Monday, September 28, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
La Corrida de Toros
Between studying for two tests and preparing for my upcoming trip to Ireland and Paris, I have had little time for many cultural adventures. That is until this weekend. I visited the Capilla Real where King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel are buried, as well as the enormous Cathedral built by Carlos V. And not only did I attend my first bullfight but I also got to wade through the craziness that is the celebration of the Virgin of Angustias. I know I have mentioned this whole saint thing before but today was the day that the wooden figurine of the Virgin was paraded all around town and the place was packed! Stall after stall of vendors selling dried fruit and chestnuts literally roasting on an open fire filled the streets. The most popular places were those selling the "Torta de la Virgin" which is basically a huge pastry filled with chocolate. What would have usually taken me a 30 minute walk to get home from the Plaza de Toros took closer to an hour because of the crowd.
But back to this bullfight. I know I have mentioned the Spanish tradition of bullfighting before but now having actually seen a complete corrida here in Granada, I feel like I have a little more to go on than just here-say from various Spaniards. So yes, here in Spain the bull is killed and at first, I was shocked and a little disgusted watching it. However as the corrida went on, despite my best intentions, I began to enjoy it. I don't think I can ever get used to the killing part but there really is something noble about the bulls. Think about it this way: (PETA people are going to hate me) hundreds of thousands of cows go to slaughter every day for our hamburgers, yet here, that animal is glorified. Red meat is not very popular in Spain and I actually had a hamburger the other day made of ham. The bulls used in corridas are worth thousands of dollars and are viewed by fans as the protagonist in the whole show and treated with respect.
So here is how it works. First, the matador uses his bandera to get the bull to charge just to show the audience how strong the bull actually is. I think at this point, if the bull was viewed to be not fit to the task, they would send it home. Then two men on horseback (their horses are covered with armor and wear blindfolds. This is the part that bothers me the most) known as picadors come out and stab the back of the bull once. Usually the bull ends up charging the horse who stands there and takes it, though I assume the horse doesn't get hurt because of the armor but I don't really know for sure. Then the matador is given smaller stakes to put in the bull's back, which he does with no protection. Finally, he uses the smaller red cape to do some amazing fancy footwork before killing the bull with a carefully aimed sword.
In this particular corrida, one of the matadors actually was shoved to the ground and his leg was mauled bad enough that he was bleeding through his pants and had to wear a sort of tourniquet. However, he came back better than ever and proceeded to do some crazy maneuvering. For example, once he got on his knees and coaxed the bull over with his bandera; he did this more than once. Another time, he had one hand on the bull's back and it was almost like the two of them were dancing together. When a matador does really well, the audience will stand up and wave white flags and if the bull is exceptionally brave, they will display the body to the audience.
I know this may sound horrible and as we left the stadium and were greeted by a few protesters, reality set back in, but I actually really enjoyed the experience. I have heard that in Mexico, they do not actually kill the bull so that would perhaps be better to see. However, now I feel like I understand a little more about the sport and the culture behind it. One thing I do have to say though. Do not, DO NOT watch your first bullfight on TV. Without the atmosphere and the band playing the Paso Doble in the background, I can imagine that would be horrible...
But back to this bullfight. I know I have mentioned the Spanish tradition of bullfighting before but now having actually seen a complete corrida here in Granada, I feel like I have a little more to go on than just here-say from various Spaniards. So yes, here in Spain the bull is killed and at first, I was shocked and a little disgusted watching it. However as the corrida went on, despite my best intentions, I began to enjoy it. I don't think I can ever get used to the killing part but there really is something noble about the bulls. Think about it this way: (PETA people are going to hate me) hundreds of thousands of cows go to slaughter every day for our hamburgers, yet here, that animal is glorified. Red meat is not very popular in Spain and I actually had a hamburger the other day made of ham. The bulls used in corridas are worth thousands of dollars and are viewed by fans as the protagonist in the whole show and treated with respect.
So here is how it works. First, the matador uses his bandera to get the bull to charge just to show the audience how strong the bull actually is. I think at this point, if the bull was viewed to be not fit to the task, they would send it home. Then two men on horseback (their horses are covered with armor and wear blindfolds. This is the part that bothers me the most) known as picadors come out and stab the back of the bull once. Usually the bull ends up charging the horse who stands there and takes it, though I assume the horse doesn't get hurt because of the armor but I don't really know for sure. Then the matador is given smaller stakes to put in the bull's back, which he does with no protection. Finally, he uses the smaller red cape to do some amazing fancy footwork before killing the bull with a carefully aimed sword.
