Cadiz and Granada

About 2 weeks ago a big group of us went to Cadiz. This is a beach about 2 hours by train from Seville. Supposedly this is the oldest city in Europe, but there is a lot of speculation about that. We spent the day on the beach just relaxing and enjoying the weather. It turned out to be a cloudy day, but on the up side we didn't get sunburned at all. The water was freezing at first but once you got in it was very relaxing. We also walked around the city and saw a Cathedral and lots of local shops. We came home with sand in every nook and cranny but it was definitely a worthwhile day.

We spent this past Friday and Saturday in Granada. We took a 3 hours bus ride early Friday morning. Granada is almost like a mini Seville. It's a lot cleaner and just cuter. We spent the day at the Alhambra. It is a fortress city and palace. We walked all over the gardens, palace, and military quarters. At the top of the military complex you get a perfect view of the city. The Alhambra also has a reflecting pull that mirrors the Tahj Mahal. That night we ate at a local Moroccan restaurant that was fabulous. We had all day Saturday to explore the city and go to the gypsy markets. Granada is very close to the Sierra Nevadas so it was pretty cold while we were there. None of us came prepared for the weather with our sandals and tank tops. Granada is known for its tapas and teas, so I made sure to try some of those while I was there. They also have a wide variety of spice markets. I bought some safron there that would have cost about 3 times that much in the US. I wish we could have stayed in Granada longer because I really enjoyed the city. We returned to Seville around 8 p.m. that night.

One of the reasons many of us have been missing home is because we are missing Texas Tech's football season. Saturday was the big game against Texas. But we were not willing to miss this game so we all woke up at 2 a.m. Sunday morning and came up to the school to watch the game. We had a bunch of technical difficulties in the beginning but by halftime we were able to watch the game. Even thought we lost, it was fun to feel like we were back home again. We went back home at 6 a.m. and slept until about 2 just in time for lunch.

I am getting to celebrate my birthday today in Spain. I was kinda scared because I knew it wouldn't be the same, but it has turned out to be fabulous so far! I got a package from my friend and my mom today, so that was a great start to the day. And then my host mom made/bought a cheesecake for me and my roommate (her birthday is tomorrow). And tonight we are all going to the river to have churros and chocolate. I have a huge test tomorrow so I can't celebrate too much.

This coming weekend we are going to Lagos, Portugal for another fun-filled weekend, so tune in soon for another play-by-play!!