Monday, March 11, 2013
DAY 31: SEVILLE; PLAZA DE ESPAÑA.
We only made a quick stop but the light was perfect for photos! I don't quite see the resemblance in the KC Plaza but both are gorgeous nonetheless.
Seville is home to a lot but one of my favorite finds was this beautiful menagerie of graffiti Madison and I found under a bridge near our hotel.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
DAY 31: SEVILLE AT NIGHT.
Madison and I wandered our second night to take photos of the bridge at night. After taking every way but the most direct, we also finally found the Metropol Parasol, the largest wooden structure in the world. It is built over Moorish and Roman remains, which were preserved. The bottom level has a glass floor through which the remains can be viewed. I wish it had still been open at night!!!
Thursday, March 7, 2013
DAY 31: SEVILLE; CATEDRAL.
And here would be some of those "fotos" I was talking about. Of the Catedral de Seville. AKA largest in el mundo. Enjoy...
Wow, I should never two weeks to write about something.
Now that I'm looking back, I can barely remember what happened the weekend of Seville & Cordoba. It's also hard to concentrate given because when I type directly into Blogger, nothing is autocapitalized and ' are never put in automatically. What a pain.... problems of the first world.
Anyway, the ISA gang and I went to Seville and Cordoba for the weekend, approximately two weekends ago, spanning across days 31-32 of me located in Spain.
Seville was founded as the Roman city of Hispalis. Like all cities in Andalusia, it was then overtaken by the Moors and now is Catholizied.
Friday, 2/22/13.
Friday we departed via bus for Seville, getting there two or four hours later. I can't remember but I am almost positive it was an even number. Basically, the directors handed us our hotel room keys and told us to have fun. Well I guess, to their credit, it was after a "panoramic" tour of the city... in which we drove around by bus through the same series of buildings. Like five times. Really. I can't remember the Spanish word for them at the moment, but they were something like consulates.
We did stop by the Plaza de España, which is actually the plaza that J.C. Nichole's based the Kansas City Plaza off of. This was kind of cool.
Sarah and I were put with another girl in our room, so that night the three of us joined three other girls to go out for some pizza and find a bar. Why pizza? Well, we've been eating Spanish food for a month now. Believe me you would get sick of it too.
We found pizza, it was alright. We found a bar, it was alright. And then, we went to the hotel to sleep. I don't really know... Friday nights are kind of lame in Spain.
Saturday, 2/23/13.
Saturday was a bit more exciting, as we toured some of the sights of the city.
Hmm... what did we see? Obviously it left quite the impression on me, no? Just kidding. Going back to edit my photos is proof of how spectacular Seville is.
We started the day at the Catedral de Seville, which is officially the largest cathedral in the world. Like most of the cathedrals in the area, it was built to overshadow an Arab mosque.
The cathedral also is holds the remains of Christopher Columbus. A part of the cathedral contains his tomb and a monument to him. Our guide explained that his remains consist of only a few broken bones because they were moved several times after he died until finally resting in Seville. It is thought that half of his remains are still in the Caribbean.
Next, we headed on over to Alcázar, which is a combination forts, gardens, and palaces that have been added on to over the years, as the strange combo of architecture shows.
After the tour, our guide let us go for free time for the remainder of the day. Madison and I went to search for a cute little cafe with "el menu del dia," where you can have a drink, first and second course, dessert and cafe o aqua for usually 10-15 euro.
We did find a cute little place, and ended up ordering a pitcher of sangria to share. Now before you go and think all kinds of bad things about girls who drink a pitcher of sangria over lunch, this was probably the fifth pitcher we'd ordered over lunches since we've been in Spain, and we've only eaten lunch out (at this point) as many times as that. Drinking during meals--including during the day--is normal and just a part of life here. Also, the sangria or more juice that intoxicating alcohol...
But... this day, our waiter suggested champagne for the sangria. As it was the same price, we went for it. But with this sangria, a glass was enough to need a nap... so we went and took a little siesta before heading back out to photograph some graffiti.
