Morocco Days 3-4: The Sahara Desert

Coming from a small town in Pennsylvania, I think my expectations of the desert were as low as they could possibly be. I expected sand to be everywhere (which it was), scorpions (really I don't know why this was the animal I was most afraid of, but thankfully there weren't any), cactuses (there was barely any vegetation at all, let alone tall cactuses), and unbearable heat and humidity (it was bearable). Really the two days that we spent in the desert were my two favorite days of my entire semester abroad.

We left the hotel in Fes very early in the morning and spent nearly the entire day in the bus driving to the desert. I didn't mind this though- this might sound really stupid but I've always wondered when deserts started. Like when did the green stop and the sand start? It sounds like such a simple question but really it has puzzled me for the longest time, and through the six hours that it took us to arrive in the desert I was able to understand that the change is extremely gradual. Sometimes I thought "oh wow I'm definitely in the desert now" only to round a corner and be faced with lots of low shrubbery. The landscape changed slowly from lush field and rolling hills, to a rocky desert sort of like Arizona in the US, and eventually to the leaping sand dunes that one pictures when thinking of the Sahara desert.

We stopped for lunch in one of the coolest places I've ever been- the Ziz Oasis. In the English language I feel like the term "oasis" is used more as a figure of speech than anything, but this was a true oasis. In the middle of sand and stone and heat and nothingness, there was suddenly a ravine filled with palm trees and other trees and shrubs of the most rich deep green. It's so curious how these things naturally occur, but really that's what makes them so fascinating to experience in person.

After the long drive, we had about another hour and a half drive in Jeep 4x4s across the desert, which was one of the coolest things I've ever done. It was so exhilarating to have the feeling of flying across the open landscape with no set road to follow, even if I was crammed against the very back window in a Jeep with seven other people in it and a driver who spoke no language that the rest of us did. Thankfully enthusiasm has no language barrier, and he sped up and dodged around the other Jeeps as we cheered him on and pushed him to be the first Jeep. The first Jeep to where? We weren't quite sure, but that was okay. We were in the Sahara, and there was nothing in our way.

All the Jeeps pulled up next to one another in a straight line, and we thought for sure that they were lining up for an official drag race (is that the right word?) but we were wrong. As it turned out, the drivers stopped for our benefit and it was even better than a drag race. Our drivers stopped so that we could fully experience and appreciate our first Sahara desert sunset.

Our camp consisted of a bunch of low-ceilinged tents that wrapped around to create a square of sand in the middle. Inside the tents were rows of mattresses on the ground with sheets and blankets, which is where we slept. The beds were actually quite comfortable, however everything was absolutely covered in sand. Even while we were sleeping the sand would blow in through the doors and across our faces and into our sheets. Outside of the square created by our sleeping tents was a large open tent where we ate our meals and hung out during our free time Monday afternoon. There were also stalls for bathrooms, but they didn't work well, and we were encouraged to rather "find our favorite dune" instead of use these bathrooms. 

The next day was the absolute best of our trip- the day that we finally got to ride our camels. The camels were tied together in a lines each consisting of about six camels. We were led by guides about an hour through the rolling sand dunes that compose the Sahara landscape. When I studied in Chile, I was lucky enough to ride a horse for the first time, and I had the crazy idea that riding this camel would be a similar experience. Little did I know how wrong I would be. See camels have this inconvenient hump, and that combined with their awkwardly bendy legs creates a rocking effect worse than a little rowboat in a sea storm. 

We walked our camels to the largest sand dune in the desert for as far as we could see- this thing was absolutely massive. I can't even begin to imagine how tall it was. There were a bunch of little Moroccan boys playing at the top, and our guides encouraged us to scale the mountainous sand dune for the view from the top. Never in my life did I actually think that I would be transformed into SpiderMan for a few minutes, but that's exactly how I felt. The sand dune was almost exactly vertical, and we crawled up it on our hands and knees. If I thought going up was bad, I was absolutely terrified when it came time to slide down again. 

