This weekend, I had my first & only visitor in Sevilla. In return for her wonderful guided art tour of Vatican City, I showed Shaina (a fellow Carlow University study abroad student) around Sevilla. Among other things, we ate paella, montadiots & churros; toured the inside of the Catedral; wandered the gardens of the Reales Alcázares; relaxed in the tetería where the waiters know me; and window shopped all the finest stores.
For me, it was a wonderful break to avoid the hectic flight/train/bus/taxi/metro frenzy & to be able to revisit the sights of Sevilla. And (of course!) it was great to see a friend from home & to catch up on how the experience is going. I enjoyed showing off my new home & what I've learned of the language & the history. I also took a ton of photos of the inside of the Catedral (which I hadn't seen yet) & the Reales Alcázares (which I also hadn't seen most of). Shaina seemed to have a great time, & I got to play tourist in my temporary hometown.
Photos here & here.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
30 November 2008
28 November 2008
El Día de la Acción de Gracias
Or, for those who speak English, "Thanksgiving." So we wouldn't feel quite so alone on this family holiday, CIEE held a dinner for us at a nice restaurant called Los Monos Restaurante. We started off with hors d'oeuvres of cheese, what appeared to be roast beef, & beer or wine. Then we moved to the banquet room for a buffet dinner. They served pork & chicken, boxed mashed potatoes, applesauce, some sort of cold shrimp sauce, cold vegetable bread (think carrots & peas), more wine & champagne. While the food was all very tasty, it had been billed as "Thanksgiving Dinner," & I know that most of us had our hopes up for turkey & stuffing instead of a more traditional Spanish meal. For dessert, we had apple pastry & whipped cream, which was also delicious but wasn't pumpkin pie. Don't think that I am complaining, though; I had a great time & was thankful to be surrounded by new friends. While it's not the Thanksgiving I'm used to, I'd say it was a success.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
23 November 2008
Viaje a Toledo
This weekend, I went with my CIEE interest group (theatre/dance) on a weekend trip. The best part of the deal was that the cost of the trip was included in my tuition, so I only paid for a few meals & souvenirs. We left bright & early Friday morning on our trusty Cortes Ingles charter van. (Unlike the other groups, which drew a bigger crowd simply for their trips to Barcelona, Mallorca or Lisbon, we only had 6 students on our trip).
Our first stop was Consuegra, or more precisely, the hill overlooking Consuegra, where 11 16th century windmills still stand. While I'm pretty sure these aren't the fabled windmills of Cervantes' "Don Quijote," they are still on the Route of Don Quijote. After taking in the scenery, we got back on the bus & finished our drive to Toledo.
At this point, I must admit that writing these historical overviews of Spanish cities has gotten a bit repetitive, & I wouldn't blame you a bit, dear reader, if you've started skipping over those paragraphs. As I'm sure you can guess, Toledo was founded by Romans, overtaken by Visigoths (& made the Catholic heartland of the Visigoth kingdom, in fact), conquered by Muslims (in 711), & finally reclaimed by Catholics (in 1085). Shortly after the last takeover, Toledo was recognized by the Vatican as a seat of the Church in Spain. Like other cities, while Muslims, Jews & Christians coexisted for a time, after the fall of Granada in 1492, all non-Christians were chased out. In 1986, Unesco declared Toledo a monument of world interest. Today, Toledo is known for swords, marzipan & damasquinado (damascene), or the art of inlaying metals in jewelry.
Our first stop in Toledo was, disturbingly enough, the Ancient Instruments of Tortue museum. Next, we visited a museum of Visigoth artifacts (no photos allowed). We took our typicall walk through the estrechas & emerged in front of the cathedral just after dusk, which was gorgeous. We enjoyed a free dinner of tapas & beer, then called it a night in our CIEE-selected hotel, which was much nicer than what we would have chosen for ourselves.
Photos here.
The next day, after a proper continental breakfast, we started off at the Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes. The monastery was built by Fernando & Isabel in the Jewish quarter to establish their power. Next, we visited 2 synagogues. The first, la Sinagoga del Tránsito, was built in 1355 & now houses the Museo Sefardi of Jewish art (no photos allowed). The second, la Sinagoga de Santa María La Blanca, is also characterized by Moorish architecture, & also houses a museum of sorts. To complete our religious trilogy, we next visited la Mezquita de Cristo de la Luz, or the Mosque of Christ, a tiny, square building composed almost entirely of scaffolding. The garden outside, however, did afford a great view of the city beyond the walls.
After the mosque, we walked down the hill to check out the ancient city walls & gates. Having learned from experience, we were all taking note of exactly how far downhill we were traveling, knowing that what goes down must come back up to get to the hotel. Amazingly enough, the city of Toledo has remedied this problem by installing a series of escalators into the hillside. Upon reaching the top of the hill, we had free time to shop. I loved looking at all the intricate jewelry, most of which is made by hand.