Near the hotel there was a huge bridge and under the bridge, along with high schoolers drinking and doing who knows what else, was a ton of absolutely stunning graffiti. It seems as if all of Europe is tattooed with tags that really are (for the most part) absolute works of art. I wish we had more of this back in the states, to be honest.
After, we went to find ... After a 30-40 minute walk taking every which way but the most direct, we found it. It was definitely worth the exercise as the building was (yet another) work of art.
The night ended at a quiet italian place (yes another!), with a lemonchello shot (sipped!!!), and bed early to prepare for our adventure in Cordoba the following day.
Fotos to come chicos, way too many to stuff in this blog!
 |
| staue in front of the cathedral. |
Anyway, the ISA gang and I went to Seville and Cordoba for the weekend, approximately two weekends ago, spanning across days 31-32 of me located in Spain.
Seville was founded as the Roman city of Hispalis. Like all cities in Andalusia, it was then overtaken by the Moors and now is Catholizied.
Friday, 2/22/13.
Friday we departed via bus for Seville, getting there two or four hours later. I can't remember but I am almost positive it was an even number. Basically, the directors handed us our hotel room keys and told us to have fun. Well I guess, to their credit, it was after a "panoramic" tour of the city... in which we drove around by bus through the same series of buildings. Like five times. Really. I can't remember the Spanish word for them at the moment, but they were something like consulates.
We did stop by the Plaza de España, which is actually the plaza that J.C. Nichole's based the Kansas City Plaza off of. This was kind of cool.
Sarah and I were put with another girl in our room, so that night the three of us joined three other girls to go out for some pizza and find a bar. Why pizza? Well, we've been eating Spanish food for a month now. Believe me you would get sick of it too.
We found pizza, it was alright. We found a bar, it was alright. And then, we went to the hotel to sleep. I don't really know... Friday nights are kind of lame in Spain.
Saturday, 2/23/13.
Saturday was a bit more exciting, as we toured some of the sights of the city.
Hmm... what did we see? Obviously it left quite the impression on me, no? Just kidding. Going back to edit my photos is proof of how spectacular Seville is.
We started the day at the Catedral de Seville, which is officially the largest cathedral in the world. Like most of the cathedrals in the area, it was built to overshadow an Arab mosque.
The cathedral also is holds the remains of Christopher Columbus. A part of the cathedral contains his tomb and a monument to him. Our guide explained that his remains consist of only a few broken bones because they were moved several times after he died until finally resting in Seville. It is thought that half of his remains are still in the Caribbean.
Next, we headed on over to Alcázar, which is a combination forts, gardens, and palaces that have been added on to over the years, as the strange combo of architecture shows.
After the tour, our guide let us go for free time for the remainder of the day. Madison and I went to search for a cute little cafe with "el menu del dia," where you can have a drink, first and second course, dessert and cafe o aqua for usually 10-15 euro.
We did find a cute little place, and ended up ordering a pitcher of sangria to share. Now before you go and think all kinds of bad things about girls who drink a pitcher of sangria over lunch, this was probably the fifth pitcher we'd ordered over lunches since we've been in Spain, and we've only eaten lunch out (at this point) as many times as that. Drinking during meals--including during the day--is normal and just a part of life here. Also, the sangria or more juice that intoxicating alcohol...
But... this day, our waiter suggested champagne for the sangria. As it was the same price, we went for it. But with this sangria, a glass was enough to need a nap... so we went and took a little siesta before heading back out to photograph some graffiti.
Near the hotel there was a huge bridge and under the bridge, along with high schoolers drinking and doing who knows what else, was a ton of absolutely stunning graffiti. It seems as if all of Europe is tattooed with tags that really are (for the most part) absolute works of art. I wish we had more of this back in the states, to be honest.
After, we went to find ... After a 30-40 minute walk taking every which way but the most direct, we found it. It was definitely worth the exercise as the building was (yet another) work of art.
The night ended at a quiet italian place (yes another!), with a lemonchello shot (sipped!!!), and bed early to prepare for our adventure in Cordoba the following day.
Fotos to come chicos, way too many to stuff in this blog!
