A morning in Alcala

So this morning started off well, though it started at 4:30 in the morning.
Ive recently discovered the joys of roomates. This morning Miss wheez N snort across the room and Miss Harley Davidson right next to me, made it next to impossible to sleep in until my 7am alarm. So, like a good roomate, I slowly pushed down the idea to smother them both in their sleep, and came up with the new idea to just get up...by this time it was 5am.

I took a nice, hot shower then went downstairs to make breakfast. Also as a sidenote Id like to add that I continued with my whole morning in utter darkness, at least when it came to the bedroom and stairwell (or as we like to call it, the spiral deathwell). Rather than fill my stomach with the ever pleasent, 100% fiber cereal, I made myself a scrambled egg sandwich with tomatoes and mayonaise on a baguete. For my readers sake, I would like to point out that, next to brushing your teeth, this is the best way to start out the morning.

After I finished getting ready, I headed down the street. However, I realized that it was only 7am, and that the school didnt open until 8:20. I decided to walk the 2 or so miles rather than take the bus. It was still dark out and a little chilly, but there were a few others (who I only assume are up because of THEIR roomates).

I reached the school around 7:30...too early.
So I sat outside in the plaza watching the pigeons and trying to get some reading done. Here in Alcala, things are loud, so I was pleasently surprised by the morning silence. I sat and listened for about a half an hour before I realized my toes were about to fall off from the cold. Suddenly, I heard church bells. I watched as a few nuns hobbled past me to the other opening of the plaza. The church bells kept ringing...so I decided to follow these nuns.

I reached a little cathedral just outside of the plaza and opened the door. There were a few people, and they were all staring at me, so I just popped in and sat in the back row.

DEAD SILENCE...and warm.

After a few minutes, more people started coming in and the bells chimed again. All of a sudden, everyone stood up and a man in a HUGE red robe walked in and stood at the pulpit. He began reading scriptures out of the bible and everyone would cross themselves and repeat certain words. So at this point Im feeling a little silly because I am the only one sitting down and gawking. But whatever, I thought. It was a very nice service and by the time I left and walked back to the school, it was exactly 8:25.