Valencia, C.A. Valencia

     I suppose it's finally time to write a post about my home for the past three months—the beautiful and historic city of Valencia. Known as "the city of sun," Valencia was established in Eastern Spain, right on the Mediterranean Ocean, and is the third-largest city in Spain. It was founded by the Romans in 138 B.C. because of it's strategic position, and the city has even preserved much of the old city (including the Cardo and Decumanus Maximus roads that led to Rome) in a museum under one of the main plazas in town, La Plaza de la Virgin.
     Aside from the ocean, the Romans chose to settle in Valencia because of the "Río Turia," or Turia River, that runs through the city. Unfortunately, this river had an issue with flooding, and after a particularly bad flood in 1957 (a flood that caused over 400 deaths), the city drained the Turia and turned the fertile riverbed into a six-mile park. Lucky for us, it's a gorgeous park, and we get to walk through it everyday on the way to school.

Walking through the park.

     On any given day, this park will be filled with "fútbol" enthusiasts playing soccer, moms jogging with their strollers, teens hanging out in the skate park and school groups walking to one of the many museums. One of the first museums along the Turia that we visited was the "Oceanogràfic," the largest aquarium in Europe. The aquarium is located in a section of Valencia nicknamed "The City of Arts and Sciences," and the interesting architecture of the area definitely fits—I think it's safe to say that many of the museums and buildings in the area look like they belong in space!

Palau de les Arts building.

The sphere on the right houses the wetlands display, one of the many buildings that make up the impressive aquarium.

The City of Arts and Sciences.

          At night, the rio is very popular among teens and students alike—it's the place to "botellón," or pregame, because they can drink outside with large masses of people and not have to worry about noise complaints or police. We've attended one with a group of Spaniards living in our dorms, and it is a totally new experience. I have to say that coming from The University of Georgia, I thought we'd be able to keep up with the Spanish students, but I could not have been more wrong. Where as we may come home from a night out around 2 a.m., the Spaniards start pregaming at 12 a.m., head to the discotecas around 4 a.m. and return home for a quick breakfast at 7 a.m. before heading to class. Ay Dios mio, no wonder they "siesta" so much!
     Ironically enough, in addition to partying, they take the celebration of their patron saints very seriously. At the end of January we celebrated el Festividad de San Vicente Mártir, the patron saint of Valencia. In 303 A.D. the Roman emperor sentenced San Vicente to death, and while in jail, Vicente managed to convert his jailer. After his martyrdom, the emperor attempted to drown his body multiple times, but his body continued to return. In addition, a flock of ravens constantly protected his body from vultures until his supporters could claim his body. His body parts supposedly have been split up, with the majority in Lisboa, his leg in Notre Dame and his arm in the cathedral here in Valencia.  Because it was a holiday, we didn't have school and therefore could attend the parade. After the mass (which was heavily attended), there was a long parade through the calle de San Vicente Mártir in which his statue was carried, surrounded by members of the clergy and community.

We attended mass in the morning which was led by the Bishop.

The statue of San Vicente Mártir is carried through the streets. Every seven years, his "preserved" arm is carried as well.

     We celebrated another patron saint just last week, and this veneration lasted a full five days—but this celebration, Las Fallas, needs a post to itself.
     Overall, I have been really impressed with how Spaniards incorporate their religion into everyday life. I realize that in America we have separation of church and state, and while I completely respect that, I wish that we could celebrate and honor our religion without having to fear it could "offend" someone else. For Easter, the Spaniards have 10 days off of school to celebrate Semana Santa, or Holy Week leading up to Pascua (Easter)—and I can't wait to see what this entails!
   

#MakutoMatata (Granada, Andalusia)

     Although we were tempted to forgo our original plans of heading to Grenada for our last day in Andalusia (in favor of spending more time in Sevilla), we decided to make the journey and visit one of the finalists for the "New Seven Wonders of the World," — La Alhambra.

     We arrived in Grenada by bus around 9 p.m. and set out to find a hostel. Once again, we failed to make a reservation for eight people, and this time, we weren't so lucky (note to self: don't trust boys who are convinced we can wait until we arrive to find a hostel because it's "in the guide book"... men and their egos). Our first choice was booked for the night, but the staff was friendly and found us another hostel with availability for us all—I suppose that should have been a sign. We navigated through the dark and narrow streets until we stumbled upon Makuto Hostel, and Mae and I literally stumbled...those uneven cobblestone streets are no joke! Upon entering the "lobby," we noticed an American man in parachute pants with a beard down to his chest chewing the largest piece of bark i have ever seen...much less seen someone chewing. After passing through the "lobby," we were outdoors, in the patio/common area. The bartender was casually dabbling in illicit drug use but I have to say, he made some tasty mojitos. A girl from Colorado showed us around the "free-spirited" hostel, passed the lone bathroom (which was filled with "inspiring" quotes about quitting jobs and living a life of  "openness"), the tree house and dreadlocked guests to our rooms.