In this particular corrida, one of the matadors actually was shoved to the ground and his leg was mauled bad enough that he was bleeding through his pants and had to wear a sort of tourniquet. However, he came back better than ever and proceeded to do some crazy maneuvering. For example, once he got on his knees and coaxed the bull over with his bandera; he did this more than once. Another time, he had one hand on the bull's back and it was almost like the two of them were dancing together. When a matador does really well, the audience will stand up and wave white flags and if the bull is exceptionally brave, they will display the body to the audience.
I know this may sound horrible and as we left the stadium and were greeted by a few protesters, reality set back in, but I actually really enjoyed the experience. I have heard that in Mexico, they do not actually kill the bull so that would perhaps be better to see. However, now I feel like I understand a little more about the sport and the culture behind it. One thing I do have to say though. Do not, DO NOT watch your first bullfight on TV. Without the atmosphere and the band playing the Paso Doble in the background, I can imagine that would be horrible...
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Because I'm tired of putting a few of my photos here instead of letting you see all of them...
http://jsewardsespana.shutterfly.com/
La Alhambra
Sometimes a place is so famous that you think there is no way it can live up to all of the hype surrounding it. You know that the moment you enter inside, it will be a let-down and no matter how much you try to build it up in your mind, it will never resemble the place that you imagined. The Alhambra is not this place.
Exactly four weeks after my initial arrival in Granada, we took our first tour of the Generalife and the Alhambra. The Generalife was the royal family's residence and The Alhambra (mainly the Palacio de los Nazaries) was the Sultan's palace during the Arabic rule in Granada which lasted from 711-1492. Despite the crowd of tourists and the restoration of various areas of the palace, it was an incredible experience.
First walking into the Palacio de los Nazaries, I kept thinking "wow, this is it?" Sure there were mosaics and intricate designs on the walls but especially after our guide told us they were made from moldings, I was a little underwhelmed. However, we continued through the room and entered into the first patio. The fountain in the center was low set since Arab rulers did not have thrones -- they sat on carpets. But the facades of the buildings were completely covered with Arabic characters and designs in plaster. If you looked closely, it was amazing how many actual words were written and apparently, these form poems and phrases, welcoming visitors and describing parables.
We moved on to one of the most famous parts of The Palace where foreign visitors would enter to meet with The Sultan. Here a long pool reflected the imposing arches of the entryway. Once inside, the entire tower was again covered with Arabic figures and detail which at one point were painted in reds, blues, and greens. The ceiling was a marvel too, made of dark wood with a spiral design of stars and planets to represent the seven levels of heaven. I am sure that back at the peak of the Muslim Empire with the floor covered in carpets and the brilliant mosaics shining above the water, the palace must have been spectacular. It still is.
I know that describing a place to someone via a blog is perhaps boring for some of you, dear readers. However, if you never see The Alhambra, I feel it is a duty of mine to describe it to you. Seriously, it should be one of the seven wonders of the world, even if it is missing some color...
Exactly four weeks after my initial arrival in Granada, we took our first tour of the Generalife and the Alhambra. The Generalife was the royal family's residence and The Alhambra (mainly the Palacio de los Nazaries) was the Sultan's palace during the Arabic rule in Granada which lasted from 711-1492. Despite the crowd of tourists and the restoration of various areas of the palace, it was an incredible experience.
First walking into the Palacio de los Nazaries, I kept thinking "wow, this is it?" Sure there were mosaics and intricate designs on the walls but especially after our guide told us they were made from moldings, I was a little underwhelmed. However, we continued through the room and entered into the first patio. The fountain in the center was low set since Arab rulers did not have thrones -- they sat on carpets. But the facades of the buildings were completely covered with Arabic characters and designs in plaster. If you looked closely, it was amazing how many actual words were written and apparently, these form poems and phrases, welcoming visitors and describing parables.
We moved on to one of the most famous parts of The Palace where foreign visitors would enter to meet with The Sultan. Here a long pool reflected the imposing arches of the entryway. Once inside, the entire tower was again covered with Arabic figures and detail which at one point were painted in reds, blues, and greens. The ceiling was a marvel too, made of dark wood with a spiral design of stars and planets to represent the seven levels of heaven. I am sure that back at the peak of the Muslim Empire with the floor covered in carpets and the brilliant mosaics shining above the water, the palace must have been spectacular. It still is.
