Semana Santa has begun

Yesterday--Palm Sunday--was the first day of Semana Santa. I was out all day (12 hours!) watching the processions. Absolutely incredible! However, I am going to hold off on posting anything about Semana Santa until the week is over. With classes and the processions, I am going to have time for little else. So...my Semana Santa report most likely won´t be until Sunday.

However, I have some old posts that I have written but haven´t had time to upload. I´ll post those over the next few days, so there will be something to check out. I know you are all hanging on my every word, eh? :)

Flamenco Culture

On the bus ride to Seville, I decided it was time to read a bit about my new home for the next three weeks.

So, I cracked open my Rick Steve's book, and here´s the first sentence I read: "Seville is the flamboyant city of Carmen and Don Juan, where bullfighting is still politically correct and where little girls still dream of growing up to become flamenco dancers."

I had no idea at the time how true that statement really is!


Seville is a thoroughly modern city, offering everything you need for comfortable living (including American brands...see left). Yet at the same time, Sevillianos have kept their unique, centuries old traditions alive in a very real way. These traditions are not simply dragged out in order to attract the coveted tourism dollar.

No, Sevillianos live their traditions.











And I think little girls here do dream of becoming flamenco dancers. Little girls, and big girls too. I rarely passed a flamenco store without seeing window shoppers admiring the latest dress designs, the hair accessories, the beautiful woven shawls, colorful handpainted fans, and enormous, dramatic earrings.

There are dozens (maybe even 100) stores selling nothing but flamenco attire. This is prime season for buying a new flamenco dress, as Sevilla´s big annual fair is just two weeks away. Called ¨The Feria¨, this week long celebration is a kind of release after the solemnity of Semana Santa. For an entire week, the women wear their fabulous flouncy flamenco dresses, and eat and drink and dance until dawn. The party goes on for literally 24 hours a day for the entire week.






But it´s not a drunken Lalapoluza. It´s very much a family affair, as much for the children as it is for the adults. Little girls dress in flamenco dresses of their own, and the entire family enjoys the party together.

I am not staying for the feria. It will be great, I am sure, but I am moving on. I will be sad to miss seeing all the women in their beautiful dresses, the horses and carriages that parade the feria grounds in their finery (horses are dressed up too), the men on horseback with women riding behind them side-saddle. That would all be very fun to see.

But, then again, I don´t really like the big partying fair scene in the US, so I´d probably get tired of it pretty quickly!



I did want a piece of the experience though, so the other day I mustered up the courage to go into one of those many flamenco stores and try on a few dresses for myself. At right is me before--in my boring old city clothes--and after, transformed into a flamenco momma.






























I didn´t mean to chop off my head in the picture. I just couldn´t back up far enough in the dressing room, and I was NOT going to go out and ask the store employee to take my picture.  And the verdict? Do I have flamenco in my soul? Um...I felt like a stuffed sausage to be honest. Most of the dresses didn´t fit me very well because I am so much taller than the average Spanish woman. But...it was fun to try.

first England, now Rome

Last week I visited England. Yesterday, Rome.

...Ancient Rome, that is. Did you know that emperors Trajan and Hadrian were both from Spain? I sure didn't. I'd assumed that all Roman emperors were, well, born in Rome. But, in fact, Hadrian and Trajan hail from the Sevilla area, from a sizeable Roman settlement called Italica.

Founded in 206 BC for veterans of Rome's victory over Carthage, Italica was the first of many Roman settlements in Spain. And thanks to it's favorite sons Hadrian and Trajan, the city received a tremendous boost, with grand projects that were, in truth, on a scale entirely uncalled for given Italica's population size.

When the empire fell, Italica was largely abandoned, and what remains today is a fantastic peak into the majesty of the Roman metropolis.

Italica's layout is a perfect example of the marvel of Roman town planning, with distinct sections designated for public, semi-private, and private buildings, all of which integrate beautifully into an exceptional landscape.


MOSAICS
For me, the most captivating aspect of Italica was the prevalence of beautiful, intricate mosaics, covering virtually every room in the homes of the Italica's political elite and wealthy residents. Even simple hallways were decorated with unique and colorful mosaic designs. At Italica, there's not simply one or two mosaics to be seen; there are dozens! Here's just a sampling of the designs (including our friend Medusa up in the top middle):


There were so many great mosaics, but unfortunately because I was standing on the ground and not hovering over them from the air, I wasn't able to get good photographs to share with you. At right are images from the large House of Birds mosaic, which depicts more than 30 different species of birds. Each bird is so colorful and artfully created, it's truly magic to see. But, sadly my photography just doesn't do it justice. Oh well.

