a mild case of homesickness....

So far we've seen Andalucia in all of it's splendor. I visited the Alhambra Palace in Granada, which absolutely took my breath away. I was taken aback by the lush gardens which covered almost every inch of this place. Flowers of all colors and sizes in bloom all over me really made me feel like I was in a fairy tale...mostly because I wondered how on earth these gardens are kept when I cant even keep a orchid alive in my apartment. The palaces in this place are gorgeous. They are gigantic and the detail in every little stone is mesmerizing.

Today we saw the Mezquita in Cordoba. I can genuinely say I am at a loss for words. Indescribable in every sense. There is so much history in this place it gives me the chills. I was really impressed with the beautiful architecture and the attention to detail of this mosque, which is now a cathedral.

We are already back in Sevilla, and although I had an amazing time in Granada and Cordoba, I can honestly say I'm so glad to be back. I missed my bed and my bathroom. It seems as though showering in this country is rather optional. Showers are miniscule and almost impossible to bathe in. I feel "at home" in Seville even though I have already been bitten by the homesick bug. I miss my family and my own bed. 

I do have to say this before I explode: the service here is pretty awful. I've never felt like such an inconvenience. Heaven forbid you order an additional basket of bread for the table because that seems to be a crime here and for a country where olive oil runs like raging rivers, they seem to be pretty stingy about it.

Regardless, it has been an amazing trip so far and I can't wait to see Italica tomorrow. I'll post some pictures up soon. Until then....


Cheers from Seville !

sevillian senses

I sit here in the plaza and cannot ignore the putrid smell of horse manure and wet dirt. The air is cool on my skin but the stench of sewer invades my nostrils and makes me feel uncomfortably hot. A fly lands on my knee and I stare at it as I try and come up with words to describe the myriad of things going on around me.

I look around and see a group of young tourist seemingly interested in the endless flow of historical facts being uttered by the guide whose face conveys a feeling of pure monotony.

The fly is still on my knee. There are flies everywhere. I hear the subtle drops of rain hitting my umbrella and I can't help but wonder why on earth I'm sitting in the rain. I smell a burning cigarette to my left and I turn to see a brightly clothed Arab woman sitting alone on a bench beside me drinking a Starbucks latte. She seems pensive and dismal and ten million thing run through my mind. I wonder why she's here alone? Then sound of the bell tolling reminds me of the time. For a split second the whole plaza stops and there is a moment of silence. Aware of the tight sightseeing schedules, crowds of tourist rush to get the last photographs of their surroundings. The orange trees abundant with fruit rustle lightly in the cool summer breeze and the cathedral stands magnificently in the overcast sky while the oohs and ahhs of wandering tourist fill the air.

I sit here in the Plaza del Triunfo taking in all the sights. Its not very nice out. The horse carriages are covered and the horses look miserable as they always do and the owners are all congregated around one area smoking cigarettes, hoping for a client to take for a ride. This fly really won't leave me alone.

I make my way back to the ornate entrance of the building and get lost in a crowd of words I can't understand and the continuous clicking of curious camera lenses taking pictures of every little detail of this magical place.

I don't think I've ever walked so much in my life...to the point where the skin on my feet is peeling off....LOVELY. But I'm not going to complain because unlike the other students who are staying in the Naranjo, I get to walk by Las Setas every morning...it doesn't get much cooler than this.

Being able to share this incredible city with really cool people has been an awesome experience. The sights are breathtaking and the food is on another level. 

I've had the privilege of seeing the Catedral de Sevilla up close and personal and there are just no words to explain the grandeur of this architectural masterpiece. The Giralda is really beautiful and the view from the top is very much worth the 34 stories you have to climb to get up there.

Today, we visted the University of Sevilla's School of Communications, which happens to be the best in Spain. We had the pleasure of meeting three professors who spoke to us mainly about the presence of Spain in the United States and also gave us some information about research projects they are involved with. The school was extremely well equipped with the latest technologies in communications. 

