In A.D. 711, the conquering Muslims combined forces with the Jewish community to overtake the city of Granada from the Visigoths. Known as Garnata al Jahud, the takeover lent its name to Granada, which is also the Spanish word for "pomegranate." The city became a refuge for Muslims in the 13th century, when Córdoba & Sevilla fell to Christian forces. During this time, Granada flourished with traders & artisans, becoming one of the richest cities in medieval Europe. In the 15th century, however, the economy began to slow, & a rivalry broke out over the royal succession. Christian armies, who were still working to reconquer Spain, took advantage of these misfortunes, laying seige to Granada in 1491. The next year, on 2 January 1492, King Fernando & Queen Isabel entered Granada ceremonially in Muslim dress; the last Muslim city of Spain had fallen to the Catholic Monarchs. The religious persecution that followed destroyed what remained of Granada's talented artisan culture, leading the city into a decline that lasted until the 1830s. Finally, interest in the Romantic movement sparked the restoration of Granada's Islamic heritage & the arrival of tourism. Unfortunately, the city suffered another setback in the 20th century during the Spanish civil war, when 4000 Granadans, including Frederico García Lorca, were killed for entertaining left or liberal connections. Today, Granada's most famous sight is the Alhambra, a hilltop palace/fortress conplex built by the Muslims & embellished over several centuries.
Saturday morning, I left with CIEE, my study abroad program, for Granada. After 2 weeks of self-planned & self-guided visits, it was nice to know the only thing I had to worry about was not missing the bus. After an uneventful 3-hour trip, we checked into our hotel, another nice change from inexpensive hostels. I roomed with a friend from CIEE & a Seville native along to socialize, which challenged me to speak Spanish the entire time. After lunch, we were escorted to the Alhambra, where we walked through the lush gardens & ornate palaces. Everything was absolutely beautiful & so different from the Christian-influenced architecture I have become accustomed to seeing. Then we walked into the city for tea & pastries in a teteria, which smelled of incense & was decorated with tapestries.
After the tour, we had free time to explore the city. My friends & I chose to shop, & we wandered the narrow streets full of little stores. Granada has an atmosphere that's a cross between hippe, Arabic & Moroccan; handmade jewelry hung from pegboards in the streets, & handstitched clothing & tapestries shifted in the breeze. Inside the dimly lit alcoves of the shops were rows of teacups, wooden boxes with geometric patterns, rainbow displays of hookahs & towering piles of handstitched mantles & pillowcases. The shop owners busied themselves in providing mirrors to those looking at earrings or unfolding numerous tapestries to point out the quality workmanship. I had my first opportunity to haggle & managed to lower the prices on almost all of my souvenirs. We visited the teteria again after dinner; from our corner seats, we relaxed & soaked in the ambiance of Granada.
Day 1 photos here & here.
The next day, we ate breakfast in the hotel then left with our guides for the twisting streets of el Albaicín, the oldest neighborhood in Granada. We emerged at a hilltop overlook from which we could see la Alhambra. In the little plaza, a half-dozen vendors had laid out handmade leather & metal jewelry & handpainted pendants & postcards. After the photo op, we walked to la Capilla Real, where Ferdinand & Isabel are interred. Like the Catedral in Sevilla, the Capilla Real is surrounded by gypsies that make their living tricking tourists; they offer a sprig to passerby, & those who accept are blessed & promptly asked to pay for the plant they're now holding. Once we passed the gypsies, though, we could admire the elaborate interior of the Capilla Real. Afterwards, we had more free time, & my friends & I wandered the shops again until it was time to find the hotel for lunch. We ate & boarded the bus for a quiet ride home.
Day 2 photos here.
This trip to Granada is definitely one of my favorite trips so far. (Then again, I've thoroughly enjoyed every trip so far.) I wouldn't have minded spending a few more days wandering Granada without a guide.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
26 October 2008
Damos un paseo...
This Friday marked my first completely free day in Sevilla in weeks. I didn't have any classes to attend, & since my study abroad program had arranged a trip for Saturday & Sunday, I wasn't traveling. I spent this free time wandering around the city a bit, which had some interesting results. First, we searched for the "Roman ruins" of Sevilla, which turned out to be 3 pillars tucked away between two houses on a side street. Next, we searched for the plaque commemorating Susona, a Jewish girl who fell in love with a Christian soldier in 14th century Sevilla. When she overheard her father plotting to attack the Christians, the young girl warned her lover, who responded by murdering the girl's father. Grief-stricken, Susona requested in her will that her skull be hung above the doorway of her house. After getting a bit lost on the narrow labyrinthine streets, or estrechas, we finally found the 2 plaques dedicated to the legend. After our brief foray into tourism, we walked toward the University to visit the Festival de las Naciones, whose booths offered food, toys, jewelry & knick-knacks from around the world.
That evening, I had RSVPed to attend a play at the Teatro Central with my theatre interest group. Looking at the map, I imagined a pleasant stroll along the river to the theatre, & that's exactly how it began. I reached the Puente de Isabel II, the bridge my friends & I cross to get to the popular American bars, just as the sun was setting. It was beautiful, & of course I had my camera with me. As night settled in, however, the atmosphere along the riverbank changed; groups of teenagers dressed in black appeared out of nowhere with boom boxes & hookahs, & there was a distinct smell of marijuana floating in the air. As my 3 mile walk drew to a close & I crossed the bridge to the theatre, I was a bit relieved to leave the river bank behind me.
