And so ends my Andalusian Advenuture

Well, after 11 weeks spent living in Malaga, Spain, the time finally came to return to Stockholm. It was a difficult parting. I had certainly become accustomed to warm weather, beach and a general lack of any pressure.  Sunday breakfasts at our usual cafe, sitting in the sun, were hardly a punishment.

Cooking paella at the school

In case I'm conveying the wrong message, I didn't only spend my time dilly dallying in beach cafes.  I was also there to learn a language. In fact, if I do say so myself, my Spanish has improved a lot. Better said, from A2 to about B2 (The EU has created a standardized system of language understanding. A1 and A2 is for beginners, B1 and B2 for intermediate levels and C1 and C2 for advanced language skills). I've gone from hesitating and having to think about everything to simply speaking and applying more complicated grammatical structures to my expression.

The courses were good, but it was the teachers that made the difference.  One teacher in particular, Patricia, practically taught me everything I'm taking away from there. She would thoroughly explain new verb conjugations and vocabulary through her enthusiastic and interactive teaching. Furthermore she provoked us to discuss controversial topics like religion and the death penalty to have real discussion as opposed to talking about reality TV and paparazzi. However, some weeks with other teachers the pace became so slow that it felt like I was becoming worse at Spanish (essentially the times where we would talk about the latter two of the aforementioned topics). Nonetheless, I would recommend the school to others wanting to learn Spanish.

Drinking a "jarra" in Malaga's popular 'El Pimpi'

My knowledge of the language was put to the test when on my last weekend in Malaga, I was visited by good friends from Freiburg - Joaquín, Judit and Borja (my old roommate). Together we ate tapas, went to the beach, drank cerveza, and were up very late at night for activities provided at such times on the weekend. All in all it was too short but I think I speak correctly when I say that it wasn't the last time we see each other. After saying goodbye I gave myself a little pat on the back for having spoken Spanish with them the entire time :)

My fried sandwiches got quite good
towards the end

Leaving was difficult.  Realizing that I will no longer be drinking 5 cups of tea a day together with my flatmates and playing ping pong on the hostel terrace on nice days after school abets a melancholy not so easily amended. I leave Malaga behind with what I came for and much more. A conversational proficiency in Spanish, a host of new experiences and great friends.

My New Home on the 4th Floor

After two months living with a Spanish family I have moved to a shared apartment to accompany four very friendly young women from Poland, the US, France and Greece/Romania who share a near harmonic environment on the 4th floor of a Franco-era apartment block.  The apartment is in the perfect location, across from the supermarket and a short walk from the beach. This is something the girls take to their advantage when they go to their preferred cafe on the weekend to have breakfast and perhaps stay out long enough, if weather permits, to have lunch as well.

The new view

It was an interesting experience to live with another family for such a long time. I can't possibly imagine having smelly young men treading through my home (and you would know what I mean by smelly after walking into the bathroom shared with 3 pubescent teenagers from Dresden). I must say I was quite happy to move out by the end.  Despite my yearning for independence, I can't really complain for what I had there. A breakfast and an excellent dinner cooked by a chef who owns his own Spanish restaurant.  I had a large and colorful room with a view on the Mediterranean and most of the time it was only me living there anyways due to the low season. One thing that did irritate me was the near refusal of the family to talk to me.  Dinners were usually spent in silence as they watched television and I sat lonesome on the dinner table, perhaps accompanied by their 7 year old son, similarly mute. At other times I would mention a topic such as my presentation on the death penalty I had one day and suddenly the father wouldn't stop talking! 

It seems traffic laws have abandoned this road I see from my window

As it is one of my first times living independently and having to cook for myself it is a bit of a weird feeling. However, so far that hasn't really been a problem as they are all more experienced with the matter and often offer to cook for me anyways! (maybe because I dared kill a rather large cockroach in the kitchen for them - which we posthumously baptized Pepe) The one big problem with the apartment is the abundance of a language called English, a tongue foreign to Spanish soil. It seems to be a natural consequence of making good friends, whether in Freiburg or Malaga, the language people are more comfortable with eventually establishes itself as the lingua franca - which is nearly always English.

Eaten from right to left, this nigiri was fantastic

My move to the new apartment coincided with a visit of my mother form Sweden that weekend. It was a delightful time, never too much and always pleasant.  Not to mention the fact that I had some of my best culinary experiences in Spain.  High quality tapas, steak served on a burning hot stone and probably the best sushi I've ever had contributed to a "firework of taste" as my mom coined it.  

