» 2010 » August
When In Rome…………..You must eat a lot of Pasta, Pizza and Panini’s. You must also eat gelato like its nobodies business. And of course you must see all of the great sites, including the Vatican, Colosseum, Pantheon etc. And naturally, being in Rome, this is exactly what I did.
After 10 hours of traveling which included 4 transfers, I arrive in Rome, Italy. Though, this wasn’t without some minor mishaps. I did miss one train. Have you ever been running to catch some form of transportation and you think you just might catch it, but just when you arrive the doors close. That’s the worst feeling. For some reason my train scheduled for 3:15 left the station at 3pm. I got off my proceeding train at 2:57 and by the time I found the departing track, it was too late. But there was one leaving at 4, so it wasn’t that bad. However, I did have another one of those, buying the ticket with only 2 minutes left until the train leaves moments again for the train proceeding that one. Fun times!!!
My first night in Rome was great. I met this Korean/German girl in the computer lab (she loves my name and has never heard of it before, seeming there are probably negative Ebony’s in both of the countries she has lived in) and ended up going with her and her roommates (one from LA and the other from Brazil) to the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain. Both were crawling with people and very lively, lovely to see all illuminated at night.
Of course one of the first things I did was eat pizza. Good thing I was really hungry because I had one the size of a large plate to myself. It was fresh and delicious.
The next day I got up early to see all of the sites: The Colosseum, Palestine Hill and the Roman Forum in the morning, then to Capital Hill at Piazza del Campidoglo in the afternoon and the Pantheon and Piazza Novona (piazzas are pervasive here) in the evening. Then I walked over the Tevere River, which is lined with vendors, to the Trastevere neighborhood.
Mishaps of the day – I got on the wrong bus trying to get to the Pantheon from Piazza Venezia which is not that far from the Colosseum. I ended up way out of the way. I still don’t know where I was. But my hostel near the main train station, so most buses lead that way.
On the menu: Pasta for lunch, pizza for dinner and gelato for dessert. The gelato is soo much better here then in the states. So much better. Every sandwich is a panini here. They are all pressed and heated, but a lot less fancy then ours but still good.
Today, I spent most of the day at the Vatican. The Vatican Museum which houses the Sistine Chapel, is free on Sundays. Naturally it was crowded. I have never stood in a line this long. It was four long blocks and easily had 5 thousand people in it. I waited for about 1 hour and 40 minutes, which wasn’t too bad. I always bring a book to read, so it actually went by fast. My favorite was the the Chapel of course, its a masterpiece and you can get a crook in your neck just checking out all of the scenes on the walls and ceiling. You are not suppose to take pictures or you get kicked out, naturally, me and everybody else stole a few shots. I am a rebel, what can I say. Haha. There were also many rooms painted by Raphael, which puts a normal art museums to shame because every inch of the wall and ceilings if full of paintings, as opposed to a few paintings on an otherwise white wall.
After the Vatican Museum, it was over to Piazza St. Pietro (Peter) for the Basilica, which is basically the church. As a side note, for entrance into these places you must to respectfully dressed, so people with no sleeves, short shorts or skirts were turned away. The basilica was impressive and downstairs are the tombs of the popes of the past.
Randomness
My hair is now long enough to put in a pseudo ponytail and off my neck a bit. Horray!!!
The metro here closes at 11pm. Who ever heard of such a thing.
All in all there is much to see in Rome and I have worn my feet absolutely out. My hips even hurt. I liked Rome, but wasn’t necessarily blown away, but it was impressive.
The piazzas are my favorites because there are always nice fountains, art or other types of vendors and they are live with people.
There are many many scooters here. I was gonna rent one until I asked someone at the hostel who had rented one, how it was…..she said, quite scary actually and I couldn’t figure out the road rules nor where I was going. I was also reminded of the number one thing they tell you not to do in foreign countries is drive, so I decided to use my feet and public transit.
I had a gelato milkshake today………DELICIOUS!!!
