Seville, Spain

Spain. Wow! Where do I start?

This country is beautiful! Since I flew into Malaga and not directly to Sevilla, I gained the opportunity to take the train, a fancy train I must say, into Sevilla. I think everyone should take a train through the countryside when traveling through Spain. I loved sitting, gazing out at the sun reflecting off the mountainous landscape, as quaint houses peaked through the hills, and the quiet clatter of the train sounding in the background. During my moments riding the train, I was at peace.

Since I arrived to Sevilla at a somewhat late hour and without prior knowledge of the bus system, I decided to go ahead and take a taxi to my hostel. Although, definitely much more expensive than a bus, in the taxi I got to roll down the window and let the warm breeze greet my face and see the twinkling lights of Sevilla. I immediately noticed the cleanliness of Sevilla and the fact that the city is large and bust, yet still feels small, similarly to Fort Worth.

The hostel I stayed in is much cleaner, friendlier, and comfortable than the other two hostels in which I stayed. At first, I was somewhat nervous, because I signed up for a 10 person mixed dorm room, but everyone was super friendly and respectful of one another's space. It also made for a better atmosphere to talk to other people staying in my hostel. Plus, the bathroom was super clean, which is always a good sign. :)

The first night I met up with Pearce & Malori, two of my friends studying for the semester in Sevilla, as well as; Norman, a Canadian living in London, who I invited from my hostel. Pearce suggested we meet at a pub called Texas Lone Star Pub. Normally, I would never go to a place with familiar food and people while on a vacation in another country, but since I've been away from Texas for a while now, it felt a little refreshing. American football aired on the televisions and one wall was covered with t-shirts from Texas universities.  I only wish the owners could top it all off by serving Shiner beer, but then I would just be spoiled.  Of course, we ended the night getting ice cream.

Cultural side notes: Spaniards have a few apparent cultural differences than my own. For one, staying out late, say 3 or 4, is perfectly normal for them. When a person "goes out" for the night, he or she doesn't go home until 5am or later. Even older people stay out late on weekends, according to Pearce who noted seeing a couple in their late 60's strolling the streets at 1am.  Also, eating schedules are different than in Texas. Normal lunchtime isn't until 2 or 3, right before siesta time, and lunch is typically the largest meal of the day. Dinner is usually eaten after 8pm, at the earliest. 

 More about Spain later, now I'm off to sleep in Switzerland. :)

Peace!