Portugal: Lisboa y Sintra

Yes, I know, I am WAY overdue on my posting. I'm pretty bad at this whole blogging thing. So I beg for your forgiveness, because I know there are at least 9 whole people who anxiously await my clever posting every day...right?

Anyways, a few weekends ago I, along with the rest of my study abroad program, took a trip to Portugal. I really had no idea as to what Portugal was like and no expectations whatsoever. Turns out Portugal is pretty awesome. I don't know why I haven't met anyone who has traveled to Portugal on vacation but it is a fantastic country! 

Our hotel was in Lisbon (Lisboa en español), the capital of Portugal, so we spent the majority of our time there. Here are some shots from around the city:

ISA (the study abroad group) took us to a gorgeous castle/fortress that overlooked the whole city of Lisbon (though none of these pictures are actually of the whole city):

A few more views of the city streets:

Chatting with a poet

My absolute favorite part of the whole trip was our first night in Lisbon. Spain has their flamenco. Portugal has their fado. Yet fado is more than just music. It's actually an entire experience of food, wine, instruments, and vocals. It's like somebody got into my brain and packed all good things into one! The music of fado is very similar to flamenco, although it never gained the same popularity that flamenco did. Faro music consists of a guitar or two, along with a Portuguese guitar and of course, a singer. Despite the occasionally upbeat rhythm of the song, the lyrics are known for being extremely depressing--all are about heartache, death, and poverty. When you go to a fado, you are basically going to someone's house for dinner. When it first started, Portuguese families would have people over to their houses, cook them fabulous meals, and then perform for their guests. The tradition still continues today, though I would guess that the hosts do not actually live in the restaurants, but rather above or next door. Here are some not so wonderful shots of the evening. The lighting was perfect if you were actually there, but not so perfect to photograph:

First she was asking us what we wanted for dinner, then she was singing!

By far my favorite singer

Portuguese version of Meryl Streep who spoke perfect Portuguese, French, and English

AMAZING shrimp, rice, and cilantro dish!

The next morning we went to the cathedral:

After the tour, a few of us sneaked out, with directions from one of the directors, to the famous old pastry shop that was originally run by nuns, Pastéis de Belém. I wish that there was a way for me to send samples through the internet. These little pastries are absolutely unbelievable. The crust is sort of like a croissant but slightly thicker, crunchier, and just sturdy enough to hold the rich, melt-in-your-mouth custard filling. And you get to top it with cinnamon!

With tummies full of pastries, we walked over to what used to be a waterfront fortress/lookout for the Portuguese army:

We were then granted free time and many of us made the excellent choice of taking a train to Sintra,  what I would basically call a tiny town surrounded by a significant amount of castles. We were disappointed to find out that you had to pay not only for the bus ride up to the castle we wanted to see but also to walk around the outskirts of building. Turns out it was worth every céntimo.

Not to shabby, eh?
That night we had an amazing dinner consisting of bacalao, a traditional white fish in Portugal that was served with tons of fresh cilantro, sauteed onions, potatoes, cabbage, and carrots. One of the best meals I have had thus far in Europe. The picture is pretty awful but I felt like a photo was necessary:

Feliz Cumpleaños a Mi

As I sit here in my room listening to Julieta Venegas and writing a paper about "comunicación intercultural" (after having consumed a large amount of Esperanza's tasty gazpacho and of course, chocolate and dried figs for a studying snack), I am overcome with gratefulness. Why? Well, the reasons abound! I have a paid job teaching a Spaniard English, I had a lovely two-and-a-half hour conversation last night by the Guadalquivir river with a Chilean who also bought me a bowl of some the best ice cream I've ever had, I went to Portugal last weekend (pictures to come!), and tomorrow I'm going to a barbacoa with some Spanish friends for a solid day of food, drink, fútbol, and Spanish. A constant question that comes to my mind: Is this real life? Apparently it is!

