Hola a todos! Hope this blog post finds you happy and well!
I came to a realization a few weeks ago that when I came to Sevilla back in August I missed one of the most crucial steps one must complete when living abroad.... visit the freaking sights! Of course I walk by el Torre de Oro and la Catedral practically every day, but it never dawned on me that, "hey, maybe you should go check those things out?" So, in the past two weekends, I have tried to bring out my inner tourist (already a little hard to do) and visit the most frequented sights of the city.
Last Saturday, my friend Chuck and I went to the Cathedral. Its pretty much the nucleus of the city center and on the weekends hundreds of people flock to the streets to enjoy a nice cafe con leche, a politicl demonstration at the adjacent town hall, attend a weekly mass or enjoy the various street performers (but not the gitanos that try to make you take their weeds and fortunes). Its a beautiful atmosphere, everyone enjoying their weekends and free time in the city.
Inside the Cathedral you find tons of gothic architecture and paintings, lots of religious icons and stained glass as well. Its a little overwhelming, as it is the third largest cathedral in the world (1 and 2 are Saint Peter's (Vatican) and Saint Paul's (London) respectively). The grave of Christopher Columbus and la Giralda are definitely the most interesting aspects of the church. Yes, Christopher Columbus is buried in Sevilla, in the Cathedral.
La Giralda is the only part of the Cathedral that remains from when it was a Muslim mosque. The Spanish had a tendency to take over many aspects of Muslim life during the Medieval period, including their place of worship. They left the towering spire because of its aesthetic aspect, its pretty and has a tall warrior princess on the top, who wouldn't love that?? The contrast between the Muslim architecture and the gothic Catholic detail is interesting to note. You can climb to the top and get a great view of the city, including el barrio de Santa Cruz (old Jewish hood), la Plaza de Espana (by my house!), la Plaza de Toros (CORRE!), el Rio Guadalquivir, Triana, etc etc.
Today was another tourist day, and quite splendid it was at that. My friend Josie and I ventured to the Museo del Baile Flamenco (Flamenco Dance Museum) after witnessing a little political demonstration in the city center, something about unemployment, education and teachers, gonna have to research that one (Decreto 302??) The museum was very dramatic and very representative of the style of dance itself. We learned a lot about the different styles, dress, periods, and so on... More of a refresher for me, since I took my History of Flamenco class last semester (why I didn't go to the museum before my exam, no clue...) There was also a lot of really interesting and beautiful artwork on display, which we enjoyed as well, we have such a refined taste... ha! But seriously, I could totally see a few of those bright colored, detailed paintings in my living room someday when I rich and famous and can afford unmarked museum art.
We finished our excursion a la Plaza del Salvador which is situated past the Cathedral in front of another famous church, Iglesia del Salvador. There are two or three frequented wine and beer bars in the plaza with excellent selection and prices. We enjoyed a glass of vino with the Spanish masses before heading home.
Next up on the list of places in Sevilla, the Alcazar!
Upcoming travel plans:
24-26 de Febrero- Cadiz con Carmen para Carnaval!!
28 de Febrero- Dia de Andalucia, el Parque Nacional de Donana (flamingos! dromedaries!)
1-4 de Marzo- Granada, party/staying in a CAVE.... yep, you should be jealous
8-11 de Marzo- Bilbao y San Sebastian (Guggenhiem y sidra)
16-18 de Marzo- Morocco! Gibraltar!
I'm a busy little girl. Don't worry, pictures of all this to come! And posts... Stay tuned folks
Besitos y abrazotes!
No comments:
Post a Comment