Morocco!

Friday afternoon me and six other girls from our group set out with a tour group to Africa! After bussing to the southern tip of Spain then taking a 45-minute ferryboat, we were in Africa, but still in Spain. The city of Ceuta, in northern Africa, is still a province of Spain, but after a short bus ride and a stop at customs to get our passports stamped we were officially in Morocco! We arrived at our hotel in Tetuan around 10pm Spanish time (Morocco is one hour behind) just in time for dinner. The entire trip I was very careful and only drank bottled water, but the food was delicious, very flavorful and spicy! We had a wonderful vegetable puree soup followed by a chicken and lemon strip main course in a spicy sauce!

The next day we were given a tour of the Medina (which is just another name for the city center) and spent hours walking down winding alleys, which reminded me of the Barrios de Santa Cruz in Sevilla. Tetuan, although a lovely city, still has a high poverty rate, and we saw many farmers selling their produce on the sides of the streets. Along the tour we were able to go into a spice and perfume shop and were told about the healing powers of many natural herbs and spices and were allowed to smell/test them all! Next, we went to see how the famous Moroccan rugs and carpets were made and although beautiful and exotic, I could not get one due to the very limited space my suitcase now allows. After the tour we had lunch in a beautiful restaurant where traditional musicians were playing as we ate! During lunch, a lady was giving henna tattoos, so my friends and I all got them! Afterwards, we headed to Tangier and along the way stopped at the Caves of Hercules where the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea meet. Looking out of the cave, the rock opening looks like the continent of Africa! What a lucky coincidence! Also, we stopped for a short camel ride (I was literally on the camel for less than five minutes…just long enough to snap a few pictures) and had another amazing view of the sea. Once in Tangier, my friends and I walked around, but it was just like any other big city, crowded and not that eye appealing. After dinner in the hotel we went to a Moroccan show where we heard more traditional music and saw some of their local dances. Although it was very tourist oriented, it was fun and they involved the crowd in most of the dances.

Sunday, we departed early and embarked towards the smaller, more rural town of Chef Chauen. Although it was a bit cold and drizzling there, we had a wonderful local tour guide that sounded like Yoda, and resembled the Sultan from Aladin! He said that he has “been in the television” and is on the Lonely Planet DVD! I believe his name was Habebe and he was so hilarious and just a cute little old man who seemed to know everyone in the town! All the houses in Chef Chauen were different shades of blue... it was so beautiful! The tour ended at the market where I bargained for a few gifts, but it was annoying how the shop owners hassled you to buy things, so I was glad when we left for lunch. After another delicious Moroccan meal of vegetables and meat in a spicy sauce, it was time to head back to Spain. Although this was a short and very touristy trip, it gave me a taste of the charming and exotic Moroccan culture that I hope to explore in more depth one day!

Rock of Gibraltar in Spain

Moroccan currency

Tetuan Medina

Olives

Syd and Syd!

Spice Rack

Tiff and I at lunch

Henna tattoo

Caves of Hercules... can you see Africa?

Camel ride!

It was scary getting on and off!

On the way to Tangier...

Chef Chauen

Blue!

Blue stairs means dead end!

Habebe!

Loom

Ronda

The last day in April, our study abroad group had its last trip, and we went to the Andalusian town of Ronda. We arrived around 11am after a horribly curvy bus ride up the winding hills of the countryside, but once we got off and felt the cooler breeze of the mountainous area, we were all refreshed and ready to explore the town! Ronda is full of casas blancas or white houses and at this time of year they all have beautiful flowers in the patios and growing over the balconies! We found a nice overlook with a view of the green rolling hills and mountains off in the distance and enjoyed our packed lunch while a harpist and Spanish guitarist performed in the plaza! Because Ronda is so green, I almost felt as if I were in Ireland, especially with the Celtic music that was serenading us! After lunch we met with our tour guide and he took us to some more beautiful outlooks and we got to see the waterfall and valley below, as well as the oldest bridge in Ronda that goes over this deep valley. Next, we headed to the Arab Bath’s that were built during Muslim rule in Spain. Even though today they are ruins, it is so impressive and astounding how innovative humanity was back in the era without high tech tools and modern science! The last part of our tour took us through the winding barrios of the casas blancas and to the largest bullring in Spain! There we learned some history about bull fighting saw the arena and went into the museum. Although I would not personally want to go see a bull fight, it was interesting (yet sad) to learn more about it and its significance in Spanish culture. Once the tour was over we had about an hour before catching the bus back, so we all grabbed a snack, went to a sunny park and enjoyed the wonderful views Ronda had to offer! It was a great last group trip!

Ireland or Ronda?

Green hills of Ronda

Oldest bridge in Ronda...it also use to be a jail

The old district of Ronda (mansions)

Floor plan of the Arab Baths

Entrance to the Arab Baths

Military Barracks

Beautiful balcony flowers

The lovely Rondan landscape

Typical Ronda Patio

On the terrace of a Ronda mansion!

Feria!!!

April 19^th-24^th, Sevilla transforms just like the weather into a springtime paradise during their celebration of Feria. This week long celebration is held to welcome in the spring time to their beautiful city as well as to showcase their elaborate flamenco dresses, impress each other with their casetas and parade around in Andalusian style in horse drawn carriages and traditional Spanish attire. Monday night at midnight, this huge monument at the end of Calle Asunción (parallel to my street) is lit up and Feria officially begins! Everyone comes out to see the lighting of Feria and afterwards, proceeds to dance, drink and have a good time all night. We explored the fairgrounds, had some gofres con chocolate (basically a waffle covered in melted chocolate) rode on a carnival ride and then walked back through the casetas. Casetas are private tents owned by families, or a group of friends, or a business that cost around 2,000 euros just to rent the land space for the week of Feria. The tents vary in size, but even the smallest can hold up to 50 people. Even though I describe them as tents, they are like little house/restaurants. Each one hires their own bartender and caterer and the entire casesta is lavishly decorated. Tuesday afternoon Elisa, our program director, invited us to her family’s caseta. It was a smaller one, but that is even better because it is more exclusive. You have to be invited or be family to get into a caseta, so for a foreigner to be able to experience the inside of one is rare! The flamenco dresses were one of my favorite parts of Feria. So colorful and beautiful, with ever last accessory matching perfectly! These women and young girls spend months looking for their dress, and the rule is you buy a new one every year and wear it for the first two days, then you can wear older ones if you want. The nicer flamenco dresses cost around 1000-2000 euros! Another great aspect of Feria is the typical drink, rebujito! It is like a white wine spritzer, but most Spaniards drink it with a white cherry mixed with a soda like sprite or 7-UP. Because Feria is literally a 24/7 week long celebration, something is always happening. I liked going around lunch time because that is when most of the people are just coming in from a long night out and taking a quick nap before going back out, so my friends and I were able to walk around, admire Flamenco dresses and see the horse parades and carriages. The last night of Feria was one of my favorites. Everyone got together at the bridge one down from mine and at midnight Sunday, they had a huge fireworks show over the river! They were so close and beautiful, and I am so lucky to have such great amigos to share my first Feria with! One day I will go back and wear one of the beautiful Flamenco dresses myself!

NoDo monument at the entrance of Feria

Stephanie and I at the lighting ceremony...the start of Feria!

Fair grounds at night

Elisa's Caseta

Claudia and I in a Caseta

Horse Parade!

Me in front of the NoDo Feria sign!