Somebody asked me the other day was I home sick. I had to think about that. Not really, at times
I am sad that I am just missing the events of being in close proximity to whats going on in the lives of people I care about. I get tired of site seeing and traveling at times -mostly when my backpack is feeling heavy or my feed hurt. I sometimes wish my friends or family were here to experience some of this with me, but I wouldn’t say I necessarily want to be or go home. I can see me being ready to go
home at the end of my months though. What I miss most is having a sense of normalcy.
I was talking to my mother last week and she informed me that she is going to throw a Birthday,
Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentines day party when I get back to commemorate all of the holidays I missed. Another excuse for a party, I am down with that. I just thought that was quite funny….Turkey, Birthday cake, boxes of chocolate and roses. What kind of music do you have a such a party?
Some Aussies and a Swedish guy I was talking to back in Nice were saying how they want to go to America (oh and always get extra cool points for being from NY….EVERYBODY I meet wants to go there) to eat at all of the fast food places they hear about on TV. Taco bell was named…can you imagine such a thing. I was repulsed and very much amused. I told them they needed some Soul Food…of course they did not know what that was. I said, please skip taco bell and burger king and get you some good fried chicken and mac and cheese. Just remember….Soul Food…they wrote it down.
Next stop is Florence…….more to come.
» 2010 » August
Mellow Marseille
I was quite tired from my time in Spain, so I have taken 5 days to relax in France before I am off to Italy (Rome, Florence & Venice). My time here has been well spent.
After arriving at the wrong branch of my hostel in Marseille and having to metro over and walk way to far with 40 lbs on my back, I was able to relax. Vieux Port (Old Port) is one of the oldest ports in France. It was nice to be so close to the water (my hostel was 3 blocks away) and the beach (maybe a 15 minute walk).
I only had one full day here because I arrived at 7 the day before, so I just went to the beach for part of the day and then went up to the church there (Notre Dame) and took in the view. You can see the entire city from here, the mountains, the port and the Mediterranean. One is able to walk around the top to get a 360 view. This wins the award for one of the best views I have seen. His comes of course after walking for about 30 minutes walking up the steepest hill in life. There is not much to do in Marseille, but its a nice smaller city with a tram, metro, lots of shops, outdoor seating and buildings you can tell are hundreds of years old. I really enjoyed it.
One of my favorite things about Marseille, is they have this public art display of globes, a lot of cities have other things (like cow, fish etc) in the us that people paint and put in public squares. I think the best one was a globe where each country was painted with its flag. Since there are over 50 countries in Africa, that side was particularly impressive.
The niceties of Nice
Now, I am in Nice.I must say, I like Nice (pronounced like niece). Its on the Cote D’azur which is basically Frances’ Riviera and it is wonderful. Its basically beach, after beach, after beach on the Mediterranean. The water here is a wonderful shade of aqua on the shore and beautiful royal blue out to sea. There is no sand, its all rocks (no pebbles but rocks) so is hard to walk on and get used to, but at least no sand to get into every area of your belongings. No sand castles here kiddies!!!
There are many public spaces, and fountains, my hostel is about 5 minutes from the beach, there are many many outside cafe’s, crepe places and much to much ice cream and gelato to be had. I would say, seafood, salad and pizza dominate the menus. One of he main attractions is a fruit and flower market that is open daily. You can buy all type of soaps and seasonings as well. Another is “The Chateau” which is a park on a hill behind the beach, which just happens to have a waterfall at the top and more excellent views of the city. If you want to nice vacation – vacation in Europe I would recommend here, there are about 7 day trips you can take to nearby, villages, beaches, islands and many water-sports to be played. I went on a short cruise down the shore and pretty close to the border of Italy. I almost went scuba diving, but decided you shouldn’t do deep water sports if you cant swim. Nice is also the playground of the rich, so the ports are full of private yachts.
Its quite the lively spot at night as well. I just missed a jazz festival. The first night I got there, there was a concert going on that I got to sit outside of and listen to. The beach is still lively after 10 – probably more people walking on the board walk then in the day. In the big square here, I saw a Micheal Jackson wanna be dancing like a fool and then I saw the strangest thing. You know those doll, which dance and play songs (usually dog or something). Well there was a black one it was a male( supposed to be a rapper). His hat which was turned to the side read “black music” he had on a gold chain and baggy clothes and was playing “yeah” but Usher. Too too much.
