“Travel expands the mind and fills the gap” -Sheda Savage
Andalucía was an absolute blur, because we packed so many experiences into just 3 days. After a brutal bus ride we first arrived in Granada, which out of all three Andalusian cities we visited, was probably my favorite. We toured the Cathedral of Granada and then went and saw the tombs of Fernando y Isabel, which was so surreal. We have been learning about los Reyes Católicos pretty extensively in all of our classes, so knowing that their actual bodies were in the caskets right in front of us was mind blowing.
After a very educational afternoon we had some free time in which we used to get iced coffee at Dunkin Donuts, because what else would we do. Iced coffee doesn’t exist in Spain, and neither do bagels, so we were giddy when we stumbled across the Dunkin Donuts. It was the perfect little piece of home that we had been missing (because honestly, the only part of the States that we miss is some of the food, like bagels and Chipotle).
That evening, we took a bus through the historic part of Granada, with narrow windy roads, cobblestone streets, and beautiful little white buildings. It felt like we were in another country because it felt so different from the other parts of Spain that we’ve experienced. This pueblo was situated on a hill, and we made our way to pretty close to the top, where we had a view of most of Granada. We went to a beautiful restaurant for dinner, where we saw a Flamenco performance afterwards. That was definitely a highlight of the trip. There were four dancers, two singers and a guitarist. We were sitting very close to the stage, so we were able to witness their incredible footwork right in front of us. I don’t know how to even begin to describe how incredibly talented they were, but I have never seen anything like it. The energy in the room was so electric, and I found myself holding my breath during the really intense parts.
After the performance, we got a night tour of historic Granada, which is actually a UNESCO world heritage site. We walked through the streets and learned about the Islamic influence in the architecture, and got to see panoramic view overlooking the entire city of Granada, as well as La Alhambra. There was a person playing acoustic guitar and singing, and the lights of the city were sparkling. It was one of those magical moments that makes all the hardships of travelling seem incredibly insignificant. I wish we had had more time in Granada, because it was my favorite city we have visited thus far.
The next morning, we got up early (as usual) and went on a tour of La Alhambra. La Alhambra is a palace constructed between the 13th-15th centuries by the romans and Muslims, and it has great historical and architectural significance. We saw a ton of the stuff we learned about in my Spanish Art History class, which was really interesting. There were amazing views over the city from the top of one of the towers, as well as roman ruins and intricate Islamic architecture. The parts with the Islamic influence were my favorite, because the architecture is so intricate and colorful, and the ceilings are absolutely spectacular. It was all really amazing to get to see. We spent a few hours touring La Alhambra, and then said goodbye to Granada (L) and headed to Córdoba, a couple hours away.
We got to Córdoba feeling pretty hangry, since breakfast had been a while ago. We had a couple hours of free time, so we got some lunch at a really cute restaurant near the Mezquita (mosque). I had a really delicious Tagine, the first of many I would have in the next few days. After lunch we met back up with our program director, and got to tour the Mezquita. This was one of my favorite things that we saw during this whole trip, because it was unlike anything I have ever seen before. It was also something that we studied in my Spanish Art History class, so it was fun feeling somewhat knowledgeable going in. It is filled with close to 800 columns and arcs that form 30 naves. In the center there is a cathedral, because back in the day the Catholics had to assert their dominance and build their place of worship right in the center of the Mosque. It is beautiful, but very strange to be walking through a mosque and all of a sudden be in a church. The architecture throughout the entire mosque is really unique and beautiful to witness.
After barely any time in Córdoba, we got back on our bus and headed to Sevilla; so we had breakfast in Granada, lunch in Córdoba and dinner in Sevilla. Our hotel in Sevilla was super bougie, and we felt pretty fancy. We got dressed up for our group dinner, and then hung out for awhile before bed. The next morning, we toured the Real Alcázar de Sevilla, another old palace with beautiful Islamic influence in the architecture. This was where Isabel III and Carlos V got married, which was fun to see since we learned about it in class. The best part was touring the gardens, which were tropical and incredibly grand. It was all very extravagant.
The next thing we got to see was the Plaza de España, which was really spectacular. The intense heat made it a little hard to enjoy, though. The rest of the afternoon we had free, so I went to a coffee shop to relax a little bit. We all met up for dinner later, and then prepared to head off to Morocco early the next morning.
Andalucía was incredibly beautiful, and so different from the other parts of Spain that we have been to. It felt like we were in a completely different country. The accents are thicker, sun is stronger, and architecture is much more intricate and colorful. It has a very lively, cheerful vibe. I absolutely loved our brief time in Andalucía, and it is somewhere I would absolutely love to return to.
Idly Wild 