Fin de semana en Granada//Weekend in Granada

This weekend, I ventured out of Sevilla for the first time to the nearby city of Granada. Granada (which I learned means 'pomegranate' in Spanish) is about a 3 hour drive from Sevilla. Granada is located at the foot of the snowy Sierra Nevada mountains, which can be seen from the city. It was the final city to be recaptured from Moorish rule by Ferdinand and Isabel, "Los Reyes Católicos". We packed a lot of activity into the short 27-or-so hours we spent in Granada, so this post will be a long one!

LA ALHAMBRA

The main attraction in Granada is La Alhambra, a Moorish fortress, palace, and gardens that sit atop a hill in the city. Some of the property was destroyed or altered during La Reconquista (the reconquest of Spain by the Catholics), but it is very well-preserved. The grounds is divided into two parts. The first is " El Generalife", an area of gardens and relaxation. At this time of year, the weather in Granada is fairly cold, so the gardens were not in full bloom. I can only imagine how beautiful they will look in a few months!

Slightly lower on the hill lies the rest of La Alhambra. It is broken into areas that served as soldiers' quarters, royal palaces, patios and courtyards, and halls for the reception of guests. The entire complex is a great example of Muslim architecture and decoration. The tile work throughout La Alhambra is exquisite, and was one of my favorite aspects of the site. The tiles are very colorful and are decorated in the symmetrical patterns typical of Muslim art. The stonework on the walls and ceilings is also incredibly intricate. Some small traces of the original coloring on the walls remains, but, for the most part, the color has faded over time. I tried to picture how the rooms would have looked in their original state, and it must have been so impressive to see it in its full color and decoration.

La Alhambra is a beautiful and unique place, and I can see why it is one of the most visited sites in Spain.

NIGHTLIFE & TAPAS

Like in most Spanish cities, tapas and nightlife are very important parts of Granada. Tapas are like a type of appetizer, and a group will order a number of different tapas and share them with each other at the table. The word tapas comes from the Spanish word "tapar", which means "to cover". Tapas originated when bar owners would use small plates of food to cover the tops of glasses of drinks to keep flies out.

In Granada, you receive a tapa with each drink you order at most bars. I assumed that this would be something small and simple like a dish of olives, so I was quite surprised when my friends and I ordered our first round of drinks and each received a sandwich and french fries on the side!

We only had one night in Granada, so we decided to explore a bit by having one drink and then moving on to different bars to see as many different places as possible. We started off on Calle Elvira, a street with many different tapas bars, and ventured around that street and the surrounding area near Plaza Nueva. Most of the bars were filled with local crowds sharing tapas and watching that nights fútbol (soccer) matches.

A very common drink in Andalucía (the autonomous region where both Sevilla and Granada are located) is Tinto de Verano, a mixture of red wine and lemon or orange soda. It is very tasty and refreshing, and we had some good tinto at a number of the Granada tapas bars.

In the afternoon we also visited one of the city's many teterías (tea houses), which are inspired by the city's Muslim past, and proximity to Northern Africa. We had mint tea and some Middle Eastern pastries made of honey and nuts. The teterías are interesting to visit and relax in.

EL ALBAICÍN

El Albaicín is a very old district in Granada, dating back to the earliest days of the city, when it was a primarily Jewish, and later Muslim, neighborhood, until being reclaimed by the Catholics. It lies on a hillside opposite La Alhambra.

The area is known for its all white houses and narrow, winding, cobblestone streets. (One thing I have determined is that when visiting Southern Spain it is very important to have thick-soled shoes for the constant walking on cobblestones. Some of my shoes are already showing some wear and tear!) There are a number of miradores in this area, which are lookout points that have great views of La Alhambra and the city of Granada.

Nowadays, it has a mixture of rather well-to-do residents, as well as a large population of squatters and hippie/artisan type residents, creating an interesting contrast.

There are many churches in the neighborhood that have been built over top of mosques and synagogues. There are also some cloistered convents in the neighborhood where you can buy delicious dulces (sweets), such as cookies and muffins, which help the nuns generate income.



LA CAPILLA REAL

The last site we visited in Granada was La Capilla Real (The Royal Chapel), where the bodies of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel now lie, along with their children. The marble statues that lie over the tombs in the chapel are incredibly ornate and very beautiful. The altar in the chapel is also interesting, as well as the artifacts, such as Isabel's crown.