Later in the afternoon, we met up again to visit the Catedral (no photos allowed inside). There were a series of hats hanging from the ceiling, which I thought was weird. Turns out, each hat is hanging above a tomb; if the hat falls, it means the deceased's soul has ascended to heaven. We also saw a series of El Greco paintings in the Catedral's collection. (Earlier in the day, we visited "El entierro del Conde de Orgaz," a super-famous El Greco painting depicting the interment of a count.) Then we had free time again to revisit the shops. That evening, we went to the Teatro Rojas for a concert by Pedro Guerra, a famous Spanish singer.
Photos here.
Today, we got an early start on the trip back. We stopped in the morning to visit Almagro, which houses the Museo Nacional del Teatro (no photos allowed). We saw a short performance in the Corral de Comedias, the oldest theatre in Spain, then ate lunch on CIEE at a nice restaurant. Then it was back to the bus to finish the ride home.
Photos here.
While this trip might not have been as spectacular as that of some of the other interest groups (Barcelona, Lisbon, Mallorca), I truly enjoyed the old-town feel of Toledo, whose stone buildings & windy streets made me long to read "Don Quijote." And I always enjoy how CIEE spends my money, treating me to better food & lodging than I'd ever choose for myself. Plus, our small group made our trip less touristy & more personal. I'd even like to go back to Toledo someday, so I'd call this weekend a success.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
Our first stop was Consuegra, or more precisely, the hill overlooking Consuegra, where 11 16th century windmills still stand. While I'm pretty sure these aren't the fabled windmills of Cervantes' "Don Quijote," they are still on the Route of Don Quijote. After taking in the scenery, we got back on the bus & finished our drive to Toledo.
At this point, I must admit that writing these historical overviews of Spanish cities has gotten a bit repetitive, & I wouldn't blame you a bit, dear reader, if you've started skipping over those paragraphs. As I'm sure you can guess, Toledo was founded by Romans, overtaken by Visigoths (& made the Catholic heartland of the Visigoth kingdom, in fact), conquered by Muslims (in 711), & finally reclaimed by Catholics (in 1085). Shortly after the last takeover, Toledo was recognized by the Vatican as a seat of the Church in Spain. Like other cities, while Muslims, Jews & Christians coexisted for a time, after the fall of Granada in 1492, all non-Christians were chased out. In 1986, Unesco declared Toledo a monument of world interest. Today, Toledo is known for swords, marzipan & damasquinado (damascene), or the art of inlaying metals in jewelry.
Our first stop in Toledo was, disturbingly enough, the Ancient Instruments of Tortue museum. Next, we visited a museum of Visigoth artifacts (no photos allowed). We took our typicall walk through the estrechas & emerged in front of the cathedral just after dusk, which was gorgeous. We enjoyed a free dinner of tapas & beer, then called it a night in our CIEE-selected hotel, which was much nicer than what we would have chosen for ourselves.
Photos here.
The next day, after a proper continental breakfast, we started off at the Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes. The monastery was built by Fernando & Isabel in the Jewish quarter to establish their power. Next, we visited 2 synagogues. The first, la Sinagoga del Tránsito, was built in 1355 & now houses the Museo Sefardi of Jewish art (no photos allowed). The second, la Sinagoga de Santa María La Blanca, is also characterized by Moorish architecture, & also houses a museum of sorts. To complete our religious trilogy, we next visited la Mezquita de Cristo de la Luz, or the Mosque of Christ, a tiny, square building composed almost entirely of scaffolding. The garden outside, however, did afford a great view of the city beyond the walls.
After the mosque, we walked down the hill to check out the ancient city walls & gates. Having learned from experience, we were all taking note of exactly how far downhill we were traveling, knowing that what goes down must come back up to get to the hotel. Amazingly enough, the city of Toledo has remedied this problem by installing a series of escalators into the hillside. Upon reaching the top of the hill, we had free time to shop. I loved looking at all the intricate jewelry, most of which is made by hand.
Later in the afternoon, we met up again to visit the Catedral (no photos allowed inside). There were a series of hats hanging from the ceiling, which I thought was weird. Turns out, each hat is hanging above a tomb; if the hat falls, it means the deceased's soul has ascended to heaven. We also saw a series of El Greco paintings in the Catedral's collection. (Earlier in the day, we visited "El entierro del Conde de Orgaz," a super-famous El Greco painting depicting the interment of a count.) Then we had free time again to revisit the shops. That evening, we went to the Teatro Rojas for a concert by Pedro Guerra, a famous Spanish singer.
Photos here.
Today, we got an early start on the trip back. We stopped in the morning to visit Almagro, which houses the Museo Nacional del Teatro (no photos allowed). We saw a short performance in the Corral de Comedias, the oldest theatre in Spain, then ate lunch on CIEE at a nice restaurant. Then it was back to the bus to finish the ride home.
Photos here.
