Fabel's

Although we saw a lot of really neat places in Lisbon, my favorite place by far was the monastery we found when we got lost. We were actually trying to find the cathedral in Lisbon and followed the wrong signs, which lead us to this monastery. We decided that if would be worth the 2 euro and check it out. It was very pretty and had beautiful artwork throughout the entire building, but my favorite part were the rooms with Aesop’s fables. In these rooms there 

were huge depictions of Aesop’s fables all made of tiles that were about 4x4 in size. Off to the side, there was a plaque with the fable in 4 languages, Portuguese, Spanish, French and English. My favorite was the fable called “The Untrustworthy Guardian”. The fable was written:

       “A dealer of iron went on a trip and gave one hundred pounds        of iron to a neighbor for him to keep. When he

 returned, he        went to collect the metal, but the neighbor said that he didn’t        have it any more because a mouse had eaten it. The dealer immediately decided to teach the liar a lesson. He kidnapped his neighbor’s son and then said the boy had been taken by an owl. The boy’s father said, “How do you expect me to believe that owls can do a thing like that?” The other answered, “In a

 country where a single mouse can eat one hundred pounds of        iron, don’t you thing it’s possible for owls to carry off a child who doesn’t weigh half that?” The father understood the moral of the story and returned the iron so that he would get his son back.”

 

I loved the moral of this story so I took a picture of the tile          depiction. Not only is it neat to have to story, but then you can see the art of it as well. A definite must see if you get a chance to visit Lisbon. The monastery is called Monterio de São Vicente de Fora and a cheap, and very interesting.

 

Getting lost finds neat sites

This weekend, a few of us went to Lisbon, Portugal. I really didn’t know much about Lisbon before I went. I knew a little bit of the history of Portugal, but only that coincided with that of Spain. Honestly, I went to see another city. Now, having been, I am so glad that I went. Because I didn’t know anything in particular to see, I decided it would be just fun to walk and see the city. Hannah and I walked down the main avenue of the city and walked for a a few hours, stopping to see anything that interested us. As we were walking, we saw

 from far off the top of this building. We didn’t know what it was, so we decided to look for it. After getting lost for a bit, we can upon signs directing us in the correct direction. Once we got there, we found out that it was the Santa Engracia Church, or also known as Portugal’s National Patheon. Unfortunately, once we found it, it was already closed for the day so we weren’t able to go inside. After some research I learned that what we saw in Lisbon is actually a churc

h on top of the site of an older church that was torn down because of a robbery that all but ruined the church in 1630. The most prominent feature of the church is the huge dome on the top. From the top of the dome you can see almost the entire city and a great view of the river, which is situated right next to the building and inside you will find the tombs of many Portuguese presidents and well-known artists and writers. I was really happy that we got lost and stumbled upon this really beautiful building that is so important to Portugal’s history.

 

The lift

While we were on our walk through the city we passed this structure. At the time, we had no idea what it was. It looks very strange and it’s situated in between other buildings. Honestly, if we were trying to find it, I’m not sure we would have been able to find it. When I got home, I researched “Lisbon’s Statues” on google to find out what exactly it is. What I learned from my research is very interesting. The structure is actually a lift and is consid

ered a tourist attraction.. It’s called the “Santa Justa Lift” or in Portuguese it’s called Elevador de Santa Justa or also Carmo Lift. Made of iron, the lift is approximately 45 meters tall. The construction on the lift started in 1900 and continued until 1902. From 1902 until it was converted to electrical power in 1907, it was run on steam.  From the view I had when I took the picture, I could see tha each storey has a different pattern and from the top you can see a view of the city, which includes views of the Lisbon castle, the Rossio Square

 and the neighborhood called “Baixa”. The lift is equipped with 2 elevators, each only holding 24 people. I wish I had known this structure was actually a tourist site when we passed it. We would have taken the time to go up and see the view of Lisbon. 

Alcazar

I know this picture doesn’t look like much, but this is one of my favorite pictures I took from Salamanca, not because of the statue, but because of what’s behind it. While in Salamanca we visited the Universidad de Salamanca. I have heard about the Universidad de Salamanca for years because I have a professor at Middle Tennessee State University that attended the Universidad de Salamanca. Honestly, after visiting the one building of the school I was no impressed. It was very small. I pictured the campus to be something huge and amazing, but what we saw at first was not. Then, after we were released to walk around the city ourselves, I got a chance to tour more of the campus and see some of the buildings and facilities of the school. This is one of the last things I took a picture of in Salamanca. It’s a statue on the campus that says, “Principe de Asturias y Señor de Salamanca en el”. It is in a prominent plaza on the campus so you would think it’s an important part of the history. But what I like about the photo is the graffiti behind it. In recent months, after a few of my classes I have learned to look beyond what’s in front of you and see more than just the object and that’s what I did with this picture. Something so important to the school, a school that’s been around for more than almost every other school in the world, in one of the most well known cities in Spain, and yet- there’s still someone that wants to ruin it. This graffiti shows me that no matter where you go in the world, or how important something is, there will always be someone that doesn’t see the significance in it. There are always those people that honestly- just don’t care. That is what I learned from this picture.

