It is high time I post some of the great pictures for the two Saturday field trips our group took! Last Saturday we spent the day at quaint, cute and COLD Córdoba! It is about 2 hours away from Sevilla so we woke up very early to make sure we made good timing. After stopping for some pan tostado and cafe, we arrived to the Andalusian town! Córdoba itself is not very large and thus does not have nearly as many touristy things, however IT DOES have La Mezquita-Catedral, the combination mosque and cathedral built beginning in the year 600! It was incredible to tour the mosque with one of our EUSA professors, Carmen, and learn all about the history--of how it began as the worship center for the Muslims and then was subsequently conquered by King Ferdinand in the 1200s. It is also very interesting to see the cathedral coexisting approximately a few feet away from one of the mosque's corridors. After we left the mosque, we walked through the winding streets to stop by the Jewish quarter and the synagogue. One of the most interesting parts about Spain, especially Andalucia, is this incredible mix of religion, that for certain points of history, coexisted without significant conflict. I really enjoy that our professors want us to see all sides of the story and our trip to Córdoba was wonderfully well rounded. Additionally, Córdoba is a 2016 candidate for the European Cultural Capital! This explains the hundreds of flower pots that cover the town, all touting the 2016 candidacy. Below are some pictures that attempt to do justice to the unique Mezquita and atmosphere that is Córdoba...
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Yesterday was our second day trip, to Italica, the Roman ruins located just outside of Sevilla. Although Italica itself is "a lot of rocks" as one of our professors put it, it was very interesting to see ruins dating back 256 B.C.! We also saw the amphitheater where the gladiator prisoners were forced to fight bestial creatures of all sorts--also, Italica's arena is the third largest the Romans built. Honestly, it is most incredible to see the technology that existed in this historical period: kitchens, completely outfitted homes, libraries, the like. Of course to us, it was just a few layers of rocks, but still pretty magnificent! It was also wonderful to be outside on a chilly, but sunshine-filled morning, looking out into the rolling hills on Andalucia's skyline. The south of Spain really is a treat--city life is definitely great, but lucky for us, the open fields that cover the south are just a skip and a hop away. I look forward to finding the time to do some more exploring of Spain's hidden treasures like Italica.
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