Amber Sass - Seville, Spain - March 17,18

After four beauty filled days in Portugal we made our way back into southern Spain. This time to Seville. Spain is known for bull fighting, tapas, and flamenco dancing. Unfortunately bull fighting was out of season so we couldn’t go, but tapas and flamenco dancing were in full swing. Tapas are small plates of food. You usually will order three-four plates to be satisfied. After eating a few plates of tapas the flamenco dancers came out. They were dressed in their traditional outfits. The women were in dresses with ruffles along the bottom edge. Flamenco is a mix between salsa and tap dancing. The two women went separately. The first one to go was very passionate and every muscle from her fingers to her toes was tense and very controlled with every movement. The second woman was also very passionate, but she did more tap dancing than stomping. After the two women had their solos they did a routine together. After they finished four younger people, three girls and one guy, went up to the stage and did their own routine. They were dressed in street clothes and it seemed to be an improved routine. Unfortunately we did not get a chance to ask them if they worked there or if they were just locals that go to see the show a lot. The flamenco show was extremely moving and I am so happy that we were able to see this part of Spanish culture.

Liz Weeden - March 17, 18

Seville, Spain You know it’s bad when the professors ask ME to help them park the vans. I didn’t have to drive them, but I came along in the passenger seat as we attempted to find somewhere in the city of Seville to place our homes-on-wheels. The area around our hostel had tons of construction and the group had to jump out and run to the gated sidewalk, hoisting our heavy suitcases along the way. Then it was me and Michael with Linda and Tim respectively, passengers in the constant puzzle of parking. An hour later we found two spots in a parking miracle. The first night in Seville our hostel gave a tapas tour which ended in a flamenco show. The tapas were fun and delicious; we ordered multiple little snacks as we sat in a square where tons of young Spanish people chilled out before the night’s escapades. The flamenco show was fabulous as well. We even got seats right next to the stage. I learned that flamenco dancing is insane. It starts out with just a guitar player and singer who play and sing straight from their souls. Then the dancing begins, and let me tell you, it was fantastic. Flamenco is very dramatic with loud stomping and clapping in unison, all to the beat of the music. Each dancer literally feels the music throughout their body, heart, and soul. It’s completely captivating. The next day we took a walking tour of Seville guided by a girl who had grown up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. She had moved to Seville on a whim the year before and gave a great tour. Just a few of the things we learned: *Seville holds the tomb of Christopher Columbus – at least 10% of his bones. Woo! *The Moors started building the original city wall but the Catholics finished it and you can see the difference in building style from the Moor’s large blocks to the Catholic’s small red bricks. *There are many orange and lemon trees throughout Spain. The trees used to be used as markers; orange trees were planted outside mosques while lemon trees were planted outside of cathedrals. *The original symbol of Spain was the bunny rabbit. They have since changed their symbol to a mighty lion. Seville is beautiful and it helped that the weather was amazingly warm and sunny while we were there. In my opinion, Seville was one of the best stops so far.

Thomas DiBlasi - March 21, 22

Terragona, Spain

On March 21 and 22, a dozen of us spent time exploring the historical city of Tarragona, Spain. Tarragona is filled with fascinating ancient history. It used to be called Tarracco when it was ruled by the Roman Empire. The town is secluded from the neighboring towns due to walls that were built in the second century. Some of the major historical landmarks that we encountered include the Amphitheatre, Roman Circus, Provincial Forum, National Archaeological Museum, the remnants of the King’s castle, and the remains of the Church of Our Lady of the Miracle. The site that intrigued me most was the Roman Circus. Here, the people would enjoy horse-drawn chariot races. Tarragona’s circus is one of the most preserved circuses in the West. Most of the circus is still under nineteenth century buildings. While the Roman Circus held my attention the most, there is so much history there that every one of us had a different favorite.

Alexi Knock - March 19, 20

Alicante, Spain Upon arriving in Alicante, the group thought it would be a mere industrial city. Around the bend, however, is where the magnificence dwelled. We spent a sunny afternoon browsing the street market and lunching outside. The beach bordering the city was lined with quaint restaurants, chocolate shops, and boutiques. While walking along a boardwalk that led down to the Mediterranean, I couldn’t help but think about what was happening right across the sea. We were dipping our toes in the same water where a war is being fought. European and American ships were using the Mediterranean in order to invade Libya and plan potential air strikes on the country. While we were eating lunch, American soldiers were fighting alongside the Allies. While we were touching the calm water, waves were being created by missiles just miles away. I was humbled by the events so much greater than myself being carried out within a seemingly short distance. It was almost difficult to appreciate the beauty around us knowing that others were in danger at that exact moment. Needless to say, I was extremely grateful to be on the Alicante side of the pond.

