Mar 7th – Day of Going to Soria and the Infamous Creeper

We had to be ready and on the bus to leave for Soria at 8am…I don’t want to talk about it. I slept for the two hour drive on the bus to get there but I was not a happy camper waking up that morning. But by time we got there at about 10-10:30am I was feeling much better about being up so early on a Friday. Soria is a small town that as Ana said, is not very pretty and very cold all the time. Yay! Now I’m way excited, haha. But fortunately our professor told us about it being so cold, so that we would dress appropriately and I definitely didn’t want a repeat of the trip to Segovia or should I say not Segovia. Haha; tank, thermal underwear, fleece and outer shell with jeans, smart wool socks and tennis shoes. Bring it on cold weather…bring it on. Any who, we walked through the streets where Ernesto was telling us that Soria is a very poetic city because of the famous Antonio Machado. Machado is a Spanish poet who was born in Sevilla (I think), lived in Madrid for some time and then moved to Soria where he met his wife (who was 15…yes I know, sick! And he was like 40…real romantic. Haha.), she died and he lived there until he died. In the streets hanging between buildings were Christmas lights with fragments of his poems that lit up at night. Very poetic city indeed! Then we approached the university that he taught at for a bit and sat in the infamous classroom he used to teach in! Which word to the wise: don’t try to sit in the old-fashioned desks, no matter how cute they look because if you have long legs, you get stuck! Yes, and I am speaking from experience! I walked up thinking, oh, how cute! Sat down, turned my legs toward the front underneath the desk top and realized my feet and legs were trapped and I couldn’t move. Good thing I wasn’t alive back then or I would have been out of luck! But possibly very popular…J. My friends found it funny any how. Then we walked down from the main plaza toward the bus where it would take us to the monastery of San Juan of the River. It was an open roofed monastery with beautiful Muslim-influenced arches that seemed to loop together, and while Ernesto was explaining the significance all of us became mesmerized by an adorable kitten playing by himself. He was white and black and very tiny and even Ernesto stopped to watch him. Then we walked in the part of the monastery that was enclosed and it was simple but nothing of noting. From there we walked a trail to the main walking trail in Soria…ooo, I know the trail, the trail! Haha. Well, in Machado’s case, the trail was where he had taken his sick wife (still 15 and only lived to be 17…so he cradle-robbed for only 2 years, I guess that’s okay.) for long walks and had written a great deal of poems at. It was pretty but sad at the same time and I can’t describe why it was sad because it was next to such a pretty river. From there, we walked up the trail to two churches connected because one was a cave-church and the other a normal church! Weird huh?! Literally the entrance looked normal until you walked into a cave that had stained glass and gorgeous views of the lake. I’m not sure if I had gone to church there I would have paid attention or have not frozen to death but the idea was still cool. Then we walked down the stairs to go up other stairs (I know, sounds like a dungeon, right?) to another mini cave that had a story put on stained glass. The story was about how a boy felt so overcome with emotion being there that he fell to his feet looking up at the sky…I don’t know. Seemed cool enough to put on glass though right? Then we walked into a room where services were held and there was a very ornate altar. From there we walked straight into a class picture of some middle school kids on their field trip. Haha, not on purpose though. But it was pretty funny. Although it was sunny in Soria and it is dawning on spring, there was some snow on the ground and Jessica and Trevor got in a snow fight. He lost. She’s pretty fierce. Then we trekked up the twisting, turning streets back toward the main part of Soria towards the infamous elm tree. Machado had written a poem when his wife was dying of cancer comparing her illness to a sick elm tree. And even though this was a kind of sculpture/real elm tree, it was really interesting and strange looking. Like it was sick! But the surprise hike to the tree which was at the peak of the town made my friends and I heat up because of the incline. I had gotten down to my thermal underwear even with the freezing wind there because I was burning up so bad! Once we arrived where the tree was, we all popped a squat and Ernesto read the poem about the tree. Then we went to the nearby cemetery to view her grave. The cemeteries in Spain are very different. They are kind of packed in like sardines and if it wasn’t disrespectful I wouldn’t taken a picture to show it. because it didn’t seem real. Then we finally had lunch! From the cemetery, we walked toward the main plaza and Ernesto said we had an hour for lunch and then we were heading back to Alcala. Cool, and since the buildings surrounding the plaza blocked the winds, it was actually pleasant to sit outside and eat our lunches together. Once we finished eating some of my friends and I wanted to try to find a place