Celebrating Cervantes

HAPPY WORLD BOOK DAY!

World Book Day is celebrated in honor of the birth and death of William Shakespeare:

and in honor of the death of Don Quixote author, Miguel de Cervantes:

I have had the good fortune of living in Spain, the birth-country of Cervantes, and have even visited his hometown and where he studied, Alcalá de Henares.

So, to celebrate this wonderful writer, I would like to share a few pictures with you that I took while I was in Alcalá.

A statue of Cervantes stands in the middle of his hometown, Alcalá.

The actual university where Cervantes studied. Today, students are still able to attend it.

When we were there, Alcalá was having their annual Mercado de El Quijote, or Medieval Festival.

This "Chocolate Man" is wearing the typical dress of the times of Cervantes.

A craftsman, also dressed in clothes from the times of Cervantes, sculpts a bowl out of metal.

Alcalá is an artist town.

Alcalá was an interesting city.  Today it is a college town however its history and culture still remain important.  It is a city that represents artists and their work, and is proud to be the hometown of Miguel de Cervantes.

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I could never conclude a World Book Day post without asking what you are currently reading!

At the moment, I am reading Babylon’s Ark by Lawrence Anthony, an inspiring true story about the author’s attempts to save the war-stricken zoo of Baghdad.

What are you reading during World Book Day?  Please tell us in the comment section below!

HAPPY WORLD BOOK DAY ALL!  AND REMEMBER TO READ!

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*The first 3 pictures – of Cervantes, Shakespeare, and the World Book Day logo – were taken from their Wikipedia pages.  The pictures of Alcalá were taken by me: © Kalie Lyn, 2010.*

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Happy Wednesday Readers!  Can you believe that Christmas is this Sunday?!

This will be the first Christmas in my entire life where I will not be home for the holidays.  There will be no snow, none of my family’s holiday traditions, and no presents underneath my Christmas tree.

Instead of being home for Christmas in Michigan, I will be spending my first Christmas here in Madrid, Spain.  Instead of snow, we have rain.  Instead of Santa Claus, we have the Three Kings.  And instead of opening presents on the 25th, we open presents on the 6th of January.

Yes, it will be an extremely different Christmas, however new Christmas traditions form with age and change.  And besides, the best and most important part of the holidays is being with family and loved ones.

Which is why, even though I will not be home, it will still feel like the “most wonderful time of the year” because my family – my sister, mother and step-dad – are here in Spain celebrating the holidays with me!

(from left to right) My sister, my boyfriend, and myself in Madrid.

I have not seen them since October, and after they leave on the 6th of January I will not see them again until summer time, so it is extremely nice to be in their presence for these upcoming 3 weeks!

So, because the holidays are here and I have my family to entertain me, I would like to apologize for my lack of posting yesterday, and warn that in the future – at least for the next 3 weeks – I may not be updating Palm Trees & Bare Feet regularly.  

However, I’m sure you won’t be too sad without my regular posting since I’m sure I’m not the only one unable to blog regularly during the holiday season.  And besides, with family and friends, hot cocoa and gingerbread, and snowball fights and present giving, we will (at least should) completely forget about the un-realities of the virtual world.

So Happy Holidays All and Merry Christmas!

I Hope This Truly is The Most Wonderful Time of the Year For You!

One of the lit up Christmas trees in Madrid.

 

Link of the Day: Strange Hotels

The Huffington Post:  Hotels with Strange Sleeping Arrangements 

Link of the Day: I’d Like to Make a Reservation, Please

Flavorwire:  12 Strangely Fascinating Hotels Around the World

Daily Question: Uniquely You

Daily Question by Thought Questions

A:

I own a lot of unique things which I got from my travels.

I have a coconut I took from the Bahamas.  I carried that thing back in my luggage and it’s been a “centerpiece” in my room.  It’s all dried up now but I still love it.

I have a Djellaba I bought in Morocco.  It’s royal blue with a gold head piece.  It’s absolutely beautiful.

And one of my favorites is a sign my grandfather made which he had on his sail boat when he and my grandmother sailed around the world.

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What is something unique you own?

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*Don’t forget to leave a link of your own answers to the daily question in the comments section below!  The photo was taken from thoughtquestions.com.*

Daily Question: First Experiences

Daily Question by Thought Questions

A:

My cousin, sister, and I, every summer, would travel to the Bahamas to spend three months with our grandparents, whom lived there.  It was always exciting flying without the parents, and us three teenagers had so much fun and freedom!

While I did start traveling without my parents at an early age, I still had my two best friends – cousin and sister – with me.  It wasn’t until I was 18 years old when I traveled by myself, from Michigan to Poland, to spend 2 weeks with my new – but now current – boyfriend.  

The flying by myself halfway around the world was an exciting first experience in itself.  However, it was being in an entire different country, and with someone whom I had only met maybe a month before, which was the exciting first experience I will never forget.

