It was once again very hot, since this is still Andalucia. But somehow, maybe I'd just gotten used to it already, but it seemed a tad cooler. Sevilla boasts the largest Gothic cathedral on the planet and the third largest cathedral in the world, all rolled into one. It's massive and you feel very humble. Even the builders, way back when, stated that they'd build a cathedral so big people would say they were mad. They're words, not mine. This cathedral fits into the landscape of Sevilla, however. Unlike the mismatch of Granada's Renaissance cathedral which the mighty Alhambra overlooks.....
Sevilla's streets all seem to blend together as well, which is why we got lost finding the free flamenco bar. Well, the flamenco was free, not the bar. Please, people, this is Spain! People still pay for alcohol! But I must say that Sevilla's nightlife is less energetic than Granada's. Granada is a small city, whereas Sevilla is a bit bigger, making it easier for good tapas bars to be far apart from each other.
The hostel in Sevilla was also a really good find, both for location and price. They didn't have any activities, but you met a LOT of great people. Aoife and I met lots of Aussies, mostly from Melbourne. We went out as a big group the first night we were there, did flamenco as a smaller group the second night. Lots of fun, except for the feet, which had to remain unhappy until I got to Bonn last week. Man, I don't think I've ever had so many blisters or raw skin in my life. But at least I didn't have bugs after me. Aoife had that honor!
So... pictures!
Here is colonial Sevilla in her subtle beauty. A totally different feel from Granada, which still had tastes of the Moors everywhere you turned. Sevilla had more time to be christianized I suppose....
The mighty Gothic cathedral! I really couldn't get a good picture of the whole thing since it's that big. And there isn't a big front door or facade either. The inside was half under construction, but it didn't matter. There was still sooooo much to see.
Like this! This is the main nave (?) of the cathedral, which was just kilometers long it seemed.
Holy golden high altar, Batman!
The streets in the Santa Cruz (tr: Holy Cross) neighborhood are sometimes so close, that they are called kissing streets. The Santa Cruz used to be the Jewish Quarter. Then they changed the name to Santa Cruz and took down a lot of religious work done by the Jews, set up plazas inside some of the narrow streets to erect crosses and.... suddenly, nobody was Jewish anymore! Voila!
Aoife and I were so tired after the long cathedral march (you'd think large stone walls would keep out heat, but no), so we sat down (ironically at a Irish pub, we didn't know it until you got inside) and had tapas. We had tortilla espanyola and papas arrugadas. The papas are actually little new potatoes that you dip in a spicy red sauce. The sauce itself needs mixing or else the oils are all you get. Well.... Aoife found this out the hard way. :)
At the free flamenco, there was a semi-drunk sitting next to our group, as well as a really arrogant couple who I think were from Madrid. The arrogant man of the couple kept smoking a cigar, which is prohibited while the flamenco is going on. But oh - how maginificent the flamenco was! Just pure energy coming from the dancer, hypnotic singing and masterful guitar playing..... It was really hard to get a good photo, but I think I got a good enough one. Sometimes flamenco is sung only, sometimes a dance accompanies. The finale was a song and dance about Sevilla the city. Sevilla as a city is a flower, always blooming. Sevilla is a little child, always making mistakes. Sevilla is the center of the world, sometimes nothing at all. It was beautiful. Really inspiring.... made me want to pay money!
Our morning trip to Cordoba proved tiring (we were just worn out by then) and awesome at the same time. We shared an audioguide and found the nearest bench to sit down on while listening, before moving on to the next sight to see. But literally, La Mezquita is one giant mosque-cathedral-hall. It had three separate additions by both Muslims and Christians.
The columns were re-used from the Roman walls around the city, as well as the red and white bricks. The first part of the mosque was built in only 70 years and it's roughly the size of half a football field!
The two religions come together in a way I've never seen before. If I went to Israel I might see something comparable, but the cathedral is in the middle of the mosque actually. This wall hides the royal chapel of the mosque. And then a fourth and final addition to the building centered itself on building chapels surrounding the cathedral. So, you're walking around with the red and white arches above you with chapels flanking your walk towards the mihrab, which is the most holy corner of a mosque because it point the way to Mecca. History and religion and culture in one giant hall..... crazy cool!
Here is the inner part of the mihrab, and it definitely reminds you of Granada, right? But the fourth and more christian addition of the building left the mihrab off-centered, so... the building feels a bit unfinished. :(
Every cathedral has a Treasury and this is one of the treasures in Cordoba. It is literally carried - yes, carried - through the streets on a specific day of the Catholic calendar. I can't remember exactly the holiday, but throngs of people line the narrow streets and give praise to a certain saint, while carrying the burden of the treasures of the church. This thing must weigh... too much, that's for sure!
The tower not only has bells, which the Christians added, but it was originally a medina, where the Islamic prayers of the hours were called out. Sevilla has a tower as well, which Aoife and I went up. It's not steps, but ramps up to the top, wide enough for a man on horseback to ride, in order to call the prayers or ring the bells.
After two nights in Sevilla, and a morning trip to Cordoba, I left Andalucia with anticipation. I skipped Madrid, but I wasnæt about to ignore Barcelona, the second largest city in Spain. It sprawls out in a valley by the Mediterrean kinda like Los Angeles. With sights like Sagrada Familia and other Gaudi creations, I was NOT missiong out on that for anything.
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