call him�€��€™ they were not like really surprised. But for them it�€™s not a usual thing. A lot of times they repeated - �€˜we can�€™t believe that it�€™s possible and quite easy that we came from Moscow, you came from Holland and we met in Spain�€™. But that was the real case.\r\n\r\nIn Spain I visited Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid, Toledo, Zaragosa and Girona. That is a lot of places for one week. So it was a bit busy trip. Firstly I was surprised by the combination of gothic architecture and palms. For me the palm-tree is a sign of a seaside resort. And gothic style is too serious for a resort. But that is Spain and it is nice! And I liked the buildings which were designed by Gaudi. As for the landscape of country-side I have never seen such a color of soil. Sometimes it was almost red! And a lot of vineyards, fields with olive and orange trees�€� and mountains�€� Also I can easy recall red flowers of poppy.\r\n\r\nIn all Spanish places where we have been we saw beautiful cathedrals and medieval houses. Madrid may be the only exception because it is younger than other cities. This city reminded me a bit Moscow. I mean that it has the same spirit of a capital and a big city. In Madrid we stayed for a longer while than in other cities and I had enough time to walk around its historical center. I have to note that this city looks romantic in evenings when it is dark.\r\n\r\nAnd of course I tried some typical Spanish food and drinks. First it was �€˜paella�€™ and ham called �€˜hamon�€™. Later in Madrid there were fried squids and home-made croquets. I liked them as well as a beverage called �€˜mojito�€™ (I was told it�€™s originally from Cuba but it is still quite popular in Madrid). Also I found a bit strange thing that Madrid�€™s citizens mix wine and cola �€“ it is not the way how we drink it in Russia.\r\n\r\nAnd there were even more things during my visiting Spain which I remember but unfortunately have no time to write about. But I am still in mood to learn Spanish language which is also called �€˜Castellano�€™. As afterword I can add that after arriving to Holland I found out that I was close to say �€˜gracias�€™ to a person in the train. And even several days later I still have to force myself to say �€˜Hello�€™ instead of �€˜Hola�€™ and �€˜thanks�€™ instead of �€˜gracias�€™ �€“ people don�€™t know that I was in Spain.\r\n\r\nAnd finally�€� while unpacking my suitcase I was listening a CD which my parents had got as a free gift in a wine shop. At one moment I stopped because the music seemed so familiar (but it was without words). I checked the title of that composition �€“ it was �€� Clavelitos. Somebody can be surprised but it reminded me�€� carnival in Maastricht.\r\n