AMPHITHEATRE
Italica has one of the largest of all Roman amphitheatres, with a seating capacity of 25,000--clearly more than was needed based on the size of the town's population.

I enjoyed walking around the grounds, through the interior corridors, onto the main central arena. I tried to imagine it full of spectators, but couldn't due to the site's decaying state and the sun's increasing heat.

I did spend some time in the Gladiator's room, trying to see if I could decipher any of the Latin words that make up the Gladiator's creed, or prayer. This is where they would gather, awaiting their designated time in the ring. Spooky.

In all, it was a great visit...a must do for anyone visiting Sevilla, especially since it's a simple half-hour bus ride from downtown Sevilla...and just $3 round trip! :)

Preparations for Semana Santa

Semana Santa starts this Sunday and you can feel the excitement building.

“Semana Santa” is a week of elaborate and dramatic processions and floats to commemorate the Easter event. Semana Santa celebrations are common throughout the Spanish-speaking world, but it’s at its most Catholically extravagant in Seville. It's a very serious affair, full of pomp and glory, and I can´t wait to experience it in person.

Over the last few weeks I have seen all the preparation involved, and can tell you first hand that this is no mere tourism extravaganza. Semana Santa in Sevilla is by the locals for the locals. It is an emotional event, full of neighborhood pride and religious devotion. And it is much more complex than I originally imagined. This week in our culture class at school we are learning about Semana Santa, from it´s origins in the 1700s to how it is practiced today. As the week goes on, I will share some of what I learned on this site, with accompanying pictures.


Rehearsals
A few days ago I was on my way home around 7pm when I ran across a rehearsal in action.

(...Ooops, gotta head back to class. I´ll finish this entry tomorrow.)






Semana Santa hits the stores

Plaza de Toros

On Tuesday morning I visited Sevilla´s bullring, reputed to be the oldest in Spain and one of the most beautiful. In fact, it was probably here (and nearby Rhonda) that bullfighting on foot--instead of horseback--began in the 18th century.

I went on an interesting, half hour tour of the ring, which included a small museum with artifacts dating to the earliest bull fights. I´ve always been curious how this sport came about. Too many bulls and not enough to do? I learned at the museum that bullfighting originated out of a military training exercise. At first, soldiers on horseback practiced knocking faux heads off of a statue in the center of a ring. This is depicted in the painting below, and aside that are photos of the original statue and four of the Pirates of the Carribean-esque heads. Eventually, this challenge was too easily mastered, and new challenges had to be introduced. Por fin, the bull. Fighting an massive agitated bull on foot does seem to me to be the zenith of all imaginable challenges.


By the way, the word "matador" translates literally as 'the killer'!

One odd thing I learned while on the tour: If the matador, aka the torrero, kills the bull in a particularly spectacular manner (apparently there is a complicated point system), he/she is given the ear of the bull as a souvenir. This seems very odd to me... what on earth is the matador going to do with it once he gets home? Use it as a paper weight? Some of the bullheads at the museum were indeed missing ears, signifying that they died 'spectacular deaths'. Lucky bulls.

I enjoyed seeing the ring and learning about bullfighting, but I don´t plan to attend a bullfight while in Spain. I went to one about 10 years ago while in Guanajuato, Mexico. For me, once was enough. However, putting aside my general feelings about this ´sport´, I will say one thing: the Sevilla ring has fantastic poster art!

If you like intricate tilework...

If you like intricate tilework, Sevilla´s a great place to visit.

I don´t have much time to write today, so I will just share some examples of the beautiful tilework to be found throughout the city. Below is a sampling of common tile patterns:

In addition to geometric and floral patterns, countless painted tiles decorate Sevilla, often depicting the history of Spain and everyday life in Andalucia:

Tilework truly is everywhere, from floors and walls to building facades and park benches (like these benches in the Plaza de Espana):

And, ´back in the day´, tiles were even commonly used for advertisements. I love this billboard-sized tile advertisement for those snazzy new Studebakers. It was hand-painted in 1927, and for being almost 100 years old, it´s in pretty good shape considering it´s on the wall of one of Seville´s busiest (pedestrian-only) shopping streets!

