Portugal Tour 2013

This weekend we were in Lisbon (Lisssshboa to our Portuguese neighbours) for the official AIFS weekend tour. Eleven of the group (and Lorraine) headed West to the land of Bacalao, Fado and Cristiano Ronaldo, and we clocked up a fair few miles as we took in Coimbra and Oporto, as well as the capital. Check out the photos below to see what we got up to...

El Clásico: Real Madrid v FC Barcelona

Salamanca, known as a pro-Real Madrid town, was a happy place on Tuesday night.

Before the game we told the students that Barcelona vs Real Madrid was the best soccer game in the world. In fact, it turned out to be the worst one, at least for us Barça fans at AIFS! Real Madrid put their azulgrana arch rivals to the sword with an emphatic 3 - 1 away victory!

The students did the same as every soccer fan in the country, gathering around a big screen and watching nervously for 90 minutes, cheering, gasping and gesticulating, as events unfolded at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. So are you going into hiding with your Messi shirt this week, or will you be proudly proclaiming "Hala Madrid" to all within earshot?!

Gastronomy Class and Tapas Tour: "What is it? I don't know, but it tastes pretty good!"

"I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!" - Our tapas tour brought us to the Caballerizas Bar, formerly a stables!

In the second installment of our Life and Culture Course, Inés Criado returned to enlighten the group on the Spanish diet, regional delicacies, and the Iberian love affair with the pig! 

Salamanca is known for producing some of the highest quality jamón in the world so it's easy to understand why the tapas bars are full of it. For locals, it’s a no-brainer - what meal couldn’t be improved by throwing a little ham in there?!

Of course, for our handful of vegetarian students, it’s another matter completely. At least they have soon mastered some essential Spanish vocabulary."Soy vegetariano. No, no ham, thank you. No, pollo tampoco. No, not even tuna! Nada de carne!...."   

Inés explained how in coastal Spain the gastronomic focus switches away from ham and towards seafood (mariscos). In Galicia, for example, the speciality dish has tentacles! Pulpo Gallego anyone?!

To compliment the class, we headed out afterwards to a couple of tapas bars, aiming to get our tongues around some of the culinary creations we had seen. First up was Baviera Bar, where we were spoilt for choice (there are over thirty different tapas!) Then we marched over to The Caballerizas Bar, a favourite AIFS haunt that's hidden near the Cathedral.

I miss you...churros con chocolate!

So what's the number one thing our students get nostalgic about when they think back on their Salamanca days? Is it memories of walking along the banks of the River Tormes, admiring that unmistakable skyline? Is it of basking in the sunshine, laid out on the toasty stone slabs of the Plaza Mayor on a Spring afternoon? Or is it...the chocolate con churros?!!

SCFC Salamanca 2013 is GO!

Judging by the amount of people indulging in a siesta on the bus to Salamanca, the SCFC students were wasting little time getting into the Spanish swing of things! Now though, it was time for them to wake up and discover the city that they would call home for the next ten weeks.

We had already seen the Palacio Real earlier in the day, and the time had arrived for our intrepid group to move into their own stately homes. Firstly, our boys were whisked off by Carlos to their bachelor pad in the North of the city. Then, our bus swung around to drop off the girls who – with the usual excited squeals of anticipation - entered their apartments, all handily placed within a short stroll of each other. Erika, Nura and Courtney, meanwhile, nervously met their home-stay families, soon to be acquainted with the fantastic cooking of our long-serving AIFS mums, Clara and Luz.

The next day was a Sunday, but while Salamanca slept, our troops were up early(ish) for an Orientation Walk with Andy and Carlos, and a presentation led by Sarah. It wasn't quite ice-cream weather in the Plaza Mayor, the square glistening from a rainy night as the group assembled. However, the lluvia that threatened during our stroll finally gave way to sunshine towards the end, lighting up the golden stone of the Iglesia de San Esteban. And what on earth were those up on the roof? Yep, they were our old friends, the Salamanca storks!

The sit-down orientation gave a chance for the guys to rest their legs and absorb the veritable avalanche of program information and advice from the AIFS staff and the Faculty professors, Dr Guttman and Profesor Sfeir. Two hours later, with brains overflowing with advice, tips, rules and horarios, it was finally time for lunch and a free afternoon in the Manc…Woo-hoo!

We brought our arrivals weekend to a close in traditional fashion, with our welcome meal in Zaguan Restaurant. Paella “mixta” always brings a “mixed” reaction. But those who fell on the wrong side of the love/hate paella divide, a second course of chicken and French fries made sure everyone was happy. Or perhaps that was just the wine?!

Ladies and gentlemen, raise your glasses. Salamanca 2013 is officially go! 

Andy

¡Bienvenidos, SCFC Salamanca 2013!

As I write, the SCFC students are settled in their classes and already hard at work!  Its hard to believe that a mere five days ago we were waiting impatiently for their arrival!  

After transferring from the airport to the hotel, everyone was able to relax for a couple of hours before Andy and Carlos led those who were still awake down along Gran Via, into Puerta del Sol and then into the Plaza Mayor, from where they scattered to find food and explore further.

Saturday morning saw us loading up the bus and meeting our guides Mati and Carmen for a whirlwind tour of the capital, passing by the Bernabeu stadium, the Cibeles fountain and the Alcala gates before hopping off the bus at the Prado to see, amongst other pieces, Las Meninas, by Velasquez.

Arguably Velasquez' most famous work

Next stop was the Palacio Real, where we strolled through the state rooms, admiring the thrones, the banquet hall and the vast collection of tapestries, portraits and clocks!  We also learned about the recent scandals surrounding the Royal Family and the difficult decision faced by King Juan Carlos' daughter;  to divorce or to renounce her position as princess.... more on that here!

After time for lunch and the first round of souvenir shopping, we boarded the coach and started to make our way to Salamanca...

Can you see the Cathedral?!

Nearly there...

Once we arrived in Salamanca it was time to introduce students to homestay families and get everyone settled into their apartments...

We're not counting, or anything, but...

...there are only 24 days until the group flight departs LAX!!