Abroad in Spain: Travel Blog

Those of you who read my blog often know that I recently moved to a new apartment.  After the move, I decided to make a short video (“MTV Cribs” style) to show everyone what my new, improved place is like.  I’ll admit that my video might be a little bit “low budget” in comparison with a typical “MTV Cribs” episode; but still, I think it’s worth a view.  You should especially pay attention to the hodgepodge of decorative items we have scattered through the house — Disney in the living room and half-naked girls and saints in the hallway.  It’s quite interesting, if I do say so myself. 

Let me know what you think of the new “pad” in the comments section below.  Continue reading this post…

When I first arrived in Spain in September, I signed a lease that would last until June and, well, June is here and my lease is up.  I’ve decided to move to a new apartment that is more centrally located rather than renewing this lease, which means that this week I am going to “make the big move” to my new place. 

Right now, I’m in “packing mode” and am sitting in my room looking around me.  I have boxes scattered all over the floor, a large garbage bag full of things I’m going to throw out, open suitcases, and lots and lots of dust (it seems like whenever you move you find dust in places you never thought possible).  I guess to get through it all I just have to keep in mind my nice, new place waiting for me. 

Hopefully, by this time next week I will be all moved into my new place.  I’m going to take the move a little slow because here I do not have a car and thus have to move things by foot and rely on friends with cars.  Continue reading this post…

Anybody have a cheap apartment in Burgos that they want to rent to me?  My lease is up in the place that I’m currently living at and it’s time for me to start looking for a new place to live. 

You know, the whole “apartment search” thing for me is a little stressful.  After all, I can only be in the place that I’m currently at until the end of June and, because of the looming deadline, I can’t help but wonder what might happen if I don’t find a new apartment to move into by the time my current lease expires.  Will I become a member of the Burgos homeless population?  Will I have to rename this blog to “Abroad in the streets of Spain?”   I hope not.  Continue reading this post…

Apparently somebody doesn't want this building knocked down... and they made a big sign to prove it.

I was walking down the street near my house today and I saw the building pictured above with a sign reading ”No al Derribo” (“No to the Demolition”).  I’m not really sure what the whole story is behind this building, but I’m guessing that the city (or whoever owns the place) wants to knock it down because it’s old and in poor repair.  Of course, the people who have shops in the bottom floor of the building and those living inside (if anyone still lives there) probably don’t want to see it go.   

Now, I’m no structural engineer, but the roof and right wall of this building seem a little unsafe to me.  Take a look at the picture below for a close-up.  Continue reading this post…

Now that I have my visa and my plane ticket to go to Spain, my next logical step in preparing to leave for Burgos in September is to start looking for housing. The best way that I know for finding a place to live in Spain is the old-fashioned way: scouring the papers and classified ads for available apartments. And that’s exactly what I plan to do over the next few weeks.  Continue reading this post…