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
A TASTE OF SEVILLE.
El Albayzín (also Albaicín or El Albaicín) is a district of present day Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain, that retains the narrow winding streets of its Medieval Moorish past. It was declared a world heritage site in 1984, along with the more famous Alhambra.
It rises on a hill facing the Alhambra and many tourists journey into the Albayzin primarily for the spectactular views of the Alhambra from the viewing point by thechurch of San Nicolas.
Highlights within the area include the remains of an Arab bath complex, Granada's archeological museum, and the church of San Salvador, built on the remains of a Moorish mosque. The Albayzin also contains some original Moorish houses and a wide-range of restaurants, including several streets whose eateries are inspired byNorth Africa.
El Albayzín is a neighborhood in Granada close to La Alhambra that originates from the Medieval Morrish period. The other day, Day 22 here in Spain, I walked through it with one of my directors. It is truly a labyrinth, and I'm sure even the present day residents find themselves lost occasionally. The neighborhood is also filled with beautiful graffiti, although it is hard to find down the winding sidewalks!
 |
| (you're going to see this photo again but it was a perfect way to start this post so....) |
 |
| plaza de espana--seville. |
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
DAYS 23-27: HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN, HIPPITY-HOP.
And now, FINALLY…
Some more photos. From the views
of the mountains near Madrid (need to go to the Sierra Nevada near Granada
ASAP!) to the Bahamas and coast of Miami (Kaydee and Lisa, we need to go back!)…
what a beautiful valentine’s day gift from mother nature!
I know I took WAY too many photos of my views out the window, but each time the sight was so incredibly gorgeous! And thanks to some very slight editing, I can share with you the same intensity of color I enjoyed during my flight!
Starting with some mountains (not sure which) outside of Madrid....
I know I took WAY too many photos of my views out the window, but each time the sight was so incredibly gorgeous! And thanks to some very slight editing, I can share with you the same intensity of color I enjoyed during my flight!
Starting with some mountains (not sure which) outside of Madrid....
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
DAY 23: THOUGHTS DURING LONG FLIGHTS.
 |
| flying over the bahamas. |
Monday, February 25, 2013
DAYS 19-25: FRAN SUCKS AT BLOGGING.
So what did I do on the days that my blogging really went
downhill?
Monday: class.
Tuesday: class, valentines cards from mommy, daddy, and
amir. tour of the catedral de granada, but no photos were allowed...lame!
Wednesday: class, meeting for excursion, tour of cathedral.
Thursday: traveling >24 hours;
Friday: interview!
Saturday: mostly sleep, sort of eat.
Sunday: traveling >24 hours; again.
And now for a mish-mash of photos and random video from the past
week!
 |
| A copy of a cool watercolor pomegranate branch on info boards throughout granada's city center. |
Sunday, February 17, 2013
DAY 17: RHONDA.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
DAYS 12-18: HOMBRE.
On Sunday, I had my first real paella gratis a Mati to end another great week here in granada. The rest of the week, minus Tuesday's "Being a girl..." clip and video from Rhonda, are summed up in the video!
Monday, February 11, 2013
DAY 14: GRAFFITI IN GRANADA PART I.
Madison and I went for a walk the other day and I finally had a chance to document some of the graffiti here. The graffiti all over Spain is better described as street art, as a large portion of it really is beautiful art. I also have heard that Spain has quite a few famous street artists, but I havent looked much into it myself. Here are some photos, I will be posting a video of the past week soon which should have some video from this walk as well :)
 |
| check out the view of the sierra nevada!!! |
Sunday, February 10, 2013
DAYS 7-11: VIDEO BLOGGG.
Where do I even begin?
Days 7-11 consisted of many firsts. My first few days of class, my first free tapa (native to Granada--you get a free appetizer with every drink you buy. Yes, free!), and my first weekend out in Spain.
The video pretty much sums it up but here are some random photos from those few days!
DAY 7. Wednesday, 1/30/13.
 |
I kept accidentally taking photos of myself when I wanted to take a video! Here our some for your enjoyment :)
|
