Benalmaldena

 Well, today is the final day on our expedition of Spain. We are in the city of Benalmaldena, a city that sits next to the mountain ranges of the Sierra Nevada and is on the coast of the Alboran Sea. The mountain ranges are  a sight of beauty. This city is a tourist city and has a lot to do. Many shops, cable car rides up mountains, Sea World, discotechas, and good food. Its only 69 degrees, but sunny. Big difference from Seville where it was in  the 80s and 90s. The weather doesn't seem like it is stopping people from hanging out on the beach though. Word is the water is really, really cold, maybe I should take a dip and see for myself!

On to the next.......Granada and Benalmadena!

Our final journey on this magnificent tour of Spain ends with us going to Granada and Benalmadena. We could actually take a boat tour to Morocco in Africa, that's how close we will be. These cities lie in the southern most part of Spain.

The students were dropped off by their host families in the morning and it was beautiful to see the bond between them. Students were crying tears of sadness as their experiences were positive. Huge shout out to Mrs.Jones and Mr. Mertens for the hard work they put into making this trip happen. This will be an experience that the students will never forget. It will be one I will never forget. 

But it isn't over yet.........

Seville!

Another morning in this beautiful city of Seville. Here I am thinking that it is a vacation spot, which it is, but it holds just as much history as any other city in Spain. It is home to Columbus' remains, the 3rd largest Gothic cathedral in the world, a major river, huge mountain ranges nearby, hosted a World Fair, and has the biggest processions in Spain. Everyday and night, streets are packed and people are moving, going from one place to the next. Seville is a historic city that is very important to the history of Spain. Here are some pictures below.....so much to see, so much to talk about!

Watch the video below on Seville!

Seville

Good morning Seville!

Yesterday was a rough one for me,  I thought I was going to die because of the heat. The forecast said 90, but it felt like 95! We did a tour of the city, by bus and by boat. We watched many Processions because it is Holy Week in Spain and they take it very seriously. I'd say at least 5,000 people crowded the streets to celebrate this religious event. It was something that I will probably never see again in my life. Children, mothers, men,  dressed up from head to toe. The way that they dress is like watching a fashion show, but I won't talk too much about that because that could be a blog all by itself. The Processions went on until about 2:30 in the morning, with people of all cultures taking in this event. There was also good food and lots of fun. This will be going on everyday this week, as it is a big tradition in Seville, as well as Spain. 

 I wanted McDonald's and Starbucks really bad,  so I took a stroll into the downtown area to get some, so I am enjoying that right now. Starbucks only serves  espresso and cappuccinos, so my dark roast will have to wait until I get back home :( it's all good though. The breakfast sandwiches are a little different, but there are some  that are similar to ours in the states. Yes, McDonald's, I am in heaven in a place that is like heaven!

Seville!

Yesterday was a sad but exciting day. It felt like dropping your child off for their first day of elementary school or sending your kids off to college. It was the day our students left to be with their host families. Families brought everyone in their household to pick up the kids. They were dressed very nice and were just as excited as the students, which made the transition very smooth. So now the teachers are just on call for emergencies and we can enjoy this beautiful 80 degree plus weather. We are 6 hours south of Madrid, which is a lot more tropical and has a California feel. Yes, relaxation time, only if I cared about tanning......lol more information to come....

Oh yeah,  I will know the whole Columbus story. This was a major port area for the Spanish Conquistadors...lots of history with its connection to the Americas. This city is another that is full of history.

Flamenco Dancing

I know I have been blogging as best as possible in the order that I am doing things, but there is so much that I haven't talked about, it's crazy. I love to write and I try to get as much in during the little downtime that I have had. My wife has told me to put the phone down as we walk down busy streets because I'm getting attached to my blog (ADHD).

Last night was our last night in Madrid and we had the pleasure of going to see a popular dance called "Flamenco Dancing".Now being from the south suburbs of Chicago, the popular dance is "footworking" or "juking" which is fast movements of the feet with twist and turns. The music is house,  which is sped up rap songs, with sort of a techno blend. Flamenco reminded me of that, it was fun to see. 

Flamenco is a highly expressive Spanish dance form.It is a dance characterized by hand clapping, fast footwork,hand, arm, and body movements.Those involved are; dancers, a singer, and someone on the guitar. The roots of Flamenco come from Indian, Arabic, and Spanish cultures. 

In the end, I was standing up, getting an adrenaline rush from the dance and music. Here is a little snippet below. FYI, this was NOTHING like the performance I saw last night.

Flamenco

Toledo!

The city of Toledo has been populated since the Bronze Age (3000-1200 BCE). It is known for its cultural heritage and historical co-existence of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish cultures. It was once known as the "City of Three Cultures". The city sits on a mountain top and is surrounded on three sides by the Tagus River. It depicts the beauty of Europe, nestled in a small town. Majority of the city remains the same as it was hundreds of years ago and has been made a national monument. Toledo sees over 2 million visitors a year.

Tagus River/Iberian Peninsula