Sevilla's Amazing Alcazar

I toured Sevilla´s Alcazar (castle) on Sunday and was absolutely speechless the entire time. Feeling a bit castled-out, I had actually considered skipping Sevilla´s castle since from the outside it isn´t terribly enticing. What a tragedy that would have been. This castle is entirely different than the others I have seen, and absolutely, unbelievably gorgeous. It was commissioned by King Pedro I, aka Pedro the Cruel. By all accounts, he was a despicable human being, killing off anyone who got in his way, including his own siblings. But golly gee did he leave us a purty castle to look at.

After much effort, I find myself entirely incapable of editing down my photos to a digestible quantity, so I will keep my commentaries short and let the photos speak for themselves. Please do click on the images to enlarge them. You need to see the detail in order to really appreciate it´s beauty.

At top is a photo of the main inner courtyard--¨the Patio of the Maidens¨. Below are some detail shots of the interior of the palace, including the exquisite doors:

the beautiful interior rooms:

and close-ups of all the intricate detail. I am guessing the builders and designers never uttered the words ¨let´s ask the King to pick which design he likes best.¨ If one design is good, five is better. And yet it works so beautifully here.




Underground Banos

In a cavernous space under the castle is a stunning luminescent orange reflecting pool. I didn´t go on a guided tour of the grounds, and my guidebook was woefully inadequate for this site, so I have absolutely no idea if the pool served any purpose other than being a sublime place to bathe. All I know is that it´s called ¨Banos de Dona Maria de Padilla¨ and it is a sight to behold.

[By the way, contrary to what most gringos think, bano is not bathroom in Spain, it´s bath. These are not the castle toilets.]


Jardines
The palace also has large beautiful gardens,

including a real labyrinth. Fun! In the picture below, find the heads popping up above the hedge...that´s how high the passage ways were.

But the best is yet to come...
As breathtaking as this castle was, from what I hear, Granada´s castle (´the Alhambra´) is even more beautiful that Sevilla´s. I can´t wait.

Day Trip to England

I visited England last Saturday. I ate fish and chips, walked down Winston Churchill Avenue, and relished the ability to communicate freely in English.

What??? Okay, I actually just went to Gibraltar, but that is part of England. Most of you have heard of Gibraltar, that big lump of limestone at the southern tip of Spain, just 16 km from Africa.

It´s always been one of those places I´ve looked at on the map with great curiosity. I had to go check it out. It´s just two hours from Seville by bus, so on Saturday I took a day trip there with some other students.

Turns out my curiosity was not well-founded. Gibraltar, I´m sorry to report, was a bit of a bore. Yes, it does look like 1960s England in many respects, but after some typical English food and 10 minutes of strolling, the novelty wears off and the visitor is left with little to do other than shop.


Tourism, in the form of day-trippers, is the mainstay of Gibraltar´s economy. (Well, that and ¨financial services¨--the Cayman Islands sort.) Most of the tourists were there to shop for cheap booze, cigarettes and electronics. The main street (¨Main Street¨) was packed when I was there. I´m not much of a shopper, so this was not my scene.

After several hours of aimless wandering we went on a short tour to the point, then up the mountain. That was much more interesting. Here are some scenes of the Rock and the Strait of Gibraltar:


British monkeys

The Rock´s most popular residents are its colony of macaques, 300-something in total. They are Europe´s only wild primates (having been introduced from Africa in the 18th century) but for wild animals, they certainly had no fear of humans.

The tour guide rightly warned us not to touch or get too close to the monkeys. But, within minutes of seeing a pack, the bus driver was feeding them nuts and playing 'high five'. This, of course, emboldened the rest of the group, and suddenly everyone wanted a photograph sitting next to a monkey. There were some tense moments when comfort zones were crossed (for both species) but for the most part the monkeys were bored with our presence. Although I saw my share of monkeys in Africa, the feeling wasn´t mutual. I could watch them all day.


St. Michael´s Cave

Being a giant lump of limestone, Gibraltar sports its fair share of caves. After the monos (monkeys), we visited the St. Michaels cave and had your typical cave-visiting experience. Five minutes of fascination followed by 20+ minutes of repetition. I did particularly enjoy seeing the cross section of a stalagmite, and was amazed to discover that, like trees, they have rings that tell of their formation and that of the surrounding environment. Very interesting.

