July in Andalucía

Sevilla

I told you I wouldn’t be long 🙂 For the month of July, I chose to live in Sevilla. My main reason for choosing Sevilla was because I wanted to be in Andalucía while I continued to work on my Spanish. The Andalucian accent is slightly closer to Latin American Spanish than the rest of Spain. Logically, this is because many of the first Spanish sailors and conquerors that came to colonize the Americas and Caribbean were from this region. After I arrived, Sevilla also became a bit of a rest stop for my trip. Since I had a month, I had time to relax and didn’t feel rushed to see and do a lot in a short period of time. The downside of being unemployed is being tied to a very tight budget. I needed to lay low until my monthly budget started over, but that didn’t stop me from roaming the maze that is Sevilla’s streets.

I loved going on walks throughout the old part of the city. The architecture really is beautiful. In general, being in Europe as a southern American is an interesting experience. There aren’t that many monuments or buildings that are more than 200-250 years old in the south. Seeing or being inside a building that has been there for hundreds or even a thousand years is quite humbling. The fact that they are still standing is a marvel to me. Earlier when I said that Sevilla’s streets were like a maze, I was being quite literal. You have to know where you’re going. The buildings are 3-4 stories high and close together, so you can’t really see much beyond where you are, or any landmarks in the distance to guide you. Then, sometimes there aren’t street signs on the side of the buildings. Being caught without a phone or a map is a disaster, which I had the pleasure of experiencing. After a day trip, my phone was dead and I couldn’t quite remember my way back home from the train station. Luckily, I found someone else that had a map and was also a bit lost and we helped each other find our way. The weather in Sevilla is surprisingly bearable. Yes, it ends up being 100 plus degrees everyday, but it’s dry heat. Living in Houston for 6 years makes you appreciate dry heat. In Sevilla, as opposed to Houston, if you stand in the shade, you can actually feel the difference. The mornings are especially refreshing. It’s usually about 70 degrees and that combined with the dry atmosphere makes morning walks feel amazing.

 

One of my absolute favorite things about Sevilla was how cheap everything was. I did eat out occasionally, but I mostly bought groceries and cooked so I could save money. It’s amazing to me. I survived on about $8 a day. That includes not only food, but toiletries and cleaning supplies, as needed. Even eating out is affordable. Hitting 20 euros on a dinner bill has proven to be a bit difficult. Granted, I haven’t sought out any high-end restaurants, but I still think it’s nice that even in some touristy areas, restaurants aren’t super pricey.  I’m sure I will miss this as I head back to northern Europe.

I stayed in an Airbnb near Alameda de Hercules. La Alameda is a pedestrian mall with lots of eclectic bars and restaurants. This area is really lively and central to Sevilla. Everything you need is within a 20 minute walk. Although I was near the Alameda, it was still a mostly residential area, and it stayed quiet most of the time. It was a studio apartment attached to a traditional Spanish home. The apartment was fully equipped with everything that I needed and it was definitely nice to have my own space.

During my time here, I met a couple of people through Conversation Exchange. It’s a website where you can connect with people locally to practice foreign languages. The meetings were interesting and I definitely want to continue something similar for when I get back. I think my Spanish has improved a lot, but I still need to practice speaking so that words come to me more fluidly. It’s a work in progress, but I’m getting there day by day. For my last night in Sevilla, I went to a fantastic flamenco show at the Museo del Baile Flamenco. It was a great ending to the Spanish portion of my trip.

Sevilla is the capital of the Andalucía region. The train system here is convenient and affordable. I took advantage of that and visited some other cities in Andalucía during the month. I visited Granada, Cádiz, and Córdoba. They were all different and beautiful in their own way. They also have a shared history. Like the rest of Spain, and Andalucía more specifically, they were ruled by the Moors until the Reconquista period in Spain. During this period, Christians essentially eliminated the Moorish and Jewish population in Spain either through expulsion, conversion, and eventually, execution.

Granada

I visited Granada to tour the Alhambra. The tour included charter bus transportation from Sevilla and a guided tour of the Alhambra. It was a day trip, so I didn’t get to see a lot of Granada. Although my visit was short, the Alhambra was worth it. I also got my first free tapa! Traditionally, tapas are free with the purchase of a drink. Nowadays, that’s not usually the case in most places.

 

 

Anywho, back to the Alhambra. The walking tour was great. Very informative. It was dual language so I even got to practice my Spanish listening skills. The Alhambra was the site of the last Moorish presence in Spain. Its conquest solidified the Christian presence in Spain and coincided with the beginning of the Spanish Inquisition. Although it was taken over by Christians, the influence of the Moors is still present in the structure today. The intricacies of the designs and the construction of the compound are so beautiful. My favorite historical tidbit was the supposed quote from the mother of the last sultan that was exiled from Granada. As they left the Alhambra, he looked back at it and started crying. She said “Do not cry like a man for what you couldn’t defend as a man.”

Córdoba

I also took a day trip to Córdoba. Like most cities in Spain, the history of the city includes contributions from Moors, Jews, and Christians. I took a free walking tour of the city and visited the Mezquita-Cathedral and Jewish Quarter. The Cathedral was formerly a Mosque and after the Christian reconquest of the city, it was converted into a Cathedral. Similar to the Alhambra, there is still strong evidence of the Moorish influence in the construction of the structure.

 

Cádiz

Cádiz was by far my favorite city in Spain. Like the rest of Spain, there was a lot of history here. It’s the oldest city in Spain and one of the oldest in western Europe. Many civilizations have added to the culture of the city including Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, and Moors.

As soon as I walked out of the train station I felt at home. It’s a port city, and gave me a bit of a Caribbean vibe. The old part of the city was gorgeous and felt very laid back. I took a free walking tour and the guide told us that the city was actually used as a blueprint for the city plans of Havana, Cuba. So maybe there’s a reason it reminds me of the Caribbean. I haven’t had the opportunity to go to Havana yet, but after visiting Cádiz, I’m looking forward to it. Our tour guide also said that Cádiz has one of the best Carnival celebrations. My birthday is around Mardi Gras time, so I’ve officially decided that I’m coming back for my 30th 🙂 I think I’ll have a blast.

One of the interesting stories in Cádiz was around the depiction of Jesus in one of the churches in the old part of the city. During one of Spain’s civil wars, the below figure of Jesus was burned. Right after it happened, the locals scrambled to find white makeup so that the figure could be displayed in the Holy Week festivities. In modern times, they have abandoned those efforts and embraced the figure as it is. It’s funny to me, because historical evidence has proved that Jesus wasn’t exactly the blonde haired and blue-eyed man that is so often associated with his image and here we have this dramatically different depiction. I think it’s nice that the Gaditanos (locals from Cádiz) rolled with it and embraced this happy accident.

I really enjoyed my time in Spain. Great people, great food, great vibe. It’s my favorite country so far and I can’t wait to come back! After I left Spain, I met special guest #3 in Lisbon. Stay tuned for my thoughts on this unexpectedly exciting city! Later 😉