My Catch Up...

So, once again, it has been a little while. Maybe I'm getting into the Spanish way of things? Everything late, slow, tomorrow or just left unfinished!

These last couple of weeks have absolutely flown by; mainly due to my three fabulous trips away. The boring bits in between have mostly continued in the same manner. I'm still enjoying my classes, particularly my English lit class and occasionally Psycholinguistics. My theatre class is still pretty challenging, the plays vary so much in style, language and period that it's sometime hard to keep up on what I should be analysing let alone simply trying to understand it. 

On a complete side note I noticed today in my Psycholinguistics class that the pupils are completely segregated. All of the Erasmus rabble sit on the left side of the classroom, and the native Spaniards are seated to the right; we are separated by a small aisle and apparently a deep contempt for one another. Except that the second statement just isn't true. I hold no hatred for the Spanish students, in fact I'd rather like to know them better - they could help me bump up my mark for my speaking exam/allow me to learn about Spanish culture of course. If anything I am slightly fearful of them, what with their rapid Hispanic tongues and thick, glossy hair. I wonder if it is because there are just so many Erasmus students here they don't feel they should bother to approach us and listen to our poor, poor attempts at speaking their language; after all, it ain't gonna help their marks. But ho hum, perhaps when I go to live in Barcelona I shall be accepted as a kindred spirit - I'll let you know.

ANYWHO, I digress, as always. My first trip away was to my wonderful second home in the charming South-West of England, Exeter. I had booked to fly back to my University town a good two months before the actual date - and it couldn't have arrived sooner. OH how I had missed my boys and girls. I was lucky enough to be flying over with Ati and let's just say we didn't have the smoothest landing known to man; our Captain later told us he was close to diverting the plane to either Newquay or Cardiff - that would not have been fun. 

Here, at Exeter's diddly, quaint airport I walked into "arrivals" (which looked quite similar to a village hall) awaiting my applauding/weeping/fainting friends. As it turns out, I was the one weeping....in sheer delight. Instead of my friends picking me up, my dear, wondrous Mummy had come to surprise me. I can't tell you how shocked and overjoyed I was to see her - I don't think I have ever squealed like that before. What a beauty she is - with a  box of scrumptious food and the news that she was staying the night so I could see her the next day I was just as happy as a pig in ... a comfy pig bed.

Of course the weekend was made by my lovely, lovely friends. I was surprised and so happy to experience how normal it felt to be there. I was almost looking for my bedroom in the house, it felt like I'd been there all year.

Bertie. Also made my weekend.

Just look at those smilers. SO happy.

I wandered about the high street in the glorious British rain, got to sit in a British pub again, and had a rather spiffing British afternoon tea. I couldn't have asked for more from the trip. A big ol' thank you Sexeter for making me ever so happy.

 

The weekend after Exeter and I was back in Spain and headed to the big city, the capital, Madrid. 

Bright lights, big city indeed.

It was a lovely, cold, christmassy weekend. I felt like a (slightly more knowledgeable than normal) tourist. We visited the jazzy, must-see spots in Madrid.

One of our homework tasks (self-appointed) from the weekend was
to find out why this image was everywhere in Madrid.
So, post-research, I have discovered that this image is found on
Madrid's coat of arms and has now been adopted as a symbol for the city!

This is Plaza Mayor, where the slightly disappointing Christmas market was held.

The wall was ever so fancy.

At the botanical gardens.

Well why not?

With the help of Lonely Planet and Time Out Madrid we also managed to find some less known places including a sweet little breakfast spot where we indulged in churros (of course) and even a bar frequented by stars of yesteryear such as Grace Kelly, Ava Gardener and Ernest Hemingway.

My rather delicious "Hemingway Daiquiri".

And of course we couldn't forget the obligatory...three...trips to Starbucks to revel in their Christmas menu.

The first time they've spelt my name right!

 

If you thought this was quite enough jet-setting to be getting on with the ohh no, you were wrong. Last weekend I went for the big one - a new continent - with a trip to Morocco.

This was a trip with a difference, for a few reasons. As mentioned, I had never stepped foot on African soil before so this was pretty exciting for me; secondly, although not worlds away from Spain, it did have a strikingly different culture; and lastly, this trip was organised by ESN (Erasmus Student Network) and not by ourselves as all of my other trips have been. This last point is a vital one: there is a reason why they've become known as "esperasmus". For non-Spanish speakers, the verb "esperar" means "to wait"...and wait we did. I don't want to rant too much about it but some toddlers could have organised this trip better than our coordinators. I'm pretty sure I spent more time waiting than I did seeing and experiencing but ho hum, I have my whole life to go back and experience some more.

We visited Rabat, Fez and Casablanca all within four days; I don't remember the last time I've slept so well as the day we returned! 

The cities were diverse, stimulating and vivid. The food was just superb. The souk was...well a little scary but an experience nonetheless. 

Although I don't feel like I've fully experience Morocco, it was an exciting and definitely unforgettable weekend.