I know that describing a place to someone via a blog is perhaps boring for some of you, dear readers. However, if you never see The Alhambra, I feel it is a duty of mine to describe it to you. Seriously, it should be one of the seven wonders of the world, even if it is missing some color...
Sunday, September 20, 2009
La Mezquita
First off, let me apologize for being so remiss in my duties as to not update this blog on Wednesday. But, honestly, I really didn't have that much to write about. Now that I am really starting to settle in here, life is becoming quite a bit more routine. Well, other than the fact that I'm in Spain. In the interest of keeping things short and sweet, I will attempt to give a brief run-down for the week and of course, I will be adding some pictures as soon as my internet connection get its act together.
On Tuesday, I met up with my intercambio partner again. She had friends visiting from Seville so we wandered around the city. The best part was eating piononos (small, custardy tarts that the Granada area is famous for) while watching the surrounding city celebrate the Virgin of Anguish. Basically every city in Spain has a saint and every saint has a day. On the 15 of September, La Virgen de Angustias got special treatment. People lined up for hours to decorate the front of the church with flowers, and planes actually flew overhead and sprinkled flowers on the esplanade near the church. It was quite a sight.
Then on Wednesday I actually went to eat lunch with my intercambio partner and her family. It was a lot of fun and I was really surprised with how much of the conversation I could understand. As far as the food goes, it incorporated all of my favorite ingredients: a salad with olives, corn, tomatoes; a baguette; french fries; ham; and fried eggs. Oh yeah, sounds super healthy right? And for dessert? A lovely watermelon. It was definitely nice to get out of my usual routine and my intercambio partner is very fun to hang out with. Plus, I got to speak and listen to a lot of Spanish. And then Wednesday night it was time to go dancing with my American friends! At a nearby discotech, international students got in for free, so we boogied on the dance floor for an hour or two to American music of course (it's frustrating because they don't play much else here!) before calling it a night. Not bad for the hump day of the week.
On Thursday, a large group of us went out for Chinese food (random I know, but I'd been craving it). It was delicious and cheap which is always good. Afterward, our group headed to Hannigan's for Karaoke. Now I know what you all are thinking: Why would Jenny be going to sing American songs at an Irish pub in Spain? Well, basically because it was one of the most fun nights I have had here! The place was packed and I have to say my rendition of RESPECT by Aretha Franklin was well-received. Of course, "American Pie" and the Spice Girls also were big crowd pleasers. As much as I would like to go every week, I have decided to adhere to the philosophy that some things are great because they happen just once or a few times so I think I will have to leave Hannigan's again for another month.
Fasting forward through Friday (went to the botellon and then dancing with the girls -- nothing much to report. It was fun but not incredible or anything) and Saturday (I didn't do much and went to bed at about 11), we arrive at today. As part of our program, our group went to Cordoba (accent on the first "o" mind you. It is not CorDOba) to see the ancient Mezquita and to partake in two deliciously relaxing hours in the Arab baths.
After driving through the countryside littered with olive groves and the occasional small town dominated overhead by an impressive castle, we arrived at the Guadilquivir River. It is the first real river I have yet seen here in Spain. The water was muddy and shallow but nevertheless, I was impressed. Crossing the bridge, we came to the old town and the Jewish Quarter. At first, we had some free time so I headed to the Alcazar or Castle built by the Christian conquerors in the 13th century. The gardens were absolutely amazing and I felt for a bit like I was in Alice in Wonderland. Long pools filled with carp, flowers, and well groomed hedges and statues lined the walkways. Once inside the ramparts I couldn't help but be reminded by Edgar Allen Poe's "The Pit and the Pendulum." Something tells me The Inquisition made good use of the place.
Then our group partook in the Arab baths. Of course the building was a replica but that did not take away from the experience. Basically in an Arab bath there are three baths and a turkish sauna and you rotate between them. The first is the lukewarm pool, then the hot pools/ sauna, and lastly the cold water. Then to top things off, we received a 15 minute massage. Needless to say, I think I chose the right study abroad program for me.