Mounting our camels again, we headed towards the only "town" that was even remotely close to our desert location. The town was literally mud huts, one store, and a hotel. I'm not sure of the sanity of the owners of the hotel- maybe being so alone in the desert for so long and inhaling too much sand has affected them over the years, but for some reason they thought it was a good idea to open their hotel pool to 40 crazy college students who had just been on an hour-long camel ride through the Sahara. But I am so thankful that they did- submerging myself into the pool was the closest thing I had to a shower in the Sahara, and it was soo good to get as much sand off my body as possible and just find an escape from the heat! Of course none of us had swim suits so we all just went in our underwear, but when you spend that much time in the desert with a group of people modesty isn't really a concern.

We spent the afternoon in the shelter of the main tent at our camp- while the morning sun in the desert was perfectly bearable because of the constant breeze, from about 3pm until 5pm the heat was truly awful. There wasn't really a whole lot of humidity, just heat. And a lot of it. The workers at our camp had their time off too, and we spent it with them learning to play the drums and belly dance, and in turn teaching them various card games. Later that night there was an entire local band and we all had a huge dance party after dinner!

The desert experience was truly what made this trip so amazing- how often do you get the chance to spend two glorious days in such a harsh landscape and bond with locals? It truly made me realize that the world is at my feet. While I have loved every trip that I have taken during my time in Europe, spending time in Morocco made me wish that I had taken another adventure trip. I think that if I study abroad again, my focus will definitely be more on adventure. 

Hasta Luego, Sevilla

The worst thing about emotions is trying to label something that can't be written down. Words liberate yet pin things down at the same time. No one will ever be able to fully understand what it feels like to walk past Plaza de España every day on my way to school and be overwhelmed by its impressive beauty, and then to pass by it today knowing it could be the last time I ever see it except in my photographs. The panic sets in- why didn't I spend more time trying to take the perfect photo of Plaza de España? I walked down a street in Plaza Nueva- why didn't I ever stop in that little hole in the wall shop before? I went with a girl in my program to the University of Sevilla clothing store, which it turns out is on a street I walk down at least once a week. Why haven't I noticed it before? What else haven't I taken the time to see?

Then I realize that what I have taken the time to do is absorb the energy emitted by the people and things around me. Maybe I haven't been to every little shop in Sevilla or eaten at every restaurant, but that really isn't the point of living or even visiting a place. Places are defined by their buildings and people and points of attraction, but what I will remember most about the places I've been is the atmosphere- how I felt while I was there. When I see pictures of Torre de Oro, I won't just think of Sevilla and the tower, I'll think how wonderful it felt each morning to walk across the bridge from Triana to the city and feel the sunlight splash across my body, see the kayakers doing their morning routines on the river, and the palm trees waving to me. I've been happy in Sevilla, and no hole in the wall shop would have made me feel that my time was better spent. 

Spaniards have a habit of never saying "adios"- instead they say "hasta luego" which means "until later." Good byes have always been my least favorite thing in the entire world- even lower on my list of dislikes than trying new foods and cold weather. If you never say an official good bye to someone, it's like you've left the door open. You haven't put a beginning and ending on your time with someone. It's the same with places. I didn't go anywhere today specifically knowing it was the last time I would go there. Yes, I went to school knowing it was the last time, and same with Plaza de España, but I didn't go to my favorite spot in the park today to say goodbye. Because I now, when I think about that spot, I will think of all the times I ran there and stood for a few minutes to catch my breath, thinking about how I was one of the luckiest people in the world to be in that spot. There was only happiness there, not the sadness of goodbyes. Goodbyes are obligatory when dealing with people, but I'll admit that I tried to slip out of school today without saying goodbye to people I didn't directly run in to. With Sevilla, I like to think that it really is "until next time." I like to think that I'll be back sometime in the future. I'd like to bring my future husband and children here someday, so that they can see the place that has had such an impact on the person I've become and understand the things that I talk about. But the scariest thing about travel and the future is its uncertainty, and I know that that dream could never come true. I could never walk the streets of Sevilla again. If I never come back, will I be happy with the time I've spent here? The answer is definitely yes. Sevilla won't hold a piece of my heart here in Spain, meaning I'm not leaving a part of me behind. Instead, I'm taking a piece of Sevilla back home with me. I'm leaving the most beautiful city in the world fuller because of the experiences that I've had here. Although I'm definitely sad to have to leave, I know that I'm better off because I came here. I think that's why I don't mind the sadness right now- the sorrow just proves even further that I've been happier than I ever could have imagined I could be, and there's absolutely nothing to regret about that. 