While this trip might not have been as spectacular as that of some of the other interest groups (Barcelona, Lisbon, Mallorca), I truly enjoyed the old-town feel of Toledo, whose stone buildings & windy streets made me long to read "Don Quijote." And I always enjoy how CIEE spends my money, treating me to better food & lodging than I'd ever choose for myself. Plus, our small group made our trip less touristy & more personal. I'd even like to go back to Toledo someday, so I'd call this weekend a success.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
16 November 2008
Viaje a Roma
The history of Rome is a topic that I could not even begin to do justice in this short space, but in the interest of an introduction, here are the brief, brief highlights. Romulus became the first king of Rome on 21 April 753 B.C., combining Etruscan, Latin & Sabine settlements. The Roman Republic was founded a few centuries later, in 509 B.C., & remained the major power of the Western world until internal rivalries led to civil war. After the assassination of Julius Caesar, Octavian prevailed as successor & created political stability & artistic achievement, but later rulers left the city in shambles after the Great Fire of A.D. 64. By A.D. 100, Rome had bounded back with a population of 1.5 million & its undisputed claim on Caput Mundi. In 330, Constantine moved his power base to Byzantium, & Rome slid into another decline. In 455, the city was sacked by Vandals, & in 476, the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire was deposed.
Meanwhile, Christianity had been seeping into pagan Roman culture. The underground efforts of apostles Peter & Paul had been spreading the Word since the first century A.D., & Constantine granted the religion offical recognition. In 774, Rome's place as center of the Christian world was secured when Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emperor.
In the Middle Ages, Rome was again a shambles. In fact, Pope Clement V abandoned the city in 1309 due to fighting, but Pope Gregory XI returned to Rome in 1377. Renaissance Rome, however, brought the leading artists of the 15th & 16th centuries to work on the Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica. In the early 16th century, Rome was again attacked, this time by Spain's King Carlos V, leaving Rome in need of rebuilding. The 17th century Baroque masters Bernini & Borromini responded to the challenge with churches, fountains & mansions. Rome was again affected by Mussolini in the 20th century, but like many European cities, tourism has done its part to bolster the economy.
This weekend found a classmate & me in Rome. We left early Friday morning, fell asleep somewhere over Spain & awoke somewhere over Italy. Europe is amazing for one's ability to do this. My classmate Linh & I met up with my friend Shaina, Carlow's Roman representative this semester, in the train station. We set off for la Città Vaticano, the world's smallest sovereign state. We bought gelato, the first of many gastronomic delights, & braved the line for la Basilica di San Pietro. The first basilica was built by Constantine, Rome's first Christian emperor, on the spot where St. Peter is said to have been martyred & buried. This basilica, which was consecrated in A.D. 326, fell into disrepair in the millenium that followed. In 1506, serious work began on a new basilica, designed by Bramante as a Greek cross. Construction took 150 years & saw many contributers, but Michelangelo is responsible for the design of the famous dome. At 187 m long, the Basilica is the second-biggest in the world. Lucky for Linh & me, Shaina had already visited the Basilica with her art class, so we had a personal tour guide.
After the Basilica, we visited the Musei Vaticani, again with our personal guide. We loitered behind other tour groups for a while, taking in what information we could, but after a while, we all admitted that we just wanted to rush to the end of the museum -- to the Capella Sistina. Unfortunately, there was no photography allowed in the Sistine Chapel (there were guards alternatively yelling "QUIET!" and "NO FOTO!" to remind us of that), but the frescos were beautiful.
When we left the Sistine Chapel, the sun was already setting. Shaina took us to a restaurant she knew for pizza, the second great food success. Then we visited the Fontana di Trevi by night. The fountain was built in 1723 & named for the "tre vie" (3 roads) that converge at the fountain. The sculpture is of Neptune's chariot being led by a wild & a docile horse, to represent the various moods of the sea. We all threw a coin over our shoulders into the fountain for luck. Shaina walked us back to our hostel, & we called it a night.
Day 1 photos here.
On Saturday, after another hostel "continental breakfast" of stale bread & Coco Crispies, Linh & I headed to the Colosseo. Even after several months in Europe, I was amazed by the number of gypsies surrounding the Colosseum. (At least in Sevilla, the Spanish word for "gypsy" refers to a con artist or a vendor selling merchandise from a dropcloth, a cardboard box table or any other dubious setup. Linh & I were pestered to buy sunglasses, knock-off purses, souvenirs, T-shirts & scarves. We were also approached by "English-speaking" tour guides claiming to have group reservations that would let us skip the lines for an extra 8 Euro.