All in all, it was a pleasant & relaxed Friday in Sevilla, & an enjoyable break from the hustle of leaving the city early Friday morning for the normal weekend getaway.
Photos here.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
That evening, I had RSVPed to attend a play at the Teatro Central with my theatre interest group. Looking at the map, I imagined a pleasant stroll along the river to the theatre, & that's exactly how it began. I reached the Puente de Isabel II, the bridge my friends & I cross to get to the popular American bars, just as the sun was setting. It was beautiful, & of course I had my camera with me. As night settled in, however, the atmosphere along the riverbank changed; groups of teenagers dressed in black appeared out of nowhere with boom boxes & hookahs, & there was a distinct smell of marijuana floating in the air. As my 3 mile walk drew to a close & I crossed the bridge to the theatre, I was a bit relieved to leave the river bank behind me.
All in all, it was a pleasant & relaxed Friday in Sevilla, & an enjoyable break from the hustle of leaving the city early Friday morning for the normal weekend getaway.
Photos here.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
20 October 2008
Viaje a Madrid (con una excursión a Segovia)
In 80 B.C., the Celtic settlement of Segobriga was occupied by the Romans. From there, it went on to become an important town of Roman Hispania. The town saw fighting between Christians & the invading Muslims until the latter were evicted in A.D. 1085. The city triumphed in backing the future queen Isabel in 1474 but chose the wrong side in the War of the Communities in 1520. After sliding into several centuries of obscurity, Segovia began to recover in the 1960s, when tourism helped to regenerate the town. Today, Segovia is known for its acueducto romano, as well as its catedral & alcázar.
Madrid was first established by Muslims in A.D. 854. From the Arabic word for "water channel," Madrid's location in the center of the peninsula led to the city changing hands between Muslims, Visigoths & Christians. In 1085, Christian king Alfonso VI conquered Madrid's mosque & reconfigured it into the chuch of the Virgin of Almudena. For a while, Jews, Muslims & Christians were allowed to practice their own religions in Madrid, but the Spanish Inquisition ended the harmony & only allowed Christians to practice. In 1561, the seat of the court was moved to Madrid, effectively making it the captial of Spain. During the 16th & 17th centuries, the city enjoyed the Siglo de Oro, or Golden Century, but still depended economically on the patronage of the court iteself. In the 20th century, Madrid was hit especially hard by the Spanish Civil War, but after Franco's death, the capital became an icon for the new Spain & finally enjoyed the prosperity it needed to establish itself as the center of the Iberian peninsula.
On Friday, a friend & I took an overnight (1:00 A.M. - 7:00 A.M.) bus from Sevilla to Madrid. From there, we took the Metro across town & hopped another bus to Segovia. We spent the rest of the morning & most of the afternoon on a self-guided tour of Segovia's 3 main attractions: the acueducto, the Catedral & the Alcázar. I was amazed how extensive the acueducto is, & that houses & businesses have simply sprung up on either side of the structure over the millennia. The Catedral was particularly striking, but like most of Spain's religious buildings, only truly finished on one side. The Alcázar was also beautiful. We took a self-guided tour through the castle, which was home to swords, suits of armour, a spectacular view of the city, & (of course) some creepy artwork on the walls. We paid extra to climb to the top of the tower, which had an extraordinary view of the Catedral & the surrounding area. Then we grabbed some lunch & hopped a bus back to Madrid. After five weeks, I'm finally getting used to how easy it is to travel in Spain. Once in Madrid, we tried to find a few sights & succeeded in locating the Templo de Debod, the Catedral & the Palacio Real. Afterwards, we headed to our hostal, which was nice enough, & called it a night.
Day 1 photos here & here.
The next day, we enjoyed our hostal's complimentary "continental breakfast" -- which consisted of cereal, bread & butter, milk & tea -- then met up with SANDEMANs New Europe Tours, a free, 3 1/2 hour walking tour around the city. (My friend & I knew that Sevilla had changed us when we didn't even bat an eye at the concept of walking around for 3 1/2 hours.) Our tour guide was excellent. She was an American that studied in Madrid for a semester of college then decided she didn't want to return to the States. For the duration of the tour, she was informative, entertaining & enthusiastic about everything we saw. She led us through plazas, past churches & palaces, & even to the doorsteps of the birthplaces of a few famous writers. For lunch, she took us to get tapas... at Cervezería 100 Montaditos, a cheap chain restaurant we frequent in Sevilla. After the tour, we wandered to the Museo del Prado & the Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, where I was reminded how little appreciation I have for art. When I realized I was studying what my guidebook described as "subtle yet strategically placed lighting" instead of the works themselves, I realized that an art museum is not the place for me. I did, however, enjoy seeing a few of the more famous works in person. After the museums, we again called it a night & began to walk back to our hostal. On the way, we were able to witness a group of men running from the police, carrying the sacks of bootleg DVDs & knockoff Louis Vuitton wallets they had been peddling on the sidewalk.
Day 2 photos here.
