Murica

While I have been traveling a little bit here in Spain (more posts on that to come) 

Murcia is the city that I have been staying in as my "home base" 

It is in the south of Spain and it is Beautiful! 

So I want to share a little bit of Murcia with you! 

My Apartment:

I found a great little apartment on AirBNB! It is very close to the city center - and everything that I need is within walking distance. Well... in my opinion it is walking distance!

 I am a New Yorker - I am used to walking a lot! 

Including the church - it is a nice 25 minute walk from my apartment! 

There are 4 rooms in the apartment. Currently my roommates are a girl from Spain, a girl from China and a boy from Germany. They are nice. Everyone pretty much does their own thing - so we don't spend time together. But I have had some nice conversations with the guy from Germany. 

One of the first things I did when I arrived was unpack, cause I didn't want to be living out of my suitcase! Then I needed to make my room more my own! I bought new blankets and pillows to go on my bed! I think it looks much better now! 

The blanket that was provided for me was really ugly (In my opinion) and it made me sad. haha! So I am much more comfortable and happy with how it looks now! 

My favorite thing in Murcia is the Cathedral! 

It is such a stunning structure!

 I love how it looks at all different times of the day! 

and night!

This a a building in the plaza right next to the Cathedral: 

 I love how they light it up at night. 

So pretty! 

This is in a park here in Murcia. 

 

One thing that you will find all over Spain is in the little parks you will find exercise machines. I really like that there is equipment ready and available to anyone who would like to use it! 

I love that they promote healthy living in this way. 

Also THIS: 

This made me laugh! 

Bike peddles in front of this bench in the park! 

I LOVE IT SO MUCH! 

hehehe 

Oh! this part is especially for my Mom and DAD!!! 

guess what I found when I was out for my run one day! 

The local Indian Motorcycle shop! 

so I went in and looked around a little bit! 

pretty cool eh?!

I loved this old bike that they had in the case!

I even found your bike! 

Thinking of you! I bet you are excited that riding season is coming! 

Yay for better weather! 

Friends:

This is my friend Maria! 

I love her! 

She lives in Archena which is just 20 minutes north of Murica. 

She brought me to her home town and showed me around and it was such fun! 

Maria also introduced me to some Spanish candy that I had not tried before. 

Spanish people love candy! So Many Gummies! in a zillion different flavors! haha 

Friends and Activities at Church: 

Some Sundays I go to Church in Molina and some Sundays I go to church in Murcia.

This is the young Single Adult group

(not everyone, but a lot of them)

Allison, Maria, Daniella, and Me

After institute one night we went and got pizza: 

Israel, Me and Maria 

Maria and Me

 Valdimir and Me

Valentines Party:

of course there is dancing! 

Some of my sweet friends from church invited me over for dinner. 

Spanish Barbecue is SO GOOD! Yum! 

and this is their cute baby: 

I cant get enough of those cheeks! GAH! he is SO CUTE! 

we were totally twins too! 

wearing matching blue stripped shirts! hehehe

This is where we have sacrament meeting:

This photo is of the Molina ward. We were gathering together that night for a 

missionary fireside and farewell party for Daniella who is going on a mission! 

This is Jose. He is from here! So he knows Murcia like the back of his hand! 

He took me up to this really cool cathedral

There was a tourist group that got there at the same time as we did - so we followed them in and got to go see the inside. It was very impressive. 

Something that I saw here at the cathedral as we were walking around was a pigeon that was Magenta! Im not kidding! its wings were a bright pink color. I thought to myself... thats really odd! I have never seen a pigeon that color before! 

Jose explained to me that here in Murica people paint the pigeons. 

Its a thing! I had a really hard time wrapping my brain around it. And I wasn't sure if something was just being lost in translation and my lack of understanding Spanish. 

But nope! I was understanding correctly and he was telling me the truth! 

I even found a video on youtube! check it out: Painted Pigeons 

HA! crazy huh?! 

We went driving in the mountains, there were a few bikers trudging up the steep paths. What a workout! the road was very well paved, but it was also very steep! I imaging that going down would be a lot of fun! but up! ...ugh! 

There was an old brick castle/tower-like structure on top of a hill. 

We climbed up the mountain to this: 

The proceeded to climb on top of it! 

The view was spectacular! 

I have a friend who served her mission here and just the day before had told me about the Monteagudo Statue of Chirst. She described it to me as a mini Rio de Janeiro Cristo Redentor Statue. 

And that is a LOT what is reminded me of! 

Unfortunately the path up to the statue is blocked off. Jose suggested we climb over the fence to go up there, but I was weary of doing so. I am all for having adventures but I don't need to get arrested.  That is not on my bucket list for Spain. haha

We arrived close to dusk, so we got to see it all lit up once the sun went down! 

There was also a nice view of the city lights coming on too as the sun set: 

Murica is a beautiful place! 

Did I mention how much I LOVE the weather here! 

well.. I LOVE it! 

I am thankful to not have to be part of the snowstorms that are happening in New York City!

I like the snow when I get to play in it. But trudging through snow and ice to get to the subway and to get anywhere... ugh! I just remember last year walking to work from the subway station and my legs were on FIRE! Thats how cold it was. And when I thought about doing that agin this year I wanted to cry. So I came to Spain instead - and I am so happy that I chose Murica - because the weather here has been awesome! I even have a little bit of a tan line from running! HA! 

Oh I made a PIE! Apple Pie! 

Did you know that there is no Pie in Spain!? 

Tragic I know! 

They have lots of different kinds of pastries and tarts but not pie-pie. Pie as we know it in America! SO I made this! completely from scratch! 

I brought it to my friends house so we could have it for dessert after Sunday dinner. The missionaries were over as well and their eyes got really big and they said, "Is THAT PIE?!?!" 

They were very happy! Everyone loved it!