Eibar, views from Above

I stay quite active on weekends and enjoy spending time with the other "guiris" and being outside. A few weekends ago in October, I went on a hike with Clement, Joan from Palma de Mallorca and Matthew from Ireland. It was about an hour jaunt up a small mountain that hovers along the side of Eibar. Eibar is somewhat more appealing from above. The factories are not as visible in the photos... See photos and video below¡

I have plenty of free time as I really am only in the classroom about 9 hours total or so a week, and almost all of my mornings are free. Classes have been fun, only two weeks into it, but looking forward to the year.

Last week I went to see an apartment of one of the professors to possibly rent. I don’t know that it would be much cheaper than living in the residence and so I think I am going to opt to stay here for this semester. I don’t think I could afford it all year, but can’t stand to leave the guys yet.

We have had a bit of an Indian summer and I am enjoying mostly days of sun. After seeing the apartment I went on this same hike up the mountain beside Eibar and picked up chestnuts. There was an older man picking up chestnuts and mushrooms and I asked him about instructions. He told me to crush them with my foot and “Coje, coje” (or pick, pick) along the road and I spent about an hour picking about a kilo. There weren’t many left as the elderly gentleman had told me, but I brought home a little bag. I roasted them in the little oven we have in the girls' "sala de estar". After I had just sliced all the husks I saw a larvae-like worm crawling across the cutting board where the sliced chestnuts were laying. Gross. I squished it and had already roasted two batches in our little oven and so just finished the third and warned those who ate them… Although at Eroski, the grocery store here, I saw some chestnuts but there was a worm hole in one of them, so mine were good enough for grocery store quality, maybe even restaurant (Mom ;) . )