Semana Santa

Our trip to Morocco with ISA was planned to take place during our spring break- Semana Santa. Here in Spain Easter isn't really a big deal, but Semana Santa (Holy Week) or the week leading up to Easter is a huge deal. During this week most businesses are closed, except for restaurants and souvenir shops, and many sections of the streets are blocked off as processions pass through them. All the churches in Spain have huge statues of the Virgin Mary and Christ, and during Semana Santa each church organizes a group of men to carry these statues through the streets, into the cathedral, and then back to the church where it came from. Sevilla, as it turns out, has the largest Semana Santa celebration in Spain! I was excited to come home from Morocco to experience the craziness.

The statues of the Virgin Mary and Christ are around 20 feet long by ten feet tall by ten feet across, so these are very large statues. They weigh as much as seven or eight tons and are carried on the shoulders of twenty to thirty men who walk together underneath the statues. The entire procession, from church to cathedral and back again, can take up to 12 hours. Usually they start mid-afternoon or evening and continue through the night and into the next morning. The statues are proceeded and followed by crowds of members of the church's congregation dressed in robes and tall pointed hats that remind Americans of the KKK. There is no correlation between the similarities of the two, however it must be recognized that the Semana Santa costumes came before those of the KKK. The statues are carried as a sign of recognizing the burden of the cross that Christ carried himself during Semana Santa, and is considered a great honor. It also takes a great amount of teamwork in order for all the men to walk together to carry the statue, and they practice for a month or more before Semana Santa. The costumes worn by the walkers in the processions are also a sign of penitence. They walk all through the night with the statues and cover themselves because the point is not to be recognized by the crowds for the pain and effort of walking all night, but rather that God knows who they are and what they are doing. 

Some people in Sevilla like the processions, some don't. Our host grandson who is three years old absolutely loves Semana Santa, but I've found that most native Sevillians find the processions inconvenient. Their usual routes to places that they frequently go in their city are blocked off and they're forced to take 15 to 20 minute detours. Also there is a lot of noise in the streets as bands often accompany the statues through their routes. The city is crowded with tourists, and people come from all over to see the grandeur in Sevilla. 

We are fortunate to live on a main street in our neighborhood of Triana, and Friday morning a procession passed right by our apartment building. Maria's brother and his wife live just three buildings down the street from us and have a balcony that overlooks the street. They invited us over to enjoy the procession without needing to be in the crowded street. We had a lovely morning with them, as Maria's sister-in-law plied us with shots of deliciously sweet whiskey (even though it was only 11 am, I've gotten the impression that nothing really matters during Semana Santa) and homemade sweets made from watermelon and anise (black licorice flavor). Maria's sister-in-law is a painter, and her beautiful apartment was filled with her works of art, many of which I recognized as being depictions of popular landmarks in Sevilla. Maria's brother, Jesus, is a poet, and he proudly showed us some of his leather-bound published books of poetry.

Saturday night Emily and I accompanied Maria to church. Her church doesn't have a service Easter morning, but instead the night before at 11 pm. The service itself lasted until 1:30 am, which I have to say is definitely too long for me to last in a church service, and we stayed in the church until nearly 3 am snacking on small pastries and drinking a warm chocolate drink. We talked with two of the alter servers which was a lot of fun, but Emily and I could not stop laughing and making jokes (I think we went a little crazy from sitting still for so long) and I think that we filled the stereotypes that many Spanish boys have of "crazy American girls." 

