Across Europe Fall 04

Date: Tue, 30 Nov 2004 07:44:09 -0800 (PST)

We are in Seville now. It is an interesting city and a lot warmer than
Madrid. Yesterday we wandered around and saw the Cathedral. It is the third
largest cathedral in the world I think they said, or at least europe. It was
really nice inside. It looked just enormous with these huge pillars. And out
back there is a courtyard with orange trees, surrounded by walls from an old
mosque that stood on the site like way back before the church so like 1200´s
maybe. They kept some of the walls from it and the archways and they are
really gorgeous in the peaceful courtyard. there is also a tower that used
to be part of the mosque and is now attached to the church. It is made with
ramps instead of stairs so that the bell ringer guy could ride his horse to
the top to ring the bells to tell everyone it is time to worship. From the
top of the tower you can see the whole city and the rooftop of the cathedral
which is almost as ornate as the inside.

Then in the evening we went to see a Flamenco show. Flamenco is from
southern spain originally so Sevilla is supposedly one of the best places to
see it. The show wasnt really what we were expecting but it was really neat
anyway. I guess we had mixed thoughts of tango and two person dancing with
lots of leg action into it, and there really wasnt any of that, it was
mostly stomping and clapping. The girls wore the frilly dresses and they
basically stomped their feet like tap dancers without taps. And they clapped
their hands and swished thier dresses around, every once in a while they
would suddenly just stop and strike a pose, so you thought you should clap
but they werent done so they would start up again and repeat the whole
thing. then there was the band, with a couple guys on guitars basically just
strumming, I couldnt really discern any type of tune. And there were these
other guys that mostly stood there clapping to some imagined beat I couldnt
really get (it seemed like
everyone was on a different beat but somehow it worked). Then every once
in a while usually at the beginning or end of the song, one of the guys
would step forward and sing, or more acurately, mourn. I dont know what they
were saying, if they were saying anything, but most of the time it sounded
like they lost a woman or their dog died or something. That is not to say it
was bad though, it was really quite haunting and engaging, but it really did
sound sad. Only once did a guy come out and do the dancing like the girls
were doing. He did more spinning and stuff, I guess becuase he didnt have
the big dress to worry about he had more freedom. But he was actually kind
of scary I thought, just the way he looked and the faces he made and stuff,
he was very creepy. I guess you can´t really explain it because no one part
was all that impressive and I couldnt really figure how it all went
together, but it did. And when it all came together it was very
entertaining. It had a lot of energy.

Today we went to the Alcazar Palace. It was really great. the audioguide
said that the style was a mix of islamic influences and christian ones, but
it seemed mostly islamic to me. There was a lot of tile work and intricate
designs in stone and lots of islamic style arches, often three in a row
between rooms. Supposedly three arches has something to do with meaning
harmony or peace or something. There were also lots of fountains. Apparently
water is a big part of islamic art and architecture and is supposed to add
sereneity to a place. There were also a lot of leafy plant motifs in the
carvings which are indicative of islamic art. The whole place was awe
inspiring really. I thought it was all just gorgeous, and if I were a queen
that is what I would want my palace to look like, rather than all the gilded
baroque stuff like in some of the other places we have seen. Seth thought
that this one was too gaudy and didnt really like it. But the best part, we
both agreed, was the garden. It
was huge and gorgeous even though it is almost winter now, there were
still oranges on all the trees and lemons and roses and birds of paridise
flowers. And there were tons of fountains all over the gardens with trees
and hedges between them so that when you found one it felt like you had it
all to yourself. It was so peaceful we walked around for over an hour.

I had churros con chocolate for an afternoon snack. (I had tried it for
breakfast in Madrid and thought it was too sweet - can you imagine me
thinking something was too sweet) but I wanted to give it another try before
we leave spain. It was really good for an afternoon snack. The churros were
freshly fried (they are like long skinny donuts) and the chocolate is rich
and thick like hot chocolate on steroids. You dip the churro in the
chocolate and enjoy.

So tonight I said we have to find paella becuase we havent really had that
yet, and we have had lots of tapas and sangria and stuff. So before we
leave, it is paella tonight!

then tommorrow we will be on our way to paris! Only two more weeks until we
go home. I am having a really great time, but now I think it is time to go
home. I am really getting sick of having to share a bathroom with like the
whole floor. This hotel is worse than most of the other ones we have been
in, but basically I am looking forward to being able to take a shower pretty
much whenever I want, and to know there is going to be hot water, and a
place to put the shower head so that it runs on my head, as opposed to
having to hold it with one hand and soap with the other, or turn it off and
freeze.

Oh and the other thing is that I swear the people and cars here are out to
get me. Seth thought I was making it up at first until I pointed it out like
a hundred times. Every time I walk down the street, someone can be on the
other side of the sidewalk and when they see me coming they cross so that
they are right in my way. Seth said I jsut need to be tougher and not get
out of everyones way, so I am being more tough, and now instead of me moving
we slam shoulders becuase they wont move either. and cars, ugh. A lot of the
streets around here are ´´pedestrian only´´ . They have these posts at the
end of the street so that cars cant go down them, except if you pull your
car right up to them, the posts will retract into the sidewalk so a car can
pass, so basically a street that is supposed to be pedestrian only has cars,
same with squares. And inevitably those cars want to go RIGHT where I am. So
like I see the car coming across the square so I try to get to the side to
get out of the
way, what happens, of course! the car wants to PARK right where I am not
walking. I could go on and on, but suffice it to say I am not making this
up, they are out to get me or something. Scooters will get ON the sidewalk
just to try to mow me down. I can´t figure out what I am doing wrong, and
now it is a running joke, seth just laughs becuase it is so true. (it isnt
like it is really dangerous or anything becuase the cars are usually going
slow when there are a lot of people around, it is just funny and annoying
that they keep choosing me to aim for, am I wearing a target) I fear it will
be even worse in paris.

Meg and Seth