Linh & I refused all offers & stood our turn in line, which wasn't too bad of a wait. The Colosseum was immense & impressive, but the flocks of tourists were a bit distracting. Here's what I learned from eavesdropping on other people's tours: the Colosseum was inaugurated in A.D. 80 with a great slaughter of animals. Gladiators fought against exotic beasts, including rhinoceri, hippopotamuses, panthers, leopards, bears & ostriches imported from elsewhere in the Roman empire. It is also rumored that the building could be flooded to hold mock sea battles. When the Romn empire fell, the Colosseum was abandoned & fell victim to exotic plants carried to Rome by the imported beasts. In the Middle Ages, the building became a fortress & gained its reputatio nas the symbol of Rome: "while the Colosseum stands, Rome shall stand, butwhen the Colosseum falls, Rome shall fall -- and when rome falls, the world will end." The building has also been used as a quarry for later builders & has been affected by earthquakes, pollution the vibration of the Metro.
Next, Linh & I visited the Palatine & the Roman Forum, both included in the ticket for the Colosseum. It took us a while to find the entrance to the Palatine, but finally, we were surrounded by ancient Roman ruins. The Palatine is where Romulus killed his brother Remus & founded Rome. It was also an aristocratic neighborhood in its time; now it's a popular spot for tourists to bring a picnic lunch. The Roman Forum, originally an Etruscan burial ground, was first developed in the 7th century B.C. It fell into decline after the 4th century B.C. & was known in the middle ages as the campo vaccino, or "cow field." During the Renaissance, the Forum provided inspiration for artists & architects. What hadn't been plundered in the Middle Ages was systematically excavated in the 18th & 19th centuries.
On our way to Piazza Navona, we stopped at a cafe for lunch, where I had lasagne & tiramisu (successes 3 & 4). We found the Piazza & passed some time window shopping in all the souvenir stores & eating more gelato. When it got dark, we decided to walk back toward the hostel, but we misread the map & ended up at the river. Since we could see the dome, we took advantage of our mistake & walked back to the Vatican to see the Basilica by night. It was beautiful & far less crowded than it had been in the day. We took the Metro to the Colosseum to see that lit up as well. The Metro in Rome brings to mind a place where criminals die in action-adventure movies, but we survived the experience & exited the subway directly in front of the Colosseum. Then we found a restaurant for dinner (ravioli with chili powder, success #6) & had some red table wine. This time, we succeeded in finding our hostel & we turned in for the night.
Day 2 photos here.
This morning, we woke up early, ate breakfast & caught a train to the airport. Unfortunately, Vueling only offers 1 flight from Rome to Sevilla daily, so we couldn't spend Sunday in the Eternal City. But it was an amazing trip. The food was delicious, undoubtedly the best I've had in Europe. Even though my relatives aren't from anywhere near Rome, I felt like I got to know my heritage a bit better. I also gained a huge appreciation for what Spanish I know. When we were in Lagos, we stayed with our group, but in Italy, Linh & I depended on other people's knowledge of English. I couldn't ask "How much does this cost?" or "Can we have the check?" or "Where can I find...?" In that respect, I'm thankful to be back in Sevilla. But I know that there's much more to Rome that I haven't seen, & I might just have to go back someday to experience the rest of it.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
Meanwhile, Christianity had been seeping into pagan Roman culture. The underground efforts of apostles Peter & Paul had been spreading the Word since the first century A.D., & Constantine granted the religion offical recognition. In 774, Rome's place as center of the Christian world was secured when Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emperor.
In the Middle Ages, Rome was again a shambles. In fact, Pope Clement V abandoned the city in 1309 due to fighting, but Pope Gregory XI returned to Rome in 1377. Renaissance Rome, however, brought the leading artists of the 15th & 16th centuries to work on the Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica. In the early 16th century, Rome was again attacked, this time by Spain's King Carlos V, leaving Rome in need of rebuilding. The 17th century Baroque masters Bernini & Borromini responded to the challenge with churches, fountains & mansions. Rome was again affected by Mussolini in the 20th century, but like many European cities, tourism has done its part to bolster the economy.
This weekend found a classmate & me in Rome. We left early Friday morning, fell asleep somewhere over Spain & awoke somewhere over Italy. Europe is amazing for one's ability to do this. My classmate Linh & I met up with my friend Shaina, Carlow's Roman representative this semester, in the train station. We set off for la Città Vaticano, the world's smallest sovereign state. We bought gelato, the first of many gastronomic delights, & braved the line for la Basilica di San Pietro. The first basilica was built by Constantine, Rome's first Christian emperor, on the spot where St. Peter is said to have been martyred & buried. This basilica, which was consecrated in A.D. 326, fell into disrepair in the millenium that followed. In 1506, serious work began on a new basilica, designed by Bramante as a Greek cross. Construction took 150 years & saw many contributers, but Michelangelo is responsible for the design of the famous dome. At 187 m long, the Basilica is the second-biggest in the world. Lucky for Linh & me, Shaina had already visited the Basilica with her art class, so we had a personal tour guide.