Sunday, we woke up early to fully enjoy the spread of our continental breakfast. Then we headed to El Rastro, a huge open-air flea market that sets up every Sunday on the sidewalks of Madrid. There were booths with everything from t-shirts & parachute pants (which are in style in Spain, by the way) to extension cords and multitools. We wandered for a few hours, & although I enjoyed the shopping, I had to fight the urge to flee from the solidly packed streets. After the flea market, we stopped for lunch. Feeling like we had seen the sights already, we headed to the bus station a bit early & relaxed until our 6:00 P.M. departure, another weekend trip successfully completed.
Day 3 photos here.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
Madrid was first established by Muslims in A.D. 854. From the Arabic word for "water channel," Madrid's location in the center of the peninsula led to the city changing hands between Muslims, Visigoths & Christians. In 1085, Christian king Alfonso VI conquered Madrid's mosque & reconfigured it into the chuch of the Virgin of Almudena. For a while, Jews, Muslims & Christians were allowed to practice their own religions in Madrid, but the Spanish Inquisition ended the harmony & only allowed Christians to practice. In 1561, the seat of the court was moved to Madrid, effectively making it the captial of Spain. During the 16th & 17th centuries, the city enjoyed the Siglo de Oro, or Golden Century, but still depended economically on the patronage of the court iteself. In the 20th century, Madrid was hit especially hard by the Spanish Civil War, but after Franco's death, the capital became an icon for the new Spain & finally enjoyed the prosperity it needed to establish itself as the center of the Iberian peninsula.
On Friday, a friend & I took an overnight (1:00 A.M. - 7:00 A.M.) bus from Sevilla to Madrid. From there, we took the Metro across town & hopped another bus to Segovia. We spent the rest of the morning & most of the afternoon on a self-guided tour of Segovia's 3 main attractions: the acueducto, the Catedral & the Alcázar. I was amazed how extensive the acueducto is, & that houses & businesses have simply sprung up on either side of the structure over the millennia. The Catedral was particularly striking, but like most of Spain's religious buildings, only truly finished on one side. The Alcázar was also beautiful. We took a self-guided tour through the castle, which was home to swords, suits of armour, a spectacular view of the city, & (of course) some creepy artwork on the walls. We paid extra to climb to the top of the tower, which had an extraordinary view of the Catedral & the surrounding area. Then we grabbed some lunch & hopped a bus back to Madrid. After five weeks, I'm finally getting used to how easy it is to travel in Spain. Once in Madrid, we tried to find a few sights & succeeded in locating the Templo de Debod, the Catedral & the Palacio Real. Afterwards, we headed to our hostal, which was nice enough, & called it a night.
Day 1 photos here & here.
The next day, we enjoyed our hostal's complimentary "continental breakfast" -- which consisted of cereal, bread & butter, milk & tea -- then met up with SANDEMANs New Europe Tours, a free, 3 1/2 hour walking tour around the city. (My friend & I knew that Sevilla had changed us when we didn't even bat an eye at the concept of walking around for 3 1/2 hours.) Our tour guide was excellent. She was an American that studied in Madrid for a semester of college then decided she didn't want to return to the States. For the duration of the tour, she was informative, entertaining & enthusiastic about everything we saw. She led us through plazas, past churches & palaces, & even to the doorsteps of the birthplaces of a few famous writers. For lunch, she took us to get tapas... at Cervezería 100 Montaditos, a cheap chain restaurant we frequent in Sevilla. After the tour, we wandered to the Museo del Prado & the Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, where I was reminded how little appreciation I have for art. When I realized I was studying what my guidebook described as "subtle yet strategically placed lighting" instead of the works themselves, I realized that an art museum is not the place for me. I did, however, enjoy seeing a few of the more famous works in person. After the museums, we again called it a night & began to walk back to our hostal. On the way, we were able to witness a group of men running from the police, carrying the sacks of bootleg DVDs & knockoff Louis Vuitton wallets they had been peddling on the sidewalk.
Day 2 photos here.
Sunday, we woke up early to fully enjoy the spread of our continental breakfast. Then we headed to El Rastro, a huge open-air flea market that sets up every Sunday on the sidewalks of Madrid. There were booths with everything from t-shirts & parachute pants (which are in style in Spain, by the way) to extension cords and multitools. We wandered for a few hours, & although I enjoyed the shopping, I had to fight the urge to flee from the solidly packed streets. After the flea market, we stopped for lunch. Feeling like we had seen the sights already, we headed to the bus station a bit early & relaxed until our 6:00 P.M. departure, another weekend trip successfully completed.
Day 3 photos here.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
13 October 2008
Viaje a Belfast, Northern Ireland (y Málaga, tambén)
When I post about a place I've visited, I like to being with a bit of history. To attempt to broach the topic of Northern Ireland's vast history in this brief space, however, would be overly ambitious. So, in this case, faithful reader, I'm going to let you down & suggest that you do a bit of quick Googling if you'd like more information.
The city of Belfast is perhaps most famous for its ranking alongside Beirut, Baghdad & Bosnia as one of the four "B's for travelers to avoid. The troubles, which descended on the country in the late 1960s, dealt Belfast a blow from which it is still striving to recover; the so-called Peace line still stands imposingly dividing Catholic & Protestant neighborhoods, like a Berlin Wall that never fell. Numerous murals painted on commercial & resedential properties alike pay tribute to heroes, martyrs innocent victims on both sides of the struggle. The government is working to redevelop edifices whose walls still reverberate with the voilent energy of the past decades. At the same time, the city is perhaps the most beautiful I've ever seen, bordered on the east by the docks where the "Titanic" was built & on the west by green mountains.
