Cheerios!

Greetings from Jolly Old London! It's raining and cold here. I know: Shocker! They say it might even snow. How fun (not fun) would that be???

I have three days here before my flight to New Zealand. After completing the test from hell, a whirlwind tour of Spain this past week and some emotional highs and lows, I'm set to transition into the next phase of my adventure.

I know you're wondering: I passed my test. Not with flying colors, mind you, but I passed Spanish nonetheless. It was HARD! So hard! My Bitch Teacher From Hell told a few people during a break the week before that the test would be at 10am, even though class normally starts at 9. Our nice teacher said this might be a trap and that we should all come at 9 anyway. So after a weekend of study sessions with my fellow students and total brain fry, I show up at 8:30, hoping to study a bit more before the test, whatever time it might be. And what does Bitch Teacher From Hell do? Shows up at 9 saying, "Are you all ready? Where's the rest of the class? I never said 9. I don't know what you're talking about." Awful awful woman. It's like being in an abusive relationship. You never know where you stand and then she acts like YOU'RE the crazy one when she 'misremembers'. After I PASSED the LEVEL FOUR class, she suggested if I continue my studies in the states I should start at a level ONE. Why does she hate me so???
Anyway. I'm glad that's over and done with.

Gwenn came for a quick trip through Spain. She loved Granada way more than I ever did, then we drove up to Madrid for a couple of nights. The city was a blur (as it was when my boys came) but lively and fun. We then drove to the north of Spain and had NO IDEA what we were in for. Have you ever heard of Somo? Neither had I, but apparently it's where all beautiful scenery comes to live. Seascape with castles on the horizon? Check. Cows meandering in pastures? Check. Picturesque little stone B&B with overly-helpful, grey-bearded Spanish gentleman? Check. Mountains frosted with snow as far as the eye can see? Check. Green rolling fields and RAINBOWS, ferchristssake???? Check!! (Pics to follow.)

Somo is near Santander (an hour west of Bilbao). I kind of picked the place thinking it would be a launching pad for drives to other towns but I could have happily stayed there for an entire week. They have a zoo that's not really a zoo... AMAZING. We wore out the word "beautiful" while driving through. It's an old mining area they turned into a zoo/refuge for animals. They had the most expansive, natural enclosures I've ever seen. I saw an Osterich! Up close! It's head reminded me of little Tivatoodles. That black, glossy, expressionless eyeball staring back at you... They also had the usual assortment of animals. But seriously, this place was not like anything you're imagining. It's so much better. Make plans to go now. K? Now I know what all the fuss about the North was about. We also had the best fish there. It's called Munkfish in the states, but they call it "Rape", which I found much more amusing. Buttery and flakey and... oh, sorry, I'm drooling on my keyboard.

Sigh. Big, fat, full bellied sigh.

So here I am in cold, grey London. Last night I wandered for a bit then saw the 3D version of Alice in Wonderland. I know, I go to London and WATCH A MOVIE? You don't understand, though! After two months of Spanish, Spainish, Spainish and ZERO pop culture I was dying to be connected to Hollywood in some way. Today I wander more (Tower of London, I think...) and then do the Jack the Ripper tour! Then I'm going for Indian food. So excited!

Oh, and on a side-note: My night in the hostel here was a night from HELL. Only I could luck out with the spot BELOW and NEXT TWO the loudest snorers here. Earplugs, sweatshirt over head.. still could feel the rumbling in my bunk. I'm trying to work through it and toughen my eardrums up a bit. After all, I'll have two months of this coming up. Ug. How I long for my old bedroom where my only annoyances were the pattering of cat feet running up and down the halls...

More soon! Just wanted to let you all know I was alive!