After the Basilica, we visited the Musei Vaticani, again with our personal guide. We loitered behind other tour groups for a while, taking in what information we could, but after a while, we all admitted that we just wanted to rush to the end of the museum -- to the Capella Sistina. Unfortunately, there was no photography allowed in the Sistine Chapel (there were guards alternatively yelling "QUIET!" and "NO FOTO!" to remind us of that), but the frescos were beautiful.
When we left the Sistine Chapel, the sun was already setting. Shaina took us to a restaurant she knew for pizza, the second great food success. Then we visited the Fontana di Trevi by night. The fountain was built in 1723 & named for the "tre vie" (3 roads) that converge at the fountain. The sculpture is of Neptune's chariot being led by a wild & a docile horse, to represent the various moods of the sea. We all threw a coin over our shoulders into the fountain for luck. Shaina walked us back to our hostel, & we called it a night.
Day 1 photos here.
On Saturday, after another hostel "continental breakfast" of stale bread & Coco Crispies, Linh & I headed to the Colosseo. Even after several months in Europe, I was amazed by the number of gypsies surrounding the Colosseum. (At least in Sevilla, the Spanish word for "gypsy" refers to a con artist or a vendor selling merchandise from a dropcloth, a cardboard box table or any other dubious setup. Linh & I were pestered to buy sunglasses, knock-off purses, souvenirs, T-shirts & scarves. We were also approached by "English-speaking" tour guides claiming to have group reservations that would let us skip the lines for an extra 8 Euro.
Linh & I refused all offers & stood our turn in line, which wasn't too bad of a wait. The Colosseum was immense & impressive, but the flocks of tourists were a bit distracting. Here's what I learned from eavesdropping on other people's tours: the Colosseum was inaugurated in A.D. 80 with a great slaughter of animals. Gladiators fought against exotic beasts, including rhinoceri, hippopotamuses, panthers, leopards, bears & ostriches imported from elsewhere in the Roman empire. It is also rumored that the building could be flooded to hold mock sea battles. When the Romn empire fell, the Colosseum was abandoned & fell victim to exotic plants carried to Rome by the imported beasts. In the Middle Ages, the building became a fortress & gained its reputatio nas the symbol of Rome: "while the Colosseum stands, Rome shall stand, butwhen the Colosseum falls, Rome shall fall -- and when rome falls, the world will end." The building has also been used as a quarry for later builders & has been affected by earthquakes, pollution the vibration of the Metro.
Next, Linh & I visited the Palatine & the Roman Forum, both included in the ticket for the Colosseum. It took us a while to find the entrance to the Palatine, but finally, we were surrounded by ancient Roman ruins. The Palatine is where Romulus killed his brother Remus & founded Rome. It was also an aristocratic neighborhood in its time; now it's a popular spot for tourists to bring a picnic lunch. The Roman Forum, originally an Etruscan burial ground, was first developed in the 7th century B.C. It fell into decline after the 4th century B.C. & was known in the middle ages as the campo vaccino, or "cow field." During the Renaissance, the Forum provided inspiration for artists & architects. What hadn't been plundered in the Middle Ages was systematically excavated in the 18th & 19th centuries.
On our way to Piazza Navona, we stopped at a cafe for lunch, where I had lasagne & tiramisu (successes 3 & 4). We found the Piazza & passed some time window shopping in all the souvenir stores & eating more gelato. When it got dark, we decided to walk back toward the hostel, but we misread the map & ended up at the river. Since we could see the dome, we took advantage of our mistake & walked back to the Vatican to see the Basilica by night. It was beautiful & far less crowded than it had been in the day. We took the Metro to the Colosseum to see that lit up as well. The Metro in Rome brings to mind a place where criminals die in action-adventure movies, but we survived the experience & exited the subway directly in front of the Colosseum. Then we found a restaurant for dinner (ravioli with chili powder, success #6) & had some red table wine. This time, we succeeded in finding our hostel & we turned in for the night.
Day 2 photos here.
This morning, we woke up early, ate breakfast & caught a train to the airport. Unfortunately, Vueling only offers 1 flight from Rome to Sevilla daily, so we couldn't spend Sunday in the Eternal City. But it was an amazing trip. The food was delicious, undoubtedly the best I've had in Europe. Even though my relatives aren't from anywhere near Rome, I felt like I got to know my heritage a bit better. I also gained a huge appreciation for what Spanish I know. When we were in Lagos, we stayed with our group, but in Italy, Linh & I depended on other people's knowledge of English. I couldn't ask "How much does this cost?" or "Can we have the check?" or "Where can I find...?" In that respect, I'm thankful to be back in Sevilla. But I know that there's much more to Rome that I haven't seen, & I might just have to go back someday to experience the rest of it.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
09 November 2008
Excursión a Córdoba
Córdoba was founded by the Romans in 152 B.C. & remained under their rule until the Muslims invaded in A.D. 711 & claimed Córdoba as the Islamic capital of the Iberian Peninsula. Under Muslim rule, especially that of Abd ar-Rahman III (912-61). During his rule, Córdoba was the biggest city in Western Europe, with mosques, libraries, aqueducts universities & observatories. The city also hosted leather, metal, textiles & glazed tile artists & towas tolerant of Jews & Christians.