Yesterday, I went to Monaco which is about 30 minutes from here by bus, that was nice as well. More big yachts, palaces, casinos, villas on the hills etc. Generally though, I have been taking it easy because my legs and feet are rather tired. Today is a do nothing day and later when it gets cooler, I will go finish the book “the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” which is fabulous by the way. I am not into murder mystery, but I am dying to read the next one… I could use it on my 9 hour train ride to Rome, my next stop.
Randomness
Back at the hostel, I’ve met more Aussies of course, and people from Sweden, Germany, Canada and Turkey. Best thing about this hostel is free breakfast with about 8 cereal and 12 computers and the great air conditioner. Its rather hot here.
And speaking of hot, by hair is getting longer and is on the back of my neck (also hot). I have way too much hair on my head and its been quite annoying in this summer weather.
Below are some pics of random french sweets. So sweet in fact, there was a gang of bees buzzing around them.
French people are much nicer then I remember them being in Paris when I went a few years ago.
Not so much here, but in Spain, there was an overwhelming abundance of African street merchants selling glasses, bags etc, which reminded me of the merchants in Peru. The when the police are near you are likely to see 4-6 African men (I think some are from Senegal) fleeing with their merchandise in a large piece of cloth that was once the display base for their sales. Being hassled is annoying but it got me to thinking what must be like to have to sell things on the street and what’s the story behind it. This I wrote in Cusco, but it can still apply in places I have been here.
Desperation
No gracias
No gracias
No gracias
Its become my middle name
I get haggled to buy junk from street merchants constantly
Its driving me insane
No I dont want it -
Dont need your crap
No hats, bags or sunglasses
No massages
No tours, paintings, postcards or alpaca sweaters
Move out of my way, get out of my face
and off my back
No gracias
No gracias
No gracias
Its all I hear all day
At least one of these wealthy westerners needs to buy something from me today
I cant leave here with no money in my hands
I need to make as many sales as I can
There is not time to be meek
that only results in hunger rocking my babies to sleep
The only option is to sell these goods or this week nobody in my house eats.
» 2010 » August
The city of Nice is located on the French Riviera in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. Blessed by a sunny, temperate climate, Nice attracts visitors from around the world.
Among its many attractions are its beautiful beaches, lovelyseaside promenade, interesting museums, famous landmarksand other tourist attractions.
» 2010 » August
Mediterranean Blue
For my last day in Barcelona, I went to the beach and boy was it beautiful. I went mid afternoon, so the sun was not too hot and it was probably one of the most pleasant beach stays that I have had. The weather in Barcelona is somewhere in the 80′s, the water was nice and cool, and a different color blue then I can describe and it made me really wish I could swim (no I cant swim).
One glance at the sea
and it was then I knew
that there is not a color alive
to describe this hue
so I took the liberty to name it
Mediterranean Blue
The entire beach was crowded with people. Great for people watching.
Observations:
One – obviously being topless is not a problem in Spain, because several women went topless like it was an everyday occurrence. There were also a lot of naked babies, so maybe they don’t have baby swim suits in Spain. European mean seem to think its perfectly fine to sport speedo’s over trunks.
Two – there are people all over trying to sell you things like massages, food, drinks and even donuts. There was this guy with a stack of donuts on a wood board balancing on his head and he was running all around the beach selling donuts. There are also many street musicians playing music all along the beach and boardwalk, so this was all with the soundtrack of constant drumming and distant song that you could hear but not necessarily see.
Sunset at Port Vell and Waterworks at Magic Fountain
After being a beach bum for a few hours, I watched the sun set on Port Vell adjacent to the beach , then headed over to the magic fountain in Park Montijuc/Placa Espanya, sites left overs from the Olympic grander. If you have been to Vegas and seen the water show at the Bellagio Hotel, well this is like 10 times better. There must have been at least 5 thousand people there all for the 10:00pm waterworks. The water alternated between every color in the rainbow, twisted, turned, reached for the heights descended and did aerobatic moves synched to classical music. All this in front of a huge castle with lights beaming from behind up with the moon hanging in the sky. Impressive!!!
