Cuban food, coffee and flamenco museum

It's been a pretty good week. Wednesday night instead of going to Cien Montaditos like we normally do Alice, her roommate Sarah and I went to a Cuban restaurant downtown. Alice's parents are Cuban and regularly cook Cuban food, so she was very excited to try it out. It was a little on the pricey side (well, compared to Cien Montaditos where everything is a dollar on Wednesdays,) but it was completely worth it. Everything was so delicious. I was happy to be there with Alice who could explain the menu to me. I had tostones (fried sliced plantains.)

The restaurant was so snazzy, with white tables, white chairs and white walls. There was hardly anyone there when we went, but apparently they have salsa dancing on Thursday and Sunday nights and lots of students come to dance. We will have to go back!

Our incredible delicious dessert (I will need to ask Alice for the names)

Alice in heaven

Cuban mohitos! Yum... I am a fan.

We had a test this morning (Friday,) so Thursday Alice and I went to a café to study. It was a quaint little place next to the Universidad de Sevilla, that reminded me of the Caribou on Franklin Street. It was great to be surrounded by other college students, and it kind of made me wish I was in the SAS program, so I could take classes at the university! As I sat with my Spain and Islam notes spread out on the little wooden table, drinking my Cola Cao, I felt like a Spanish college student. It was the first time that I've felt more like a student than a tourist.

The exam this morning went pretty well. Fernando gave us five broad essay topics (ex: Mohammad) and we basically had to spout off everything that we knew about two of the topics. I think I probably over-studied for it.

Cherise left this afternoon for Barcelona, along with a bunch of my other friends. I opted out of going to Barcelona since I've already been and would rather use my money traveling to places I haven't been. I'm hoping I'm not too bored or lonely without her this weekend, though. I've been planning things for every day. Tomorrow: Carmona with Alice. It's an easy trip from Sevilla, and bus tickets are only about 4 euros. Sunday possibilities: Art market and other markets, maybe church, salsa dancing or Arab baths.

This afternoon, Alice, Alex and I went to the Museo de Flamenco. It was so incredible. The displays were very high tech and interactive. In one of the rooms we watched dancers on a big screen TV perform the types of flamenco dances-- dances that express happiness, seduction, death and pain. It was almost as good as seeing it in person. There were also displays that showed flamenco technique.



In the next room we learned about the voyage of flamenco and famous flamenco dancers. Then the third room was my favorite-- the flamenco costumes. This room contained some dresses (or actually, I think they were replicas of the dresses) from the 1930s, as well as dresses that dancers had worn in the Olympics (did you know flamenco was an olympic sport? I didn't...)

This is the dress from the 1930s. The picture was taken by one of the museum directors, who kept following us around and trying to get us to go to the flamenco show they were having that night.

(there are many better pictures to come, like pictures of us pretending to dance, on Alex's camera. You will have to check back and see them when she uploads them to the computer!)

Overall, this museum was definitely a success. It made me want to see a more traditional flamenco show than the one at the Carbonería, which didn't include any of the special dresses or props. We also want to see a Sevillana dance, which is apparently an old folk dance that is a very vivid and happy version of flamenco.

After flamenco, Alice and I walked around the city for awhile and discovered parts that we never knew existed! We stepped into another beautiful church just off the street. And we found an entire street dedicated to wedding dress and flamenco dress shops. So pretty! Then we went to a café and had coffee/ helado.

Alice found her dream dress... watch out Jason! (the one in the back). How amazing would it be to have a Spanish wedding dress? They are all so incredible!

I still can't believe that as of today, I have been here one whole month. Time feels like it has passed so fast. I am beginning to worry that it will slip through my fingertips and I won't see half of what I want to see!