May 15th - 17th weekend was yet another puente, this mean bridge, and it is used when there is a three day weekend; it is a bridge to the weekend...I guess saying "viernes libre" doesn't cut it.
During our puente, my friends, Kayla and Colleen hopped on a 7am bus went to Sevilla, south of Spain, part of Andalucia. It was beautiful. Since being in Madrid, I have improved my Spanish, seen amazing art work in the Prado and Reinia Sofia, in Toledo I saw three religions mixing in one city where the famous El Greco once lived, Segovia I saw an ancient aquaduct, but I really think these cities don't offer the same feeling Andalucia does. Mind you, I went to Toledo and Segovia in horrible, freezing conditions, but still.
Andalucia is what you think of when you think of Spain, at least for me. They have flamenco, the tapas, the bull fighting, the Arabic architecture...
Friday, May 15th
Our bus ride was 6 hours, we checked into the hostel. A girl we shared a room with was from IU, how funny! She was studying abroad in Sevilla, and her IU program was over so she was in the hostel with her sister that came to visit. She told us of a few places we could go to see Flamenco, but she said she hates it...sad. Once we got settled in, we knew we didn't have time to see the Alcázar but we managed to make it to the Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes and walk around a bit. We tried Aqua de Sevilla, which is an alcoholic drink that comes in a pitcher mixed with pineapple juice and whipped cream on top. Then we walked by the river, I have found since being in Europe this is my favorite past time. We searched for Flamenco, and found a tavern but they kept letting more and more people in and it was getting cramped, plus they wouldn't start until everyone had their drink orders...how Spanish of them. It seemed impossible to serve everyone, so we left.
Saturday, May 16th
The next day we headed to Real Alcázar (Royal). This is a Spanish palace that was constructed by the Moors from the 7th century. Queen Isabel and King Fernando lived here (you know, the Queen that funded Columbus' expedition), as well as many other places in Spain.
There is a mix of architecture in the Palace as well...not only Moorish, but Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque. One of the Christian kings lived in the Palace with his mistress while his wife lived in a different part.
It is full of fountains, rose gardens, palm trees, it is basically paradise. We saw a man painting and asked in Spanish if we could take a photo, then he asked, "you girls speak English?" He was from the states and lived close to Colleen in MA. He has been in Europe since October, and travels around and said Granada and Sevilla are his favorite. He has been to Louisville, and said he painted portraits for families. It was really exciting. The sun was moving, creating shadow in his painting, and said he has to paint the same time everyday to stay true to the work. He was working with oil. Kayla got his website address, I will ask her for it next time I see her.
Next we went to the Catedral, of...? It is just called Catedral. There is a story that the reconquistadors wanted to create a cathedral so HUGE that all who saw, would think they were madmen. I can just imagine, five or six reconquistadors sitting around drinking Aqua de Sevilla in their fur coats with gold chalices, gold rings especially one on the pinky, and "souvenirs" from the Americas saying, "They gunna think we're CRAZY!"
We made it just in time; it was the last showing until tomorrow. And just guess who is buried there...Cristóbal Colón, I don't need to translate that right? Actually there is a debate if these are his remains. His body was in Cuba but when they gained their Independence in 1902, his body was the first thing they got rid of. OOh, history, this gives me chills.
Then we climbed the bell tower, which unfortunately, the bells rang every 15 mins. Pleasant. The view was amazing. We could see the river, the bull fighting ring the Alcázar...the earth IS round. It is maybe 30 stories high, and in the olden days, they changed it from steps to a ramp so horses could climb.
There are little chapels inside the cathedral and one is dedicated to St. Anthony, Patron Saint of Lost Things. My dear friend Colleen, 100% Irish and from a devoted Catholic family taught me the prayer she says whenever she loses her keys:
Saint Anthony,
Saint Anthony,
Please come down,
My ______ is lost,
and cannot be found.
I inserted "job," I'll let you know how that goes.
Next door to the Catedral is Calle (Street) Susona. This story is better than Romeo & Juliet: So a Jewish girl named Susona was in love with a Catholic Knight, every night she would sneak out of her house and meet up with him in his camp. One early morning she was sneaking back in and could hear her father with some other neighbors plotting an attack on the Catholic knights. So she went to warn him. So the knights killed her whole family and she was left homeless, familyless and boyfriendless, converted to Catholicism, and joined a convent. She said that when she died, she wanted her head to hang above the door where her family was killed as a symbol of redemption. It isn't there now, but it was untouched for 100 years. The street was called Calle Muerte (Dead street). <3
After that I had to get going and leave Colleen and Kayla. I was off to Granada, a three hour bus ride. They visited Granada, the weekend Marshall and I went to Valencia for Las Fallas. Don't worry, I didn't travel by myself the whole time, remember Tammy from my Chicago-Heathrow flight? She was studying in Granada, and I e-mailed her before I left and she said she would show me around.
While waiting for my bus to Granada, I went to the medieval fair across the street. I was so excited! I was basically the Rastro (Madrid's street market) with a theme, but still people were dressed up and they had medieval clothes for sale, leather boots, jewelry..
.
Recent Comments