Randomly, back at my hostel was a mojito making class, which I just missed, lead by one of the most eccentric people I have ever met, Rafael. When first walked into my hostel, I was greeted by him with a smile, a derby with a long ponytail hanging down a bare chest and some pants made in India which resembled a skirt. He wears a leather fanny-pack thing on his back, but its much nicer than a fanny pack and something a modern person might actually wear. He is probably one of my favorite people I have met on this trip. He is Brazilian, is all about sustainability and loves weed. The other night, he invited me to join him for dinner, we ate pasta on the terrace, and as I recited poetry, he busted out a joint (from weed which he grows himself I might add). He also lives in a wood house on the roof of our hostel (he works there). I wasn’t a huge fan of this hostel, the rooms were small, but he was such a character that it made up for it.
Cruising along the Mediterranean
On my way to Italy, I will be cruising along the Mediterranean and visiting France, more so as a stop over because the train ride to Italy is long and requires many transfers. Just today, it was an 8 hour trip requiring three transfer to get to Marseille, France. I might add that having a Euro-rail pass is a mess. You can ride the train in 5 countries with the pass I have, but for most of the trains you need a reservation (which you have to pay extra for). To get a reservation, most of the time you have to do so days in advance (there are limited seats for pass holders) that you need to stand in long lines to make. You also can not make a reservation from a neighboring country. This meant, I arrived to France, had to get in line and buy a ticket with about 3 minutes to spare before the train left. It was one of those home alone dashes to the train, but I made it.
The scenery from Spain to France is nice, a lot of greenery, castles, vineyards, beaches and ports with boats out to sea. As I write this I am even seeing some snow capped mountains to the left, so I cant really complain about the train ride.
Randomness
For all of you who may be the slight bit envious, I am blessed to be on this journey, but backpacking is nothing close to a vacation, its hard work. On any given day I have walked between 5-9 hours a day sight seeing, I live out of a bag, so I never know where anything is. I am always trying to figure out a map, a bus or train system, make hostel or train reservations, decide when and where to eat, how to get there and how to do what you want to do while on a budget. Then you have to try and communicate with people who don’t necessarily speak your language. And hostels are hit or miss, it may sound nice and get great reviews, but it may have small rooms or bathrooms, and lack some of the amenities you would desire.
Just today for example, after an 8 hour train ride, i arrive at my hostel which was actually the wrong hostel (they have two) because after asking for directions twice via email i went online where they only have diretion to their main hostel. So with my tired self and a heavy 40+ pound backpack, i had to go across town on the metro, walk 5 blocks and up and hill and then up 4 flights of steps before i am finally there. But, how much can i complain i am like 3 blocks from Vieux- Port right on the Mediterranean and its lovely. Tomorrow is Notre Dame and the beach again.
» 2010 » August
Pictures say 100 words so I will give you all more pictures than words. Enjoy the pics below.
The Culture is in the Streets: Graffiti in Granada
On my last day in Granada, I went on an walking tour to see some of the street art and graffiti and indeed it was impressive.
Guadi in Barcelona
If I had to sum up Barcelona in one word, it would be grand. There are grand boulevards, building and beaches. And since the Olympics was here, its even more grandiose. I have been to the buildings of Guadi (Casa Bastillo, Sagrada Familia, La Pedrera and Park Guell), walked around the port, the old city center, down La Rambla and went to a music festival in Gracia. Today, I will brisk by the beach (I don’t need anymore sun) and go to a water show at the magic fountain.
On of the most impressive things here is the architecture of Antoni Gaudi. He was an architecture who designed outlandish (very fantastical buildings) in the 1800′s. He was a genius and a madman. One of the churches he designed (Sagrada Familia), is still under construction 125 years later and it is slated to be finished in another 25 years. He also designed a park – Park Guell which kind of feels like a theme park. Gaudi used a lot of tiles, curves, sculptures and iron work. His work is probably the most impressive architecture I have seen on my trip.
Next stop Marsaille, France staying at the Vertigo Viex Port
Waking up in Barcelona by James Irwin Greene
In Barcelona, women hang
their laundry out to dry.
