My Spanish Sabbatical, 2007/8
Daniel W. Koon
November 21, 2007
Hi all--
Last weekend, a 4-dayer for Eli, was our trip to Sevilla. Besides visiting the usual sights, we learned that an 'aperitivo' is a snack [a generous one in the case of the high-speed train's 'preferente' coach] and that the Spanish word for '6-pack' abdominal muscles is 'tableta de chocolate.'
The usual sights included a gi-normous cathedral [3rd largest in Europe] completed in 1517 and designed by a bunch of guys whose goal was that people who came along later should think they were crazy. It includes the usual mind-boggling array of sculptures & paintings, an organ about the size of the Canton post office, and a 'little' chapel with so much gleaming silverwork that it would give Liberace palpitations.
We also went through the Royal Alcazar, the palace that the royal family uses when they're in town. It has several interior courtyards with lovely gardens [roses & morning glories still in bloom!], and a large part of it is built in the middle eastern Mudejar style, with mosaics on all the walls and many of the floors. While we were gawking, we heard a voice say, 'how are you?' , which is usually a signal that we will be hit up for money so we deny that we speak English. But this time it was a pleasant surprise--the neighbors who were so friendly & helpful when we were locked out of our apt. the week before. They were in town to visit friends and recommended a few restaurants:
We think we found the tapas place they mentioned, and I had some very good mushrooms w/ pesto there. They also told us about a place we never would've found otherwise, in a little plaza in the extremely old Jewish neighborhood, that has the best ham ever [irony, anyone?]--for once we tried the expensive kind of ham, made from pigs who live stress-free lives eating acorns in tranquil valleys. Even Eli said it was the best. I tried it; there was indeed a woodsy flavor, and it had almost no fat. It's served in very thin slices with bread and olive oil.
One night we went to a flamenco show, our 1st. The whole production, with singing, guitars & dancing, had a jazz-like quality in that some of it seemed improvised. the only odd part was a dance done to recorded music from 'Carmen.'
One day we went to a suburb of Sevilla to the remains of Italica, a ~900 year-old Roman city that had ~10,000 inhabitants. Several floor mosaics are still intact, and there's still evidence of the extensive Roman water supply system. Wealso saw the coliseum, complete with a pit [for fallen gladiators?], and part of the baths.
In Madrid, we've heard several comments about how unusually warm & mild this fall is; the trees are still pretty green, but we need the heat in our apt., especially at night. We've been to see some films & a show that we might not have gone to at home but went to here because they were in English: Woody Allen's film 'Cassandra's Dream' [strange], 'Death at a Funeral' [English comedy w/ some good gags], and the stage show 'The Collected Works of Billy the Kid' [interesting, but i wish the scenes had been in chrono. order].
This week is the fall concert @ Eli's school, and next weekend we'll be in Cordoba during his Thanksgiving break.
Here's to a happy & healthy Thanksgiving for all!
Judy, with Daniel & Eli
Two hurting sculptures
Mudejar archway -- royal palaces
Tile from Italica
Judy and Eli and Mudejar tiles -- royal palaces
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