Weekend in Granada

The program I travelled with, API, scheduled many exciting and cool excursions-already included in the program costs. One weekend in February we travelled to Granada, home of the Alhambra which is one of the most visited sites in all of Spain. The Alhambra is a massive complex which served as the royal residence of Muslim Sultans for centuries. It is essentially a city within itself surrounded by walls located on a hill overlooking the city. It was in this palace in 1492 that Christopher Columbus asked the Spanish monarchs to fund his expedition west to find new trade routes, eventually discovering the Americas. We had a private guided tour learning all about the history and significance of the palace.

The photo above, taken near the throne room, shows just one view of the city below. After our trip to the Alhambra we visited an ancient church, and then our program staff treated us all to chocolate and churros! This is a typical Spanish food that is commonly eaten while having an afternoon coffee, or even for desert. 

Arrival in Seville

After Córdoba, we had a 2 hour bus ride to Seville where we met our host families picked us up. The picture to the left was taken on my roommate Tom's birthday. On the right hand side of the photo is Gracia, or as I called her abuela. She is the owner of the apartment that we stayed at, and has been hosting exchange students for nearly 17 years. To Gracia's left is her daughter Teresa, who would do a majority of the cooking and cleaning around the house. They are both extremely caring and nice, along with the rest of their family. They made us feel very welcomed, and part of the family.









I took this photo, on the right, while walking across the San Telmo Bridge to the city center. The building in the center is called Torre del Oro (Tower of Gold). There are many stories and rumors that it used to be a storehouse for all the gold and treasures brought back from the Americas, or used as a toll station for boats to pay in order to continue up the river. However, those are untrue and was actually an old Muslim 13th Century defense tower, part of the city's wall defense. I was lucky enough to see this almost everyday while taking a storll down the river walk, or crossing this bridge near daily.

Here on the left, is a photo taken on my trip to the Royal Gardens of The Alcazar. The Alcazar was a Muslim palace located in the center of the city centuries ago. Today it is a popular tourist destination because it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the setting for the Palace of Dorne in Game of Thrones.

Day Trip to Cordoba

After sleeping over in Toledo for the night, we left for Córdoba just a few hours outside of Seville. The picture to the right is the Roman Bridge which was built in the 1st Century B.C. and spans the same river that flows through Seville-The Guadalquivir. Córdoba is known for many things but one of the most famous world wide is Mezquita or the Grand Mosque. After the Christians reconquered Córdoba they converted the mosque into a Christian cathedral so there is influences from both cultures, and is absolutely stunning. We didn't stay for too long however because we still had about a 2 hour bus ride to Sevilla!

A Day in Toledo

On January 18 after El Escorial, we arrived in Toledo. The representatives from API-Juan, Marta, and Alvaro- told all of us that we would have free time to do what we wanted there for the day. They arranged a tour to the Cathedral of Toledo, it wasn't mandatory. Instead I went out for a typical Spanish lunch of lomo which is like a pork loin, with potatoes and bread. Afterwards we walked around the city looking at the history, architecture, and views that Toledo had to offer. Toledo itself was also declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site since Christians, Jews, and Muslims all lived there in peace with strong influences from each culture. The river below is called Tajo and is the longest river in all of the Iberian peninsula, and it flows right around the hill on which Toledo is built on.

Later that night my friends and I went out to a sports bar to watch a soccer match. Life here is already much different than it is back home. For example at night, people don't hang out at home with friends. It seems as if the entire city is out at night eating, drinking, and having fun. Everything you could possibly want to do is within walking distance.

Reception in Madrid

On January 16, 2017 I landed in Madrid-Barajas Airport where I met other students and representatives from API Study Abroad. From there we went to the Hotel Regina which was centrally located between all of Madrid's main tourist attractions, all within walking distance. It seemed unreal at the time that I had actually started such an influential chapter not only in my educational career but also in my life. 

This picture to the left was taken in Plaza Mayor, one of Europe's most famous plazas. It was absolutely gorgeous, I still couldn't believe that I was actually there!

After a couple of days of sightseeing, meetings, and safety seminars in Madrid we left for our next stop Toledo! Along the way, about 30 minutes outside Madrid, we stopped at El Escorial. El Escorial is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and served as the Royal Palace and necropolis for Spanish royalty for over 500 years. The views from the buildings were breathtaking and its a shame we only got to spend a few hours there.