Bright-colored dresses, shirts
pinned next to pale underwear,
next to blue jeans, capture our attention
like frescoes blowing in the wind.
\Throughout the vast and boulevarded city,
Gaudí’s undulating wonders dance:
bold broken tiles placed one-by-one-by-one,
pieces in a world-size puzzle–
turn into an apartment, park,
unfinished church.
\In the tapas bars,
tasty, bite-sized appetizers
meld like mosaics into meals.
Swallowing is art in Barcelona.
» 2010 » August
» 2010 » August
Today, I am rather tired, so mostly it will be a day of rest before I had over to Barcelona for a few days . Granada is interesting and very different from Madrid or Seville. It seems smaller in size and population and its also seems a bit darker, maybe more gothic.
The Arab, Islamic and Moorish influence is very prominent. There are many Tetaras (tea cafes), hookah places, gypsy stores and Islamic art. Many signs are written in Arabic and you can get your name written in Arabic on the streets. What I like most about here is the pathways, every walkway is made of something different, which gives such a different texture to every area of the historic center. Much of the city is on a hill which is also a UNESCO world heritage site. Up in the hills, there are caves that people actually live in and have been living in for centuries. On the east side of the city there is a river flowing with bridges that cross over to the other quarters. The highlight of the city is Alhambra which was a fortress, but it has grande gardens and architecture. I elected not to go there because I am quite tired of old palaces and gardens.
The hostel I am staying at is great, the bathrooms are like hotels and are in your actual room, internet is free and they have computers, there is a nice kitchen and free breakfast of cereal and toast. They also run free tapas tours every other night and there’s a $4 euro dinner which can feed 2-3 people. There is a bar, a grill/patio and a terrace. There are about 4-5 free tours everyday. And by free they mean a $5 euro tip for the tour guide who is very good by the way, but is actually an expatriate from Australia, Mexico or another part of Europe. Yesterday, we walked through the old Albazin neighborhood for a few hours and heard of legends, sultans, kings, queens, explorers (like Christopher Columbus) and the change in power and population from Moorish to Jewish to Catholic. We also visited a Arab bathhouse which was cool. Arab men bathed there regularly, but women were only allowed to bath once a month. Then, when the Catholics took over, it was considered devout not to bath. There are a few Hammans around the city you can bath at today and you can even have a chocolate bath for a heafty price.
After the tour, I visited the cave district and ate swharma which is basically a gyro. Here, you can get a drink, alcoholic or non alcoholic for about $2 and get a free tapas at any point during the day.
Like I said before, Australians must travel a lot because every country I have been to has a mass of them traveling. They call themselves Aussies. There are also a lot of Canadians and other Europeans. You might come across an American here and there. Randomly at least 7 people from the hostel in Seville are staying at the same hostel in Granada, so I have a few friends. I am pretty much surrounded by Aussies 24/7, so I will have places to stay when I reach Australia. My favorite Aussie is Kamahl, who is documentary film maker. In his last film, he rode a camel through India. Kamahl, Jarah and Catlin introduced me to Aussie hip-hop. I listened to a group called the “hilltop hoods” I believe. The accents make it sound like a different language almost, but its not bad. I did laugh for about 10 minutes at the thought of Australian hip hop before they gave me a try. I get props everywhere from being from New York, usually because thats one of few cities or states that everybody knows where it is. Nobody knows where Virginia is, its quite funny.
Thoughts on Flying Solo
Although you all may think I am crazy, others may think I am brave, but traveling alone has not been bad at all.
The Upsides
Actually, more than half the people I meet in hostels are solo travelers and have been doing so for months. This is why hostels create the perfect recipe for you to meet other people eager to connect with and meet other people. When I want to hang out with people, I just have to sit somewhere in the hostel and inevitable someone will come and spark up a conversation. Having a dorm room instead of a solo room also helps you meet other people. Its not that bad, seeming the only thing you actually do in the room is sleep. You might end up having a drink together with your new friend, having dinner or going on a tour. You might even meet your next traveling partner for a few days. Then when you want to be alone, there is no sweat. You don’t have to go places you don’t want to go or do things you don’t want to do. So if you are thinking bout a solo trip, stay in a hostel, because you probably wont be solo for long.