What an amazing place Sevilla is! Everything so far has been more than expected. I came with he notion this would be a city where everyone went to bed early and all there was to do was visit famous landmarks. I have been here three days and have been completely taken aback by the beauty of its architecture, the warmth of its people (especially the men, who seem to have an extreme adoration towards foreign women), and most of all by the food! I will definitely be coming back home a little heavier.

 

Cheers from Sevilla <3

Ethnic History of Andalucía and Flamenco

Andalucía is the southernmost region of continental Europe. It extends from the south of the Iberian Peninsula between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic and it is separated from Africa by the 14 kilometers of the Strait of Gibraltar. The region covers 87,595 square kilometers and has a population of around seven and a half million inhabitants. Andalucía is one of Spain’s seventeen Autonomous Communities, and is divided internally into eight provinces with their respective capitals: Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga and Seville.

A land of marked contrasts, Andalucía features an exceptionally wide variety of landscapes, from long beaches and rocky bays to agricultural land, desert, woods and Alpine mountains. The river Guadalquivir provides a great place for cultivating land in the center of the region between the gentle mountain range of the Sierra Morena to the north and the steep profile of the Sierra Bética to the south. Rising up in the middle of these mountains is the Sierra Nevada.

From the Neolithic period on, Andalucía was at the forefront of progress in agriculture, livestock keeping and mining, all of which attracted Greek and Phoenician settlers. This civilizing influence gave the rise to the Kingdom of Tartesos, a remote territory in which the columns of Hercules marked out the borders of the known world. This was followed by the development of Iberian culture in the interior of the region, as well as the presence of the Carthaginian civilization and the period of Roman rule, which left a permanent influence. Under the Romans, this region became the province of Bética, the location for flourishing cities such as Córdoba, the capital of the province, and Itálica, birthplace of the emperors Trajan and Hadrian.

After the brief period of Visigoth rule, the Muslim presence would mark out Andalucía’s destiny for almost 800 years to come. Until the 10^th century, Cordoba, the capital of Al-Andalus (the Muslim region of the Spanish peninsula) and court of the Ommeyad Caliphs stood out as the great city in the West. Seville, Almería, Málaga , Jaén and other cities acquired walls, fortresses, mosques, schools, baths, palaces, markets and entire quarters where people of different races and religions lived together.

Andalucía enjoyed one of its most splendid periods, as a great cultural beacon between the East and Europe. The advance of the Christian reconquest confined the Muslims to the present limits of the region and the rapid reconquest of Córdoba, Seville and the Guadalquivir valley by Ferdinand III in the mid-13^th century pushed the Moors towards the eastern realms of the kingdom of Granada.

1492 is a key date in the history of Andalucía. The year began with the conquest of Granada by the Catholic kings. In the summer, Christopher Columbus set sail from the Andalusian port of Palos in Huelva en route to America. This was also the year when the Jews were expelled, to be followed in the 17^th century by the Moors, depriving the region of two of its most active communities.

Flamenco

Flamenco is the music, song and dance of Andalucía, particularly of the gypsy community. It is associated especially with the provinces of Seville and Cádiz. The rough wailing voice of the singer is often unaccompanied except by rhythmic clapping, but to this is often added the rapid strumming of a guitar. Songs are never less than full on passionate and express a range of emotions, mainly sadness and torment. Sometimes the singer and guitarist provide the soundtrack for the dancer who is usually female. In true flamenco style, neither the song nor the dances follow a prescribed script. They are never done exactly the same way twice and performers continue for as long as their emotions dictate and stamina allows.

Flamenco began in the 18^th century in Andalucía, where gypsies sang songs of oppression, lamentation, and bitter romances. It could be described as a kind of blues that by the 19^th century began to catch on among all the other people of Andalucía. Gypsies used to call each other “flamencos”, which is an insulting term dating back to the days when Charles V’s Flemish (flamenco) courtiers bled Spain dry. In the Middle Ages, the gypsies arrived in Andalucía from India and they brought with them new tunes and euphoric rhythms which eventually combined with the “cante jondo”, or deep song, and the Moors’ heartstring guitar created what we know as flamenco. By the late 19^th century, flamenco was being performed in the back rooms of cafes in both Sevilla and Malaga.

a little appetizer before the trip....

