Letting the team down

It’s been just over a week since my last Spanish lesson of the year and I have not picked up the book once.

I have not conjugated a single verb, in fact all I’ve really done is read the Spanish part of the Robbie Burns menu and I really don’t think that counts!

I am about to go to the beach for 9 days and so far I haven’t even packed my Spanish folder either – its just too big!

However, I have packed Hemingway’s The old man and the sea. And I’ve also packed a book by Jonas Jonasson called The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared which I think is about the Spanish Civil War (I hate reading the blurb of books in case it ruins the surprise).

I’m also packing a few of my Spanish travel guides (yes, I have a lot) so that I can finally plan this holiday!

So overall, I think I’m fully booked reading-wise. The Spanish homework is going to have to wait until the New Year.

I’m looking forward to my first Christmas with my partner of almost 5 years, my first Christmas away from family and my first Christmas as head chef of Christmas lunch.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy festive season – wherever that may be.

Feliz Navidad, Prospero Ano y Felicidad

FelizNavidad ensRus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My favourite Spanish restaurant in Melbourne..

would have to be the Robert Burns hotel – by a mile.

Don’t be put off by the name which sounds about as Spanish as mashed potato but it is authentic, delicious and best of all has an awesome casual atmosphere.

We went for dinner last night with some friends and boy did we have a feast;

Jamón Ibérico, Croquetas de jamón, Gambas al ajillo, Pescadito frito en adobo, Caldereta de cordero, Baked button mushroom with thyme & goats cheese and Paella negra con alioli.

To translate: Spanish ham, ham croquettes, garlic and chilli prawns, lightly fried marinated flake, spring lamb stew, mushrooms and squid ink paella with cuttlefish, scallops.

It was all amazing – I think the prawns and the paella were my highlight though.

The service is fantastic, the prices are good and they have a great outdoor area at the back – perfect for a few sangrias on a warm summer evening.

My apologies for the lack of photos but we ate it all too quickly!

Check out the Robbie Burns website for menus and pics. ¡Buen Provecho!

One thing that surprised me about Sevilla

And this will sound silly because it is obviously famous for it..

The abundance of oranges! and orange trees!

But they are literally everywhere, in the city. Its amazing.

In the plaza near where we stayed there were a heap of them. Most nights we ate dinner amongst the orange trees, muy bonito.

Alcazar in Sevilla

I also loved the gardens of the Alcazar. Like an understated and less complicated version of the traditional garden at la Alhambra, it was so tranquil.

And it only cost us a Euro or 2 to get in, thanks to our ‘student’ cards – The Alhambra was a lot more than that. But still, it is also well worth the trip.

The south of Spain just has a certain feeling about it. And a definite heat, even in late May!

Definitely want to head back there one day.

View from Alhambra to Granada

The final hurrah..

For this term.

Last night was the last Spanish class of the year – Sad but good as it means its almost Christmas.

Our teacher explained some of the traditional festivities that happen at this time of year in Spain which are quite different to here.

To begin with, their ‘big night’ is on Christmas Eve and its called Noche Buena meaning the good night. They have a big feast with family etc and it kicks off the Christmas festivities.

Traditionally, presents don’t actually get exchanged until el Dia de Reyes which is on the 6th of January. Although these days its not unusual for kids to get presents on both Christmas day and January 6th – lucky kids!

It’s so interesting to hear how other countries spend their Christmas. Just like its funny when people from the northern hemisphere spend Christmas in Australia and we have a BBQ in the sun instead of hiding away inside from the snow.

Today I am all ready to visit my family for Christmas and I have made the cutest gifts – Little ‘noodle boxes’ filled with Rum Balls, Chocolate Tarts and Choc-Chip Cookies. Yum!

Can’t wait to give it to them. They look so cute.

Feliz Navidad

Excuse the bad photo taken with my work phone

Those Galegos know a few things about squid..

I’d sure like to pick their brain.

When we were in Donostia (Basque country, Spain) last year we had the best Galician squid.

And it can’t have been the best, since we weren’t even in Galicia.

As you can imagine I am super excited for some Galician squid from Galicia in 5 months time!

Somehow all they need is a bit of paprika and olive oil and shabam! the lightest and tastiest lunch ever.

I should investigate where in Galicia has the best squid and use this as a deciding factor on where to stay in the region.

This weeks homework is to memorise the various tenses of the verb vivir, meaning to live.

The bf and I have decided next year will be a year of living – we are going to buy a van with a mattress and little kitchenette and do some weekend wandering around the countryside.

nosotros viviremos – we will live

Migraine – What an ugly word

 tengo jaqueca

Well no, my migraine is mostly gone. Thanks to strong pain killers and a 4 hour nap.

Can it really be called a nap if you sleep for 4 hours? meh.

The odd thing is I’ve never had a migraine before. And everyone I know that has had a migraine started getting them in their early teens.

I thought I’d dodged the bullet but no!

On the bright side, I have a consolatory mini cheesecake in the fridge to make me feel better – Whenever I can stomach it!

Which reminds me I should really start organising some Christmas baking. I decided to be a scrooge this year and not buy for all my extended family – And in return not get random nonsense bought for me.

But I thought I should at least bake some kind of Christmas cookies or something along those lines.

Last year I made some tasty Christmas cupcakes which were a hit but they might be a bit too sweet for the older crowd. Better get googling and find an alternative.

Christmas Cupcakes

A mouthful of success

The pastel vasco was a success!

My teacher, who is from the Basque country, even said it was delicious!

And despite my last minute cramming I managed to remember most of the variations of comer and dar – the latter being almost impossible.

It’s just such a strange concept to get your head around as a native English speaker – The idea that a verb changes depending on who is doing it.

So if I’m playing, or you’re playing, or he’s playing, or they are playing – It’s different!

Anyway it’s slowly starting to make sense and stick.

There is only 1 more Spanish class for the year and then it’s up to me to practice over the Christmas/ New Year break. That’s the challenge!

I wonder if baking more basque cake counts as homework..

Pastel Vasco / Basque Cake

Wednesday Guilt

Well it’s Wednesday again and what a surprise – I still haven’t done my Spanish homework.

It’s not like I’ll get in trouble, it’s an adult education class. But I won’t get any better at this rate.

In just over 5 months I’ll be back in Spain and I need to get my shiz together.

So I’ve decided to start this blog about my attempt to learn Spanish in the hope that it will make me accountable and I will actually practice.

Well that’s the plan anyway.

I’m also mildly obsessed with Spanish food and culture so there will also probably be the occasional recipe to break things up.

Last night I made a version of Pastel Vasco or Basque Cake – YUM!

There are possibly a million different versions of this cake, it can pretty much be customised to suit your tastes.

This time I opted to go with the cherry version and it was delish! I’m going to take some to my Spanish class tonight.

But first, I must memorise the verb comer in all its forms. Whoever said Spanish is an easy language to learn doesn’t speak English as their first language!