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Email sent on Wednesday 9 August

Hi there everyone,

We are in Barcelona at the moment, having spent almost a week travelling across the top of Spain. We are having a wonderful time on Busabout, and have met loads of great people.

I have got into the Sangria and tapas and love them both. The Spanish really know how to have a good time. They are very passionate people, and they love to have a good time, party, dance and generally make the most out of everything.

We spent three days in San Sebastian which rocked! We had a gorgeous room that was on the third floor. It had polished wooden floors, and was very clean inside the room, which made a change from some of the places we have stayed in. It also had louvered wooden shutters that opened out onto a balcony where we could stand and watch the street life. Only about 20 meters up the street was the front entrance to the very beautiful cathedral... although we didn't appreciate the bells ringing every fifteen minutes starting from 8 in the morning!

Spent a night in Zaragoza then on to Barcelona. Staying in the very noisy hostel called the Kabul. Went out last night to the night club area. You have to walk over a walk bridge to get to it. It's called the Maramagnum and has 35 dance clubs and pubs. All of them were full and it was only Monday night! They are crazy over here!

This is the monastry at Monserrat, high in the mountains

This is the village nearby

Today went to the fabulous Montserrat. It is a small Benedictine monks monastry way up in some rocky hills. A really awesome experience. I touched the black Virgin Mary and child.

It is extremely hot here at the moment. I am writing this at 11.35 at night and the sweat is dripping off me! No kidding!!! It's around 30 degrees at the moment. Still can't complain... what's the weather like back home?!!

We are off to Toulouse on Thursday for a much needed break and sitting by the pool! I will answer the Room 15 questions about Spain when I get there

Lots of love and hugs

Sarah and Lloyd =)

Hi there,

We are going to Toulouse tomorrow on the train, and we have got to get up at 5 oclock which will be a killer. We tried to get to a bull fight but missed out as they are only on certain days of the week. I wasn't really keen to go anyway, but it would have been good for the atmosphere and experience. The Spanish are so pasionate about everything! They love to have a good time no matter what they are doing.

Today was another scorcher. I am sick to death of my clothes, since I am wearing the same ones every day almost. I wish I had room to pack some more!

Anyway, must go. Am killing time in the hostel at the moment. Will try to have an early night... yeah right, I said that last night... and the night before.... and the night before that!!!

Take care,
Sarah =)

Hi Room 15

I'm sorry this has taken me so long to get back to you. I have just arrived in Toulouse in France at my Uncle's house, so now I have plenty of time to catch up on my emails! Here are the answers to your questions on Spain...

The weather in Spain was very very hot! During the day it a was around 35 degrees and at night it was so hot I slept wearing only shorts and tshirt and that is all. It was too hot to even have sheets on me. In the middle of the day it is very hot, so all the shops shut up and every one goes home for a siesta, (a sleep) from around 1 o'clock until about 3.30. We had to make sure we had something to eat before then because otherwise we would go hungry!

Unfortunately we didn't go to a bullfight, even though we really wanted to. They are only held on Thursdays and Sundays in Spain. The matadors are very brave men over here, and they are thought of as heroes, or celebrities by the Spanish people, just like we do with our rugby players in NZ. You can even be a matador groupie and have pictures of your favourite matador on your bedroom walls! One of the most favourite matadors here in Spain at the moment is only 16 years old. When the bull comes charging towards him he stays kneeling on his knees with his red cape held out to the side. Is that brave or crazy????

Spain's food is very delicious. While in Spain I ate lots of tapas, which are bread (baguette slices) and different types of toppings such as fish, squid, ham, egg, stuffed peppers etc etc. Very yummy! I also ate paella which is rice and seafood, or chicken. That was also very nice. They don't eat the Toro (bull) because it is regarded as a sacred animal (even though they kill it in the bull fight.)

Inside a bakery in Barcelona

Puppies being sold as pets in a pet market

Spain doesnt really look like NZ. It is very dry and I didn't see too many trees or any lush forests. The beaches, however are very nice and the water is warm. In San Sebastian, there were shark nets right along the beach to protect the swimmers. I didn't see any sharks though!

We are staying mostly in youth hostels which is like a hotel only much cheaper. We usually sleep in dormitories which have anywhere between two to fifteen bunk beds in them. In San Sebastian we had our own very nice room that had a balcony and I could stand out on it and watch the street life, but in Barcelona we were in a very large dormitory that had around 20 people sleeping in it. I have learned to sleep with lots of noise going on! However most hostels have been really great.

My uncle took us to Carcasonne yesterday which was very nice. It is a well preserved medieval village about one hour from Toulouse. Right now I have just finished lunch which was foie gois (ducks liver) which we had on toasted bread, with king prawns and salad. YUMMMMMY! Lloyd is having a sleep and my cousins and aunty and uncle are in the pool... where I will be after sending you this!

The only way to cool down!

Spain was a wonderful place to visit. The Spanish people love to have a good time, they are very good dancers, and they are very friendly as well. We would like to come back for one of the festivals, such as the running of the bulls, another year.

Well that's about it with the questions. I'm glad you are enjoying studying Spain and the rest of Europe. I wish you were all here to see it for yourselves. Hopefully one day you will! Keep working hard, and sending me those emails.

Lots of love from Miss Baillie =)