November 28
Dia Temático de Asturias and Amagüestu at the Casa de las Lengua
ELE substituted regular classes by student presentations on a variety of topics related to Asturias (history, monuments, folklore, literature, gastronomy and its people). This was followed with an amagüestu, a traditional fall fiesta to sample two typical products of the region at this time of year: sweet cider and roasted chestnuts.
November 24-26 Program Excursion to La Coruña and Santiago de Compostela
Our second excursion couldn’t be anywhere but to Galicia and Santiago de Compostela itself. In Santiago the students enjoyed a rooftop tour of the Catedral and attended the Sunday Pilgrim’s Mass where they got to see the giant botafumeiro (incense dispenser) in action. The group stayed in La Coruña, a beautiful coastal city known for its beaches, glass encased terraces, roman lighthouse and fabulous tapas!
November 22 Thanksgiving Dinner
We celebrated our traditional Thanksgiving dinner at Kin Cafeteria. As 
usual, Mila prepared roasted turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy, green bean casserole and we brought in our homemade cranberry sauce and tons of stuffing made with different types of bread, including a glutten free version. The food was yummy but the best treat was Aimee’s slide show made up of “stolen” Facebook pictures of students and their families. Everyone had to guess which student each slide was about before getting our pumpkin pie…Arieanna’s grandmother graciously sent us plates and tablecloths with Thanksgiving motif that made for very pretty table setting…Gracias Bonnie!
November 13 Avilés – Neimeyer Center and Parque Ferrera
Students in Wendy’s Sustainable Tourism class visited Avilés, third largest city in Asturias and home to the Neimeyer Cultural Center. This complex was innagurated 2 years ago with the hope that it would revitalize Avilés in the same way that the Guggenheim did in its day for the city of Bilbao. Brazilian architect Oscar Neimeyer donated the design to the Principado after winning the Principe de Asturias Awards. Unfortunately, it looks like the present economic crisis is sure 
to delay for some time the much sought after “Gugghenheim effect”.
After touring the spacious plaza, the students visited two of the city’s parks. Their first stop was to the Parque del Muelle with it’s monument to Pedro Menendez de Avilés, Spanish Adelantado and founder of St. Agustine, back in the days when what is now Florida belonged to Spain. Afterwards they proceeded to el Parque de Ferrera, formerly the grounds of the 17 century Palacio del Marqués de Ferrera. It’s size, location and the number and variety of tree species planted there make it one of the most popular and beautiful public parks in Asturias.
November 10 Senda del Oso
In spite of the rainy day, students in the Sustainable Tourism class braved cycling along this reconverted railway line, one of the many “Green Ways” of Spain.
November 8 Oviedo alum Israel Nebeker and his Band “Blind Pilot” ‘s Special Concert
One of our former students, Israel Nebeker (AHA Oviedo Spring 2004) and his indie band Blind Pilot, offered two concerts in Oviedo, town of his Spanish alma mater. These concerts served to kick off the band’s second European concert tour. As it turns out, there were a few avid Blind Pilot fans in the group this term so it was quite a treat for them to enjoy the intimate concert the band offered at La Antigua Estación.
Israel, the lead singer and composer, was gracious, as always, and very attentive to our group. He published an Instagram photo on the band’s facebook page featuring several delighted señoritas from the program and captioned it: Oviedo OMG!
November 2-4 Program Excursion to Bilbao and San Sebastian
The Oviedo overnight excursions are always closely tied to the courses taught by the visiting professor. This fall the group visiting the two extremes of the coastal Camino de Santiago which the more ancient route to this medieval pilgrimage route: Bilbao/San Sebastian near the French border was our first. The group stayed in Bilbao where they visited the Guggenheim Museum. Read all about it in Mark Mason’s post. Some of the students also had the opportunity to see a retrospective exhibition of the Colombian painter/sculptor Fernando Botero which was being offered at the Museo de Bellas Artes (http://www.museobilbao.com/exposiciones.php).
During the weekend the group also visited the beautiful city of San Sebastian, home of the famous film festival and known for its lovely beaches and trendy shops. On the way home, they stopped at Altamira visit the NeoCueva, an exact replica of famous cave paintings known as the “Sistine Chapel of paleolithic art and had lunch in the medieval town of Santillana del Mar which is quite a contradiction. As Spaniards point out ni es llana, ni es santa y no tiene mar”.