Morocco Days 1-2: Fes

Beginning to talk about Morocco is harder than I ever could have imagined. Of all the places I've been during this semester, none has even compared to Morocco. Sitting once again in my comfortable Spanish apartment eating bread with butter, drinking warm milk with chocolate powder, and a glass of tap water that I can actually safely drink, it's weird to think that three days ago I was waking up in the Sahara having not showered in two days and covered in orange sand with the fear of huge black beetles creeping into my sleeping bag. The only reminder that that was my reality such a short time ago is the raw feeling in my throat and chest from the ripping coughs that won't stop, and the fact that I threw up again this morning (I'm blaming it on the strawberries).

I wish I remembered more of the process of actually getting to Fes, but we left Sevilla at 4:30 am Friday morning, and so Emily and I didn't sleep at all Thursday night. We had a bit of a late start- two members of our group that were supposed to come to Morocco with us had apparently overslept their alarms and didn't show up. We waited for them as long as we could, but had to leave without them. I have to add a side note here- we thought it sucked for these two students that they paid so much for the trip to Morocco only to not go, but to our great surprise they were present at breakfast at the hotel in Fes the next morning. Realizing that they had missed the bus, the ISA staff here in Sevilla immediately contacted their roommates to get the students to the ISA office, where they were presented with an alternative way to get to Fes. ISA really has some of the best workers I have ever met. But anyway having left around 4:30 am with no sleep, I passed out almost as soon as I got onto the bus, only waking when we were at the port to catch our ferry into Ceuta. Ceuta is a town on the tip of Africa, but it's owned by Spain. This border town is heavily secured, as it is technically Spanish soil it's a popular place for African immigrants who are trying to get to Spain illegally. We learned a lot about Ceuta and both legal and illegal immigration in my Spanish cultures class here, so it was really neat to see firsthand the high fences and heavily armed police officers the control the border from Ceuta into Morocco.

We arrived to our first city, Fes, around 7 or so in the evening on Friday. Fes is an older city in Morocco, but it does have a newer section. We learned the next day from our local tour guide that Fes is the birthplace of the current queen of Morocco, who our guide described as "the perfect example of a progressive and liberated Moroccan woman." Not only is she queen, but she is a computer software engineer. Our hotel in Fes was a four star hotel, but not the quality of a four star hotel that we expect in the US or even in Europe. I encountered our first difficulty when trying to shower that night. As a normal person does, I turned on the water for the shower before actually getting into the shower. So I was standing outside the shower, and when I turned on the water, I realized that not only was I still getting soaked by the shower, but so was the rest of the bathroom. I looked up at the shower head and realized that it was pointed straight out of the shower into the rest of the bathroom! Emily's phone was plugged in charging on the sink (we only had one outlet in the entire room) so I grabbed that and sprinted out of the bathroom- thank goodness Emily wasn't in the room at the time because I was completely naked running around the room and the bathroom trying to figure out how to turn off the water while the bathroom floor was slowly filling with water. I felt like I was in a bad remake of a scene from the movie Titanic.

Anyone who knows me is probably wondering what I ate in Morocco, or if I just didn't eat anything at all and died of hunger and my ghost is updating my blog for me. All but three meals were included in our trip which was super nice, but also limited what we could actually eat at those meals because they were already arranged for us. Fortunately, I actually really like spicy foods and so the food wasn't too bad. But that doesn't mean it was good. I definitely lost a couple pounds during these six days from lack of sustenance. Also we had to be careful with what we ate. The water in Morocco wasn't safe for us to drink, and therefore fruits or vegetables that had been washed in the water and not peeled weren't safe for us to eat either. Of course this was pointed out to be the first night in Fes while I was three quarters of the way through a massive plate of strawberries and oranges (oranges were safe because of the peel) which is why I said above that I am choosing to blame my mysterious sickness on the strawberries. Of course the fruit was really the only thing at dinner that first night that I wanted to eat besides bread (obviously) and a little bit of a dish consisting of chicken and peppers.

