Sevilla and Granada

            BU has planned 4 field trips for us throughout the semester, the 2^nd of which was a 2-day trip to Sevilla. Some friends and I decide to stay an extra day and take a bus to Granada. Both cities are located in the region of Spain called Andalucía, which is located in the southern part of Spain and is known for Moorish architecture, flamenco, and gazpacho/salmorejo (a tomato purée). We had beautiful weather (about 60°F and sunny), the warmest we had yet experienced in Spain.

            Sevilla is a colorful city filled with cathedrals, cobble stone, palm trees, palaces, and of course plazas. I loved getting lost in the small streets full of boutiques, shops, and cafés. My favorite spot was Plaza de España (see pictures below).

            Sevilla is far less modern than Madrid, but also pleasantly authentic. While in Madrid, American study abroad students are the norm, the locals in Sevilla were rather fascinated by us foreigners (especially because we were wearing dresses in what they still considered winter). No joke women were wearing fur coats! We went to an authentic tapas spot for dinner, so packed with locals that we had to stand. We then made our way to one of the few clubs in Sevilla, called Buda. Navigating through the small streets in a place we weren’t familiar with and without the metro system wasn’t simple. When we left the club at 3 AM, nothing was open! There was no such thing as late night pizza, which is why I could never study abroad there. It was great for the weekend, but I much prefer Madrid’s modern feel and vibrant nightlife for my semester abroad. We also almost got arrested because my friend walked on top of a car or two…woops!

            We took a 3-hour bus from Sevilla to Granada and upgraded to Super Economy for 5 euro…so worth it. We got snacks, water, pull-out trays, foot rests, and free wifi! Arriving at our hostel in Granada after staying in a pretty nice hotel in Sevilla paid for by BU was not pretty. We walked in to a lobby with a toilet in the center and the owner, who was expecting 5 of us, although we were a group of 13. He gave us a discount for his mistake and made up a room for the 8 of us he had not accounted for in the basement (fancy schmancy). We also bribed us with hot coffee, tea, and hookah. If we were staying for more than a night, I could not have dealed, but I went with the flow and didn’t worry about it. He left out that the heat in the basement didn’t work, but luckily I conned Asa into swapping beds with me, and I moved the room with heat and triple-decker-stacked bunk beds. That night we hiked to a club with glass windows, looking out at the Alhambra. It was an incredible sight, especially lit up at night.

            The next day we saw the Alhambra in the daylight. The Alhambra is a palace that was constructed in the mid 14^th century by the Moors (see pictures below). I enjoyed seeing the southern region of Spain, but realized that no city beats my city and my home in Madrid.