La Primera Semana....

Getting used to the time change and everything else has been pretty difficult. The weather hasn't really helped much. Everyone that I've talked to has assured me that the weather we are experiencing (pretty much continual rain and temperatures in the 50's) is absolutely not normal.... but it sure seems to be lasting! There were a couple days that the clouds cleared for a bit and I was able to get out and explore Santander with some of the other students in my group.

On Thursday we went to El Centro (downtown) and also visited the Cathedral of Santander. You can't take pictures inside the Cathedral but I have a couple pictures from the outside and the little church located beneath it. The Cathedral was in really bad shape about 40 years ago and has been restored and even rebuilt in some places.

The Church under El Catedral de Santander

The courtyard just outside the doors of El Catedral

I love all the little funny faces that decorate gothic architecture.

That Saturday and Sunday, the weather cleared out again and I was able to get some decent pictures as I walked around the penninsula that Santander is built on.

Santander Bay - Bahía de Santander

La Peninsula de la Magdalena

Sardinero Beach - Playa de El Sardinero





That Saturday and Sunday I also met up with a swing dance club right here in Santander. I went to one of their classes and then on Sunday we all went out to hear a live band play and dance. I took a little video of the dance but had difficulty uploading it. It was really odd to be dancing LindyHop to American jazz music while everyone spoke in Spanish. After the dance we all got together and sang these lyrics to a famous jazz song that I can't remember the title of at the moment.