(again, because of technical difficulties I will upload the images later)

So ,today I went to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. I was one of my favorite places that I have been so far. It was nice to see where my favorite team, Real Madrid, plays. On the tour I saw their press room, locker rooms, trophy rooms, and so many other cool places. I would love to get the chance to see Real Madrid play in the stadium. It looked smaller on the inside, but I think that that’s because it was empty. I’m sure that when there’s a match and there’s a massive amount of people it would seem bigger. All in all, I enjoyed visiting the stadium because futbol is such an important part of Spain’s culture. While I was in line to buy my ticket, I heard the stadium reffered to as a catedral. I wouldn’t go that far, but it doesn’t have historical and cultural value to it(like a catedral)

p>(Note no photos have been added to this post because for some reason, my photos don´t want to upload)
My experience in Madrid thus far has helped me to develop a sense of Independence. In fact, I believe that my experience in Spain has helped me understand that I am capable of doing more than I think. For example, I’ve learned how to take the Metro(which is actually quite easy, although it’s not my preferred form of transportation). But anyway, back to Madrid.

So far, my favorite sites of Madrid have been El Retiro(which is a huge park decorated with many statues, flowers, and fountains) and El Palacio Real(A massive palace that is open to the public for tours, but you can’t take pictures of the inside).

El Retiro was a serene place to collect my thoughts and appreaciate nature. I really enjoyed walking on trails and reflecting. I see nature as a place to escape from the madness of city life(or just regular life). I believe that life’s greatest lessons can be learned when we learn to just embrace the silence. We distract ourselves with so many gadgets that sometimes we forget to take time to disconnect from them and reflect. El Retiro was a nice contrast from Madrid’s metropolitan madness.

The Royal Palace contains the best architecture and decor that I have seen so far in Madrid. Each room had its own purpose and its own unique design. No two rooms were exactly alike. It’s a shame that I wasn’t allowed to take pictures because it was absolutely stunning.

I will upload the photos of other sites soon.

So, earlier this week I learned some flamenco steps with the beautiful Maria Jose Albaicin. She was just so passionate about flamenco, as she started as a young child. I just really appreciate when people are passionate about something and they share it with others. For example, if I met someone who spoke with so much enthusiasm for something like neuroscience, that alone would make me want to take a class at my university. I believe that one has to find what one is good at and enjoys and ardently work at it everyday. Spain has definitely showed me that language is something that I seriously want to pursue. I just really enjoy using language as a way to reach out to others.

But back to the flamenco lesson…

Honestly, all I could do was laugh at myself. I’m the type of person who loves music and will dance, I just can’t dance well. Maria Jose assured us that the studio we danced in was a safe place to mess up. She told us not to feel embarrassed because ‘in flamenco there is no shame’. She taught us that flamenco is so much more than what we see on postcards and is choreographed. In other words, it’s so much more than just furiously stomping one’s feet on the ground and hoping that it goes with the beat. Fun Fact: Flamenco is a great workout.

Prior to this trip, I expected to hear a lot of Flamenco music on the radio,but what I actually hear is a Flamenco-like pop. Nevertheless, flamenco is still widely appreciated.

This is a beautiful  flamenco-style song sung by one of my all-time favorite Spanish singers, David Bisbal. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_U_0W96SInQ

Cordoba was a very interesting place to visit. It was completely different from what I had expected it to look like. There was an interesting mix of cultures such as Roman, Muslim, Catholic, and Jewish just to name a few. Above is a picture of my favorite part of Cordoba, the Roman bridge, which the river Guadalquivir flows under.

The Mosque in Cordoba(pictured above) was overall very ornate and unique. I didn’t like how when the Catholic monarchs took over it, they made it their own with art, sculptures, and architecture that clearly wasn’t supposed to be there. In my opinion, it was very odd to see Catholic art on the walls of the mosque. I remember thinking, ‘that doesn’t look like it is supposed to be there’. I thought that the Catholic art in the mosque was almost like a puzzle piece that just doesn’t want to fit. On the tour we learned that Muslim art never depicts scenes of humans or animals(probably because they could be seen as idols).