Universidad de Salamanca

I know this picture doesn’t look like much, but this is one of my favorite pictures I took from Salamanca, not because of the statue, but because of what’s behind it. While in Salamanca we visited the Universidad de Salamanca. I have heard about the Universidad de Salamanca for years because I have a professor at Middle Tennessee State University that attended the Universidad de Salamanca. Honestly, after visiting the one building of the school I was no impressed. It was very small. I pictured the campus to be something huge and amazing, but what we saw at first was not. Then, after we were released to walk around the city ourselves, I got a chance to tour more of the campus and see some of the buildings and facilities of the school. This is one of the last things I took a picture of in Salamanca. It’s a statue on the campus that says, “Principe de Asturias y Señor de Salamanca en el”. It is in a prominent plaza on the campus so you would think it’s an important part of the history. But what I like about the photo is the graffiti behind it. In recent months, after a few of my classes I have learned to look beyond what’s in front of you and see more than just the object and that’s what I did with this picture. Something so important to the school, a school that’s been around for more than almost every other school in the world, in one of the most well known cities in Spain, and yet- there’s still someone that wants to ruin it. This graffiti shows me that no matter where you go in the world, or how important something is, there will always be someone that doesn’t see the significance in it. There are always those people that honestly- just don’t care. That is what I learned from this picture.

Salamanca Cathedral

This past weekend we went to the city of Salamanca for our last group excursion. I thoroughly enjoyed this excursion and actually this city was probably my favorite we’ve been to. One of my favorite parts of the excursion was the church. I loved learning about it’s history and how there came to be 2 cathedrals. Actually, at first glance, it looks like one large cathedral, but we learned from out guide that the taller part of the cathedral is really the “new” cathedral and the shorter part is the “old”. When you go inside the cathedral you can tell there are some differences in the art and the actual structure of the church. Apparently, there was an earthquake in Lisbon that affected the older cathedral. The people of the city decided that instead of tear down the older one, they would build onto it and make an even large, more elaborate cathedral for the city of Salamanca. I really enjoyed the cathedral itself, but my favorite part of the whole church was not the inside, but rather this one little part of the decoration on the outside. While building the outside of the church the architect realized that there was a blank spot, so because of his sense of humor, he added this small little astronaut to the decorations. I thought this was very funny and a nice story I’ll always remember about the Cathedral of Salamanca. 

 

 

Park Guell

One of my favorite stops in our adventure in Barcelona was the Parc Güell. Again, this is one of Antoni Gaudi’s famous works found in Barcelona. The famous park, built from 1900 to 1914 was originally part of a unsuccessful housing site developed by Eusebu Güell (the man for whom the park was named after). The main idea of the park was to take advantage of the fresh air and beautiful site of the city that you can see on top of the mountain named “Montaña Pelada. At the main entrance to the park is the main terrace where you can find the long bench in the shape of the serpent. After some investigating I learned that Gaudi used the shapes of buttocks by his workman to form the curvature of the bench. It is really an interesting thing to see. It is decorated with colorful tiles which seems to be a trademark of Gaudi. In this picture you can see the two houses near the many entrance to the park as well as the view of the city (and me of course!) We actually had to fight for this spot to take the picture because of how many people where there. Just sitting on the bench you can watch kids playing, people playing music and friends enjoying the city. Sometimes, sitting back and taking in the small things in life is what it’s all about!

                                                                                           

La Pedrera

During our weekend trip to Barcelona, while attempting to find the Parc Güell, stumbled upon this apartment building. I really had never heard of the architecture of Antoni Gaudí. It’s really hard to miss the influence of Gaudi and his work while you’re in Barcelona. This apartment building built between 1906 and 1910 was officially built for the Milá family. This bulilding happens to be one of the main residential buildings Gaudi designed and built. It’s said to be considered “more of a sculpture than an apartment building”. Throughout the entire building you won’t be able to find a straight line anywhere. The outside of the building is truly impressive. It’s made of stone and forged iron and none of the balconies are shaped exactly the same. We wanted to go in but the line was really long and it was expensive (as is everything else in Europe). We did get a change to look in the main entrance to the building. The foyer looks even more remarkable than the outside. If I ever get a chance to get back to Barcelona, this amazing piece of art will be at the top of my list of must do’s!