Four friends & I left Sevilla for Málaga at 6:50 Friday morning via train. As the first day of our trip dawned, we watched little white villages pass our windows. The yellow lights shone from their places nestled into the mountainside. We passed farms with fields of little trees planted in diagonal lines like pincushiones in an upholstered chair.
What we saw of Málaga itself were half-constructed buildings & imposing cranes. We waited for our train to the airport, which was also under construction, & wondered where in this jumble we would find the cathedral & castle we'd read about in our guidebooks. After our second train ride of the day (& also of my lifetime, unless you're counting the Easter train at the mall), I started to understand why my host family thought everyone traveled via train. It's more spacious than a bus, & there's no traffic to contend with. It's a shame that trains never caught on in the States.
The next leg of our journey was our flight to belfast. Our airplane (Aer Lingus) was painted green with a 3-leaf clover on the tail. As we flwe over Málaga, I finally caught a glimpse of the beauty of the city: the green sloping mountains, the white houses of the city, the yellow beach & the choppy blue ocean. We flew over Great Britain & finally over the green patchwork quilt of Irish farmland. The view was so breathtaking that I forgot for a moment how much I hate flying & just enjoyed looking out the window.
We landed in the midst of a persistent drizzle; our first steps on Irish ground were spent sprinting from the plane to the shelter of the airport. From there, we caught a bus & checked into our respective hostels. The helpful receptionist called a Black Taxi for us, & we spent the next 2 hours immersed in Belfast's recent history. Our driver was knowledgeable & eager to share his opinions on the trouble between the Catholics & the Protestants. Being a Catholic himself & a formerly persecuted minority, he concentrated on his own side of the Peace Line. Seeing the towering wall itself was haunting, trying to imagine the people on either side living separated from the rest of their own city. The murals were equally chilling -- looking into the faces each side believed were doing just work.
After the taxi tour, we braved the rain to walk to the Belfast Wheel, a giant ferris wheel that currently resides next to City Hall. For 12 minutes, we went round & round in our gondola & tried to spot the buildings mentioned by the audio guide.
Day 1 photos here.
The next day, we got an early start & took a bus to Cave Hill County Park. I was struck at once by how green the park is; no wonder Ireland is considered the Emerald Isle! Our first stop was Belfast Castle, whose predecessor was built by the Normans in the late 12th century. A second version was constructed in 1611 but burned down less than a century later. The rpesent castle was built between 1862 & 1870 & was presented to the city of Belfast in 1934. My friends & I explored the castle garden, which is said to bring good luck to visitors so long as a white cat resides there. We searched for the 9 cats integrated into the garden's design, but I could only find 7. Then we took a peek inside the castle, which was being prepared for a wedding ceremony & reception. I have to admit that I was subconsciously scouting locations for wedding photos.
Next, we began our hike through the park. Being overly-ambitious, we selected the 4.5 mile Cave Hill trail. We passed the most visible of the man-made caves, whose origin is unknown, as well as the Devil's Punchbowl, which is suspected to be the remains of a limestone quarry. Exhausted, we ended our ascent at McArt's Fort, an early Christian ring fort on Cave Hill's highest rocky outcrop. Even though we didn't complete the entire 1207 ft climb, the views of Belfast, the docks & the sea were spectacular. Plus, everyone we encountered was friendly; there were hellos all around each time we passed another hiker. One nice man, whom we met at the caves ,volunteered himself & his 2 young sons as tour guides for part of the hike.
Entirely pleased with our excursion but a bit sore & muddy, we caught a bus back to the centre for lunch. We chose a little restaurant called Magennis's bar & had our first proper Irish meal: steak pie & Guinness. After lungh, we spent the afternoon visiting some of the city's sights, including the Bigfish sculpture, the clock tower & City Hall. Then, we indulged in some shopping & headed to Crown's Bar for a pint.
Day 2 photos here & here.
Sunday, we woke up early again & had an Irish breakfast at the Causeway Cafe, which is attached to our hostel. By 9:45 A.M., we were on the road with Mini Coach Tours for a coastal drive. Our driver, Ray, was wonderful. He filled the entire 2-hour drive to our final destination with historical facts, cultural explanations & the occasional personal anecdote. Our first stop was Carrickfergus Castle, which was built in the 1100s. Here Ray reinforced his request for punctuality by pretending to drive away from 3 latecomers. As they ran desperately behind the bus, trying to flag it down without spilling the coffee they just had to buy, the rest of us just laughed. We knew by this point that Ray was the best driver-slash-tour guide we could have hoped for.
The third stop on the tour (after a brief break at a convenience store) was Carrick-a-Rede, which translates to "Rock in the Road." The rock in question is Carrick Island, which fishermen have been connecting to the mainland via rope bridge for over 350 years. Originally used to reach salmon nets, the 21 m bridge is now open to tourists. My friends & I braved the incredibly steep stairs down to the bridge to wobble our way across to the island. We also saw Sheep Island, where the animals were stored in hopes that invaders would merely take the sheep & leave the locals alone, Stackaboy island & some gorgeous green oceanside cliffs. On the way out, I also caught a glimpse of the nearby limestone quarry. After Carrick-a-Rede, we made another quick stop at Bushmills Distillery, the oldest in Ireland & currently celebrating their 400 year anniversary.
