Weekend and the Sierra Norte

Cherise went to Madrid last weekend, so I tried to keep myself busy. I spent Friday lounging by the river with Delaney, Alex and Alice, then getting Rayas ice cream. That night I went with Alex to the Tex-Mex bar and most of our program to watch the UNC-Marquette basketball game. Good game, we won easily (much to the dismay of some Marquette fans sitting at the bar.) As we were sitting in the bar watching the game we had an... interesting... encounter with some Italianos. Basically, Italian boys are not all they're hyped up to be. They were strange, forward and all they wanted to talk about was Gucci and other name brands they were wearing.

The next morning I went with Alex and some girls from SAS to the Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares (the Museum of Art and Customs). I'd been wanting to go there for awhile, because I thought it sounded like an interesting museum, but it didn't quite live up to my expectations. We saw some furniture from the home of the famous painter Vallequez, some random furniture and some embroidered handkerchiefs. The best part was a high school band that had traveled all the way from Canada to play in the courtyard. Brought back memories of my high school band days.

From the steps of the Museo de Artes y Costumbres you can see its sister building, the Museo de Arqueología

High school band playing in the courtyard of the museum, with all the parents watching

After the museum Alex and I wandered through the park to the Plaza de España, to take some pictures. It was a little cloudy, but the Plaza de España is always beautiful.

In the park

Plaza de España

It must have been the day for weddings-- we saw a few photoshoots and a bride and groom riding down the street in a horse-drawn carriage

On Sunday Alex, Delaney, Alice and I woke up early and caught a train to the Parque Natural de la Sierra Norte de Sevilla for a day of hiking through the Andalusian countryside, about an hour and a half from Sevilla. We had a great day hiking through trees and down dirt country roads, eating picnic lunches on some rocks by a stream, and taking lots and lots of pictures. It was nice to be away from the busy city life of Sevilla for the day. We walked most of the 6 hours we were there-- in all about 20 kilometers or 13 miles.

I was especially excited because I had just finished reading The Alchemist by Pauleo Coelho, a wonderful novel that takes place in the Andalusian countryside and Morocco. The scenery looked exactly how I'd imagined it from the book. There were even pastures full of sheep!

Too perfect for an Andalusian countryside

Sheep! This one is for Sue

Our pig friend, who had somehow escaped his pin

Alex, Alice, Delaney

Ruins from an abandoned building (I'd like to think it was a church, JUST like in The Alchemist!)

(photo by Alice)

(photo by Alice)

(photo by Alice)

(photo by Alice)

I have a lot more to write about, but I'm probably going to be slow updating because I have a 10-page paper, a 5-page paper and an 8-page paper due next week! And I really need to get them done before I go to Portugal for the weekend! But I'll update as often as I can.

Adios for now!