So, my last post was ‘reheated’ from a couple of days ago when the computer wouldn’t cooperate…and now I’m in a different country! It’s our long weekend off school, and Alyssa and I are in Seville, Spain! Oh, it’s glorious. The stats on getting here were a little scary: 1 backpack each, 2 languages used, 5 forms of transportation taken…oh boy. But then we stepped off the plane into a tropical, dusky sunset and drove past blooming jacaranda trees and window boxes full of potted red geraniums…:) Our hostel is a converted old mansion, with cool white marble floors and a rooftop terrace with hammocks and a cool-water jacuzzi! Wow, it’s nice to be warm, and to relax. The old Spanish is coming out for some exercise: I’ve asked for an ATM, booked a taxi, bought cathedral tickets, and ordered paella…blessed mother, thank you for all those years of making me do conjugations 😛
Today has just been lovely. Alyssa and I spent breakfast trying to decipher the back of the juice boxes. Juice here is ‘zumo’, not ‘jugo’, and pineapple juice is apparently gluten-free and low in calories. Fancy that! 😛 Then we set out wandering. We’re in the Triana district of Seville, and the buildings are brightly colored along narrow, winding cobblestone streets, overhung with wrought-iron balconies and lots of tropical plants and flowers. Alyssa will tell you, I just can’t stop taking pictures of them 🙂 (see attached photos…) we visited the cathedral, which is apparently the world’s largest gothic cathedral by volume (it’s HUGE–felt like a small city in itself!) and saw the tomb of–guess who?–Christopher Colombus! I didn’t know this, but Seville’s Real Alcazar palace is apparently the site of his negotiations with King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella…wow!
Next was said Real Alcazar–an amazing, old, and beautiful palace. Its oldest parts are from the 10th century!! and its architecture is a cool blend of Spanish and Moorish–at times I almost felt like I was in the Middle East! Gorgeous sculpture and frescoes; every inch of every surface seemed decorated with something. And the gardens were also incredible–everything grows here! So many colors and sweet smells, all in the tropical breeze 🙂
Oh, and guess what? We saw men sitting on the street corners playing classical guitar, while horse-drawn carriages clattered by (see photo :P) This one’s for you, Daniel!
For lunch, we got brave and ordered seafood paella in Spanish–and it came, complete with a shrimp with its eyes and claws still attached O,O The rest of it was good, though…and we tried fresh-squeezed Sevillan orange juice as well. And when I say fresh, I mean, the orange just jumped out of its peel and into the glass. It was amazing!
And just walking the streets has been one of the most fun things so far. Last night the moon was full and golden, and it was just warm and peaceful and relaxed–so nice. I’m really thankful we came, and am enjoying it a lot 🙂 It’s so warm they didn’t even give us blankets for our beds, just a top and bottom sheet! Tonight we’re going out to try and find tapas and flamenco…I’m so excited!
Alina
Adventures Abroad 
My Dear Alina,
You are having quite a fab-o adventure 🙂
I hope you are being able to save yur blogs and put them into some sort of “book” form for yur children one day.
YOU write wonderfully.
Thanks sooo much for including me in yur travels. I feel like i am with you.
much love,
auntie rose