Rabat.

This was originally intended to be a mosque but an earthquake changed their minds.
These columns and a minaret are all that remain.

The famous blue of Morocco.

They forgot to add the "even thought it's peeing it down with rain" part.

The HORRENDOUS smelling tannery. I wasn't such a fan of this part.

This part I preferred.

View over Fez.

Same view, about half an hour later.

Casablanca. Hassan II Mosque. 

The five, FIVE chocolates awaiting me when I returned.

I write this six sleeps before I get on a BRITISH Airways plane bound for BRITAIN, and I am Pretty. Damn. Excited. You know what? It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

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My Sunny November Holiday...

Bit behind on my posts at the moment, apologies. I'm pleased to say it's because I've been out and about on various visits so I have lots to tell!

Last weekend, Anna, Sinéad, Sam and I visited sunny Sevilla, the capital of Andalucía. Lonely Planet describes it as having "...more narrow, winding, medieval lanes and romantic, hidden plazas soaked in the scent of orange blossom than half of Andalucía's other cities put together." 
This, I can vouch for. We were overwhelmed by the scent that permeated the air everywhere. It sounds like an exaggerated, romantic notion but there really was the sweet, almost intoxicating smell of orange blossom and jasmine in every nook and cranny of the city!

It is a beautiful city. It reminded me how fortunate I am to be in the South of Spain for this part of my year abroad. I now really feel that I am encountering everything that I have read or seen about the quintessential Andalucía.

To completely go back on everything I just said, the first thing we did on arrival in Seville was go to Starbucks.

This little piece of home went down ever so well and I believe we visited this branch three times over our two-day stay. 

I must explain that this post is going to be picture-heavy as I was a bit snap happy on our trip. Aesthetically, I was particularly fascinated by the fronts of houses in Seville. They are not only very detailed but also all seem to be unique; I don't think I saw a row of houses with the same outer pattern in any of the streets we walked along.

And yes, that is the blue sky of a November in Southern Spain. I am not pulling your leg when I tell you it was over thirty degrees. 

The old fogies seemed to have their own private
shaded, gossip spot.

We wandered down the main pedestrian street, Calle de Génova, avoiding the trams, hurrying past the eerie human statues and inhaling the festive incense from the market. After a fleeting visit to the University, formerly a Tobacco Factory (how ironic), we headed to the Reales Alcázares de Sevilla. 

Similar to the one in my home town Córdoba, this is a royal palace which originally served as a Moorish fortress. My old pal Wikipedia tells me that the palace in Seville is the oldest of its kind still in use in Europe and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Oooh, fancy.

I'm finding it difficult to describe just how spectacular this place is without sounding false or cheesy. It really is hard; so just take my word for it, "wow" was the word of the day.

Patio de las Doncellas or "The Courtyard of the Maidens"

...apparently referring to a legend that the Moors demanded 100 virgins
from the Christian Kingdom of Iberia every year. Naughty.
Although it turns out this was simply a myth to reinforce the "reconquista" movement.

Even the wildlife was pretty special.

Adorable. He sat quietly, enjoying the sun whilst his
master painted.

After a glorious tapas-filled lunch we meandered through the streets to the river and stopped off for an obligatory ice-cream, making the most of the sun. We then had a pit-stop at our sweet, if slightly dingy, hostel before heading out for a scrummy dinner. 

You can't go wrong with profiteroles.

The rain came tumbling down on our second day in Seville but we had prepared for this with a trip to the Cathedral planned for the morning. 

It wasn't quite as breath-taking as the Alcázar but still had some impressive sights.

The tomb of Christopher Columbus, or what's left of him.
Some historians doubt there are any remains at all!

The ceilings absolutely captivated me.

The real fun came when we climbed the "giralda"; this is a former minaret which has now been converted into a bell tower.

I knew it was quite tall but they don't warn you that you'll be going up 34 floors beforehand so it was a little bit of a shock and a quick fitness assessment for me! The really peculiar thing about the tower was that instead of stairs, as I was expecting, you walk up on ramps. I later learnt that this was because it was made specifically to allow two mounted guards (that's right, horses) to climb and descend with (apparent) ease.

As you could probably imagine, the views were pretty good.

These people were obviously on a private tour -
just another reminder that Europeans are a little more
lax on health and safety!

Our final visit was to Plaza de España, Seville's famous square. It isn't actually a square at all, more of a semi-circle with buildings running along its curved edge and a moat just inside of them, punctuated by a few beautifully-designed bridges. Apparently it has appeared in many films and I even did a cheeky search on youtube and found it in Star Wars - ever so exciting for a film buff like me.

Row row row your boat.

Whilst we were there, three different brides and grooms came to have their photos taken outside the truly majestic buildings. I can imagine the weddings photos are something quite special. 

That brings the Seville chapter to a close. The sights, sounds and (intense) smells were so striking and I think this is a place that will stay fresh in my mind for a long time. I whole-heartedly recommend a visit; come rain or shine Seville is splendid.

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