Better late then never

Well, here I am in Sevilla! I've been here two weeks now and it's about time I start documenting my experience. I'm creating this blog for family and friends who if interested can hear some of the details of my trip. I don't know how good I will be about posting but hopefully I will do a post every week!

This is the view from my apartment! We live on the second floor of a building on Calle Virgen de Guaditoca which is in Los Remedios, a very residential area in Seville. We are over the main river and it takes about thirty minutes to walk to the center of Seville. But my residential area has its own appeal!  In Los Remedios there are a three or four busy streets that have shops, food, banks, etc. The shopping in this area is much cheeper than if you were to shop in the center and this side of the river is known for all the bars ;)

 

When walking around in this area you really feel like you are in a city. The buildings are not as beautiful as other parts of the city but the people are a little more down to earth here and its a little dirtier, which I am enjoying actually! I have three roommates but I have my own bedroom and our apartment is reallllly nice. Its not even two years old and the details are beautiful. Here is a few shots de nuestra casa:

My Bedroom

The Kitchen

Living Room

These aren't the best pictures of our place but just enough so you can picture it!

Meet Arielle and Keliana! Basically my home girls and my connection to the social world! They live in an apartment with 12 girls and everyone is great! Such a good group dynamic and they have all basically taken me in as an adopted roommate because I'm almost always hanging out there! I was so relieved when I met so many cool people here and everyday I make more connections and friends. I've recently met people from my own area and its been cool getting to know my city with all these new people. Just the other day on the Metro I met a girl who live four streets away from me and she gave me the scoop on some of her favorite places in the area and I'm eager to check them out!

 Seville moves at a slower pace than I'm used to but that's fine! With all this time you can really explore and take in the city. Looking down small streets you often see glimpses of building tops and towers and its really breathtaking! If you don't take your time you might miss it. Time here is completely the opposite of home. In the states we say "time is money" but here they say "rush kills!" Everyone has a job and works hard, but their job is just a job. People here really know how to relax and enjoy life on a day to day basis. I've been late a few times getting to class and was forced to run and people quite literally stop and stare! You don't run here unless you are doing so for exercise and I believe everyone must have been thinking I had a relative on the deathbed or something! haha

 One of my favorite things here are the Spanish guitars! Its so beautiful and even small timers just playing on the corner sound fabulous! I've been trying to learn guitar back home and I enjoy watching the difference in technique and style. Last night I attended my first Flamenco Show and I wish I had pictures for you but I didn't bring my camera. The strength and intensity displayed by the performers was amazing and the girl dancing the Flamenco looked just like Sarabii from the Lion King! But everything from the costumes to the music was powerful!

This is a view from El Catedral which was breathtaking inside and out! This is one of the first touristy places I visited and I spent hours walking around. This picture was taken from a high point in one of the towers. You can climb up to a bell tower and get a great view of the city as well as the outside features of the Catedral. Here you see an interior garden which is filled with orange trees. The orange trees here are beautiful and abundant but they don't produce a sweet fruit. The trees are stripped every year and the oranges are exported to make marmalade.

The inside was huge and absolutely stunning. There were too many individual features to take in the whole thing but what I did see took my breath away. The high vaulted ceilings gave it a airy feeling and from the moment you enter your head is titled back to look up and the spender. The stain glass windows were also beautiful and the organ piece was very complex and intricate.

To my surprise, Christopher Columbus' tomb was here! He is being held here by four statues and at first I was drawn to the site not even knowing its significance. Most of my pictures from inside the Catedral are blurry because it was dark inside but you get the idea!

These shots are from the structure at La Plaza Mayor which the Spaniards affectionately call The Mushroom. Its a funky structure in the heart of the shopping district which when you climb to the top you can see all of Sevilla! When construction began for this, the diggers discovered old ruins just below the dirt and they then had to stop the production. But they were able to create this structure around the ruins and now you can go below and see all the ruins which have been protected. Its basically an unofficial museum! 

What else can I tell you?? People here eat lunch at two, dinner at nine, and they go out to the bars and clubs at three! Yes... three in the morning! Its been hard adjusting but I'm finding myself enjoying it now! Although, I'm really sick after having gone out and partying a little too much! But I can't say I would have done it any differently!

Also, random note, dogs here are too cool. The leash laws that exist in the States are not relevant here in the least! People walk around and their dogs just follow them around! People often let their dogs out in the morning, the dogs go out exploring by themselves for a couple hours, and then they go home! It's kinda funny seeing all these dogs out and about on their own agenda!

I want to tell you about my classes but I'm going to save it for the next post! 

Hasta la proxima vez!

Marielle