On the Catholic side of the mosque there was this big cathedral (pictured below) with pink marble

The Alhambra was one of the places that I was eager to see. This monument has so much history. I was introduced to this when I watched a video of its history in Spanish 208. According to the video, King Boabdil handed over the keys to his home in and effort to keep the peace. He was much more interested in poetry, music, and things of that nature than in war.Queen Isabel and King Ferdinand on the other hand had bad intentions. Prior to Boabdil handing over the keys, the ‘Catholic’ monarchs decided to surround Granada, poison the water supply, kill the livestock, and many other horrendous things-in the name of God. I think that this is why so many people are against Christianity. If people claim to believe one thing, but then contradict it with their actions, what makes them any different? I am speaking as a Christian when I say that we should spread love,peace, and acceptance. We should show others that there is a better way to live(not that we are better,because we are not).

I cannot imagine the pain that Boabdil must have felt when he gave away the keys to his home. It just breaks my heart to think that he had to give up his home, where he created memories with his loved ones just to keep the peace.

Sometimes, we make the mistake of viewing history as just that-history. History is our way of catching a glimpse of the triumphs, struggles, and hardships that people who lived before us experienced. Some people say that history repeats itself, but I think that this is only true if we refuse to use the past as a learning experience.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
―     Martin Luther King Jr.,     A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches

This weekend, I visited Seville which like Granada and Cordoba were heavily influenced by the Moors. I find it interesting that their influence can be seen not only in the architecture, but in the Spanish language as well. For example, ‘Alcazar’ comes from al-qasr which in Arabic means “fort, castle or palace” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alc%C3%A1zar).

Alcázar de Sevilla

Fun Fact: The Spanish royal family still uses it when they visit Seville.

The Alcázar of Seville had an interesting mix of cultures to it. For example, it had not only Arabic elements to its art and décor, but traces of Catholic influence as well. Examples of the Arabic influence can be seen in the photos above. An example of the Catholic influence can be seen below.

If you look closely on the far left, you’ll see a glimpse of what seems to be the man who “discovered” the Americas, Christopher Columbus. Fun Fact #2: I remember reading somewhere that said that if you say something really obvious in Spain( and possibly other countries) they will sarcastically tell you that you have ‘discovered America’.

I also visited the Cathedral of Seville which is the world’s third largest cathedral. It was a massive cathedral and too be honest, it was a bit overwhelming. I think it was because of the Baroque style, very dim lighting, and crowds of tourists. Overall, it was a unique experience. In my opinion, I think that places of worship should be a bit more simple with regards to their décor. I think that all of the paintings, statues, and sculptures are nice, but they take away from what I think is most important-connecting with God. Again, this is just my opinion.

And last but not least….Plaza de España!

The Spanish Flag over Plaza de España video: GEDC0952

Each province of Spain is represented in the Plaza. Here is Granada’s…

Walking down the maze-like streets of the Albaicin, I was amazed at the beauty that I discovered around every corner. Prior to the excursion, I expected to see a lot of gypsies and flamenco singers. What I actually saw surprised me. Our tour guide took us to a few touristy places, but when we trailed off the beaten path we stumbled upon a small convent. We saw a wooden spinning cupboard ( Pictured bellow. Photo is not mine).

Our tour guide then told us that if we would gather up a few euros and put them in the cupboard, we could try some cookies baked by the nuns in the convent. It was a unique experience that instilled a sense of childlike curiosity in me. I definitely would like to revisit this charming place before I return home.

The Secret Garden

Another part of the Albaicin that I enjoyed visiting was the area in which there were many Muslim-owned houses with lavishly decorated-but hidden-gardens. Our guide mentioned that Muslims are a very modest group of people who like to enjoy their luxurious gardens privately rather than showing them off ostentatiously. I’ve always wondered why Muslim women wore their hijabs and now I feel like I have a better understanding of the reason why. Perhaps like the secret gardens, they want to hide their beauty rather than flaunt it.  The picture above was a small glimpse into the secret gardens.