The currency in Morocco was easy to get used to, although a little strange in denominations. 100 Dirham was approximately $10 US, 200 Dirham was approximately $20 US, and so on. Things were relatively cheap in Morocco. Emily and I bought a case of six one-liter bottles of water to take to the desert from a supermarket for 9 Dirham ($0.90). All the paper money in Morocco has the picture of their king on it. Also at the marketplaces we could bargain with the sellers to bring the prices down. Most places also accepted Euros, and some even took US money.

The next day, our second day in Morocco but our first full day, we spent at in the old section of Fes, the marketplace called the Medina. The Medina was truly huge- consisting of about 9,400 narrow and hidden streets. Yes, you read that number correctly. Below is a picture of the most narrow street of all 9,400.

We had a pre-arranged tour of the Medina, which I actually liked a lot. We got to see all different types of the crafts that local Moroccans still create by hand. Our first stop was at a fabric shop where men use old looms and a combination of silk, cotton, and wool to create clothing, scarves, table clothes, and other fabric goods of the most vibrant and rich colors imaginable.

One of the best parts of having a guided tour through the Medina was that at each stop, we had a short introduction to the craft by the shop owner, and an explanation of the goods and how they are created and used. This made everything we were seeing much more meaningful because it all had a back story. At the fabric shop, we were able to try on some of the outfits that are worn by typical Moroccans every day, and two guys from our program even purchased their own!

Our second stop was at a tannery where all sorts of leather goods are handmade by local Moroccans. 

While the goods were buttery soft and created into the most intricate works I have ever seen, visiting the tannery was also possibly the saddest part of our day at the Medina. The smell for starters was disgusting. It was the pungent smell that burns your nostrils as you inhale and leaves a sour taste in your mouth even after you try to swallow to get rid of it. If I ever ate raw meat, I imagine that's what it would taste like. I found out later that I wasn't too far from the true root of the smell- it was a combination of the raw animal skins that were being dyed before being turned into leather goods, and the animal urine that was used to create the dyes. From the tannery we could overlook the place where the dying was taking place.

The white basins in the far back of the picture are filled with limestone and water in order to soften the rawhide. The darker basins in the forefront of the picture are filled with dyes which the rawhide is soaked in after it has been softened by the limestone. The men dyed the huge rawhides by stomping on the hides in the basins with their bare legs. The men who worked at this horrid, smelly, and dirty job earned about the equivalent of 5 Euro per day (less than $7 USD). 

After the tannery we went to a carpet shop. All the carpets that we were shown were incredibly expensive (most over $1,000) and all were handmade. The owner of the shop explained that the carpets are made with a special type of knot so that they are reversible. He said that the more dull side is typically placed face-up during the winter months, and the more vibrant side is up during the summer months. He even had one girl lay down on one of the rugs to feel its softness, and told us that the rugs are even perfect for "natural sport" which definitely got a good laugh. As with about 75% of places that we went to in Morocco, we were served sweet mint tea which you know was good because I even liked it! It is called by the locals "Moroccan whiskey."

The craft in the Medina that required the most skill was undoubtedly the jewelry and plates created in the metal-working shop. We met one man who used a needle and that he hit lightly with a hammer to create the most intricate designs on bronze plates, among other jewelry. In this store I was able to find a Hamsa hand charm for my charm bracelet which was the souvenir that I wanted most from Morocco. 

For lunch we went to a restaurant located deep inside the Medina where we were served several typical Moroccan dishes, including the one that I wanted to try most- couscous. First we were served various vegetable dishes, including olives, tomato substances, cucumbers, and curried carrots. Of course the people I was sitting with loved the fact that they sat with me because there was more food for them, as I didn't eat any of this first course. Our main course was couscous. Couscous is kind of like rice but each individual piece of couscous is maybe a quarter of the size of a grain of rice. This couscous was sweet, with chicken and dates and raisins. I think I would have preferred it if it was spicy instead of sweet, but I still ate a little portion. 

