Tiny Writer : La Catédral y Carnaval en Cádiz

Hola! Writing to you from Sevilla. At this point, I have gotten into a routine and am learning my way around the city. I'm still having the time of my life learning, loving, and exploring.

Last week I went inside the Catédral de Sevilla, which I mentioned in my last post. It is the largest Gothic cathedral and third largest church in the world. The structure, originally built to demonstrate Seville's wealth, is beautiful and intricate. It is also the burial site of Christopher Columbus, which we saw on our tour with Rosio. Back in the years after the Reconquista it became a major trading center.

We toured the inside of the Cathedral and walked the Giralda tower all the way to the top. In order to get there we had to go up 35 ramps, but once we got there, we had a panoramic, breathtaking view of the city.

On Saturday we went to Carnaval in Cádiz, our first trip outside the city since coming to Sevilla. Carnaval in Cádiz is basically a huge party in the streets in which people dress up, sing, dance, and celebrate. It is the third largest Carnival in the world, after Rio de Janiero and Trinidad. (Seems like being the third largest in the world is the theme of this post!) Traditionally, some of the music played and costumes worn in Cádiz are satirical. It is common for people to wear costumes mocking politicians.

We went to Carnaval on a bus through a program called Discover Sevilla. On the bus there was a costume contest and my friends and I, who were dressed up as fairies, won second place! The ride was only about an hour and a half. When we arrived, I immediately knew I was going to have a blast. The streets were bursting with colorful energy.

On Sunday, after a long day of rest my apartment-mates and I went out to get tapas and ice-cream. Tapas are small portions of food, sort of like an appetizer, but they can encompass a whole meal. Most of the time, people order a few tapas to share or for themselves. I have discovered my favorite tapa; patatas a la brava or patatas bravas. I'm not even sure exactly what it is, but it is potatoes in one red and one white sauce. It is a little spicy and very tasty.

I would love to write about this past week, but I am heading off to Madrid. But come back next week to hear about my student teaching, walk to the gym, Plaza de Torros, and this upcoming trip.

Hasta pronto!

Elyssa