Our fifth stop was the main attraction of the day: the Giant's Causeway. The World Heritage Site consists of rougly 40,000 hexigonal stone columns that stretch into the ocean. Legend states that Irish giant Finn MacCool built the causeway to reach Scotland & fight the giant Benandonner, but geologists claim a different story. The causeway was formed somewhere around 65 million years ago as a result of volcanic activity. As the lava flow cooled, the rock contracted & formed a hexagonal pattern, much as drying mud in a lake bed. According to Ray, the formations could disappear in as little as 100 years due to climate change, "but we'll be gone, too, so we might as well see them today." The 1/2 km walk down the coast to the causeway was filled wit hanticipation of the unknown; when I finally saw the columns, I was awestruck. I could not beleive that such carefully arranged rocks were merely the result of a geologic happenstance. It looked as if each had been individually chiseled & installed as part of some massive art exhibit. I couldn't take enough photos. After climbing on the result of millions of years of cooling lava & erosion, I took the clifftop path for an aerial view of the stones.
Our final stop on the tour was the Dunlace castle, which is more of a ruins now; in years past, part of the castle slid into the ocean, taking with it 7 cooks & that evening's dinner. After the tour, we turned in to get a few hours of sleep before our 3 A.M. wakeup call.
Day 3 photos here & here.
This morning, we were on a bus for the airport by 4 A.M. our flight left Ireland at 7 A.M., & we slept most of the way back to Málaga. From there, our group split up; while the other 3 girls headed to Sevilla, a friend & I stayed to take a self-guided walking tour. Like many Spanish cities, Málaga has seen Phoenicians, Islamic influence, & Spanish civil war, although its real claim to fame is its status as birthplace of Pablo Picasso (whose house we didn't see). We did, however, check out the catedral, the Alcazaba & the Roman theatre before returning to Sevilla.
Day 4 photos here.
Belfast has, by far, been my favorite weekend trip. After getting a hint of what Northern Ireland is like, I would love to visit again when I have more time to explore. The locas and the land itself have a way of welcoming you to experience the culture in a more intimate way than any other city I have visited. And I still can't get over how beautiful the saturated green hills are. Nos vemos, Le <3.
The city of Belfast is perhaps most famous for its ranking alongside Beirut, Baghdad & Bosnia as one of the four "B's for travelers to avoid. The troubles, which descended on the country in the late 1960s, dealt Belfast a blow from which it is still striving to recover; the so-called Peace line still stands imposingly dividing Catholic & Protestant neighborhoods, like a Berlin Wall that never fell. Numerous murals painted on commercial & resedential properties alike pay tribute to heroes, martyrs innocent victims on both sides of the struggle. The government is working to redevelop edifices whose walls still reverberate with the voilent energy of the past decades. At the same time, the city is perhaps the most beautiful I've ever seen, bordered on the east by the docks where the "Titanic" was built & on the west by green mountains.
Four friends & I left Sevilla for Málaga at 6:50 Friday morning via train. As the first day of our trip dawned, we watched little white villages pass our windows. The yellow lights shone from their places nestled into the mountainside. We passed farms with fields of little trees planted in diagonal lines like pincushiones in an upholstered chair.
What we saw of Málaga itself were half-constructed buildings & imposing cranes. We waited for our train to the airport, which was also under construction, & wondered where in this jumble we would find the cathedral & castle we'd read about in our guidebooks. After our second train ride of the day (& also of my lifetime, unless you're counting the Easter train at the mall), I started to understand why my host family thought everyone traveled via train. It's more spacious than a bus, & there's no traffic to contend with. It's a shame that trains never caught on in the States.
The next leg of our journey was our flight to belfast. Our airplane (Aer Lingus) was painted green with a 3-leaf clover on the tail. As we flwe over Málaga, I finally caught a glimpse of the beauty of the city: the green sloping mountains, the white houses of the city, the yellow beach & the choppy blue ocean. We flew over Great Britain & finally over the green patchwork quilt of Irish farmland. The view was so breathtaking that I forgot for a moment how much I hate flying & just enjoyed looking out the window.
We landed in the midst of a persistent drizzle; our first steps on Irish ground were spent sprinting from the plane to the shelter of the airport. From there, we caught a bus & checked into our respective hostels. The helpful receptionist called a Black Taxi for us, & we spent the next 2 hours immersed in Belfast's recent history. Our driver was knowledgeable & eager to share his opinions on the trouble between the Catholics & the Protestants. Being a Catholic himself & a formerly persecuted minority, he concentrated on his own side of the Peace Line. Seeing the towering wall itself was haunting, trying to imagine the people on either side living separated from the rest of their own city. The murals were equally chilling -- looking into the faces each side believed were doing just work.
After the taxi tour, we braved the rain to walk to the Belfast Wheel, a giant ferris wheel that currently resides next to City Hall. For 12 minutes, we went round & round in our gondola & tried to spot the buildings mentioned by the audio guide.
Day 1 photos here.