We had two more stops after lunch- the pharmacy and the pottery shops. The pharmacy was definitely my favorite of all the places in the Medina that we visited. This wasn't a typical pharmacy like we think of in the US. This pharmacy sold natural oils and perfumes, natural lotions, face creams and masks, cosmetics, and spices. We got to sample most of the products which was neat. I ended up purchasing Moroccan oil and a clay face mask. The most popular item for girls to purchase was undoubtedly the lipstick that the pharmacy had- it was green, made from Henna, but showed up different shades of pink depending on the individual's skin tone. It was the coolest thing! 

The pottery area was located outside the Medina. Many years ago, the kilns use to cook and harden the pottery actually started a fire in the Medina and as a result they decided to move the entire operation a little ways outside the marketplace. As with everything in the Medina, the beautiful ceramic pieces were all created by hand. Some of the boys in our program even jumped into the pool where they mix the clay for the ceramic pieces!

That night we went to see a typical Moroccan show in a restaurant in another area of Fes. The show consisted of many elements of Moroccan culture- belly dancing, drums, singing, and lots of dancing. At the end of the show they even got all the Americans up and dancing! It was so much fun, even though we were exhausted after our long day. 

Italica: A Side of Sevilla Rarely Considered

Sevilla isn't necessarily the most modern city in Spain- there aren't any skyscrapers or booming centers of business in the city, but old definitely wouldn't be the word that comes to mind while walking through its streets. However just a twenty minute car ride outside the city lies a beautiful relic of Sevilla's ancient history- the ruins of the Roman city of Italica. In 200 BC, the Romans built Italica as a kind of retirement community for soldiers to enjoy the remainder of their days after they had completed enough time in battle. They chose the location for mainly its climate- the warmth was good for the soldiers to relax and recuperate, and also the scenery was similar to that of Italy so it felt like home for the soldiers. Later the city would also become populated by wealthy Italians who wanted to get away from Rome.

I was so shocked to see how little was left of the city. When someone says "ruins" I just think of old stone buildings that are crumbling, but these truly were just merely ruins. What used to be 3-4 story high apartment buildings were now foundations no more than a foot high.

The Roman city was highly sophisticated, having its own underground sewage system with private bathrooms in nearly every house. There were also gyms or areas for sports on the ground floors of many of the apartment buildings. Beautiful mosaics tiled the floors in what used to be common bath areas, such as this one:

About 400 years after the city was built, there was an arena that was built outside of the walls of the city. This arena was similar in function and design to the Coliseum in Rome. It was used for animal and gladiator fights, among other forms of entertainment. The arena also had an underground passage under the main floor of the arena where animals were kept before being brought out into the main floor for show. This underground passage could be covered with wooden planks during the shows. Originally, the arena had three tiers, although weather and time had worn down the arena so that really only the first tier of seating is left. The different tiers were for separating classes of attendees, as well as women and children. 

While much of Italica has been uncovered, there are still fields surrounding the city that have yet to be investigated. The true size of Italica is still unknown for this reason, and may not ever be uncovered. Is there any further reason to just uncover more of the same thing? This is the reasoning many have used to discontinue their funding to the excavation of Italica. Who knows though- the best part of the ancient city may still lie undiscovered in the fields outside of Sevilla. 

Córdoba and Granada

One of my favorite things about studying abroad with ISA is the amount of excursions that are included with our program fee, including this past weekend's excursion to the Spanish cities of Córdoba and Granada. Córdoba is famous for its mosque, which is unique not only for its red and white striped colors but also because there is a Christian chapel located in the center of the mosque.

