(Chelle?) Zaragoza

When I told all the Madrid girls I was going to Zaragoza for a good chunk of a week they told me I might die of boredom in a city where the main tourist highlights could all be done in a day. Well, I'd say they couldn't be much farther from the truth. I'll say it again but it really is the people that make a city awesome. What was I even doing there? To be honest, I was being strategic in that it's the city pretty much located at the exact midpoint of Madrid and Barcelona. And who can pass up another 21st birthday celebration in Spanish style? 

Zaragoza has a different feel to Madrid. It's older, and quite windy actually. But it was the first week of uni for the students here, so all my time was pretty much devoted to orientation and welcome events with all the international "Erasmus" students. Erasmus students are the exchange students coming from all over Europe. These events included things like bike tours, parties, and my personal favourite, "tapas tour", where we went on a tour around the city for the best tapas and cheap drinks in each one. Drinks are insanely cheap here by the way. 2 euros for a bottle of red wine is apparently expensive.

They all spoke Spanish at around my level as well, so it was a relief to be able to speak Spanglish with them, and there was a common ground for all of us that facilitated easy conversation, in groups and one-to-one. Everyone was insanely friendly, and had gone traveling, and had amazing stories to tell. When you say you're from Australia, their eyes light up thinking about such an isolated, 'exotic' country, and love to hear what you have to say. Some of them had even backpacked the outback themselves, making me insanely jealous, but stealing tips and ideas for future roadtrips myself. Plus it's a good idea to ask them about their own countries too, because that's when they offer you their place to stay for when you come back.

It was awesome staying at my friend's flat too, and really makes me want my own one somewhere in some little Spanish town down south. The place wasn't fancy or anything (typical student piso) but I just loved helping her set everything up a bit and go grocery shopping altogether, and the feeling of deciding what to make for breakfast, or get for the whole flat if it was a night-in, and even the whole excitement of having other people come over.