Albondigas

It has been raining a lot, but I think today was the last of it . The upcoming week looks completely sunny and in the high 60s! Yahoo!

I went running this morning at 7:20, but the sun doesn't rise until after 8:30 here, so it was as dark as it would have been at 2:00AM when I left. And there were probably less people out and about in Seville than there would be at 2:00 AM. Hardly anyone was awake! I ran along the river, but it wasn't very pretty since I could barely see it. Fortunately, I didn't get lost, and hopefully I am burning off any unwanted side effects of that unfortunate milk mixup.

Clases were great and we visited the palaces of the Kings from over 8 centuries ago (los Reales Alcazares de Sevilla). They were absolutely beautiful with ornate designs covering the walls and tons of orange trees in a beautiful garden. There were also many artists there, painting unbelievable pictures. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera, but there should be plenty of photos posted online from my group that I will be able to snag and post here.

For siesta we ate albondigas (meatballs) with rice. They put "tomate frite" which tastes just like ketchup on all pasta and rice. Gross! I passed on that one, feigning a smile when I tried it on one spoonful of my rice. The family talked about an exchange student they had in the past who apparantly was very large and ate a lot of food. "As much as my father!" one of the older daughters said. I made a quick glance over to mi padre's plate. Five meatballs on his plate.....and five meatballs on my plate. Greeeeat..... I slowly dragged a piece of bread over my plate to conceal a large mound of rice and one of my meatballs and nodded in enthusiastic agreement with the daughter. "Wow" I said "as much as your FATHER!? That's crazy and excessive!"

A couple of my friends from school and I took shelter from the rain in a tapas bar after class. I ordered pollo sevillana, which is a traditional chicken dish served with mushrooms, onions and peppers. Tapas are served on tiny plates and cost only around 2 euros, which is great. They are much more fulfilling snacks thann those 100 calorie snack packs.

For dinner we ate a hanburger patty with cheese, a mixture of vegetables, peas and some pork product and leftover tortilla espanola. Although I did not enjoy it at the time, I suppose it was good that we plowed through about 50 lbs of green and yellow squash this summer from the garden. Last June I wouldn't have gone near the vegetable medley on my plate this evening, which was filled with various varieties of sauteed squashes. But after three months of grilled and sauteed summer squash and zuccini this past summer, I was able to take on the whole serving without separating all the different vegetables into little piles and eating only select colors/varieties. We had mandrinos (clementines) for dessert. It was great.

Tomorrow, to celebrate the arrival of the other exchange student, we are having a meat and tomato dish for siesta. It should be great.

Hasta luego!