How do I pick hostels? Its sometimes word of mouth or my lonely planet book or maybe even a branch of a hostel I stayed at in another city that I liked. Then you can go to hostelbookers or hostelworld and see what the reviews are. I usually go for hostels with 90% or more rating. For example, I stayed at Oasis Backpackers in Seville and now in Granada and I stayed at Hostel One in Madrid and will be staying there in Barcelona as well. I have a plan to do 2 days in smaller cities and 3 days in larger cities. First thing you do when you get to a new city….is find a map. This will be your most valuable object for the next few days.
The Downside
The obvious, sometimes you eat alone, go on tours alone and there is no one to share this beauty with or no one to share it with that will remember with you later. You are also constantly meeting new people, it can get tiring. But generally, I cant say that I have been lonely, usually, I need to get away from groups. Today, I will spend the morning taking it easy, then go on another “free” walking tour with other people from the hostel of the art and graffiti district in Granada. Then I will probably go solo again to this free garden. For the evening, they have $4 dinner which I will undoubtedly see some old friends (as in I have known them 3-4 days) or make some new friends.
Another downside to staying in hostels is that it is really hard to meet locals. I have not met one true Granadian yet. So sad
Here are some poems and quotes on travel for you
“We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next, to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate. We travel to bring what little we can, in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe whose riches are differently dispersed. And we travel, in essence, to become young fools again — to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more.” –Pico Iyer
Travelers are a blessed people
Travelers are a blessed people
with foreigners for angels
A lonely planet embraces their curiosity with a sweet kiss of adventure
Throwing caution to the worriers
They swallow fear chased by a taste of delicacies in distant lands
Sky Company
When I feel alone
thirsty for familiar and hungry for home
I look up with a glimmer I my eye
and drink a glass full of companionship from the sky
I have three friends no matter where in the world I wander
The constellation keep me company
the Moon brings memories back
and the Sun,
well it just shines and sparks life into this smile of mine
Living a Dream
I had a dream that I was sashaying across Spain
over a series of seconds stacked on minutes and days
Lapping up life with a Spanish tongue
Eating tapas on top of terraces
Flying over fiestas with females dancing flamenco
Crossing boulevards in crosswalks leading to crystal palaces and grand gardens
Peering at famous paintings of Picasso
Sitting in plaza’s made of stone with statues in the center
Sipping summer wine under the sun’s hot summer fire
then planting my feet in the sand of a Mediterranean playa
Apart from the beach
water was everywhere to ward off the heat
In fountains, under ferries riding down rivers and in the ponds concealed in parks
and when it was finally dark
I feel asleep under the stars
Then I awoke to sunlight’s’ gentle stroke
only to realize
I was living a dream
Randomness
I took a few pics of some tapas recipes if anybody is interested. See pics below
The weather is cooler and cloudier here.
Granada means pomegranite in spanish (or some other language, i cant recall) but its the symbol of the city.
» 2010 » August
» 2010 » August
Seville is sizzling hot in more ways than one.
Seville, is a city of about 700,000 and 2.5 hours from Madrid, its a gem of history, culture and architecture. The only word that I can come up with for Seville is “lovely.” It has Roman, Catholic, Moorish/Islamic and Jewish influences in its buildings, churches, plazas (oh and there are many gardens and plazas), and historic barrios.
How hot is it?
- In the summer time (which is right now) it can reach up to 48 degrees Celsius, which is well over 100.
- Its soo hot that many of the city streets (almost all of which are stone and 85% of which are pedestrian) have fabric hanging from the tops of buildings to shade them the walkways.
- There are also people readily selling Asian inspired fans.
- In the Jewish quarter the streets are thin – thin enough for me to touch buildings on both sides at the same time – this was to maximize the shade from the buildings.
- After about 12pm the only people you will see on the street are tourists because all of the locals stay indoors.
- At a restaurant, they have spray mist that comes about of the umbrellas in the outside cafes and ceilings inside that is meant to cool you off.
Why the Spaniards need siestas?
FYI, siestas are naps/breaks the Spaniards take from 2-5pm to go home, eat or sleep. Shops and businesses are closed during that time.
