Onwards and Outwards

TO GRANADA

API took us on an excursion to Granada last weekend. Pretty cool. It's at the foot of these mountains, which are covered in snow -- yet we enjoyed 60-70 degree weather on the ground while we were there. So nice. You can definitley notice the strong arabic/muslim influence more so than in other cities in Spain. I guess that makes sense since it was the last city to fall during the reconquista.

Before we got there though, we stopped in the mountains along the way. This place was a massive field of stones, often cut in strange and unusual ways. Imagine a huge, naturally-formed Spanish Stonehenge.

Duncan seen scaling some of the rocks here.


















Here's another shot of the valley and of myself, Duncan and Cody sitting on top of a big one.

LA NOCHE

Once we got to Granada, we had free time. First, I had tapas and a few beers with some of the guys (tapas are free with drinks in Granada -- amazing). Just before dinner, myself and a few others went to our appointment at an arab bath, or hammam. Check this place out: http://www.aljibesanmiguel.es/. Absolutely incredible.

Later that night, API took us to a very special flamenco spot. We all were served a drink of our choice in what seemed like a cave or cavern. The room was at most 100 feet long and no wider than 10. Little did I know, I sat "center stage." The singer and the guitar played at one end while the dancer performed less than two feet in front of me. Look at these pictures and one of the many videos I took.





Being this close to the dancers -- their dresses brushing up against my leg and their fingers literally inches from my face -- has made me appreciate Flamenco on a whole new level.






And the video:



I'll have to get back to you on the Alhambra visit. It's 4 am!

Everyday Sevilla

"WE DON'T NEED NO EDUCATION"

Hopefully I can consistently update this blog weekly for you all. This past week has be very eventful to say the least. Classes have started and are fully underway. Add/drop ended on Friday -- so my current lineup includes:
:History of Flamenco
:International Marketing
:History of Spain
:International Business

Pictures from Universidad de Pablo de Olavide.

I absolutely love my business teacher, aka "Nano." He's smart, edgy, hilarious and a big fan of bars in sevilla. He has already steered us away from the tourist bars and turns us onto great new bars and clubs and hotspots for partying throughout the city. I can't understand anything my flamenco teacher says for now -- oh well. My history teacher is fantastic. All in all, I'm pleased.






EVERYDAY SEVILLA

Everyday life here is amazing. I am absolutely positive this will be the hardest thing to leave behind when I come home. Institutionalized napping (the siesta)? Walking everywhere under clear skies and bright sun? Staying out until 5 in the morning on the weekends? Having a drink by the river at a cafe -- enjoying the view on a Sunday afternoon? "Sevillians," as I like to call them, know how to live life.



Above left: dragin' a fag
Center: me and mama
Right: cafe by the river



Coke should pay me for this. Down by the river. Sunset.
















DEBAUCHERY BEGINS

While there is plenty of down time, classes, napping and chillin', there is a nearly equal amount of wild partying and dancing until the wee hours. Thursday night was my 21st birthday. Needless to say, it was pretty intense and I don't need to elaborate. Use your imagination.

After recovering from my birthday all day Friday, we headed for Cadiz for Carnaval. Although our hotel fell through, it turns out we really didn't need one. Imagine Halloween on steroids. Thousands and thousands and thousands of people are dressed up and drinking in the streets. When you ask a police officer where you can go to the bathroom, rum bottle in hand, he laughs and points to the tree next to him: "aqui." You have to hold hands with your friends when you walk or else you'll be lost in the mob. We partied in the streets all night and took the first train back to Sevilla at 5.15 in the morning. What a wild time.






























Some of us were pirates. I slowly seemed to change to a pimp. Don't ask. That's all for now.