So my 21st birthday was a couple of weeks ago and I was pretty sure that, although I was going to be in Spain, it probably wouldn't be that fun because I wouldn't have too many friends or anything. Falso. It was probably the best birthday I have ever had. On the eve of my cumpleaños, the Spaniards took a bunch of us to a bar a few minutes outside of the city that one of their friends owns, to watch a Barcelona game and enjoy some free Cruzcampo. After a few hours of Spanish laughter, conversation, and some fútbol, the clock struck midnight, indicating that it was now officially my birthday. Then, with giant grins on their faces, two of my Spanish friends emerged with a chocolate ice cream-cake complete with giant "21" number candles, while the bar owner played a "Happy Birthday" song over the loud speaker. I might have maybe almost teared up.

On my actual birthday a bunch of us took an early-morning bus to a nearby pueblo, Aracena. We walked around the town, did some hiking, climbed up a giant hill with castle ruins and a lovely view of the city, and explored a stalactite/mite filled cave.

Olive trees!

Jess and I found Jesus on our hike

After an extremely exhausting day in Aracena, we headed back to Sevilla (barely making our bus!). Later that night a group of us walked to Barrio de Santa Cruz for dinner at San Marcos, a highly recommended Italian restaurant (thanks Liz!) that was converted from an Arabic bath.

Honey goat cheese salad. Definitely more goat cheese than lettuce. Definitely not complaining.

Seafood pizza...sounds and looks a little weird but it was fantastic!

The best tiramisu I have ever had in my entire life.

Way too many cheesy solo shots for the parents.

Flamenco

Andalucía is the birthplace of flamenco. This fun fact may have had some influence in my choice to go to Sevilla and I have not been disappointed. I just so happen to live in the neighborhood where some of the most famous "flamenkitas" lived, breathed, and performed. And of course, there is a statue at the start of the bridge to commemorate this important part of Sevillan culture. They really love statues here.
A couple weeks ago I went to my first flamenco show in Sevilla at the famous La Carbonería in el barrio de Santa Cruz. I went to one when I was in Madrid, which to be honest, was far better than this one. However, the one in Madrid cost way more and was more of an actual show than a fun place to hang out, sweat profusely, have a drink, and see a FREE flamenco show. Gratis is my favorite word. Anyways, this place was awesome and the "bailaora" was fierce (normal Spanish speakers would say "bailadora," but Andalucians don't feel the need to pronounce or often write their d's).

Not only do I have the distinct privilege of living in a city and neighborhood where flamenco bars are easy to come by, I am also learning how to become a "bailaora" myself! Well, sort of. Although I dream of the day when I become a fantastic and ferocious flamenco dancer, the "Sevillana" is the type of dance I am learning at the moment. The Sevillana definitely has a few flamenco-like qualities, especially in the posture and movement of the hands, but overall it's very different. Or maybe it's just the way that I'm dancing that seems so far from flamenco...Either way, the dance class is a blast!
Here are some photos from the flamenco show at La Carbonería:

Amada Sevilla, Te quiero.

I don't know if it had something to do with the nice breeze or how well rested I was from my siesta, but I think it happened. I think I fell in love yesterday. Don't worry Dad, not with a Spanish man, but with Sevilla. This city is unbelievable. The more I learn about Sevilla the more deeply in love I fall. Maybe I'm blinded by love, but this city has such a rich culture and history that everything here seems a little bit magical.
Saturday, the day before I fell in love, I woke up around 11 (planned for 9:30...oops) and went to El Mercado de Triana, an indoor market in my barrio. If you know me, you know that markets, especially those with food, are one of my absolute favorite things to see in any new place I visit. Although it wasn't the best one I've ever been to (I think Barcelona has topped the charts), this one was pretty neat and very Sevilla.

Hungry? For some live snails?

Since we're on the subject of love, these are locks that line the Puente de Triana. Sevillan lovers write their names on these locks and attach them to the bridge, to reside until death do them part.

Yesterday, the day I fell in love, I went to church with some new friends I met last week, chatted with a Spanish girl who wants to practice her English, ate a huge lunch while having a lovely conversation with Esperanza about food and our love lives (turns out her and Felipe are actually married and I saw wedding pictures to prove it), and then took a siesta. Afterwards, I met with a friend and we ended up taking a 3 hour walk along the river and around a new neighborhood in search of some market that we never actually found. Here's what we did find:

"DECORA TU CIUDAD"--Decorate Your City