It was a whirlwind visit to Granada, but we were able to see a lot of different things and get to know another Spanish city. It is a very interesting city, and the Moorish influence there is very evident, more so than in Sevilla. Even for La Alhambra alone, it is definitely worth a visit for anyone who finds themselves in Andalucía!

Las Casas en Sevilla

This is the street where I live.

As most of you know, I have been living in a homestay in Sevilla. I live with a couple in their mid-40s/early-50s, Carmen and Jesus, and three cats, Chulo, Curo and Neo. Although there are many similarities, there are also a number of differences between the homes in Sevilla and those in the United States.

Homes here are generally small apartments in buildings with 2-4 floors. Many have a rooftop terrace, and most open onto a central courtyard, where laundry can be hung between the walls. Unlike in the US, homes are not made for entertaining. In fact, it is rare for sevillanos to have guests over to their house, especially if that guest is not a relative. When you want to see a friend, you go out to a cafe, restaurant, or tapas bar and meet them there.

The houses and apartments in Sevilla typically have no central heat or air conditioning. To keep cool in the summer, the floors are made of tile and there are many windows. To stay warm during the winter, space heaters are kept in the bedrooms and a very interesting item called a brasero is used in the living room. The brasero is a heater that is located under the table, and the table is covered with a heavy cloth. When you sit on the couch or in a chair in the living room, you put your legs under the table and lay the cloth on top of you like a blanket. This serves to keep everyone warm when they are sitting at the table, rather than heat the whole room. It feels nice, but makes it hard to get up from the table! Sometimes, I will be very cold inside the house, and then go outside to find it is much warmer outdoors.

Electricity and water are both used very economically here. Our program leaders told us that we must take very short showers and never leave lights on or things plugged in, as it may offend our host family. My host family seems a little more relaxed about this, but it is an interesting comparison.

Living in this style of apartment takes some getting used to compared to what I am used to in the US but I do enjoy it!

Sitting by the river in my neighborhood, Triana:

Bienvenidos a Sevilla

I decided to start this blog to keep all my friends and family updated on my adventures in Europe this semester. Having just finished my first week in Sevilla and settled into my new home just steps away from the Rio Guadalquivir in Triana, I figured it was probably about time to start writing.

Getting to Sevilla was no easy task, so the beginning of the week was a bit of a whirlwind. Fog in Madrid caused my connecting flight to Sevilla to be cancelled, and gave me a nice 15 hour layover in Madrid Barajas. Although the design of its terminal 4 is very interesting and nice to look at, I hope not to spend much time there ever again. By the time I finally reached Sevilla, I was sleep-deprived and a little irritated, but relieved to have finally reached my new home.

THE CITY

Sevilla is unlike any other city that I have visited. While some cities have a tendency to blend together with their similar skyscrapers, traffic-clogged streets and cliche street performers, Sevilla has an appearance and atmosphere of its own. Most guidebooks will tell you that Sevilla is a city full of flamenco, bullfights, open plazas, tapas, orange trees, siestas, and everything Andalucian - and so far, I have found that to be true.

The style of architecture in Andalucía is unique and beautiful, and represented throughout the city. The combination of Spanish and Moorish influences is evident in many of the cities homes, palaces, and other buildings. The most striking building in Sevilla is of course La Catedral and La Giralda (Seville's cathedral and its accompanying bell tower). The immense cathedral, which is the world's third largest church, is a very impressive structure. Law states that no building can stand taller than La Giralda, which at 343 feet, prevents any type of skyscraper from being built in the city.

With a population of just over 700,000, the city is large, yet manageable. There is a buzz of activity in el centro, but even I, who have been here hardly a week, am likely to run into a few familiar faces while I walk through the city each day. The Rio Guadalquivir runs through the city, splitting the neighborhoods of Triana and Los Remedios off from the rest of the city. There are a many different barrios (neighborhoods) in Sevilla, each with their own plazas and attractions. In my first week, I have spent more time in some (such as my home barrio, Triana) than others. As the semester goes on I will post more about the specific areas I visit.



I'll be starting classes tomorrow, so as I get into a regular schedule I will have more time to post about the different things that are going on here in Sevilla.

Buenas noches!