Toward the end of the 10th century, the fearsome general Al-Mansour made over 50 forays into Christian Spain within a span of 20 years. After his death, Berber troups terrorized Córdoba, leading to its decline. The city was captured by a Christian king in 1236, after which time it began to shrink in importance. Fortunately, the perserverance of Córdoba's intellectual tradition & the arrival of industry in the late 19th century helped to preserve the city.
Today, I took a day trip with CIEE to Córdoba. On the way there, we stopped in Montilla. This little town contains Alvear, which CIEE describes as a "bodega" but is really a vineyard. We took a brief tour of the facility, which was followed by a taste-test of 3 wines. Only in Europe would your school take you to a wine tasting at 11 A.M...
After a few stumbles from some of the students, we all boarded the bus to Córdoba. When we arrived, we immediately had free time to get lunch & souvenirs. I walked to the Puente Romano ("Roman Bridge") to check it out, but it was somewhat of a letdown after the bridge we saw yesterday in Ronda. Then our group took a guided walk through la Judería, one of the old neighborhoods of Córdoba. Finally, we toured the Mezquita, or mosque, which was built in 785 on the grounds of a Visigoth church. The building, which incorporates 856 repurposed Visigoth & Roman columns, also houses a Catholic church built after the Christians conquered the city. After the tour, we had a bit more free time, which most of us used to buy a snack at Burger King, then it was back to Sevilla.
Photos here.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
Toward the end of the 10th century, the fearsome general Al-Mansour made over 50 forays into Christian Spain within a span of 20 years. After his death, Berber troups terrorized Córdoba, leading to its decline. The city was captured by a Christian king in 1236, after which time it began to shrink in importance. Fortunately, the perserverance of Córdoba's intellectual tradition & the arrival of industry in the late 19th century helped to preserve the city.
Today, I took a day trip with CIEE to Córdoba. On the way there, we stopped in Montilla. This little town contains Alvear, which CIEE describes as a "bodega" but is really a vineyard. We took a brief tour of the facility, which was followed by a taste-test of 3 wines. Only in Europe would your school take you to a wine tasting at 11 A.M...
After a few stumbles from some of the students, we all boarded the bus to Córdoba. When we arrived, we immediately had free time to get lunch & souvenirs. I walked to the Puente Romano ("Roman Bridge") to check it out, but it was somewhat of a letdown after the bridge we saw yesterday in Ronda. Then our group took a guided walk through la Judería, one of the old neighborhoods of Córdoba. Finally, we toured the Mezquita, or mosque, which was built in 785 on the grounds of a Visigoth church. The building, which incorporates 856 repurposed Visigoth & Roman columns, also houses a Catholic church built after the Christians conquered the city. After the tour, we had a bit more free time, which most of us used to buy a snack at Burger King, then it was back to Sevilla.
Photos here.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
08 November 2008
Excursión a Ronda
Ronda is known as one of Spain's "pueblos blancos," or "white towns" for its whitewashed buildings. It is perched on the steep El Tajo canyon, which was carved by the Rio Guadalevín & now divides the town in two. Although the city was first settled by Celts, the influence of Ronda's past Roman & Muslim inhabitants are most visible in the city's architecture. It wasn't until 1485 that the Catholics took control of the town. Today, visitors come to Ronda for the panoramic views of the 3 bridges that span the gorge & the buildings that grasp onto the edge of the cliffs.
Some friends & I decided to take a day trip to see Ronda for ourselves. We caugt a bus this morning & were in Ronda by a bit after noon. The mountain town was charming from our first glimpse at the cliffside buildings. As we crossed the Puente Nuevo & descended to get a better look at the 120 m "New Bridge," the architectural feat became even more impessive. I have never seen the Grand Canyon, but the river cutting Ronda in two achieves a similar effect. While the others were resting, I wandered off along a footpath & found some ruins hidden in the brush. After the hike back up the mountain, we walked to the other 2 bridges, one Roman & one Muslim, which were less massive but also much older than the 18th century "New" Bridge. The last of our time was, of course, spent wandering in & out of shops, looking at souvenirs before we boarded the bus back to Sevilla.
Photos here.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
Some friends & I decided to take a day trip to see Ronda for ourselves. We caugt a bus this morning & were in Ronda by a bit after noon. The mountain town was charming from our first glimpse at the cliffside buildings. As we crossed the Puente Nuevo & descended to get a better look at the 120 m "New Bridge," the architectural feat became even more impessive. I have never seen the Grand Canyon, but the river cutting Ronda in two achieves a similar effect. While the others were resting, I wandered off along a footpath & found some ruins hidden in the brush. After the hike back up the mountain, we walked to the other 2 bridges, one Roman & one Muslim, which were less massive but also much older than the 18th century "New" Bridge. The last of our time was, of course, spent wandering in & out of shops, looking at souvenirs before we boarded the bus back to Sevilla.
