El Aire De Sevilla

I will not write extensively about my spring break vacation (sorry to disappoint, or perhaps its a relief?)  The truth is I am lazy, nothing more, nothing less.  But I'll give you a brief overview...
 
I was very excited to plan another big trip for Semana Santa because we had 10 days off from school.  However, no one wanted to/could come with me to my chosen destinations: Sevilla and Portugal.  But that's never stopped me before - if I want to go somewhere, I'll do it on my own!  So I set off on my first European adventure alone.
 
I spent the first three days in Sevilla, which is Andalucía's capital.  I have to admit, I fell for Sevilla's charm instantly.  The city is a beautiful maze of narrow and intricate streets that you can get lost in for hours.  The architecture reflects its mixture of Islamic and Spanish cultural influences.  The buildings are painted in warm and bright orange, red and yellow tones, making the city feel vibrant and alive.  Delightful horse drawn carriages clicked down the cobble stoned streets.  And the air carries an intoxicating scent of orange trees and flowers.  It was actually planned that way: the trees were strategically planted all around the city to ensure that it smelled delightful.  I think they should bottle this scent and call it "El Aire de Sevilla" - I would definitely buy the fabulous scent!

During my trip I went on a walking tour to learn about the city's history, which is really fascinating, and to see all the important sights.  I spent the following days returning to said sights to explore them more thoroughly.  I met some nice girls at my hostel so we ended up sight seeing together.  Among the most interesting sights were Sevilla's world-famous Gothic cathedral and el Alcazar.  El Alcazar is Sevilla's version of Granada's La Alhambra.  I must admit that although it was quite beautiful, it also looked strikingly similar to La Alhambra because I have no knowledge of Islamic architecture.  But the garden was so beautiful!  We actually spent more time relaxing among the flowers in the garden than looking around the palace!

On my last day in Sevilla I went to the real Aire de Sevilla, which is an establishment of Arab baths.  Arab baths were popular centuries ago and used as a place for the public to bathe and relax.  I went and sipped tea, relaxed in the various baths (cold, temperate, hot; jucuzzi; salt) and sauna, and had a much needed massage.  I'm definitely thinking about visiting the Arab Baths when I go to Cordoba!

Overall, Sevilla is a lovely city and yes, I did feel that distinct and strangely familiar pang to pack up and move there immediately and permanently.  What can I say?  I love that feeling of falling IN LOVE a beautiful city. 

The orange trees that make el aire de Sevilla smell so wonderful.

The narrow alleyways

Horse drawn carriage rides are very popular!

La Catedral

The beautiful view from the cathedral

Estanque del Mercurio - Mercury's Pool

El Alcazar and the its beautiful gardens

Relajandito