- Because there are fiestas and festivals quite often, which means a lot of drinking
- Their nightlife – They are night owls, meaning dinner is usually at 10pm, they go to bars at 12am and clubs open at 3am. It is not uncommon for them to party until 7am the next day. The latest I have heard was until 12pm the following day. That sounds like a sure fire hangover and a need for an afternoon nap for sure.
My time in Seville
Upon arriving, I met a Servas day host and we had tapas for lunch. Miriam is 22 and is a native of Seville. The tapas were excellent. She also showed me one of the largest cathedrals in Europe, which was built as a moque but used as a cathedral when the Catholics begin to rule. It was once one of the tallest buildings in the world. We then went tot the Gardens of Alcazar, the royal palace. After walking around for 3 hours, I needed a siesta. Then, it was off to my hostel bar to have a welcome drink and a glass of sangria for 1 euro (score). A 5 euro hostel Moroccan dinner was advertised for 9pm, so I was all over it. I made fast friends with the people I met at the bar (Australians of course they are everywhere) and we all went up to the terrace for dinner. A Guatemalan guy named Luis was cooking Moroccan food, but it was some of the best food I have every tasted. I forgot the name, but it was chicken with vegetables, seasoned with cumin and cinnamon (among other things) over some cous cuus. DELISIOUS!!! We then mingled and went out for a bit of night life…..I made it home a 2am, I believe my fellow hostel mates got back between 5 and 7 am. I cant hang with them or the Spaniards.
If you come to Seville, bring your dancing and partying shoes. Also bring your walking shoes because its highly walkable. I went on a walking tour the next morning/afternoon and these were some of the things I saw:
Barrio de Santa Cruz – this is the old jewish quarter, full of narrow pedestrian streets, shops, outside cafe’s, vendors and tapas bars (tapas are small plate dishes) that cost about 1-5 euros here.
Parque of Maria Luisa – wonderful – full of fountains, trees, courtyards, ponds, benches and more. Probably one of the best parks I have been to on my trip.
Plaza de Espana – this is by far the grandest plaza I have been on this entire trip and both Latin America and Spain are full of plaza’s. The main building is pretty much like a castle or palace.
Rio Guadalquivir – the river, a wonderful shade of aqua and absolutely beautiful. You can take a bridge across or ride a boat down.
Tonight I will go on a free tapas tour and a flamenco show the hostel I am staying at – Oasis Backpackers Hostel – is sponsoring.
In Seville (pics below)
You will see: many tourist and Souvenir shops, fountains and plazas (one after another), very few owner occupied cars, a light rail, bikes you can rent, cafe’s and store front shops (both modern, antique, local, American and all) galore , many cathedrals and Gothic buildings with Moorish and Muslim influences. You will also see many African street vendors selling necklaces and bracelets. All over there is the infinity symbol between “no” and “do”. Apparently, priest used to tie a knot at ceremonies around the wrist of a man and women in the shape of an infinity sign, symbolizing eternal love and hence the phrase “tie the knot.” Here the sign symbolizes one of the kings loyalty to Seville – i think no do is short for something in Spanish meaning she never left me. They eat a lot of cured pork here so it is likely that you will see a pigs leg in a restaurant window.
You will hear: did I tell you the crosswalks chirp like birds when its time for you to walk?, you will hear water falling as there are fountains everywhere, there are many doves and pigeons, so they are always talking in the background. You will hear music on the streets as there are many street performers playing guitars.
You will taste: tapas – there are many potato tapas, small ham or chicken sandwich ones, there are also a lot of seafood tapas and crochets. There is much liquor everywhere and being drank all times a day , mostly Sangria, Tinto Verano (summer wine which is like sangria but better), beer and mojitos.
Randomness
My last night in Seville was last night and i went on another tapas tour and then to this flamenco bar. I was so close to the stage the women´s dress brushed across my knees. I have video i will post later. It was intense.
Since my primary means of transportation has been my feet over the past few months, my feet are quite jacked up and cracked. Thank God for pumice.
Today, I arrived in Granada……….3 days here. I am tired and will relax until tomorrow.
