Gettin’ my FILL of seVILLE!

My second weekend here was spent in the Southern region of Spain in a town called Seville, actually pronounced se-vee-ah. Arrival and departure ended up being disasters…but it was still an incredible weekend.

We left on the midnight bus Friday night/Saturday morning, and arrived in Seville at 6:00 A.M. Got very little sleep on the bus, but that’s not surprising because I’m a terrible sleeper, and I was surrounded by snorers. The nerve.

Rewind a bit, Lucy, my neighborhood friend, had tripped on the way to the metro and thought she had “pulled” something in her foot, but was so determined to go on “holiday,” (as the Brits call it), that she limped all the way to the metro. Assuming the foot would feel better after a 6-hour long bus ride, Lucy got on the bus full-spirited, only to arrive to Seville with a foot the size of a 5 grapefruits…

We took taxis straight to the hospital.

Poor Lucy broke a bone in her foot and had to fly directly back to London, leaving all of her stuff in her host-home in Madrid. Poor me because I lost my closest friend here and my walking buddy to the metro! Alas, her doctor in London told her it was a clean break that would heal in under 4 weeks, so she will be back!

After the dreadful hospital experience, we got to our hostal, (very lovely in a side, cobbled street), and PASSED OUT with glasses full of Sangria. When we woke up, we found a little Italian restaurant, ate, and went on the walking tour of Seville! I found it fascinating but two of the girls I was with left the tour early on, so it was only Hannah and I. The tour guide was a little boring and also a little too full of himself and his fantastic city, but there was much to learn! Mainly, a lot of stuff between the Moors and the Catholics. Sorry, Uncle Jim, but I didn’t pay enough attention. I was too busy looking at how GORGEOUS the city was!!

So Seville is the “Orange City” of Spain. As you can tell from my pictures below, orange trees are affluent throughout the city—however, don’t eat the oranges! They are incredibly bitter and disgusting. Once a year, British people come over and pick the oranges to make marmalade…mmm Dad, I had some on my toast and it was really good.

After the tour was over, Hannah and I found the square in Seville where people literally stand in the middle and drink beer and simply socialize. It happens between 3 and 6 everyday, and there are no laws about open containers. So awesome.

I have noticed that drinking in Spain, as it is most likely in other European countries, is more about the social aspect. My SMCM people and I love to listen to music, drink, and get ready together before going out, and by the time we are out we are usually kind of intoxicated. Here, you go out at 7 or 8, eat tapas, drink, and talk. You repeat this cycle like 3 more times and THEN you’re intoxicated by 1 or 2 in the morning, and that’s why these crazy Madrid-ers stay out ‘til 6 or 7 in the morning! Soooo not what I’m used to. But a nice change.

We watched a Flamenco show Saturday night, and it was absolutely amazing. It was on a tiny little stage in a tiny little bar, and yet the woman Flamenco dancer was apparently named second best in Spain! So awesome that she dances in this intimate little bar in a little city of Spain. The way these people move their feet is unbelievable. It really looks like their knees must suffer from all the stomping. The two dresses the female dancer wore were so authentic—a wayyy dropped waist line.

Sunday we had no agenda, which was AWESOME. Hannah and I seemed to be on the same page as far as sight-seeing, so in the morning we got up early and went off to some local art fair the Hostel worker told us about. Found some great stuff. Then we met up with the other girls and went atop the Plaza de Mayor. I really don’t know how to describe it, so see pictures below. Kind of like a waffle blob from where you can see all of Seville. Cool, but looked pretty wonky in the middle of this traditional European city.

Did some shopping, then Hannah and I found the Alcazar, which was a Moorish palace. So gorgeous. Makes you really appreciate the artistic abilities of people from the past. The garden went on and on with loads of palm trees. Dug one up for you Dad, to put around the pool.

We went out drinking Sunday night and found some cute little bars...the next morning, half of us were missing and half of us were puking. We had to be on the bus by 8 A.M….and we made it! Super stressful, though.

I am absolutely certain I will go back to Seville someday—Hannah, who has been in Madrid since the summertime, has been all over Spain and she says Seville is the most beautiful. Take a look at the pictures and see for yourself!

Have made a couple new girlfriends this week, Kirstin from Colorado and Arielle from Cali, and have been trying to get everything completely settled, such as my visa situation, (Julie), and my permanent metro pass. It will hopefully all be together by the end of the week, and then I plan to day travel to Segovia by myself on Saturday, (Joe has not yet responded about Santiago, where he lives), and then to the Madrid market and the Prado art museum on Sunday!

Thanks for reading. Hopefully everyone is having a good week so far! A special “Happy Birthday!” shout-out to my little bro J

Love and miss you,

Mary

 View from hostel!

 Drinking square!

 Cathedral

 Muy bonita

 Flamenco--olay!

 Yeah, this place exists.

 Pickin' a bitter orange

 Panoramic view from Waffle structure

Off the Seville River