Aprendiendo como ser unos ases en el ambiente sevillano (Learning How to be Aces in the Seville Environment)

So I guess the title of this post doesn't make too much sense when translated to English, but I really just wanted to use the new phrase that we learned. "Ser un/a as" (pronounced ass) means "to be an ace [at something]" here. It's funny that a word that sounds the same in both Spanish and English can be used for such completely different meanings!

Last week, each day after class the program took us to a popular tourist site in Sevilla. It was nice. Each visit was guided (one group by Pepe, the other by one of the professors we had in the morning lecture classes). Here are some of the pictures that I took. Most are of the Real (Royal) Alcazar, which is the palace where the royal family lived (and still lives when they come to Sevilla). Parts of it is really similar to the Alhambra. The gardens are also incredible (and huge). It's free for students to get in with an Internation Student Identity Card, so I definitely plan to study in those gardens during the school year. Ok, enough talking.

One last image of the Sevilla Cathedral... taken from outside of the entrance to the Real Alcazar.

One of the courtyards in the Alcazar.

A friend of mine, Lauren, took this picture and put it on facebook. I like it a lot, so I thought I'd put it up here, too.

Still Real Alcazar...

Yup, Alcazar (in case you couldn't tell).

This picture is for my dad. The flowers on this tree were really weird and cool. They hung down, as you can see, and were very long. I took many pictures of them, but I like this one the best because you can see the little patio. Anyway, dad, enjoy!

Me with orange trees. Behind the orange trees is the Giralda tower, attached to the Cathedral. In front of me is the entrance to the Alcazar.

Ok, this one's a bit more random. This is Katie, from a few weeks ago. She's struttin' her stuff with the Spanish fan, but I also want you all to note the sunglasses (Sam, you especially). They are like my ridiculous ones I left at home, only slightly less ridiculous. At least one of us was brave enough to bring our ridiculous sunglasses along with us...

Ok, I lied about being done with the main Cathedral of Sevilla. This is a picture of the inside. The detail in the vaults is incredible.

On the walk to the Real Alcazar / on my walk to el centro.

A small part of the gardens in the Real Alcazar.

Detail on the Real Alcazar.

Ok, now on to begin the Madrid blog entry. BUT really quickly: I got my Sevici pass!!!! I used it yesterday for the first time and it was completely fantastic. Really, really easy to use. I picked up a bike from a station down the street from the apartment, and rode the bike to a station less than a block away from the center and locked it back in there. The whole thing took me maybe 15 minutes and was really fun. I love riding bikes! I had forgotten how much I do because it has been such a long time. This system that they have is so convenient. I'm a big fan. And now I can use it whenever I want for just 10 Euros a year!!