City of Cordoba

From the 15th to the 16th of February I went to Cordoba, the last of the three most important Andalusian cities I had to see.  I had heard and read great things about it. Contrary to every tourist's preference of Granada, the father of my host family believes that Cordoba is Andalusia's most beautiful city.  In my history of Spain that I am attempting to read in Spanish, I found a fascination for the city as the capital of the Cordoba Caliphate and prosperous home of all faiths. 

Well, if only the weather would have had shown some sympathy for my excitement. It was pouring rain and windy the entire weekend without breaks. The picture below accurately represents what it was like.

I was extremely fortunate to have been invited by a friend to stay the night in her shared Erasmus apartment. I was given a fantastic tour of the city which, despite the rain, was beautiful.  The old town is incredibly charming and full of inviting cafes and teterias (the equivalent to a cafe but for tea).

As it began to rain harder we sought the shelter of the Mezquita, a cathedral built on top of a great mosque built on top of a chapel. It is with out a doubt one of the greatest achievements of Moorish architecture. The ubiquitous columns built with two connecting arches to support the enormous weight are a sight to behold. As are the attempts of the Catholic Church to convert it into a house of Christ, since the eviction of Mohammed in 1236.  The sides are full of chapels representing saints and scenes from the Bible, not to mention the huge Cathedral in the middle of it all. It is like being transported to an entirely different location.  Even Charles V, the guy who permitted the construction of the cathedral was appalled, "they have taken something unique in all the world and destroyed it to build something you can find in any city." Then again, it's bad publicity to leave your enemy's monument of power unchanged...

One of the many chapels surround the interior of the structure

The Sunday was quite tranquil - a combination of aching heads and inexorable rain. Once enthusiasm was aroused, we went to La Salmoreteca Mercado Victoria. It is an an indoor food market where you can choose from an international variety of food or small, high quality Spanish tapas. I kept it simple with a typical sandwich with jamón and olive oil, which is a simplicity which I am increasingly beginning to enjoy. 

Upon my arrival to Spain, I was amazed my hosts didn't have normal strawberry jam for toast. They did have a special variety of strawberry and onion jam which can be used for some cooked dishes, but certainly not for my toast. So I bought my own jam which stands in the fridge like a blonde, blue-eyed boy in a room full of dark-haired, jamón eating classmates. Nonetheless, I am increasingly like to eat a toast with nothing but olive oil poured on it which actually tastes marvelous.

The three hour journey back to Malaga was quite uncomfortable. The combination of the drinks from the previous night and the necessity to stop in every small village, driving on winding roads on which no bus should drive resulted in a rather unsettling trip for my stomach. 

Día del Espectador

Our cinema of choice: Yelmo Vialia-Málaga

Every Wednesday in Spain, cinemas participate in "Día del Espectador", "Day of the Spectator". All tickets including 3D movies are reduced to half price - effectively €3,90!! Compared to Sweden's 120SEK (€13.40) for a normal film entrance, it is not even a third of the price.  Maybe I shouldn't be surprised, on Tuesday I got a haircut for €7. The cheapest I ever got in Sweden was for 260SEK, €29 - more than four times the Spanish price. In Mainz I could get mine for €15, still more than twice the price. Nonetheless, one thing to watch out for is popcorn and drinks. A medium portion with beverage can cost €5, more than the ticket! As a result, its normally better to eat something before, or watch the movie at a time when you aren't hungry - a difficult moment to find for many!

In any case, my friends and I have been using nearly every Wednesday to enjoy the newest in cinema, and of course, always dubbed in Spanish.  It began with Mandela: A Long Walk to Freedom, followed by El Lobo de Wallstreet (pronounced "Wall-eh-street"), La Gran Estafa Americana (American Hustle), and most recently, Lego Película (Lego Movie). 

The degree to which I understood all of these movies varies.  Lego Movie was by far the easiest where I understood about 85% of what was happening. In comparison, American Hustle was extremely difficult to follow since the majority of the movie is based on its dialogue. I probably understood 50-60%, so basically I didn't really know what happened.