Barcelona's Arc de Triumf

When I first came to Spain I knew with certainty that I wanted to visit Barcelona. I had heard from several friends that it is one of the best cities in Spain, so when someone mentioned going, I was super excited. I honestly didn’t really have any idea of the tourist attractions that Barcelona had to offer so when we arrived in the bus station and saw this impressive arc I was amazed. I thought the only arc that existed was in France. Although it’s not quite as impressive as Paris, it is an amazing site that everyone should see. Built in 1888 for the Universal Exposition, the Arc de Triomf is found at the entrance to the Parc de la Ciutadella, which was the entrance to the exposition. You can see all the mudéjar style architecture throughout the Arc as well as the exquisite stone carvings on either side. At the top of the Arc you can see the Coat of Arms of Barcelona as well as 12 statues of women, to symbolize fame. The Arc is situated in a plaza where there are many benches and water fountains that add to the ambiance of the city. Although not as grand as the “offical” Arc de Triumphe in Paris, the Arc found in Barcelona is still a must see 

Toledo

We went to Toledo on our excursion this past weekend. I really didn’t know much about the city or the history before I went. I really enjoyed the trip and all the things we saw in Toledo. First of all, the view of the city that we saw was amazing! I took many photos and even liked them so much I made one of them my background of my computer. The weather was perfect and you could see all the most well known sites in the city there from the lookout. It was truly and amazing view! Also, the guide was wonderful and explained many things that I would have never known otherwise. She took us all around the city so we could see the art of the area first hand and she told all of the history of each place. I loved that she was able to analyze the painting that we saw in the Church of Saint Tomé. I would have never been able to see all the things that she saw from that picture, but I’m not much of an art coinsurer either.  

Honestly, my favorite part of the city was the cathedral. I hated that we weren’t able to take pictures there because I thought this was one of the most beautiful cathedrals ever. I loved the tall ceilings! Although it was really cold there, I learned so much about the history of not only the cathedral but also the history of the city. The art that is found in the cathedral is amazing and is a wonderful expression of the faith the builders of the cathedral had. Also, I thought it was interesting to learn about the red hats that were above the tombs of the cardinals that had died. I thought it was a great way to honor these men that made such a difference to the cathedral.

Marie Antoinette's Hamlet

One of my favorite places I saw in France while we were there for the Carnavales break was the famous Versailles. Versailles is a palace about an hour outside of Paris where the king, queens, and heir to the throne of France lived for centuries. It is one of the most extravagant places I have ever walked through. I felt almost under dressed for the day because of it’s elaborate decorations and design. While at Versailles you are able to go see the garden on the property of Versailles. There is so much land behind the Palace of Versailles. I was so surprised. One of the things you can see on the tour of the property is Mary Antoinette’s Hamlet. Apparently, while living at Versailles, she had this property, which consists of 6-8 small village looking houses built so she could “escape” her life of royalty. Her hamlet was her way to get away on an adventure. Included in these 6-8 houses was a bakery, butcher shop and even a chicken house. I couldn’t believe the work that was put into this imaginary village all so she could escape her everyday life and be able to experience the “real” world. It looked just like a real little town with a town square and all. I was so happy that I took the tour of the lands and was able to see this cool little piece of history.

Over Carnavales break I went to Paris. I really couldn't speak the language and I have never studied any French history so all the things we saw were really pretty, but I really didn't know why they were important or what they meant to history. I tried to read the information at the different places about it's history, but most of the places only offered information in French, so it was a little difficult. This picture was so interesting to me that when I came home I spent time researching why it was important. I found these sculptures out side the main entrance to the Notre Dame, the famous, well known Cathedral in the heart of Paris. I saw these 4 sculptures as I walked in to the cathedral and wondered why the third man from the left was holding his own head- and this is what I learned: His name is Saint Denis and is a Christian saint and martyr. In the 3rd century he was a bishop of Paris and martyr because of how he died. According to the legend, his head was chopped off and he still picked it up and walked 2 more miles preaching a sermon. The place where he finished the sermon and died was then made into a small shrine being named Saint Denis Basilica, the place which became the burial place for the kings of France. I thought this was a wonderful story and I am very happy that I researched it to learn why it was significant to France and what it meant for the Cathedral of Notre Dame. 