If you have the option to travel the world, do it.  Traveling, the different places you go, and the different people you meet, is definitely worth everything and will be something you will never forget.

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What was a first experience of yours which you will never forget?

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*Don’t forget to leave a link of your own answers to the daily question in the comments section below!  The photo was taken from thoughtquestions.com.*

You Gave Birth Where?!

 

Almost every mother pictures their child birth to happen in a hospital, dosed up on drugs, professional nurses and doctors tending to them while their baby is born healthy and happy.

However, not all mothers get that opportunity.

I found this article: Woman Gives Birth to Boy on Floor of Airport Restroom on Huff Post Travel, and just had to read it.

And while giving birth in an airport may be one of the most inconvenient spots, it doesn’t top some of the other crazy places women have given birth.

In a Tree

Yes, in a tree.  While trying to escape a flood in Africa, a woman climbed up a tree and gave birth while clinging to the branches.  Luckily the baby did not drop to the ground!

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In a Library

While on the way to the hospital in a bus, a woman was going into labor and one of the passengers worked at the hospital.  They dropped off the lady at the library, and the hospital worker, along with library security, helped deliver the woman’s baby.  Talk about being shushed!

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On a Sidewalk

Only a few feet from the hospital, a lady gave birth on the sidewalk.  That must have been extremely uncomfortable!

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In a Car

And yes, she was driving.  Her husband suffered from seizures and only took the wheel when her water broke and out popped the baby!

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In the Middle of a Flight

At least the article’s mother delivered hers in an airport on solid ground.  One woman went into labor on a flight from Manila to San Francisco, and three nurse passengers and the cabin crew helped deliver the baby.

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On the Internet

Yes, she was technically at home, but one mother streamed her birthing live on the internet.  Surprisingly, and somewhat disgustingly,  more than 2,000 people watched her live birth.

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Oh, what women go through.  To check out the full article and to read the full stories, along with seeing the top 10 crazy places women have given birth, visit the link above.

To all you mothers whom are expecting, here’s to hoping that you have a comfortable and planned birthing session!

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*Note: Check out the links above for the full articles.  The pictures were taken from the source.*

A Simple Ghost Town Obsession

I have this weird obsession with ghost towns.  I don’t know if it’s the fact that it would be incredible to explore an abandoned city that once had a bustling life, or having the option to wander the town and create a story in my head of what happened to the city and what it used to be like.  Either way, I plan on visiting ghost towns around the world.

So, when I discovered The World’s Ten Creepiest Abandoned Cities article on Gadling.com, I was hypnotized by the photos and the fact that these towns are out there for me to explore!

Location: Pripyat, Ukraine

Abandoned Since: 1986

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Location: Sanzhi district, New Taipei, Taiwan

Abandoned Since: 1980

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Location: Craco, Basilicata, Italy

Abandoned Since: 1963

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Location: Kolmanskop, Namibia

Abandoned Since: 1954

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Location: Hashima Island, Nagasaki, Japan

Abandoned Since: 1974

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Location: Oradour-sur-Glane, Limousin, France

Abandoned Since: 1944

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Location: Centralia, Pennsylvania, United States

Abandoned Since: It is still occupied by 10 or so people

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Location: Northern Atacama desert, Chile

Abandoned Since: 1960

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Location: Bodie, California, United States

Abandoned Since: 1942

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Location: Kayaköy, Muğla, Turkey

Abandoned Since: 1923

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Even just seeing these pictures ignites an odd sense of yearning in me to visit these 10 ghost towns.  The history, while short lived, of each city is quite interesting and intriguing.  

To view the full article and to read what happened to each town, and its abandonment, click on the link above.

This is my weird travel obsession.  Do you have any odd travel obsessions?  Any places that you would like to visit but other people would think you were crazy for going?  Tell us in the comment section below!

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*Note: Check out the links above for more info.  These pictures were taken from gadling.com.  Their © belongs to their photographers.*

Link of the Day: Airplane Reads

The Huffington Post: 13 Quick Reads for Thanksgiving Travel

Cool Airplane Paint Jobs

Many of us hate flying.  We hate the small seats, the crappy food, the loss of leg circulation, and the fact that we’re constantly thinking the plane is going to go down at any minute.  I know I am one of those people.  While I fly back and forth from Spain to Michigan at least two times a year, I dread the 9+ hour flight, all the layovers, and the uncomfortable boring plane ride.

However, how cool would it be to ride in a plane like this:

What about one that sports a little Pokemon:

Imagine flying to Berlin in a plane that sports the city’s coat of arm’s mascot:

Is it a bird?  A plane?  It’s not Superman:

For all those “Lord of the Rings” fans out there:

Fly Oprah-style:

It kind of makes me want to board a plane.

Check out the full article and see more pictures of World’s Most Creative Airplane Paint Jobs.