However, the film I enjoyed watching the most was, The Wolf of Wallstreet, for its strikingly brusque and controversial representation of the lives of Wall Street brokers as well as Leonardo di Caprio's excellent interpretation of, "The Wolf". Mandela featured fantastic acting and for those of us who did not read the autobiography, a great insight into Mandela's life. From what I could take away from American Hustle, the film was of a very high quality but requires patience to watch. The essence of the film lies in the intrigue of the plot and the relations between characters - probably best represented in their native language... Last but not least, Lego Movie was a blast.  Filled with clever humor and dashes of satire, it was a celebration of imagination and reminded me of when I would create my own Lego movies as a child :)

To come back to the pricing, one can't help but notice the overwhelming amount of competitive pricing everywhere.  Many restaurants in the shopping mall with the cinema caught on to the half price movies by offering half price food.  For example, there is a montaditos (small sandwiches) place known for it's 100 varieties. On Wednesday all of them cost only €1 and as an added benefit, so does the beer and tinto de verano. Next door, you can go to Burger King and use the the coupons that you receive from the movie tickets.  On the beach in Pedregalejo, the part of town where the school is, there is an Italian restaurant where from Monday to Thursday all pizzas cost €5, down from the usual cost of up to €10. Of course, it isn't hard to imagine that these places are the ones that become completely packed.  Telepizza, a chain similar to Dominoes, had an offer the 19th and 20th of February: €1 for a small pizza, and only for three boring types. The pizza isn't even good, we tried it. Nonetheless, at 20:30 there was a queue of people traversing the entire store and continuing outside. Cheap food is popular everywhere, but I can't help but infer a connection that the economic crisis might have on this money saving craze.

Granada

“If you were to visit only a city in Spain, this should be Granada.” - Ernest Hemingway

Granada cannot be explained, it must be seen. There are few places in the world that instill the same sensation of awe and wonder.  It comes to little surprise that Boabdil, last Sultan of Granada, shed tears of sadness upon leaving the city after the Catholic conquest in 1492.

I arrived in Granada at about 12:00 on Saturday the 1st of February, all alone, with only a vague description on how to get to the Oasis Hostel Granada from the bus station.  Luckily, the buses don't tell you what stop it is and I was left guessing which one the "cathedral stop" was.  So in the end I got off two stations after the one I was supposed to and began sightseeing before checking in. 

Walking towards the center of the Alhambra

While travelling in low season means not having to reserve tickets to the Alhambra online, I was quite eager to get inside after queuing for an hour (especially after I discovered I didn't have enough cash and had to run to an ATM. Thankfully, the guard let me pass without having to wait once more!). However, whether or not I had waited two hours, it would still have been worth it.

View of the Albaiyzín behind me

The Alhambra is an astonishing patchwork of history whose edifices tell the tale of imperial glory and cultural achievement.  I was extremely impressed by the remarkable detail of the Nasrid Palaces, showcasing the highest forms of Arab architecture.  In the Generalife, I tried to imagine the Sultan of Granada, escaping his daily obligations to enjoy the magnificent view. 

However, my best experience of the Alhambra was standing on top of the Torre de la Vela, the watchtower overlooking Granada. By that time the skies had cleared and the setting sun cast a beautiful light upon the land. Looking down one could see the city of Granada while if one turned around one could see the Sierra Nevada.

The Alcazaba of the Alhambra

In the evening I went to a tapas bar to have a dinner of sorts with Kohl, a friend from the language course who came to visit for a few hours (Visit his blog, Gayography).  Perhaps the greatest thing after the Alhambra in Granada are the complimentary tapas that come with your drinks! And not just a bowl of chips but a delicious bread with jamón and Roquefort cheese.  

Next to us were two drunk men, one of whom turned out to be a flamenco singer upon which the effect of alcohol gave the urgent need to sing.  He gave an amazing show despite the laments of the bartender who looked like he has seen this too many times. One thing I am finding interesting in Andalusia, is the prevailing popularity of traditional culture such as flamenco.  For example, while walking on the streets in Granada I came across three aspiring young boys who gave an impressive performance.

View of Granada from the watchtower

At night, I met a group of Americans studying abroad in Granada that I met in Seville.  Great people who like to party :) but more on nightlife in an upcoming post on, "la vida de la noche" en Andalusia...

An entire wall full with graffiti in Realejo

The next day I explored Realejo, the old Jewish quarter which is now the student/creative/still-cheap-to-live part of town famous for its graffiti art.  While worth the walk, I didn’t discover anything particularly out of the ordinary.  Yes, some of the graffiti was cool but it wasn't all together awe-inspiring. 

Afterwards, I went to the Albayzín; the old Muslim neighborhood.  The viewpoint by the church of San Nicolas is breath taking. It provides a perfect view of the Alhambra with the Sierra Nevada as a backdrop. It is easy to spend a lot time here enjoying the view and the listening to the street performance of, “Bamboleo” by the Gipsy Kings.

Going to Granada was also an interesting experience for me because it was the first time I organized and traveled somewhere completely by myself. While I did meet people I know there, it was the first time I went sightseeing and did things on my own.  It has its benefits in that I could do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted without having to wait.  All the same, a travel companion or two to share the experiences of travel with are always heartily welcomed. 

Click here to see all of my photos from the trip