Allison Redman - Grenada

On the way to our next destination, Alicante, Spain, we made a beauty stop in the city, Granada. Located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, this area has become a historical point known for it’s unique combination of Moorish influence and Christian Renaissance.

Granada was the last Moorish capital of the Iberian Peninsula. The Moors crossed the straight of Gibraltar in 711 A.D. By the 9th century Granada rose to a civilization of importance. The dynasty had twenty kings ending with King Boabdil when he was forced to surrender Granada to the Spanish Reconquista, fronted by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, in 1492. In his flight he looked back and his mother said, “Thou dost week like a woman for thou couldst not defend as a man.”

He looked back towards the beautiful Alhambra, a fortress palace of the royalty and court built during the thirteenth century. This royal palace shows the transition of power and culture that documents history through architecture.

We had an hour to explore the grounds. We bought tickets and sped to the palace. It was stunning with its intricate mosaic walls and beautiful arches and engraved floral doors connected inside with the outside gardens. Fountains flowed sparking in the center of the courtyards. The water flowed throughout the rooms making the palace fluid and breathtaking sit throughout the winding palace capturing a connection with nature and time. The Nasrid Palaces is a complex of palaces from different kings so it shows the transition from not only the Moors to Christian, but from each king itself. Every room and every courtyard is different. It shows the intricacies of the Moorish culture, showing the appeal of a natural paradise.

Sarah Clark - March 15,16

Lisbon, Portugal Each new city that we travel to is filled with a unique beauty all its own. Lisbon, Portugal is no different. Lisbon is full of beautiful landmarks and architectural wonders. However, this beauty is widely spread out across the city. Even though we have all become very good at walking great distances, we got to take a break from that today, when we travelled around the city via a YellowBus tour. The double-decker bus provided each of us with earphones and a free commentary while driving us past some of Lisbon’s most famous attractions. We immediately sprinted for the top of the bus (of course!) and got settled in. Over a two hour span, we saw more than twenty famous sights. Some of the most spectacular were the famous Campo Pequeno bullring, Jeronimos Monastery, and the Cristo Rei statue. We also got to listen to information about each site thanks to our complimentary headphones and commentary. The Campo Pequeno was built under the direction of Portuguese architect António José Dias da Silva. It recently underwent renovation and re-opened in 2006 as a multi-event location. It now houses an underground shopping mall, and hosts concerts and other live events during the bullfighting offseason. Jeronimos Monastery, another gorgeous site, was built starting in 1501 and construction lasted more than fifty years. The monastery itself is huge. It spans more than 4 blocks. Even more impressive, despite its vast size, every inch of the building is intricately detailed. The structure was built under the orders of King Manuel I to commemorate Vasco da Gama’s successful return from India. It is one of the most beautiful buildings in all of Portugal. Finally, we saw the Cristo Rei statue, a.k.a, the Sanctuary of Christ the King. This Catholic monument was inspired by the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil. President of the Council Antonio de Oliveira Salazar ordered that it be built as a shrine dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ. Construction started on the statue in 1949 and took ten years to complete. The statue is so large that we were able to see it while driving along the entire coastline of the Tagus River. Obviously, our tour of Portugal was rich and culture-dense. We saw more in two hours than is possible to write about in this blog. Portugal is a beautiful country and we got to see it through one of our favorite mediums…DRIVE-BY BEAUTY!

Kirsten White - March 13, 14

Evora, Portugal

On the last day in the walled city of Evora, Portugal, we ventured into the center of town to explore what is commonly referred to as the “church made out of human bones.” Eerie sounding, I know, but with such an intriguing yet simple description how could we miss it? From the outside, the structure of The Church of St. Francis matched the white stucco Portuguese architecture of Evora, but upon our entrance we realized the exterior walls had been built around the original church to preserve such a sacred, unique place. The original structure was unbelievable! The walls were constructed of longer human bones, laid horizontally one on top of the other, while the ceiling was outlined in skulls. Supposedly, there is up to 5,000 human corpses in the entire chapel, including two full hanging ones. Interestingly, in a juxtaposing manner, the ceiling was painted with pastel religious designs and bright colorful mosaic tiles lined the floors. Standing in a place of worship among hundreds of dead bodies proved to be a sobering experience for us all. The church was created in the sixteenth century by monks as a solution to overfilling graveyards. The elusive sign over the arched entry way states, “Our bones that are here wait for yours,” reminding visitors of the unavoidable occurrence of death.