And then we went home
So, that´s all I have to report on Gibraltar. Not a home run for me. I suppose at least now I can say I´ve seen ¨the Rock¨. (Of course, the response I´ll probably get from most people is ¨Did you get his autograph?¨)

Style de Sevilla

Best thing about Sevilla:

The beautiful courtyards, all ornately tiled, full of plants and fountains and chirping birds. Beautiful little Edens, respites from the hectic world just outside their walls.

Worst thing about Sevilla:

I CAN´T SEE MOST OF THEM! Occasionally I get a peak into a courtyard when the exterior door is left open a crack, but for the most part these little jewels are hidden from the outside world by a big exterior door, then a vestibule and a wrought iron gate just beyond the exterior door (see below).

The Spanish courtyard-style home was actually introduced by the Moors (Muslims), who ruled the Iberian peninsula for centuries during the Middle Ages. Courtyards protect the privacy of family members, particularly women, from the attentions of others.

And enclosing these fantastic spaces with simple exterior walls is in keeping with Muslim teachings to not attempt to position yourself above others. Indeed, from the outside, the houses all look pretty much the same. It´s a fantastic sentiment, with one little downside for nosy tourists like me.

And also...
Another typically Spanish architectural detail that is especially strong in this region of Southern Spain ("Andalucia") is the use of wrought-iron decorative railings, balconies, window coverings, etc... Que bonita!

My Life in Sevilla

I´ve just finished my first week of school here in Seville. I love the area, like the accommodations, and remain undecided about the school.

The School
Elemadrid definitely set the bar high for all other Spanish schools I will attend. This school here in Seville, "Enforex", is a good school, but in my opinion, not nearly as good as elemadrid. I don´t feel as if I am progressing as much as I did at elemadrid, and I am even studying more in my spare time now than in Madrid. It´s probably too early on in my schooling here to make such pronouncements. Perhaps it´s not worse, just different. Time will tell. I´ll keep you posted.

Other than the learning aspect...the staff are all very friendly, fun people, as are the students. And the building the school is housed in is spectacular, designed by a famous architect and full of colorful Mujedar details.


The Accommodations:
In Madrid, I was in a shared apartment. Here in Seville, I am staying in the home of a local woman named Ana. I have to say I was a bit sketchy about the situation at first, but I'm okay with it now. It´s fun to live in a neighborhood, to live like a local if only for just three weeks. You know those things I said I wasn´t going to photography anymore...well, I live on one of them. And here I am, one entry later, breaking my rule and photographing them again.

These streets and homes all look so similar that I get lost a lot! I used to think I was good at navigating around, but Spain is certainly disproving that belief. Ah, the things you learn about yourself when you travel. It starts from the moment I step out the front door. Crazy as it sounds, I head in the wrong direction AT LEAST 75% of the time. It´s laughable, really.

I live in the home of Ana, a very nice middle-aged woman who has lived in Seville all of her life. She operates her own catering business out of her house, and rents out two of her rooms throughout the year to students from all over the world. My room is TINY--the picture at right shows the entire width of the room--and sorta, well, not what I had hoped for. Oh well. Also staying at Ana´s right now are two high school teachers from Italy, here for a week to chaperone 35 high school students. Yikes!

Ana cooks breakfast (toast and OJ) and dinner for the three of us each day. Since she´s a professional chef, the food is really very good. The night before last we had some delicious paella (a staple dinner in Spain), and then last night we had a variety of lightly fried fresh fish. I enjoyed most of that dish, although I must admit that I only took a few bites of the fried fish egg sack. I had to try it (you could see the veins of the womb and everything!) but I didn´t particularly care for it. And with thousands of little eggs in there, I felt like a mass murder with each bite!


The neighborhood:
Sevilla is much more laid back than Madrid. Although I definitely enjoyed Madrid, this type of atmosphere is more my style. The people here dress and live more casually, and the city is full of quiet little squares to read and relax or chat with friends. Below is the square just around the corner from my house.

I will surely write a great deal more about Sevilla over the next few weeks, so I will save more information about my neighborhood for those posts. I will not be posting as often as in Madrid because I do not have internet access at the house, and because I am trying to study more each day than I did in Madrid. In fact, I´ve already found a perfect study space, pictured below. This learning Spanish business is harder than I thought it would be. I guess the verdict is in: I do NOT have a special gift for learning languages! Oh well, it´s fun nonetheless.