Sevilla...The other side of Spain

Last weekend, we had a chance to see a side of Spain that couldn't be mistaken for Barcelona. Sevilla is in the south of Spain, a region called Andalucia, and it's known for being the birthplace of Flamenco, the home of legal bullfights, and host to the world's third-largest cathedral. The most interesting aspect for me was the mix of Muslim and Christian cultures and history - you could see it in the buildings, hear it in the music, and taste it in the food. It definitely prepared me a bit for heading to Morocco this weekend!

We arrived in Sevilla along with 50 other people from our program. The itinerary for Day 1 was to visit the Cathedral (seems to be a common pattern in these cities), tour the juderia (the historic Jewish neighborhood), and attend a Flamenco concert at night. The Cathedral was massive - it was overwhelmingly tall, and the columns were like redwood trees going up to the vaulted ceilings. The highlights for me were the colorful stained glass windows (I know I sound like I'm much older than I am, but they were cool), the sarcophagus of Christopher Columbus (a handful of his actual remains are in there), and the top of the Giralda - the belltower attached to it. The Giralda was interesting because although it was hundreds of feet high, there were no stairs. There were 34 ramps that led to the top. Why? Because when the city was occupied by the Muslims, a man would ride a horse to the top 5 times a day to call the city to prayers. 

We also toured the Juderia - the recently restored neighborhood that hosted the Jews before they were expelled from the city. Our tour guide told us that Jews used to hang pigs from their doors to show they had converted to Christianity and could remain in the city. It was fascinating seeing both the clash and somehow harmonious mix between Jewish, Muslim and Christian culture. That night, we went to a Flamenco show and to say the least, it was intense. I'd describe Flamenco as Arabic sounding music, spanish Van Halen guitar playing, and a high-horsepower tap dancer. It was awesome.

After a full night's rest in a nice hotel, we headed for Cordoba - a smaller city 150 km outside Sevilla that is known for it's Mosque - wait...Cathedral? No one knows.

Here's the problem: It's a huge Mosque that can fit 30,000 muslims in prayer, but when the Christians took it back over, they decided it was a Cathedral now. Accordingly, they did a little extreme home makeover and removed the entire central section and made it a Sanctuary - a beautiful one at that. So basically, this building is a Jelly filled donut with Mesquita red brick arches on the outside, and a Cherub decorated, mahogany lined Sanctuary as the jelly filling. In Cordoba, I ate a great meal of Oxtail, fried eggplant, and fried sweetened milk - it was amazing and I won't forget it for a while to come.

Our last day in Sevilla, we spent visiting the Palace of Sevilla. It's not like all other palaces in Europe - it's got a TON of Muslim influence. The colorful tiles line the entire exterior and interior. You can't appreciate how intricate it is until you walk up close. What's more, the history of the Palace was mind-blowing - our Audio Guide told us which room had been occupied by centuries of kings, which room was the place where the government decided to allow the first voyage to America, and which room generals made decisions to go to war dating back to 1300. It felt strange to be standing in the exact same spot in the palace - only separated by time. 

I would recommend Sevilla to anyone that wants to experience authentic Spain. The tapas, the colorful buildings, the orange trees lining every street and the traveling guitarists that walk from restaurant to restaurant to sing outside - It's a complete experience. 

In one hour - Morocco. Now for something completely different!

A view of La Mezquita through the small, charming streets of Cordoba. 

Inside the Real Alcazar (Palace) of Sevilla.

The patio inside the Real Alcazar.

This street is called the kissing street because the balconies are so close together from opposite neighbors. But don't worry, we did not kiss.

All these horses laying in wait - we barely saw anyone use one!

Look how high these ceilings are at the Cathedral in Sevilla! It was crazy.

The intensity of Bruce Willis in Die Hard, combined with Rambo - in the form of tap dancing. 

The Roman (what?) bridge leading into the Muslim, Catholic, and Jewish city of Cordoba - ancient Euros didn't learn how to share.

The Arches inside la Mezquita of Cordoba. 

And more, and more, and more arches (800 columns inside). 

Our tour group from Cordoba. Note our tour guide, Antonio, on the right. He was nice, but very touchy feely - he wasn't afraid to put his arm around anyone. Would it fly in the US?

Me and Megan in a Tea house in Cordoba. Very relaxing.

Until next time!