Córdoba, while a beautiful and older, well-preserved Spanish city, was definitely doable in one day. After visiting the Mosque we spent two hours walking around the beautiful white washed streets of the city. Some friends and I went to a small tea shop down a random street where I had what was definitely the best smoothie of my life. It was rich and creamy, tasting strongly of banana with a little bit of coconut and kiwi. I would compare Córdoba to Sevilla- not necessarily a hot tourist destination, but it shows a side of Spain that has withstood the test of time and is still rich in authentic culture and heritage. Maybe it's not first on everyone's list of places to visit when they come on vacation to Spain, but it would definitely be a lovely place to live or study.

After Córdoba we continued our trip to Granada. Granada is located almost exactly in a horizontal line with Sevilla when looking at a map of Spain, however it's a little cooler in temperature because of the influence of the nearby Sierra Nevada mountain range. Granada is a city that thrives off the atmosphere created by its status as the most common destination for international students partaking in the ERASMUS program. We briefly touched on the ERASMUS program in my cultures class- basically it is a program that allows students in countries in the EU to study at other universities in the EU at the same tuition price as their home institution. It's kind of like the European version of direct study abroad exchanges. Additionally, Granada is the city where my own study abroad advisor at Pitt studied abroad, and he always spoke highly of his experience and I was anxious to experience the city for myself. 

That night we were scheduled to see a flamenco performance. I was so excited for this- flamenco is the dance that the region of Andalucia (the southern portion of Spain where both Sevilla and Granada are located) is famous for. Flamenco originally was created and performed by the gypsy population in Spain. It actually has both singing and dancing elements, however when most people think of flamenco they only think of the delicate and slow wrist movements and tiered, elegant dresses of the dance. It is very soulful and spontaneous- while most dancers and singers today have routines worked out there is still a lot of room for improvisation. The singing of flamenco doesn't necessarily have lyrics- it's more of a heartfelt moaning or wailing. This description may sound harsh, but there really aren't many art forms left that are truly relics of the past without much modernization or modification. 

The next day we spent at La Alhambra, which is what Granada is most famous for. La Alhambra is an ancient Moorish city that was originally built as a combination city/fortress to protect and house its citizens. When the Moors were conquered by the Catholic monarchs, La Alhambra became a kind of summer home for Spanish royalty. Most people make the mistake of thinking the the Alhambra was a castle, but it was actually an entire mini city enclosed by walls (see photo below)! The Alhambra has all the elements of a city- gardens, chapels, a palace, recreational areas, an amphitheater for shows and public gatherings, and living areas. The entire city was irrigated by naturally running water- being built into a mountain, the Alhambra uses gravity, running water, and waterfalls to get water to the entire city. It was wonderful to walk through the gardens and other passageways of La Alhambra- not only did we have the most beautiful weather, but it was almost as if I could imagine myself as a Moorish citizen living inside La Alhambra and walking through it as I went about my daily tasks. Everything was incredibly well-preserved, and it definitely helped walking through it with a tour guide who could explain the significance of everything that we were looking at.

I think by far the most exciting part of the weekend for me was seeing snow-capped mountains for the first time. This probably sounds really stupid- I mean I've seen pictures of snow-capped mountains all the time. But seeing them in person was something beyond anything I've ever experienced. It was so unreal to be standing in the warm sunshine and feeling the wonders of a beautiful spring day, and be looking at mountains that didn't really seem that much taller than the spot where I was that still had snow on them. I've honestly never thought that I liked mountains before. I am so used to the rolling hills of Pennsylvania that, while beautiful and pleasant, really aren't all that exquisite (but maybe I'm just used to them by now). But I know now the mountains- real mountains, not the ones near where I live- are some of the most beautiful features of nature. I'm so glad that this is one memory I had in Spain while looking at the Sierra Nevada mountains. I know that in the future, whenever I see snow-capped mountains I will think back to standing in the sunshine of the Alhambra in Granada, and turning around enjoying what I thought was a spectacular view, only to be startled into silence by the most beautiful view of all.