One of the hardest thing that i have had to do here is try to buy stamps and find a post office. They sell postcards everywhere, but stamps are way harder to find then in Latin America.
» 2010 » August
For the past two days I have been literally walking around the center of Madrid. I actually bought a 3 day unlimited metro ticket but have not even used it and me feet kind of hurt, but it has been fun. From a city planners perspective, its quite the walkable downtown. Here there is plaza after plaza, many parks and gardens interspersed and most of the internal streets are pedestrian only. So for you c’villians imagine a continuous downtown mall. And every day and night in Madrid is like Friday or Saturday night on the Downtown Mall. Crawling with people until the wee hours of the morning.
Every day is so full I can hardly remember.
My hostel is in the central area, so the person at the front desk gave me a map, showed me all of the places to go and sent me on my way.
First, I was super hungry and stopped in at a cafe called “Cafe & Te” and had a kind of red wine soda and a caprese (chicken, spinach and cheese) Panini. Perfect!!! Then I walked don Gran Via, probably one of the grandest streets in central madrid. There is a lot of stone buildings, billboards, shops, etc. One thing I must say about Madrid, is they have very large cross walks and many round-abouts which carry a lot of traffic.
On the Itinerary of Day One:
Plaza Espana – Nice water fountains and statues (water fountains and fountains are pervasive).
Jardines Ferraz– There is a nice mirador and the Templo de Debod which is temple that was transported from Egypt.
Jardines de Sebatini – Went here and found out there was a flamenco show in that night which I quickly signed up for. There is a festival going on called “Veronas in de Villa” and there are many concerts int the garden for the summer. The show was fabulous by the way. Flamenco feels like a cross between between tap dancing and river dance. Its all that you would expect from a Spanish show – Spanish men looking like Antonio Banderas with tapered leg pants and shirts open until mid chest. Then there are Spanish women with kind of bohemian like dresses and a Spanish guitar playing in the background. Quite nice.
Palacio Real – The royal palace, it was grand and royal feeling
Plaza Mayor– Its a grand courtyard surrounded by a wall of buildings. Its full of restaurants, shops, crawling with people and like any good public space has entertainers galore. I also saw a few mines, and I forgot what you call it, those ppl standing still and looking like statues. Below is me with one.
Day Two
Got a late start so went to the grocery store and made me a sandwich for brunch. I had to go make my ticket reservations for Seville, thus, I went to the Atocha station to activate my rail pass and get tickets. This station has like a forest in the middle with a turtle pond.
From there, I went green and visited the Botanical Garden The Parque del Buen Retiro. This is like the central park of Madrid, equipped with rivers running through it, a Cristal Palace and two lakes. At the Estanque, the larger of the lakes, I was tempted to take a boat and row around, but then I remembered that I couldn’t swim and they didn’t seem to have any life jackets. There was a nice exhibit in the museum here called Mirador, or something like that, and it focused on taking a closer look at things. On of my favorites was the world justice spelled out with little plastic soldiers.
Next it was museum hoping where I met a fellow tourist visiting from Ghana and we went hopping together. First was an urban exhibit reinventing Gran Via but it was more like a urban planning or urban design studio class project. Next were the two grandest art museums in Madrid, the Museo del Prado and Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. These babies were huge and I saw some works of Picasso and other artist from all over Europe. Oh and I went during the free hours so it was completely free. As an aside, I am trying to do as many things as I can for free while I am here, because otherwise its quite expensive (meals are like $20). After this museum marathon, my feet were tired and I was hungry. For dinner, I had Paella (which is traditional Spanish rice and chicken and seafood dish) and then went out to a jazz club.
Randomness
Many people speak very good English here. Its impressive. People here are fairly nice and helpful. Cars also stop for pedestrians.
I have met people from Brazil, Australia, Canada and London to name a few. Besides people from the US, its seems I have met Australians and Canadians everywhere I go.
Tonight, I will likely go on a Tapas tour and maybe enjoy the nightlife scene.
I have seen that McDonald’s are far better around the world. They have free wifi and feel more like a restaurant.
There is a restaurant called the Museum of Ham and it has all kind of pork parts in the window along with other meats. The front window is an impressive exhibit.