Exploring

Logroño is so cool! The old part of town is fun to get lost in and explore. There are buildings and churches from the 13th century just hanging out around every corner. ;) The food is incredible. Tapas are the focus of the foodie game here and they’re what most people seem to survive daily on. ​

Tapas (or pinxos as they are called just 5km/3m away in Basque Country) are small plates of food typically shared and usually paired with beer or wine. This region is definitely known for it’s wine and for good reason, the tradition of winemaking has been here since the 11th century! Like any other Spanish town everywhere you go there are panadarías (bakeries), carnecerías (butchers), fruit stalls, and older men smoking pipes and walking home with their daily bread wrapped in newspaper. When I went exploring on Sunday (when most everything is closed) I ended up in the casco viejo (old part of town). It seems like the whole city had the same idea, as everyone was just wandering around the casco viejo or stopping to drink and eat at little tapas bars tucked away in the winding cobblestone streets. While the rest of Logroño seemed pretty dead, in the old part of town the shops were open and the main plaza was filled with people (locals and tourists alike).
My roommate and I installed wifi last week and have settled into a routine. I’ve completed all the government documents and processes for now and I have to wait until the end of October to get my actual foreigner’s ID card (TIE). Other than waiting for that though, I’m officially a legal resident in Spain with the paper to prove it. : ) I have successfully registered myself in Logroño with my empadronamiento and am all ready for work to start. I have some time yet though, so I’m going to look into Basque classes (as the school where I'll be working in Basque Country functions primarily in Basque, then Spanish, then English) and finding a nearby gym/workout center. I also hope to keep going forward with my Mandarin, so I’m looking into classes at the local Chinese center. I'm headed to Alicante tomorrow to help out family with their residency/TIE process and get to know another city in Spain. 
​Hasta Luego!