Submitted by Jasmine Edwards on the 2017 summer session program in Granada, Spain sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…
The Spanish city Sevilla is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalucía and an important stop in any historical tour of the country. On Saturday I visited Sevilla; the bus ride from Granada was about 3 and a half hours and took us through winding countryside farmlands. Mountains stretched tall into the pale blue sky and their valleys were full of dark green shrubs. Goats frolicked among olive trees and people found shelter in small white houses that stretched out to the horizon. Within Sevilla I was required to visit The Real Alcázar. The palace is at least two stories high, with gardens growing not too far behind its tall walls.
How the plants maintain such lush, immense beauty in Spanish weather is nothing short of a miracle to me. I spent much of my time at the palace in those gardens, shielded by tall trees’ shade and relaxing with the breeze on my face. Even after I left, I felt like I hadn’t been there long enough, and and I walked the streets of the city resolving to return one day. Unlike Granada, the streets are either unpaved or flattened dirt. They were wider, and there were less cars. Instead, the main modes of transportation were by foot, bicycle, metro or horse-drawn carriage! Cars are pretty much the last resort in all parts of Spain because it is so expensive to use one. I suppose I won’t be driving if I move out here to teach English one day. There’s beauty in that simplicity, though. I will sorely miss it.