The next day, we got an early start & took a bus to Cave Hill County Park. I was struck at once by how green the park is; no wonder Ireland is considered the Emerald Isle! Our first stop was Belfast Castle, whose predecessor was built by the Normans in the late 12th century. A second version was constructed in 1611 but burned down less than a century later. The rpesent castle was built between 1862 & 1870 & was presented to the city of Belfast in 1934. My friends & I explored the castle garden, which is said to bring good luck to visitors so long as a white cat resides there. We searched for the 9 cats integrated into the garden's design, but I could only find 7. Then we took a peek inside the castle, which was being prepared for a wedding ceremony & reception. I have to admit that I was subconsciously scouting locations for wedding photos.
Next, we began our hike through the park. Being overly-ambitious, we selected the 4.5 mile Cave Hill trail. We passed the most visible of the man-made caves, whose origin is unknown, as well as the Devil's Punchbowl, which is suspected to be the remains of a limestone quarry. Exhausted, we ended our ascent at McArt's Fort, an early Christian ring fort on Cave Hill's highest rocky outcrop. Even though we didn't complete the entire 1207 ft climb, the views of Belfast, the docks & the sea were spectacular. Plus, everyone we encountered was friendly; there were hellos all around each time we passed another hiker. One nice man, whom we met at the caves ,volunteered himself & his 2 young sons as tour guides for part of the hike.
Entirely pleased with our excursion but a bit sore & muddy, we caught a bus back to the centre for lunch. We chose a little restaurant called Magennis's bar & had our first proper Irish meal: steak pie & Guinness. After lungh, we spent the afternoon visiting some of the city's sights, including the Bigfish sculpture, the clock tower & City Hall. Then, we indulged in some shopping & headed to Crown's Bar for a pint.
Day 2 photos here & here.
Sunday, we woke up early again & had an Irish breakfast at the Causeway Cafe, which is attached to our hostel. By 9:45 A.M., we were on the road with Mini Coach Tours for a coastal drive. Our driver, Ray, was wonderful. He filled the entire 2-hour drive to our final destination with historical facts, cultural explanations & the occasional personal anecdote. Our first stop was Carrickfergus Castle, which was built in the 1100s. Here Ray reinforced his request for punctuality by pretending to drive away from 3 latecomers. As they ran desperately behind the bus, trying to flag it down without spilling the coffee they just had to buy, the rest of us just laughed. We knew by this point that Ray was the best driver-slash-tour guide we could have hoped for.
The third stop on the tour (after a brief break at a convenience store) was Carrick-a-Rede, which translates to "Rock in the Road." The rock in question is Carrick Island, which fishermen have been connecting to the mainland via rope bridge for over 350 years. Originally used to reach salmon nets, the 21 m bridge is now open to tourists. My friends & I braved the incredibly steep stairs down to the bridge to wobble our way across to the island. We also saw Sheep Island, where the animals were stored in hopes that invaders would merely take the sheep & leave the locals alone, Stackaboy island & some gorgeous green oceanside cliffs. On the way out, I also caught a glimpse of the nearby limestone quarry. After Carrick-a-Rede, we made another quick stop at Bushmills Distillery, the oldest in Ireland & currently celebrating their 400 year anniversary.
Our fifth stop was the main attraction of the day: the Giant's Causeway. The World Heritage Site consists of rougly 40,000 hexigonal stone columns that stretch into the ocean. Legend states that Irish giant Finn MacCool built the causeway to reach Scotland & fight the giant Benandonner, but geologists claim a different story. The causeway was formed somewhere around 65 million years ago as a result of volcanic activity. As the lava flow cooled, the rock contracted & formed a hexagonal pattern, much as drying mud in a lake bed. According to Ray, the formations could disappear in as little as 100 years due to climate change, "but we'll be gone, too, so we might as well see them today." The 1/2 km walk down the coast to the causeway was filled wit hanticipation of the unknown; when I finally saw the columns, I was awestruck. I could not beleive that such carefully arranged rocks were merely the result of a geologic happenstance. It looked as if each had been individually chiseled & installed as part of some massive art exhibit. I couldn't take enough photos. After climbing on the result of millions of years of cooling lava & erosion, I took the clifftop path for an aerial view of the stones.
Our final stop on the tour was the Dunlace castle, which is more of a ruins now; in years past, part of the castle slid into the ocean, taking with it 7 cooks & that evening's dinner. After the tour, we turned in to get a few hours of sleep before our 3 A.M. wakeup call.
Day 3 photos here & here.
This morning, we were on a bus for the airport by 4 A.M. our flight left Ireland at 7 A.M., & we slept most of the way back to Málaga. From there, our group split up; while the other 3 girls headed to Sevilla, a friend & I stayed to take a self-guided walking tour. Like many Spanish cities, Málaga has seen Phoenicians, Islamic influence, & Spanish civil war, although its real claim to fame is its status as birthplace of Pablo Picasso (whose house we didn't see). We did, however, check out the catedral, the Alcazaba & the Roman theatre before returning to Sevilla.
Day 4 photos here.
Belfast has, by far, been my favorite weekend trip. After getting a hint of what Northern Ireland is like, I would love to visit again when I have more time to explore. The locas and the land itself have a way of welcoming you to experience the culture in a more intimate way than any other city I have visited. And I still can't get over how beautiful the saturated green hills are. Nos vemos, Le <3.