Then we took a tour of the Mezquita. There are really no words to describe the place."Incredible" just does not do it justice. It was first built by the Caliphate of Cordoba in the 10th century and then added on to by other Arab rulers and later, by the Catholic Church. The whole of the building is filled with arches built of brick and rock and the walls and ceilings are decorated with intricately carved designs typical of moorish architecture. What really becomes interesting are the Christian additions to the building. Between the arches, there are richly painted murals depicting scenes from the bible and right smack dab in the middle of temple is a Catholic Cathedral. It was all beautiful separately, but together, some things felt a little out of place.
On Tuesday, I met up with my intercambio partner again. She had friends visiting from Seville so we wandered around the city. The best part was eating piononos (small, custardy tarts that the Granada area is famous for) while watching the surrounding city celebrate the Virgin of Anguish. Basically every city in Spain has a saint and every saint has a day. On the 15 of September, La Virgen de Angustias got special treatment. People lined up for hours to decorate the front of the church with flowers, and planes actually flew overhead and sprinkled flowers on the esplanade near the church. It was quite a sight.
Then on Wednesday I actually went to eat lunch with my intercambio partner and her family. It was a lot of fun and I was really surprised with how much of the conversation I could understand. As far as the food goes, it incorporated all of my favorite ingredients: a salad with olives, corn, tomatoes; a baguette; french fries; ham; and fried eggs. Oh yeah, sounds super healthy right? And for dessert? A lovely watermelon. It was definitely nice to get out of my usual routine and my intercambio partner is very fun to hang out with. Plus, I got to speak and listen to a lot of Spanish. And then Wednesday night it was time to go dancing with my American friends! At a nearby discotech, international students got in for free, so we boogied on the dance floor for an hour or two to American music of course (it's frustrating because they don't play much else here!) before calling it a night. Not bad for the hump day of the week.
On Thursday, a large group of us went out for Chinese food (random I know, but I'd been craving it). It was delicious and cheap which is always good. Afterward, our group headed to Hannigan's for Karaoke. Now I know what you all are thinking: Why would Jenny be going to sing American songs at an Irish pub in Spain? Well, basically because it was one of the most fun nights I have had here! The place was packed and I have to say my rendition of RESPECT by Aretha Franklin was well-received. Of course, "American Pie" and the Spice Girls also were big crowd pleasers. As much as I would like to go every week, I have decided to adhere to the philosophy that some things are great because they happen just once or a few times so I think I will have to leave Hannigan's again for another month.
Fasting forward through Friday (went to the botellon and then dancing with the girls -- nothing much to report. It was fun but not incredible or anything) and Saturday (I didn't do much and went to bed at about 11), we arrive at today. As part of our program, our group went to Cordoba (accent on the first "o" mind you. It is not CorDOba) to see the ancient Mezquita and to partake in two deliciously relaxing hours in the Arab baths.
After driving through the countryside littered with olive groves and the occasional small town dominated overhead by an impressive castle, we arrived at the Guadilquivir River. It is the first real river I have yet seen here in Spain. The water was muddy and shallow but nevertheless, I was impressed. Crossing the bridge, we came to the old town and the Jewish Quarter. At first, we had some free time so I headed to the Alcazar or Castle built by the Christian conquerors in the 13th century. The gardens were absolutely amazing and I felt for a bit like I was in Alice in Wonderland. Long pools filled with carp, flowers, and well groomed hedges and statues lined the walkways. Once inside the ramparts I couldn't help but be reminded by Edgar Allen Poe's "The Pit and the Pendulum." Something tells me The Inquisition made good use of the place.
Then our group partook in the Arab baths. Of course the building was a replica but that did not take away from the experience. Basically in an Arab bath there are three baths and a turkish sauna and you rotate between them. The first is the lukewarm pool, then the hot pools/ sauna, and lastly the cold water. Then to top things off, we received a 15 minute massage. Needless to say, I think I chose the right study abroad program for me.
Then we took a tour of the Mezquita. There are really no words to describe the place."Incredible" just does not do it justice. It was first built by the Caliphate of Cordoba in the 10th century and then added on to by other Arab rulers and later, by the Catholic Church. The whole of the building is filled with arches built of brick and rock and the walls and ceilings are decorated with intricately carved designs typical of moorish architecture. What really becomes interesting are the Christian additions to the building. Between the arches, there are richly painted murals depicting scenes from the bible and right smack dab in the middle of temple is a Catholic Cathedral. It was all beautiful separately, but together, some things felt a little out of place.
Monday, September 14, 2009
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