View of the tree house from our room—complete with hammocks, old tires and beanbags.

     Matt, Andrew, Shayna and I shared a room with two other guests (although we never saw them), and aside from basically sleeping in the rafters (the beds were three bunks high) and there being no heater, it was pretty comfortable. Although I've come to realize that I prefer to stay in more...traditional hostels, it was cool to experience something so new to me, and we actually met a Spaniard from Valencia who gave us a few tips on what to see when we went back. Now that we can joke about staying in this hippie commune, we call Makuto hostel "MakutoMatata," referencing The Lion King song "Hakuna Matata," or no worries, because clearly the workers and guests there have none. 

     That night we set out to find some dinner. Most of the restaurants had closed their kitchens and were just offering hookah and drinks, but we followed a promoter to a restaurant called Kasbah and it worked out perfectly. Being the poor college students that we are, we're never looking to spend more than 10 euros on a meal/drinks, and we've found this to be more or less difficult when traveling. In fact, often times we'll go out for "tapas," (small appetizers that cost just a few euros) instead of eating an official meal in an effort to save money. Grenada, however, seems to have the right idea—every drink that you order comes with a huge "tapa" or appetizer...for free! I never really thought I'd be a fan of Middle Eastern cuisine, but the shawarmas and couscous were delicious.
     The next morning we had an early start so that we could explore the Grenada markets. These markets had everything—mirrors, scarves, hookahs, tapestries, ceramic plates and those dreadful parachute pants. It  truly looked like stock from a Pier 1 Imports or World Market catalog, I only wish I could have taken it all home!

View of the Kasbah restaurant from one of the markets!

Cat and I looking at some tapestries to take home!

   
     Although it was difficult for the boys to pull us girls away from the markets, we had a reservation at La Alhambra at 2 p.m. that we simply couldn't miss. We were originally only 15 minute walk up hill away but the boys wanted to take a different route to see some "graffiti walls," that someone at Makuto recommended (are you surprised?). A good four miles later we stopped a couple on the mountain to ask for directions when they told us we were not even on the map we had been looking at, which was a little concerning to say the least. The views of the mountains on our little detour were amazing though, and oddly enough we passed real "gypsy caves," (not the touristy ones for flamenco dancing, these were small holes dug into the sides of the mountain along the highway) which really made us appreciate how fortunate we are to have a warm place to sleep back home, much less a front door and privacy.
    Eventually we made it to La Alhambra, and even more importantly, made it on time. There were so many people there, it actually felt more like an amusement park than the historic royal grounds that it is. La Alhambra was built in Mudejar style in the ninth century as a fortress for the last Arabic and Muslim empire in Spain, but continued to evolve and expand throughout the 15th century. It's divided into sections—the Medina, which houses The Nasrid Palaces (where the royal court lived) and The Charles V Palace (built after the Reconquista), the Generalife (gardens where the sultans and kings living there would relax) and the military section encompassing the towers.

El Patio de Leones.

View of the Alcazaba (military area) from one of the towers.

A fountain in the Generalife gardens.

     It was all so beautiful, and it's amazing to see the detail that was put into each and every wall, window and ceiling. I think had I gone in Spring or Fall (as opposed to winter) it would have been stunning because the roses and other flowers in the Generalife, and around the complex in general, would have been in bloom. I'd have to say my favorite section was The Nasrid Palaces, overlooking El Albaicin (a beautiful and historic neighborhood in Grenada).

Windows in The Nasrid Palaces overlooking "El Albaicin."

One of the many beautiful ponds in La Alhambra. This one is located in The Nasrid Palaces.

     Although it was a short trip, Granada was well worth it. It's history and beauty are incredible and it's a "New Seven Wonders of the World" finalist that should absolutely be visited by all.

