Sevilla

Sevilla

When most people think of Spain usually they think of bullfights, flamenco dancing, colorful buildings, and warm weather. What they are thinking about is Andalucia. Andalucia is the province in the south of Spain. Andalucia is where flamenco and bullfighting originated. Sevilla is the capital of Andalucia and I was given the chance by my program to go experience the Spain that everyone thinks they will experience. The only thing that you don't think when you think 

Flamenco Show 

For the first night in the city my program took us to a flamenco show. It was a lot different than I thought it would be. I pictured lots of huge puffy dresses big flowers in the girls' hair, but it wasn't like that. The man and woman were both terrific though. I definitely could never dance like that. The guitarist was very impressive. I couldn't understand the singing though even though it was all in Spanish it was all in Andaluze Spanish...

Reales Alcázares de Sevilla

When we met our tour guide for the day she greeted us in a normal way "Como estaís" except in Andulcia they don't pronounce words fully so what she said was "Como etís". The Spanish is impossible for me to understand. But anyways... the Royal Palace in Sevilla was originally a Moorish fort. It is the oldest palace still in use in Europe today. The palace had a very obvious Islamic style to it. It was absolutely gorgeous with all of the intricate tile decorations and the Moorish style colors and design. I loved the gardens of the palace as well. It would have been awesome to grow up in the palace with those grounds as your playground.

The gardens were truly lovely. I loved all the orange trees everywhere.

Orange trees not only lined walkways in the palace garden, but also they just line all the streets in Sevilla. There are two types of oranges that can be found in Sevilla. One is a normal orange tree that you can find pretty much anywhere.

The other is a tree with leaves like this one. There is a big leaf and then where it is connected there is a tiny extra part to the leaf. These trees produce the most bitter oranges I have ever tasted. I don't think I have ever tasted an orange that terrible. The British use these oranges to make preserves. 

An intricate ceiling in the palace. It is one of the domes of the palace, so even though this picture kind of looks like the dome is coming towards you it is in fact going up away from you.

A quiet little patio. I loved it. It was so quaint in all the hugeness of the palace.

A cute little door. I wondered where it went.

The facade of part of the building.

I loved this doorway. I loved the Moorish style of the palace.

This is a bath room. This is the bath built for one of the king's mistresses. And by bath I mean more of a Jacuzzi. 

This was a little fountain area in the garden I loved the facade of the wall behind the fountain. Oh and it had HUGE coy fish in the water.

Sevilla Cathedral

The Cathedral was built in the 16th Century and is one of the biggest Cathedrals in the world. 

The facade of the front door.

So, this is the "tomb" of Christopher Columbus. Christopher Columbus has 5 graves. This is one of them and it literally has about 2 of his fingers... I wouldn't really call that a grave.

Standard of the Conquest of Sevilla

When King Fernando III the Saint conquered the city of Sevilla from the Moors, he hoisted his standard on 23 November 1248 upon the minaret of the Isbiliya mosque as a sign of their surrender. This is that flag (or so they say...)

Giralda 

Originally a  minaret while under Muslim rule it was converted to a bell tower for the Cathedral. It is 343ft (105m) tall. I was lucky enough to be able to climb up all 23 flights of stairs to the top of the tower.

The Cathedral from above 

The Courtyard of the Cathedral with nice rows of orange trees.

 Exploring Sevilla

This day we had a free day to explore the city a little before heading back up north

It was so nice to see people out and about being active in Sevilla. In Salamanca people aren't out working out and they actually make fun of you for working out. It is really disappointing, but here people were running, biking, even kayaking and rowing on the river.

Puente de Isabel II (Triana Bridge)

This bridge was built in 1852. Although it is not the oldest or the most famous bridge in Sevilla I liked it the most.

Torre del Oro (Tower of Gold)

This watch tower was built in the 13th Century and in Middle Ages it was used as a prison. It gets its name because it casts a golden shine onto the rive next to it because it was made of pressed hay, mortar and lime.

Plaza España

The Plaza was built in 1928. It is absolutely gorgeous and of course colorful. 

Now, the Plaza houses the government buildings for Sevilla.

Every Province in Spain has an alcove decorated in the Plaza. This is Salamanca's alcove.

Plaza de Toros

Bullfighting originated in the South of Spain and this Plaza de Toros is now a museum. I didn't have time however to go into the museum or the Plaza itself.