This is a dorky post.

So far, my blog has mostly consisted of the exciting things that I've done on my study abroad adventure.  I've been trying to mix that up a bit.  A big reason I decided to study abroad was to learn about what everyday life is like in another country.  So, I've been doing some normal person things, too, such as walking to class.  And today, I decided to take you with me.  I want to show you the same things I see every day.  I took you (via my camera) to school on the most direct route through side streets, and then I headed back home a more roundabout way, along busy streets.

Here is a map for my direct route to school.  It's pretty basic.

I head out the door and onto my street, which is called Calle Concepción.

 There are some pretty buildings to look at.

After a few blocks, I'm in the plaza of Café Fútbol, where I go with my friends almost every week.

Then I turn onto another street.  This building has been under construction for a while, but it looked like they were finishing up today.  Soon, I pass another plaza that's almost always empty.

Here's something I actually didn't notice until my roommate pointed it out to me a few weeks ago.  If you look through this window, you see the ruins of an old abandoned building.

I keep walking up this street (it is ever so slightly uphill), until I come to this.

This is how I got lost on my first day of class. You see that little gangway? I'm supposed to keep going straight into that.

And then after I go through it, I'm at school!

Now I'm going to take you the longer way back home.

It goes around the neighborhoods rather than through them, so it's a bit longer, but still not too complicated.

I walk back through the narrow street, but instead of going straight, back down the way I came, I turn right.

I pass a university bookstore and the restaurant that has the amazing crepes.

And soon I'm at Plaza Isabel Católica.  Also known as Plaza del Triunfo, it is kind of like the center of the city.  It is located at the intersection of two important streets, Calle Reyes Católicos, and Gran Vía de Colón.  The statue depicts Cristobal Colón asking Queen Isabel for money in 1492 so he can sail the ocean blue.

I walk through the plaza and turn left onto Reyes Católicos.  Soon I pass Loops & Coffee, which bears a suspicious resemblance to Dunkin Donuts.  They have a donut with pink frosting called Homer Simpson.

I also pass a bunch of stores, this Arabic style office building, and an abandoned building.  The graffiti says Gente sin casa, casa sin gente, meaning people without a home while here is a home without people.

When I get to this intersection, it's time to turn again.

There are signs like this throughout the city, telling people which way to go.

I'm turning left, toward Teatro Isabel la Católica.  I pass this newsstand,

This dessert shop that always tempts me with waffles, and a lottery ticket booth.

Soon I'm in this plaza.  The booths aren't always set up.  A few weeks ago people were selling handmade gifts.  A few weeks before that they were candies and snacks.  Today it looked like they had books.

After the plaza, I go into this parkway.

I pass a little movie theater and El Corte Inglés, the department store.

And then the Basilica.

There always seems to be a tour group standing and looking at the church.

When I get to the end of the parkway, I turn left to head home. I pass a bunch of restaurants.

And then I turn onto my street.

 And I'm back at my front door.

Well, that was my walk to and from school, following two different routes.  I hope it wasn't too boring for you.  Tomorrow I'm going on another hike, so maybe I'll have more exciting things to talk about again.