Sevilla, Andalucia

     When it comes to studying abroad, it's a well-known fact that staying with a host family is one of the best ways to learn the language and customs of a country. It forces you to branch out of your comfort zone—to try new food, adopt new practices and communicate in languages (or in some cases, gestures) other than English. Although my program through the University of Georgia broke this "cardinal rule" of studying abroad and didn't offer us the chance to live with a host family, it afforded us an even better opportunity, the chance to live in dorms with both undergrad and graduate students attending various private colleges in Valencia. Rather than interacting with an elder Spanish couple, we're able to hang out with Spanish students ranging from ages 18-25 years old, allowing us to soak up aspects of Spanish culture that pertain to our generation and make new friends in the process. In doing so, we've met students from all over Latin America and Spain, but I have to say the most notable students are those from the Comunidad Autonomia de Andalucia. First off, they stick out because their accent is nearly impossible to understand unless they intentionally slow down to speak to you, as they often drop consonants or omit the final "s" in their words and sentences. More importantly though, their pride for Andalusia (more specifically the cities of Sevilla and Cordoba) reminds me of our own Texan pride (slightly ridiculous yet totally enviable), and that is a rarity.

   With all the great things our Spanish friends (thanks Pepe & Alejandro!) had told us about their home "state," a group of  friends and I decided we had to check it out and see for ourselves. The eight of us bought last-minute train tickets bound for Sevilla and the following Friday we jumped on an 8:15 a.m. AVE. I think we'd all agree that this train absolutely lived up to it's expectation, combining high-speed travel with luxury at a reasonable price—I could get used to that. The ride was a little over three hours long but the beautiful countryside provided an excellent distraction and made it seem much faster. We arrived around noon, picked up maps of the city and headed to "Barrio Santa Cruz," arguably the best area for travelers to stay in as it is surrounded by historic sights, great restaurants and an exciting nightlife. On the walk to our hostel we passed  so many street vendors, selling everything from books to purses and necklaces...had we not been in a rush to check in to our hostel I think I would have spent entirely too much money buying jewelry for my sisters and myself (sorry, girls)! After settling into our hostel we headed to the Plaza de España. This giant, semicircular building was built for the 1929 Worlds Fair and is surrounded by gardens, fountains and beautiful tile walls. Although it has since been used to host government offices, it's been featured in plenty of films too, including Lawrence of Arabia and Star Wars Episode II.

The beautiful Plaza de España

Boat rentals for tourists who prefer a more..."scenic" route.

Tiled alcoves surround the plaza, each representing a different province. 

Cat, Shayna, Heather, Mae, Meghan and I in front of the plaza.

    

    That night, we also went to a flamenco show hosted by our hostel. Although the show was clearly not a fancy production, it was so cool to experience the musicians and dancers interact with each other to create the final product. Prior to this show I had heard plenty of flamenco music, but I didn't realize that it was completely improvised—part of the art is that the musicians and dancers feed off of each others energy and rhythm, creating a different performance each night.

     The following day we headed to the Catedral de Santa María de la Sede which is both the fourth-largest cathedral in the world and the largest Gothic cathedral. The inside was stunning, as most Spanish cathedrals are, and had endless "capillas," or chapels. The sheer size of it is just awe-striking. Originally a mosque, the building was reconstructed and converted into a cathedral after the "Reconquista," though it still maintains some aspects of Islamic architecture such as the "Patio de Naranjas," and Giralda (bell) Tower. Because it's customary in the Islamic religion to pray five times per day, the architects nixed stairs in favor of ramps so that they could ride their horses to ring the bell each time, and man did they have the right idea— it was so much easier to climb! Another cool thing about the cathedral is that is houses the tomb of Christopher Columbus. Legend has it that although Columbus died in Spain, he wanted to be buried in the Americas. He was eventually buried in the Dominican Republic, but when Spain lost possession of the DR they moved him to Havana, Cuba. Then, when Cuba became independent, the remains of Columbus were sent to the cathedral in Sevilla where his tomb is located today. Interestingly enough, despite DNA testing concluding the remains in the Catedral de Santa María de la Sede match those of Columbus, the Dominican Republic also still claims to have his remains, though they refuse to exhume the box for testing. 

Shayna, Mae, Meghan, Cat and I 

In front of Christopher Columbus' tomb

View of the Patio de Naranjas from the Giralda Tower

     Our last, and perhaps my favorite, stop was the Alcázar of Seville. Originally a Moorish fort, now the oldest Spanish Palace still in use, it's comprised of both Arabic and Christian influences. The architecture is amazing and the gardens are even more impressive—definitely fit for a queen. The pictures below will speak for themselves!

Some of the beautiful gardens.

An example of the Arab architecture. 

 Los Baños de Doña María de Padilla.

Patio de las Doncellas, "Courtyard of the Maidens."