Seville

I begin my journey abroad in one of the most incredible countries in the world. Rich in history, culture, architecture and let’s not forget the delectable cuisine, Spain is definitely a country worth visiting at least once in your life.

Located in the southwest part of the Iberian Peninsula is Seville, the capital of Andalusia and one of the most beautiful cities in all of Spain. It is the fourth largest city in Spain with a population of a little over 700,00 people and it is considered the artistic, cultural, financial, economic and social center of southern Spain.

Seville’s Mediterranean climate, which includes mild winters, hot summers and slight rain throughout the whole year, make this city’s climate almost perfect in every season.

The renowned cuisine of Seville focuses on the simplicity of its recipes. The bold flavors from a myriad of condiments make all meals something to look forward to. Tapas are one of the many attractive features of Seville's cuisine as a result of the region being the origin of this appetizer tradition. Tapas are miniature dishes which people tend to eat at all times usually at bars, accompanied by some great tasting wine or sangria as well as jerez, or sherry. Within the province of Sevilla you can find the small city of Jerez, responsible for supplying the entire world with genuine sherry.

Seville is a city where you will be very much enveloped by Andalusian culture, where tauromachy, or bullfighting, and flamenco are a way of life. It is a city where you are encouraged to “take it easy” and enjoy every aspect of its mesmerizing culture, from the tapas, to the breathtaking architecture.

Seville is especially famous for its monumental and artistic heritage of great beauty and historical importance. There are very few cities in the world that continue to flaunt the incredible combinations of architectural styles.

Some of the major sites and most symbolic for Seville in the world include the Catedral de Sevilla and Giralda Tower, the Alcazar, and the Casa de Pilatos.

Catedral de Sevilla and Giralda Tower

The Catedral de Sevilla is the most important church in the Andalusian metropolis. Also known as the Catedral de Santa Maria de La Sede, it is the largest cathedral in Spain and the third largest in the world. Like many major churches in Spain, this Gothic-style architecture was built on the site of an old mosque in the early 15th century. It is also the location of Christopher Columbus’ tomb.

The Giralda Tower is the minaret, or bell tower, of the old mosque on which the cathedral was built on. It’s Moorish-looking style has been preserved and is significantly different from the gothic style of the cathedral. This architectural masterpiece dates from the 12th century and is considered one of the most significant remnants of Seville's Moorish legacy. It was once the tallest tower in the world and today, after three additions made ​​after the conquest, we see the final tower, 97.5 meters high, topped with a bronze weathervane.

Real Alcazar

A mixture of Islamic and European traditions, this combination is best represented in the magnificence of the Real Alcázar, a palace still in use by members of the Spanish royal family and considered the oldest inhabited palace in Europe. There have been numerous transformations of power between the Christians and the Muslims. The Christian roots of Seville date back to the 1^st century and Christian dominion continued until the Moorish conquest in the year 712 AD. After this, Islam was the dominant force. The Moorish Almohaden chose Seville as their main residence and with it hand down a great heritage, evidence of their extraordinary culture. The Real Alcazar is ornate and majestic and has breathtaking gardens where tourist can have picnics and spend the day. 

Casa de Pilatos

The Casa de Pilatos is the most magnificent palace that can be visited in Sevilla, after the Real Alcazar. It is interesting not only for its architecture, which combines styles of Mudejar and Renaissance in its courtyards, fountains, and salons, but also displays Roman antiquities from the ruins of Italica, and paintings and furniture from different periods of time. According to tradition, this palace is a reproduction of Pilate's house in Jerusalem. Today it is the residence of the Dukes of Medinaceli.

Seville is an alluring city that will certainly capture your senses, where your eyes will be mesmerized with a cityscape extremely rich in history and art, your taste buds will be engulfed in exquisite fare and exceptional drinks and your mind will wonder why you didn’t come sooner.