Something Old
As part of my two-week intensive course, my class took a trip to the Mercado Central (Central Market), an OLD market that supplies the people of Alicante with fresh fish, meat, fruits, vegetables, and other goodies during the week (it’s closed during siesta time, of course). I would say, though, if you’re put off by the smell of fish, you might want to steer clear of this particular market.
It was really cool to get to see all of the vendors and their fresh products. As part of an assignment, we had to go around and ask certain vendors about their products and how they are made. Everyone was really friendly and open to questions.
Lots of fresh meat here 
Different kinds of peppers for using in paella 
They also sell beautiful plants in the plaza outside.
I might even say some of the vendors were a little too friendly. I had asked a meat vendor why she hangs up her pork sausages (to increase the flavor and dry it out a little, in case you were wondering), and she asked if my group and I wanted to try some. I agreed, here to try new things and thinking she would surely give us some cooked or dried meat (the finished product) to try. Instead, she chopped off a small portion of the raw sausage and divided it into three pieces for my group.
Then she stood there, waiting for us to eat this raw meat.
Not wanting to be rude, I bit off a small piece and held it in my mouth, smiling closed-lipped at the lady. Once we moved past her stall, I pulled a napkin out of my backpack and spit it out. Needless to say, it tasted like everything you might imagine raw meat tasting like. I will not be trying that again.
I’m not sure if sampling raw meat is something that the people do here or if the lady was having a bit of fun at the expense of some Americans, but either way I’ve come away with a good story from the Mercado Central.
Something New
I recently finished my two-week intensive Spanish course. It was insane having a midterm the first Friday and then a final the next. Overall, I learned a lot of NEW vocabulary in the class and it was a good refresher on some everyday Spanish grammar. I absolutely adored my professor and am lucky to have her again for my Spanish and Latin American Literature class. Now that the real semester is beginning, I’m going to have more work to do and will start to have a more set schedule (both of which will be a nice change).
Something Borrowed
To celebrate the end of our intensive class, some of my classmates and I went out for pizza and it was amazing! We went to a place called YOLO Pizza on San Francisco Street (a street with lots of bars and restaurants). It’s five stories tall, with a tiny bit of seating on each level, and then there’s a terrace on the top level, which is where we sat.
The terrace 
Our view 
My pizza
Most of the pizza places here in Alicante have BORROWED their pizza style from Italy (so think: thin crust, oven-baked, really delicious), but this particular place is like MOD Pizza (you can choose which toppings you want, rather than having them pre-selected for you). Very delicious, definitely a good celebration meal!
Something Blue
That weekend, some of my classmates and I took a trip to Tabarca Island, a little island about an hour off Alicante’s coast where you can snorkel, eat, and relax. We took a ferry from Alicante to the island and it was a very rough ride. Numerous people got seasick (thankfully, no one in my group).
Once there, we were greeted by an unexpected (yet amazing) sight. Can you spot it?
I know my picture isn’t the most amazing quality, but if you look toward the middle and up a little, there’s a jellyfish there. The water on the island is very clear and BLUE, so it’s easy to spot both the jellyfish and the regular fish in the water!
The island itself is basically divided into two parts. On the left side is a nature reserve that has some smaller areas to picnic and lay out, as well as a lighthouse and a building that I think was used as a jail (I could never find a sign to tell me what exactly it was). There are lots of little trails that connect all these different places.
On the right side is the town with some tiny restaurants and shops. Also on this side is the beach (which was pretty rocky) and a museum (which wasn’t open when we were there sadly).
It was super fun to explore the island, but at the end of the day I was very tired!
Hope you enjoyed my version of “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue!” Prayers for open eyes and mind would be appreciated!
¡Hasta luego!
— Grace
Where in the World Is Grace Elizabeth? 