Fair Warning: There are pictures from the bullfight in this blog that are pretty gory!
We finally got back from Málaga around 11 pm on Sunday. Monday we were all so tired that we didn't want to do anything, so we all met at the Plaza de España and hung out. It was a lot of fun! All around the Plaza are tile portraits of different cities around Spain so we took pictures with all the ones we have been to or are going to. I can't get over how gorgeous the Plaza is..pictures do NOT do it justice!
On Tuesday, we got to go on an excursion with ISA to kayak down the river. It was a LOT of fun, but I got soaked and I was sore the next day! We made a stop and the guides made us play a game-they picked two people and they had to switch kayaks, while in the water. The first two chosen were Denver and my roommate, Stephanie. The guy next to Denver wasn't holding the next guy's kayak, so Denver slipped a little and then Stephanie pushed him in the water so he got to swim in the nasty river. It was an entertaining game but I definitely did not volunteer to play! Two of the girls we were with had the hardest time-they tried to get in the kayak on the dock and then push themselves in the water, and then later they flipped their kayak! Fortunately, Afhton and I never flipped ours. We only got wet because the boys thought it was funny to splash everyone!
The girls who flipped!
Wednesday after class, a few of us went on a tour of Alcázar, the castle in Sevilla. It was originally a Moorish fort. It was primarily gardens, beautiful of course, and a few rooms. The upper levels of it are still used by the Royal Family as their primary residence in Sevilla-but since there isn't air conditioning or indoor plumbing they actually stay at the Hotel Alfonso across the street! This is the castle where the movie, Kingdom of Heaven is filmed! The main scenes are in the Patio de las Doncellas-the Courtyard of Maidens. Legend has it that to keep the Moors happy, the Christian kingdoms would provide them with 100 virgins. I loved the scenery but my favorite part of the day was watching Denver's roommate, Will, chase a hen peacock to scare it to see her feathers...he didn't realize that only males have pretty feathers! Denver and I got a good laugh out of that!
One of many tapestries in the Tapestry Room
I found Tunis on the map..home sweet home
Patio de las Doncellas
Ceiling covered in Gold Leaf
If you find the faces of 2 dolls in here, you have good luck! They are on either side of the bottom of the arch!
MJ, our precious ISA director, giving Denver some good info!
Thursday night was the night of the bullfight. I didn't think it was going to be bad, but it was so sad and gory. We watched 6, with 3 different matadors. They start off with their team of about 4 or 5. The matador will taunt the bull a little, just to get it mad. Then, while he gets ready, his team taunt the bull and keep it angry by stabbing it with 6 different stake type things in the back. That is definitely the hardest part to watch. Then the matador comes back with a fake sword and his flag and does the fight. Finally, after the bull is bloody and angry, the matador gets his real sword and stabs it in the back. The first kill was the hardest to watch and I definitely cried (I wasn't alone!). Fortunately, that bull died instantly. The rest of them were tougher and didn't die right away so they would have to come stab it many times. It was the saddest thing. Once the bull is dead, they tie a chain around his horns and connect it to two mules to drag and parade it around the stadium. I'm glad I went so I can say I've seen one, but I have no desire to watch another one ever again. PS-This is where the pictures get gross so skip this section if you don't want to see!
Ran into the cutest Matador on the way to the fight! He's on the right!
Front row seats were a bad idea...
The bull about to be killed...those colors on its back are the stake-things they stab it with to make it angrier.
RIGHT in front of us. Most awful thing I have ever watched.
Friday we went out to the fería de Triana..basically a festival in a local neighborhood. It was a blast! Denver and I split a cotton candy that was probably the size of my body. The streets were lined with tents full of food, drinks, and music. It was SO much fun-I'm very happy we got to participate in a local festival!
Saturday morning we left for Cordoba and Granada...I'll blog about that trip tomorrow! Can't believe this is my last week here! :(
No comments:
Post a Comment