     On the way back to the train station we stopped by the Rio Guadalquivir for a late lunch and just to enjoy the weather. It was hard to leave such a beautiful city and I hope to go back soon!

Sagunto, Comunidad Autónoma de Valencia

     Buenos Días!

    Ever since we arrived in Valencia we've had a pretty busy schedule— the Spanish life may be more relaxed, but there is always a festival to celebrate or a sight to see. Before I begin, it may be helpful to know that regions in Spain are divided into "comunidades autónomas," rather than "states" like we have in the United States. Spain is comprised of 17 comunidades autónomas and Valencia, the city we live in, is located in the "Comunidad Autónoma de Valencia."

     Since we don't have school on Friday, our TA, Nicole, set up a day trip to Sagunto, a small city on the Mediterranean also located in the Comunidad Autónoma de Valencia, just a short thirty minute train ride from our temporary home. We were all really excited to try out the train system since we've heard it's a great way to travel, and we were not disappointed! The national rail system here in Spain is RENFE, and they specialize in two types of trains, the Alta Velocidad Española (AVE) and the general rail. The AVE, which is a very nice, high-speed train system, was originally set up in 1992 to help people travel from Madrid to Sevilla where the World's Fair was held. I hate to go off on a tangent but I find the history of the Spanish rail system to be so cool. For those of you who may not know the history of Spain (I sure didn't before this trip), around 1808, Napoleon Bonaparte convinced the king of Spain, Charles IV, to let him and his army pass through Spain in order to take over Portugal (the Portuguese Navy was too strong for Napoleon to invade from the sea). When Charles IV gave him permission, Napoleon actually invaded Spain and took over, placing his brother Joseph Bonaparte in power. The Spanish rail system was created later that century after the Spanish regained control of the throne, but to prevent future unwanted visitors, they designed the Spanish railroad track to have a different width than that of the French.

Our train station in Valencia

     Back to Sagunto, we arrived around 11 so we had a good portion of the day to explore. The primary attraction in the city are the Roman ruins, primarily the ruins of the Citadel on the top of a hill overlooking the city and the sea. Another attraction is the old Roman theater, which, unfortunately, has been restored and is now used for concerts and plays (it's a little too modern for my taste). Our program director came with us on this trip and recounted the history of this ancient city (built in the fifth century)—it is so crazy to think that we walked where the infamous Hannibal and his armies once invaded (Siege of Saguntum which triggered the Second Punic War). Although it was difficult to tell which parts of the Citadel we were in at the time, the ruins in general were pretty incredible to see and I totally understand why they picked Sagunto to defend their territory...the vantage point is insane!   

 

The restored Roman Theater in Sagunto

Ruins of the Citadel overlooking the Mediterranean 

Enjoying the view!

Sagunto, C.A. de Valencia

     Overall, I really enjoyed our day trip here. It was not as beautiful as Segovia, of course, but I really enjoyed learning all the history behind it!

Segovia, Castile y León

     For those of you who've seen The Princess Diaries, you may think of the Genovia National Anthem upon hearing "Segovia," and I can tell you from personal experience that the city of Segovia is exactly how I would picture the fictional European country of Genovia. About two hours north of Madrid, this colorful city is truly stunning and is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and evergreen trees.

Could this city be any more beautiful?!

      Each year, Segovia plays host to thousands of visitors taking a day off from Madrid. Aside from the cobblestone streets and incredible landscape, this historical city is famous for the Segovia Aqueduct, Alcazar de Segovia, and the Segovia Cathedral, and we were lucky enough to see all three of these amazing landmarks.

     Driving through the winding streets of the city, the first thing you'll notice is the aqueduct—almost 11 miles long, it's hard to miss. Legend has it, a young maid had to walk miles to fill a bucket of water for her master every day, so when she could bear it no longer she called on the devil and offered her soul in exchange for a "solution" before dawn. The maid fainted and was awoken hours later by a lightning bolt which illuminated the sky, showing hundreds of demons working on the aqueduct. When the maiden realized the severity of the pact she had made, she called on God asking him to forgive her and to break the promise. When the first rays of light arrived the following morning, there was still one stone left to be placed, signifying the devil's failure. When the maiden confessed this to a priest in a nearby church, he declared it a miracle and ordered a statue of the Virgin Mary and St. Stephen to be placed in the hole left by the "unplaced" stone. While this legend is truly entertaining, the more common history of the aqueduct is that it was built by the Romans in the first century—first century, how crazy is that! Even more amazing, the aqueduct, which is 93.6 feet high, was constructed without mortar...now that's what I call engineering.

