Espana

I have survived my first port! Spain was an absolute blast and I am still trying to process what I have just seen and experienced. Tonight we had to be back on the ship by 6 P.M. and we were off sailing again by 8. (Side note: Getting used to the boat rocking again is very weird.) I can't believe it, but we will be in Morocco tomorrow at noon, It is only 50 miles from Cadiz to Casablanca! Tonight, we had a debriefing session in our small groups about what our overall reactions to Spain were. Here is my recap of my 5 wonderful and amazing days exploring such a rich and vivid city.

We arrived into Cadiz on Saturday morning, and the sight of land was fantastic. It was truly wonderful to know that I was about to truly start on this journey of being enriched in so many aspects. I got off the boat with a group of 6 friends and without a map we began wondering. The city of Cadiz was just beginning to wake up so we sat at a small cafe and did a great deal of people watching. We made note of what they ordered, and were curious to try everything in sight. We made our way to the city square, which revolves around a Cathedral that was built in the late 1100's. It is so amazing to see a structure standing and functioning with so much age and history. As we wondered the narrow cobblestone streets we stopped at all the small shops, bought fruit at the local market, and found our way to the breathtaking beach. Throughout the day we stopped at many local bars and would try various tapas. Being a costal city, they have fabulous seafood that freshness is very noticeable. That night I sent all of my friends on various trains for independent trips. I then made my way back to the ship and ran into a friend who was headed out with a group that I did not know, but I tagged along. We ended up having dinner outdoors. The meal was fantastic and lasted 3 hours, that is something I love about Spain, their desire to truly spend face to face time with friends and family. It is considered rude for the waiter to ask you if you would like your check, once you have the table, it is considered yours for the night. After that we ended up at this little local bar and I had a blast brushing up on my broken Spanish and attempting to converse with the locals. In this night owl city, we ended up arriving back at the ship at 5 A.M.

The next morning I got up early to meet a group of friends, we actually went into the cathedral to see the mass. It was interesting to see how short their services were because there is no sung music. We then went to lunch and hit the beach for the afternoon. The beaches were very rocky and lacked sand, but it was very evident that this was the local weekend meeting spot. Families had made picnics and were camped out there for the day. That night we went to dinner and just sat outside. I attempted to catch up on sleep that night because I was headed to Seville early the next morning. 

Before coming on the ship, I planned a trip through Semester at Sea to Seville and Cordoba. We took a bus to Seville and were able to see this awesome government building, Plaza de Espana. We then made our way to the Alcazar, a historical fortress of the King. The construction of this palace started in the 10th century and is today still being completed. Here there was so many various and breathtaking types of architecture that span through all different periods of time. We then made our way to the local Cathedral, it is the 3rd largest in the world. Also, it is the burial sight of Christopher Columbus. We then ate lunch at a quaint local restaurant and made our way to Cordoba.

Once in Cordoba, we ate dinner and then were free to explore for the night. Early the next morning we got up and hit the city. Our first stop was the local Alcazar, it had the most breathtaking gardens I have ever seen. The flowers and fountains made for the most gorgeous views. After that we headed over to another cathedral. What makes this cathedral so unique is that it used to serve as a Mosque. The architecture is still of that of the Mosque, but the center has been converted into a Cathedral. It was quite interesting to hear about the transition period.

Today, we just hung around the city of Cadiz and did last minute things before boarding the ship. Tomorrow I head out in Morocco and will be on a camel trek till Sunday. I will be sleeping in a tent in the Sahara. This will be a very interesting experience.

Miss you all and hope all is well back in the States.

Love always