Photos here.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
03 November 2008
Una distracción
Because I was feeling down today, I decided to distract myself. I had been wanting to check out the muralla, or ancient city wall, still lingering along a main road by my homestay. It was the Romans who first fortified Sevilla, but the walls remaining today date from the Moorish rule of the 12th century. If you study the design, you can see that the towers reflect the architecture of the Torre del Oro, which is one of the many watchtowers that were once part of the structure.
I wandered along the Calle de Maria Auxiliadora until I found the wall, then followed it to the far end, where it formed a yellow arch that was obviously not original to the architecture. Then I doubled back to my homestay, keeping parallel to the muralla as I walked. I wondered for the millionth time at how Spain simply accepts structures like the muralla & builds around them as the centuries pass, a kind of architectural "live & let live." While this exercise didn't cure me of feeling down, it did help me to reconnect with Sevilla, something I desperately needed today.
Photos here.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
I wandered along the Calle de Maria Auxiliadora until I found the wall, then followed it to the far end, where it formed a yellow arch that was obviously not original to the architecture. Then I doubled back to my homestay, keeping parallel to the muralla as I walked. I wondered for the millionth time at how Spain simply accepts structures like the muralla & builds around them as the centuries pass, a kind of architectural "live & let live." While this exercise didn't cure me of feeling down, it did help me to reconnect with Sevilla, something I desperately needed today.
Photos here.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
02 November 2008
Plaza de España en el cine...
Just a postscript on the Plaza de España right here in Seville: it was used in "Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones." You can see for yourself in this YouTube video & compare to my photos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edhLosefD0Q. I thought it all seemed familiar...
Nos vemos, Le <3.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
Viaje a Barcelona (y visita con una amiga!)
Barcelona is thought to have been founded b ythe Carthaginians around 230 B.C. Since then, it has been occupied by the Romans, Muslims & Franks, the last of whom founded the house of the Counts of Barcelona in A.D. 878. Eventually, Catalonia, the kingdom in which Barcelona is located, launched its own fleet, & sea trade flourished & expanded as Malta, Athens, Corsica, Sardinia & Naples fell under Catalan dominance between the 13th & 15th centuries. Catalonia continued to develop its own culture & language separate from the rest of Spain.
When Ferdinand rose to power in 1479 & later married Isabel, Catalonia lost power. Later, Barcelona backed the wrong side in the War of the Spanish succession, & consequently, the writing & teaching of Catalan were banned. The late 19th century brought the Modernista movement, lavish buildings by artists like Antoni Gaudi, & the revival of Catalan language & culture. By the turn of the 20th century, Barcelona was Spain's hotbed of avant-garde art. In the 1930s, when Spain was struggling to find leadership, Catalonia declared itself a republic & founded a new regional government, but the city fell to Franco in 1939. After Franco's death, a new Spanish constitution created the autonomous community of Catalunya, with Barcelona as its capital. The city was further redeveloped to host the 1992 Olympics, after which the impetus to improve Barcelona's shabbier areas has not let up.
This weekend, I traveled to Barcelona to visit a friend from the States & to see the sights. When I landed in the airport, the first thing I noticed were the signs. The first language was neither Spanish nor English; it was Catalan. I knew I hadn't left the country, but I may as well have. I could understand the hybrid of Spanish & French hanging before me, but I certainly couldn't speak it. I took a shuttle bus to Placa Catalunya, where I encountered my second challenge of the weekend: the rain. I hadn't seen so much rain anywhere in Europe, Northern Ireland included, & it seriously hindered my ability to take way more photographs than are necessary. I stood under some trees in the Placa & watched the flock of pigeons, who didn't mind the downpour, as I waited for Rachael to meet me. She helped me buy a Metro pass, & we went to her apartment to drop off my stuff. Then, we braved the rain long enough for her to show me a few Modernist buildings & the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's still-under-construction masterpiece. When I realized it was raining too hard to even take pictures, we retreated to the apartment again. That evening, we went to the local China Bazar to buy cheap costumes & to the Indian supermarket for candy, & we celebrated Halloween with some of her friends.
Day 1 photos here.
Saturday, we slept in, which is something I'm not used to on my weekend trips. But it was wonderful to just relax a bit instead of running around trying to see everything. In the afternoon, we headed to Park Güell, which Gaudi was commissioned to build as a miniature garden city in 1900. The project was abandoned, but the landscaped gardens & several completed buildings remain on the mountain a century later. Next, we headed to Port Olímpic, where the water events of the '92 Olympics were held. Once we had defined the borders of Barcelona, we wandered toward the Torre Agbar, a giant cucumber-shaped building that is billed as the most visible landmark in the city. Then we headed back to the apartment, where Rachael cooked dinner & we spent the evening relaxing.