06 October 2008
La Plaza de Toros
Today after class, I visited the Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza, Sevilla's bullring. Built beginning in 1758, it is also the oldest bullring in Spain. I had already decided that I didn't want to attend a bullfight, but I was still curious to see the building itself. With seating for 13,800 fans, the stadium was immense. The tour I took also visited the tiny bullfighting museum housed in the Plaza & the horse stables.
Photos here.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
Photos here.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
05 October 2008
Viaje a Lagos
Not unlike the cities of Spain, the seaside town of Lagos, Portugal holds a long & convoluted history. Throughout the ages, Lagos has been inhabited and conquered by Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths & Moors, though not necessarily in that order. In 1249, Lagos was conquered by Dom Alfonso III, who integrated the city into the kingdom of Portugal. Since then, Lagos has played an important role in New World exporations; it was home to Henry the Navigator & embarking point for Vasco de Gama. During this time period, Lagos was also the city through which African slaves entered Europe & served as the capital of Algave, the Moorish name for the southernmost region of Portugal. (The capital was moved in 1756, the year following the massive Lisbon earthquake & tsunami, which destroyed most of the historical buildings in Lagos.) Today, most of Lagos' population has gravitated toward the coastline, which generates tourism & is also the reason I found myself in Portugal this weekend.
Friday morning, I departed with Discover Sevilla, a travel agency marketing to American study abroad students. We took a tour bus for the 3-hour drive to Lagos. Crossing the border into Portugal was amazingly easy; we just kept driving. I didn't realize we were in a different country until I noticed that all the street signs were in Portuguese. We arrived at our hotel, Sol e Praia ("Sun and Beach"), which delivered exactly what is name promised. As soon as we had checked in, everyone rushed to the Praia Dona Ana. I had never seen a beach like this before; the shoreline was a series of looming cliffs, & the beaches were alcoves nestled between the rocks. Even the sand itself consisted of tiny pebbles, which were beautiful but painful on bare feet. I spent the afternoon relaxing on the shore & swimming in the water. Later, a few friends & I decided to explore the shoreline, & we found a "hidden" beach that could only be reached by climbing over part of a cliff.
When it got too cold to stay on the beach, we checked out the swimming pool on the roof of our hotel, but it was cold there, too. So a friend & I decided to walk along a little trail atop the cliffs. From the beach, we had no idea how far the shore continued on because everything was hidden behind the giant rocks. After walking for awhile, we found wooden stairs leading down to yet another small beach, which we also explored. Only after we finished the excursion did we notice the sign reading "Danger: Unstable Cliffs."
That night, our Discover Sevilla guides took us into the center for dinner. We ate at a restaurant called the Nah Nah Bah, where everyone (thankfully!) spoke English. It amazes me that businesses can make a living simply by having an English-speaking staff in a non-English speaking country. After dinner, we checked out a few of the bars on the map DS provided us, where the bartenders also all spoke English. Then we went to Joe's Garage, another bar, for a party DS organized. My friends & I left the rest of the group to their party; we were all exhausted & wanted to get some rest before day 2 of our adventure.
Day 1 photos here.
The next morning, we met in the lobby & headed to the harbor for our Bom Dia ("Good Day") 2-hour cruise. The boat took us along the shoreline & anchored at Ponta da Piedade, where we took turns riding in a small motorboat through the coves. We all screamed like girls (well, we were mostly girls) every time the boat turned; I felt like I was going to fall overboard. Our guide would stop the motor inside each of the coves, tell us its name & give us a chance to take photos before moving on. After our group returned to the bigger boat, we were allowed to jump off the side into the ocean, which I did. When all the groups had seen the coves, we headed back to the harbor & enjoyed the last of the free sangria.
After the sailboat cruise, we met up with the rest of the group (the sailboat cruise cost extra) for lunch at another beach, Meia Praia. Unlike most of Lagos' beaches, this one was free of cliffs & hidden underwater rocks. I swam for a bit then fell asleep on my towel until it was time to leave.
That evening, we boarded the bus again & headed for Cabo San Vicente, which is the southwesternmost point in Europe. The spot is named for Saint Vincent, a martyred Spanish priest. Like in Lagos, Cabo's buildings were all destroyed by the Lisbon earthquake; the lighthouse is built on the ruins of a 16th century Franciscan convent. According to some, Cabo San Vincente was considered the end of the world before explorers headed west & discovered the Americas. As we sat on the cliffs, watching the sun set on the ocean, I tried to imagine the horizon as the end of a cube-shaped earth. I thought of the explorers that dared to sail past the assumed edge of the earth, but I couldn't fully imagine either concept. The sunset against the ocean was inarguably the most beautiful I have ever seen.
After watching the sunset, we returned the the center for another dinner at the Nah Nah Bah. DS had organized another party, but I was too tired to go to the bar, so a friend & I decided to head back to the hotel. It wasn't until we got a bit lost that I fully realized that, for the first time, I was in a country where I couldn't speak the language at all. It's an incredibly frightening feeling to realize that, if you need help, you're at the mercy of anyone that can speak English. Luckily, we were only one street away from where we needed to be, & we returned to the hotel safely. That feeling of insecurity, however, is something that I will bear in mind in all future travels.