     

     Our second stop was the Catedral de Santa María de Segovia, a stunning Gothic-style Catholic cathedral. Upon entering the cathedral it became clear that it was built in the sixteenth century, before central heating...it was FREEZING inside! I will say that the incredible ceilings and "capillas," or chapels, provided a great distraction from the large goosebumps covering our bodies. The attention to detail in these cathedrals is just incredible, there is not a corner or stone without gold leaf or some sort of etching or engraving.

     From there we made our way to our last stop, the Alcazar de Segovia, or perhaps better known as "Cinderella's Castle" (apparently, Walt Disney was inspired by this incredible fortress and used it to build his model of Cinderella's castle). The Castle is located on top of a hill and is surrounded by two rivers, providing the perfect location for King Ferdinand and Isabella, el Rey y la Reina de Aragon.  The inside of the castle, like the cathedral, was freezing as well, but covered in tapestries which we learned were what retained heat back in the medieval days. It was so interesting to see the inside of a real castle, it was not as ornate or "magical," as I had expected, but then again it was still pretty insane for being built around 1122. I'd have to say my absolute favorite part of the castle, and Segovia as a whole, was the view from the bell tower— but man, good things sure come with a price. What seemed like 30 stories and a million stairs later (warning, these steps are not for the weak-hearted or claustrophobic), we made it to the top, and it was worth every moment of jelly-legs. 

Alcazar de Segovia/"Cinderella's Castle"

View of Segovia from the castle bell tower. The large structure in the center of the city is the cathedral bell tower. 

     If you have a day to spare, I would absolutely recommend a day trip to Segovia. The city is charming and  views could not be any better. If you're there in January I would suggest checking out the shopping as well, there are some really good deals on leather boots!

First stop—Madrid

     I must say, stepping off the plane in a foreign country, alone, is rather daunting. However, boarding this said plane, is even more terrifying. While the rest of my group flew in to the Madrid airport from Atlanta, Georgia, I made the decision to embrace my last few days of winter break (and postpone packing as long as I could, of course) at home in Austin, Texas before heading to Spain for the next five months. The first leg of the trip to New York was a breeze, I had a great book (Kill Shot by Vince Flynn—great way to start a trip abroad), a window seat and a fully charged iPod. The second flight of the trip, however, was slightly less glamorous. This completely full flight was actually composed of almost all study abroad groups— college students from Ohio, Massachusetts and even a group from Pennsylvania. While the majority of these kids had the fortune of sitting together and chatting about the exciting adventures to come, I had the misfortune of the seat everyone fears on a long, six and a half hour flight, the middle seat. To my right I had the typical foreign elder lady speaking to me in a language I couldn't dream of understanding, and to my left I had a long-bearded man who used my shoulder as his pillow to drool on. It took only moments for me to realize it would be a long flight, especially since I realized I had left my iPod on the last flight. 

     We landed in Madrid the following morning and after collecting my bags and spending 45 minutes or so attempting to make my way to the "old" section of the airport, I met up with my group from UGA and we were on our way to the heart of Madrid. Our hotel, 

Tryp Gran Via, could not have been located in a better part of the city—just minutes from la Puerta del Sol, great restaurants and even better nightlife. It was also here that we had our first experience with El Corte Ingles, a seven-story department store with anything and everything you could ever imagine. Also located just steps from our hotel was the largest and nicest McDonald's I've ever encountered, though at night it is more famous for "las prostitutas" who "greet" customers and tourists starting at 11 p.m. Did I mention the nightlife was incredible in Madrid? Promoters line the plazas trying to get you into their bar, "pub" or discoteca offering anything from "una chupita" (a shot), to a bottle of champagne in exchange for your presence—now that is something I could get used to. Coming from a school like UGA, we figured we would hold our own when it comes to Spanish nightlife, but man were we wrong. The saying here is, "En España, volver antes de las 3 no es salir. Es ir a cenar," and it could not be more true. Here, the party does not start until 3 or 4 in the morning and it continues until breakfast around 7 or 8 a.m., es loca.

     Although we were only in Madrid for three days, we had intense walking tours all over the city, averaging about 11 miles per day. We saw the Plaza del Torros, Templo de Debod, Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Museo del Prado, Museo Reina Sofía, Plaza Mayor and the Palacio Real de Madrid, just to name a few. In general, Madrid reminds me a lot of Chicago or New York, a bustling city filled with history and excitement, a city I would love to return to in the future. 

Plaza del Torros

Plaza Mayor

Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, Cervantes Monument

Ayuntamiento de Madrid

Our group in La Plaza Mayor