Southern Spain and onto Paris

So after Barcelona, I headed down south with my parents to the Andalusia region to check out Granada and Seville. First we went to Granada, the smaller of the two cities - it was great - had a real good ambience to it, was a nice change of pace from the hustle and bustle of Barcelona, yet had plenty going on in its own right. We went to see the Alhambra, an former Moorish palace/fortress that is incredible. Gorgeous structure, pleasant gardens, intriguing history, and so on - the trip to Granada was worth it just for this.

Next up was Seville - I knew it was going to be scorching hot, but I underestimated the heat. Its not too bad up until about two o'clock, but just about then, once the sun has been roasting the city for so long, it becomes nasty. Very rarely in the afternoon was it under 40 degrees Celsius (104 fahrenheit), and there wasn't too much shade to be found. But aside from me complaining about the heat, the city was great - bigger than Granada, but not Barcelona or Madrid big. To me Seville defines what most people think of when they think of Spain - Flamenco, Bull Fighting, and strict adherence to the siesta. We saw two flamenco shows, both were unbelievable. I saw one in Barcelona too, but knew that Seville was the place to really see flamenco. The guitar players grace and elegance, the dancers' insane abilities and speed - everything about it really appeals to me. I wish I had brought my camera both times.

Moving on, The Seville Cathedral (which has the largest alter-piece in the world) is incredible. Massive in size, it also has kept the tower from the Mosque that stood there before it, and adapted it into its own item (yet you can still see the Islam-influenced archways up and down the tower).

On our last full day, we took a day trip to Córdoba - a 45 minute train ride away. Córdoba is famous for its Mezquita - a former mosque that has a cathedral built inside it. I took plenty of pictures, for it is incredible. The way the Islamic arches blend in with the art and style of Christianity is gorgeous, and works quite well.

Our last day in Seville was when we went to the Cathedral, but shortly thereafter took a train to Madrid - parents flying back home the next day, me flying to Paris. We decided that rather than just going to the hotel and staying there, we would venture into the city for the short time we had. I'm glad we did - the weather was great this time (as opposed to the rainy weekend I spent there in June), and because of that I think I enjoyed being there more this time around. I really want to go back to Madrid sometime and see more of it - it really is something else.

Now, I sit in an internet cafe in Paris, taking a break from walking around the city. If Madrid is "something else," then I don't know what to call Paris. City to end all cities? Its amazing, simply put. I walked around last night from Notre Dame, past the Louvre, onto the Arc de Triomph, and finally to the Eiffel Tower - the whole time I had my mouth wide open I'm sure, just amazed by the feel of the city. I'm glad I have three more days to enjoy it.

Until next time,
Matt