Day 2 photos here.
Today was our 3rd & final day in Portugal. A friend & I spent the morning at the "hidden" beach, which looked completely different at low tide. After lunch, we explored the center a bit, but most of the stores had already closed for the day. Around 5:00 PM, we boarded the bus & headed home to Sevilla. It was an incredible weekend in Lagos, & I'm sorry to see it end. I never imagined that one day, I would be lying on a Portuguese beach, working on my tan in October. I have to say, though, that I am happy to be back in Sevilla, where I can somewhat speak the language & can navigate the city. But I'm sure that after a few days of classes, I'll be daydreaming of the beautiful beaches of Lagos...
Day 3 photos here.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
Friday morning, I departed with Discover Sevilla, a travel agency marketing to American study abroad students. We took a tour bus for the 3-hour drive to Lagos. Crossing the border into Portugal was amazingly easy; we just kept driving. I didn't realize we were in a different country until I noticed that all the street signs were in Portuguese. We arrived at our hotel, Sol e Praia ("Sun and Beach"), which delivered exactly what is name promised. As soon as we had checked in, everyone rushed to the Praia Dona Ana. I had never seen a beach like this before; the shoreline was a series of looming cliffs, & the beaches were alcoves nestled between the rocks. Even the sand itself consisted of tiny pebbles, which were beautiful but painful on bare feet. I spent the afternoon relaxing on the shore & swimming in the water. Later, a few friends & I decided to explore the shoreline, & we found a "hidden" beach that could only be reached by climbing over part of a cliff.
When it got too cold to stay on the beach, we checked out the swimming pool on the roof of our hotel, but it was cold there, too. So a friend & I decided to walk along a little trail atop the cliffs. From the beach, we had no idea how far the shore continued on because everything was hidden behind the giant rocks. After walking for awhile, we found wooden stairs leading down to yet another small beach, which we also explored. Only after we finished the excursion did we notice the sign reading "Danger: Unstable Cliffs."
That night, our Discover Sevilla guides took us into the center for dinner. We ate at a restaurant called the Nah Nah Bah, where everyone (thankfully!) spoke English. It amazes me that businesses can make a living simply by having an English-speaking staff in a non-English speaking country. After dinner, we checked out a few of the bars on the map DS provided us, where the bartenders also all spoke English. Then we went to Joe's Garage, another bar, for a party DS organized. My friends & I left the rest of the group to their party; we were all exhausted & wanted to get some rest before day 2 of our adventure.
Day 1 photos here.
The next morning, we met in the lobby & headed to the harbor for our Bom Dia ("Good Day") 2-hour cruise. The boat took us along the shoreline & anchored at Ponta da Piedade, where we took turns riding in a small motorboat through the coves. We all screamed like girls (well, we were mostly girls) every time the boat turned; I felt like I was going to fall overboard. Our guide would stop the motor inside each of the coves, tell us its name & give us a chance to take photos before moving on. After our group returned to the bigger boat, we were allowed to jump off the side into the ocean, which I did. When all the groups had seen the coves, we headed back to the harbor & enjoyed the last of the free sangria.
After the sailboat cruise, we met up with the rest of the group (the sailboat cruise cost extra) for lunch at another beach, Meia Praia. Unlike most of Lagos' beaches, this one was free of cliffs & hidden underwater rocks. I swam for a bit then fell asleep on my towel until it was time to leave.
That evening, we boarded the bus again & headed for Cabo San Vicente, which is the southwesternmost point in Europe. The spot is named for Saint Vincent, a martyred Spanish priest. Like in Lagos, Cabo's buildings were all destroyed by the Lisbon earthquake; the lighthouse is built on the ruins of a 16th century Franciscan convent. According to some, Cabo San Vincente was considered the end of the world before explorers headed west & discovered the Americas. As we sat on the cliffs, watching the sun set on the ocean, I tried to imagine the horizon as the end of a cube-shaped earth. I thought of the explorers that dared to sail past the assumed edge of the earth, but I couldn't fully imagine either concept. The sunset against the ocean was inarguably the most beautiful I have ever seen.
After watching the sunset, we returned the the center for another dinner at the Nah Nah Bah. DS had organized another party, but I was too tired to go to the bar, so a friend & I decided to head back to the hotel. It wasn't until we got a bit lost that I fully realized that, for the first time, I was in a country where I couldn't speak the language at all. It's an incredibly frightening feeling to realize that, if you need help, you're at the mercy of anyone that can speak English. Luckily, we were only one street away from where we needed to be, & we returned to the hotel safely. That feeling of insecurity, however, is something that I will bear in mind in all future travels.
Day 2 photos here.
Today was our 3rd & final day in Portugal. A friend & I spent the morning at the "hidden" beach, which looked completely different at low tide. After lunch, we explored the center a bit, but most of the stores had already closed for the day. Around 5:00 PM, we boarded the bus & headed home to Sevilla. It was an incredible weekend in Lagos, & I'm sorry to see it end. I never imagined that one day, I would be lying on a Portuguese beach, working on my tan in October. I have to say, though, that I am happy to be back in Sevilla, where I can somewhat speak the language & can navigate the city. But I'm sure that after a few days of classes, I'll be daydreaming of the beautiful beaches of Lagos...
Day 3 photos here.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)