for candy and fruit. We didn’t find the fruit shop but we did find the candy! I got a kinder egg for Adrian and myself. In case you don’t know what a Kinder egg is, it’s a milk chocolate and white chocolate egg and in the middle there’s a toy. They are really big around Easter, kind of like Cadbury eggs. Then we went to a café to have a glass of wine and hang out for another 30 mins. All was good, between all of us we were taking up three tables back to back so we could all chit-chat. Then at some point, a man came up and said “You all are Americans?, I went to University of Miami”. Oh, okay cool. He was definitely past college but seemed alright, just anxious to practice speaking in English. Then he went on creep radar and stopped right when I made accidental eye contact. Dang it, I swear I should get color contacts, since mine seem to get me in trouble with creepers! And he said “ooo, and what is your name and where are you from?” didn’t ask anyone else their name or anything. I said Adelaide and he again with the “ooo, Adelaide” and “Do you think Oklahoma is very different than Soria?”, I replied “yes, but it’s much colder in my state than here” which he laughed. Then he proceeded to shake everyone else’s hand until he came to mine where he turned it from a hand shake to attempting to kiss my hand!! Well, apparently I must have made an obscenely awkward face because he then smiled, bowed and gave me my hand back. Close one. Then he told us about how he rode a jet ski from Rome to New York City, met Katie Couric and was on her show and we could check it out on his website www.ocean2002.com, oh cool. Thanks. And he left, or so we thought. He came back and said “Adelaide, here’s my email if you want to talk more about my political party” and then left (which he mentioned his party called UPD earlier). On this paper was his name (Alvaro), his website, his email and bonus, phone number. Ugh, creepers. Those of my friends who were there laughed and made fun of me until we met back up with Ernesto where I told him about the creepy guy. All was good UNTIL Alvaro ran up in the middle of our group (from nowhere!) and said, “hello! I thought I heard you!” and gave me the creepiest grin I’ve ever seen! Then Ernesto introduced himself and they became acquainted until Alvaro cut him off to turn directly toward me in front of the group to say “did you know that Soria was founded over 800 years ago by [some number] of houses?”, oh really? “and the only remaining house is in my family, do you want to go see it?” Oh, well I...Ernesto chimes in “yes, let’s all go!” What!!!! By now everyone is cracking up laughing and I’m not happy. Ernesto comes to me and tells me not to worry and that he wouldn’t leave my side. Whew, thanks. Then we are walking with Alvaro and we come across his political party’s office where he is on a huge poster with the president of the party. And when I asked if it was him he said yes and added an even bigger, creepier smile. Why is this happening to me!! Then we kept walking when Ernesto got a phone call from our bus driver saying he was early and at the plaza to pick us up. Thank goodness! When he told Alvaro, Alvaro was not happy and asked if we could just spare 3 minutes, only 3! When Ernesto said we couldn’t he said (in English) “this guy here says you can’t spare 3 minutes to come see my home!” which apparently him being so rude, he didn’t realize that I followed their entire conversation in Spanish and Ernesto spoke perfect English! Jackass. So then I shrugged and he said “well, if you are in Soria again and can spare three minutes (winking at me) then you should come see my house, so bye kids!” and he left. Oh my gosh!!! Why me!! Then Ernesto looked at me and asked if I was alright which I said yes and then he told me the phone call was a fake. Ana (other professor on the trip with us) was walking ahead and he texted her to call and pretend she was the bus driver. Oh my gosh, thank you Ernesto. You totally saved me from getting locked probably in the ancient dungeon in his house!! We kept walking and Ernesto, thinking he was slick, said “Adelaide, would you like to take a picture with your new Spanish lover next to his poster?” haha, funny. Rude. Then the bus came, and I’ve never been so happy to be on a bus! Joking around about the whole situation, Ernesto had said that the guy was really creepy and could see what we were talking about with Spanish men here. Then Jessica asked if that’s what always happens and I said yes. My friends were like man, you gotta be careful! I know, but I don’t do anything!! That’s the problem! After that, I slept the rest of the way back to awake to hearing we were in Alcala. Finally. I caught my bus and went to eat dinner at my host home but not before telling Ana about what happened. She laughed and thought my stories of the men here were always funny. Then I found Adrian and told him a had a surprise. He instantly lit up and I gave the kinder egg to him…he was so cute and he went to go ask Ana if he could eat it. Ana asked how he got it and when he pointed to me, she smiled and said “what do you say?”, “THANK YOU!!”, then he ran downstairs and ate the egg. I went to my room after playing a little longer with him and went to sleep. I had enough excitement for the day. For the weekend.