Day 2 photos here.
Sunday, I gave Rachael a break from her host duties & toured a bit on my own. I bought a day ticket for the overpriced Barcelona Bus Turístic, a hop-on/hop-off bus tour company, & embarked on the Blue Line. I braved the rain to visit the train station, the Palau Real & some of the Olympic facilities before I ran out of time. While I enjoyed sightseeing, the bus was actually a bigger hassle than I'd imagined. The audio commentary didn't announce the stops until the driver was braking, & the only button to request the stop was located by the exit doors. And since it was raining all day, few people actually wanted to leave the dry bus, so I had to wait for the second or third bus to pass by before I could find one with an empty seat. I'm glad I did the tour -- just seeing the Olympic stadium was amazing -- but there's still a lot of Barcelona I haven't seen. My final bus stop was near Las Ramblas, from which I walked to the Metro & rode back to the apartment to get my things. Rachael & I had lunch together, & then it was time to catch a bus to the airport. It was really nice to see a friend in this foreign place, but it was difficult for me to say goodbye & come back to Sevilla; it was the first time I felt like I was leaving something behind instead of heading toward "home."
Day 3 photos here.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
When Ferdinand rose to power in 1479 & later married Isabel, Catalonia lost power. Later, Barcelona backed the wrong side in the War of the Spanish succession, & consequently, the writing & teaching of Catalan were banned. The late 19th century brought the Modernista movement, lavish buildings by artists like Antoni Gaudi, & the revival of Catalan language & culture. By the turn of the 20th century, Barcelona was Spain's hotbed of avant-garde art. In the 1930s, when Spain was struggling to find leadership, Catalonia declared itself a republic & founded a new regional government, but the city fell to Franco in 1939. After Franco's death, a new Spanish constitution created the autonomous community of Catalunya, with Barcelona as its capital. The city was further redeveloped to host the 1992 Olympics, after which the impetus to improve Barcelona's shabbier areas has not let up.
This weekend, I traveled to Barcelona to visit a friend from the States & to see the sights. When I landed in the airport, the first thing I noticed were the signs. The first language was neither Spanish nor English; it was Catalan. I knew I hadn't left the country, but I may as well have. I could understand the hybrid of Spanish & French hanging before me, but I certainly couldn't speak it. I took a shuttle bus to Placa Catalunya, where I encountered my second challenge of the weekend: the rain. I hadn't seen so much rain anywhere in Europe, Northern Ireland included, & it seriously hindered my ability to take way more photographs than are necessary. I stood under some trees in the Placa & watched the flock of pigeons, who didn't mind the downpour, as I waited for Rachael to meet me. She helped me buy a Metro pass, & we went to her apartment to drop off my stuff. Then, we braved the rain long enough for her to show me a few Modernist buildings & the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's still-under-construction masterpiece. When I realized it was raining too hard to even take pictures, we retreated to the apartment again. That evening, we went to the local China Bazar to buy cheap costumes & to the Indian supermarket for candy, & we celebrated Halloween with some of her friends.
Day 1 photos here.
Saturday, we slept in, which is something I'm not used to on my weekend trips. But it was wonderful to just relax a bit instead of running around trying to see everything. In the afternoon, we headed to Park Güell, which Gaudi was commissioned to build as a miniature garden city in 1900. The project was abandoned, but the landscaped gardens & several completed buildings remain on the mountain a century later. Next, we headed to Port Olímpic, where the water events of the '92 Olympics were held. Once we had defined the borders of Barcelona, we wandered toward the Torre Agbar, a giant cucumber-shaped building that is billed as the most visible landmark in the city. Then we headed back to the apartment, where Rachael cooked dinner & we spent the evening relaxing.
Day 2 photos here.
Sunday, I gave Rachael a break from her host duties & toured a bit on my own. I bought a day ticket for the overpriced Barcelona Bus Turístic, a hop-on/hop-off bus tour company, & embarked on the Blue Line. I braved the rain to visit the train station, the Palau Real & some of the Olympic facilities before I ran out of time. While I enjoyed sightseeing, the bus was actually a bigger hassle than I'd imagined. The audio commentary didn't announce the stops until the driver was braking, & the only button to request the stop was located by the exit doors. And since it was raining all day, few people actually wanted to leave the dry bus, so I had to wait for the second or third bus to pass by before I could find one with an empty seat. I'm glad I did the tour -- just seeing the Olympic stadium was amazing -- but there's still a lot of Barcelona I haven't seen. My final bus stop was near Las Ramblas, from which I walked to the Metro & rode back to the apartment to get my things. Rachael & I had lunch together, & then it was time to catch a bus to the airport. It was really nice to see a friend in this foreign place, but it was difficult for me to say goodbye & come back to Sevilla; it was the first time I felt like I was leaving something behind instead of heading toward "home."
Day 3 photos here.
Nos vemos, Le <3.
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