Andalucia

After spending five days touring the Andalucia region of Spain, I am sad to leave Espana. On the second day here I took a train with Lindsay to Sevilla and met up with Ali, Ariel, & Lee. We stayed at the Sevilla Inn Backpackers which is a conveniently placed Hostel, located one block from the Cathedral. The gothic church is the third largest in the world and is the burial ground for Christopher Columbus. Beside the Cathedral is the Alcazar which is the oldest living residence of royalty but is open to the public for tours. We spent over an hour touring the expansive gardens which include an intricate hedge maze. Later that evening, Lindsay & I saw our first bull fight at the Arena. However, seeing six bulls die is quite depressing. After viewing the 2 hour long bull fight we saw an underground Flamenco dance while enjoying Sangria. The night life is vibrant all over the south of Spain with families staying out late into the evening and students partying until 6am. I survived my first hostel visit and the staff was extremely friendly.
My third day in Spain consisted of visiting the landmarks in Cordoba. After taking a 2.5 hour bus ride to Cordoba, we walked to the historical section where we toured the Mezquita. Largely influenced by Islamic architecture, the double arches are held by 856 columns made of marble, onyx, jasper, and granite. Later that evening we took a 3.5 hour bus ride and returned home where I greatly appreciated sleeping in my own air conditioned room as opposed to the room at the hostel which held 8 guests.
Yesterday, Ali, Lindsay, & I toured Cadiz and went shopping. Afterward we went to the beach and walked out on the pier to St. Sebastian's Fort. While in Spain, I tried Sangria made with Champagne, Manchego Cheese, Sherry, Brandy, Olives, Croquettas, Paella, Churros, and Cafe con Leche: all of which were local to the Andalucia Province.
I leave at 6:00pm this evening and will arrive in Casablanca tomorrow afternoon where I will be spending my next 6 days of this incredible voyage. Although Spain is six hours ahead of EST, Morocco is only four which means I will be able to enjoy a full nights sleep tonight!