Seville | November 3-10, 2018

I studied abroad in Seville, Spain, three years ago, and ever since then I had wanted to return. This past year, the opportunity presented itself, and with a little encouragement, I decided to take it. It was an amazing trip, and I have no regrets.

Seville was the first stop I made on my trip! I wanted to spend a large part of my trip here since it still holds a piece of my heart and even still feels like a second home. In many ways, it felt like returning home because it was familiar, and it was amazing and wonderful to hear the Castilian Spanish again! I rented an adorable little apartment while I was there, and the person who checked me in complimented me on my Spanish!

In the third picture, you can see the entrance to the apartment where I stayed straight ahead in the photo; this was actually a street where cars drive, believe it or not! I had to peek my head out when I was leaving the apartment to make sure no cars were coming, otherwise I would have gotten hit stepping out of the door!

When I first got off the bus and walked to the apartment, I was exhausted but very happy! I went and tried a recommended tapas place and had my first tapa of the trip. I forget the name of it, but it was basically jamón ibérico and chicken on top of potato rounds. I walked around for quite a while after eating, getting reacquainted with Seville. I walked by the Catedral, and after a while I stopped at a café on a side street next to the Ayuntamiento (city hall) to get my first Spanish café con leche of the trip. I chatted with the two Spaniards who were waiting tables outside, and once I was finished with my coffee, I resumed my stroll.

That night, I went to have dinner with my host mom from when I studied abroad, and it was wonderful to see her again and catch up! It’s typical to bring a gift when you visit someone, so I took her some local tea from here in Bend. We chatted while she made dinner, and then we had a great conversation over dinner in her small Spanish kitchen. Afterward, we sat on the couch and talked, and we watched TV until midnight, like old times!

The picture of me on the bridge is on the Puente de Isabel, which is the bridge I walked across every day to the school I attended there. Behind me is one branch of the Guadalquivir river and brightly colored buildings lining the street that runs along the river.

Outside of the Alcázar (palace), I saw this man selling paintings. I am normally a little wary of these people selling art next to tourist attractions because sometimes they try and sell you reproduced, unoriginal work. However, I was curious, and went over to look at his work. I got to talking with him and looking closely at his work, and everything he does is original and beautiful. I ended up getting a couple small mementos to take home with me. He told me he had connections with the Flamenco Museum and could get me a discounted ticket to a professional show! So I ended up going the next day! I took a little tour of the old Judería (Jewish quarter) of Seville before dinner.

There was something therapeutic about walking around. During this trip, I felt like I was able to get to know Seville like I hadn’t before when I lived there for four and a half months. I felt at home, and I loved getting lost on the winding, narrow streets, finding little rincones (corners) that were free from tourists and full of charm - and good food.

The following day, I had the chance to meet up with a friend I met during my study abroad! Olivia lives just outside of Seville, and she works in ministry and teaches English. We got together for breakfast and then spent the day walking around, visiting Plaza de España, and going to visit the school we attended to see everyone who was there! It was a great time, despite the fact that it was pouring rain! What I like to say is that the saying, “The rain in Spain falls mainly in the plain,” from “My Fair Lady” is a lie - there is plenty of it that falls in the middle of the city!

In the middle of the week while I was there, I went to the professional flamenco show I mentioned earlier at the Museo de Flamenco, and it was amazing! Later that evening, I had dinner with someone I met while walking around Seville, and it was delicious food. Included in the meal were croquetas (croquettes), patatas bravas (fried potatoes with sauce), a dish made with duck, and a beef dish with a side of potatoes and garlic aioli. It was very good paired with Rioja wine!

The next morning, I went to breakfast again at the same place where Olivia and I had gone. It was called, Mateos, and I got a typical Spanish breakfast of café con leche and a tostada con mantequilla y mermelada (toast with butter and jam). In one of the photos below, you can see the ham legs hanging above the pastry display, a typical sight. I loved this little place, built into the old architecture of Seville.

Even though it was pouring rain that day, I went walking around and had the best time.

As I was getting lost on the little streets away from the main tourist areas, I came across this little ceramics shop that I almost missed walking by. I walked in through the narrow doorway and saw that the whole shop, every available surface, was covered and lined with every kind of ceramic art you could think of. The middle and back rooms, pictured below, were lined with old ceramic pots, vases, tiles, plates, and pictures, and the ones with green and blue designs on them are from the area of Seville called Triana, which is where I lived while studying abroad. The front room of the shop had two walls covered in shelves with beautiful vases, pitchers, and knick-knacks. As I talked with the lady there, she said that she collects things from all over Spain and brings them back here. There was an olive oil pitcher from Granada that almost had to come home with me.

I was in there for literally two hours looking at everything and carefully sifting through the azulejos (tiles). Many of the tiles were removed from buildings that were being remodeled or torn down, and a lot of them from Triana ended up in this shop! They were from the 19th and 20th centuries, I think.

After my ceramics adventure, I found a bar where I had paella and croquetas. There was standing room only at the counter, so it had to be good!

I ventured out into the rain and went for a walk in the Judería (old Jewish quarter); there were beautiful tiles in a little courtyard area with a fountain.

The day before I left Sevilla, I walked to the Catedral and went to morning mass. The pictures below were from my walk to the downtown area.

I went back to the school afterward and got coffee and a tostada at Café Europa with Leslie, one of the leaders at the school. I think the cafe is one of the oldest in Seville, or something like that! We had a great time, and when we returned to the school, Olivia happened to be there, too. We were also joined by two other ladies who I studied abroad with and are also living and working in Spain!

The four of us girls parted ways for lunch, and I went to have lunch with Carmen, my host mom, since it would be the last time I would see her before I left. I had lunch with her and the two girls staying with her, and we had such a fun time! This woman holds a very special place in my heart!

I went to visit the Metropol Parasol (everyone calls it, “Las Setas,” or “The Mushrooms” in Spanish!) which is the largest wooden structure in the world. You can climb to the top of it and see just about all of Seville.

For dinner that night, I met up with the girls at a place called El Baratillo, and we had a lovely tapas dinner and conversation. Afterward, we went and got ice cream at Las Rayas, then walked along the river reminiscing and talking about what life in Spain is like for the three of them.

I left the next day for Granada. Seville was just as I remembered, and I hope to go back again someday.