Sightseeing

The study abroad group I’m with has kept us busy sightseeing. Last week we visited El Arenal, a neighborhood of Sevilla that is home to some of its most famous tourist sights. We visited the Torre de Oro, situated on the side of the Rio Qualdalquivir that separates the city into parts. El Arenal is the location of the Hospital de los Venerables and the Plaza de los Torros. It was so amazing to see an empty bullfighting plaza. It had a calm before the storm feeling to it, as I pictured a ring packed with people enduring the heat and watching the slow death of a bull.

A few days later, we traveled to Cadiz, situated on the Atlantic coast. It is the oldest city in Europe, founded by the Phoenicians a LONG time ago. Cadiz celebrates Carnaval, an all-out, all-week long party, so the city was decorated with party lines and the street vendors were lined up to sell all sorts of fair-like foods. We spent a good part of the day walking around the city and exploring its small streets. One of my favorite finds was a small convent down a quiet street. Near the door of the convent there is a small revolving window with a menu next to it. Here, you can order the great treats of cloistered nuns. Because they are cloistered, they cannot speak to you face-to-face, so they place the pastries or cookies on the turntable as you put your money down: an even exchange. And they are some of the best baked goods! Leave it to those nuns.

Outside of Cadiz, we visited a winery that makes sherry. The cellar where they let the sherry age is damp and cool. After an explanation of how sherry is made and the history of winery, we sat down for a fino (sherry) tasting. We tried five types of the winery’s sherry, ranging from clear and tart to dark and molasses like. I don’t necessarily prefer sherry, so, no souvenirs for me.

The ocean at Cadiz was big and bold. The sun was warm, and the breeze was full. It was time to just sit and look out on the expanse of the Atlantic. As I stared out, I thought I would make out the East coast of the US far, far in the distance.

http://picasaweb.google.com/sgauche, Espana, Part 6