Moulin Rouge

There are many sites that are famous around the world.  Most are famous because of the historical significance or what that location did for history while others are famous for the things that are known about it, good or bad. While in Paris, we visited one of the most known tourist sites in Paris known as the "Moulin Rouge" , meaning "Red Windmill" in French. This site is not famous for an battle or important piece of world changing history happened here, but it's famous for being the center of the "Red Light District" in Paris during the 18-1900's.

The Moulin Rouge is a cabaret was built in 1889 by Joseph Oller  

and is famous for the site of the start of the can-can dance. This dance originally started as a seductive dance by the courtesans. The Moulin Rouge, as well as all of the sites found around the red light district are best known for their adult entertainment and adult shows. I find it ironic though that a place that once was a forbidden place that only men go to is now a site that many tourists visit each day. I thought this street was a very important part of french culture and history. 

Food in Paris

Europe is different. It has taken me a few weeks to adjust to the differences between the cultures of the United States and countries here in Europe. But one thing that I've yet to adjust to here in Europe is the food. Food is an important part of culture and it tells a lot about the people that live in a region. The food in the south of the United States is different from the food in the north and the same goes for the east and the west. I assume this is the same here in Spain an for all of Europe. Because of I have never traveled to Europe, I thought before going to Paris that maybe the food in Spain was different and the food in Paris would be more like the United States. I was wrong. The food in this is a picture of a pizza that Shannon ordered in a little cafe. All of the pizzas were very different from the pizzas that are on menus in the states. Each one had strange ingredients that I would never think of putting on pizza. She ordered this one. It had olives, which is not that strange, egg plant, and an egg in the center of the pizza. I've heard that the French put eggs on top of a lot of foods, but I never thought a pizza would be one of these things. It was so strange to see them place a pizza in front of her with a fried egg in the center. She ate it and said it was really delicious. I guess everyone is different in the same way every culture is different. After my experience in France with the food, I have learned that every country has different customs and none are like the customs of my beloved homeland of the United States of America; not better, not worse, just different. 

Notre Dame

For our carnavales vacation me and several of the other students went to Paris, France to see the city. This was my first time to ever go to Paris so I was really nervous. I didn't speak the language and really didn't know a lot of about the city or its history. I learned so much while I was there. One of my favorite place we were able to see was the Notre Dame, which means "Our Lady". Before I went to Paris, all I knew about the Notre Dame was from the Disney movie "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". This was one of the most amazing cathedrals I have ever seen. It definitely stands out above the city and is an amazing site. Construction on the cathedral began in 1163 during the reign of Louis VII but wasn't finished until 1345 with the completion of the towers. I learned while I was there that at one point the cathedral was at risk to be torn down.  After one of the many wars that France was in the cathedral was in bad shape and was falling apart. The city planners thought that it should just be torn down and rebuilt but after the novel "The hunchback of Notre Dame" by Victor Hugo was published the city planners reconsidered. The novel raised awareness of the cathedral's heritage which in turn sparked new interest in saving the cathedral. All because of one man and his novel a city wide fundraiser began earning enough money to completely restore the cathedral in 1845. I think the outside of the cathedral is magnificent, but the inside is the true beauty of the cathedral. I could almost feel the history and imagine all the things those walls have seen. From wars, to a temporary hospital, to being a very important part of history and one of the most notable cathedrals in the world, the Notre Dame is a site to be seen.

Castilla de Coca

I've seen some great things here in Spain, but since I've been here the castle tops it all. I had such a wonderful day going to all the different cities with castles. Our first stop was at Castillo Coca. It was by far my favorite. I had never been to a castle before and this by far overreached my expectations. It was beautiful! Also, I learned a lot about the history and the art that was put into the castle. We were able to see a lot of examples of art mudéjar which we were learning about in another class so that was really helpful for me to be able see and touch examples of art from hundreds of years ago. I was surprised there was a secret room. I think it's amazing that although people from that time period had none of the technology and services we have today were still able to create amazing and beautiful structures like this. I definitely felt that I took a step into the past and was able to see a little bit of the history of Spain right in front of me. It by far was one of my favorite places I've ever seen!

Cultural Futbal Game

So here’s a picture of a stadium. I know what you are thinking-“How is a stadium part of a cultural blog”. Well the answer is quite complex in reality. This past weekend a few of the students and I took a weekend trip to Madrid so we could go see a futbal game. Everything about this trip was a new and exciting learning experience for me. We had to learn about the Madrid metro system, we had our first European hostel experience and the biggest cultural experience for me- the game. I have always known that “futbal”, or what we know as soccer, is the biggest past time of Spaniards (most of Europeans for that matter) but I never really knew how important it was. I have been to futbal game in Mexico and as excited as they were there, it has nothing on the game I saw Madrid. The stadium was 2 or 3 times the size of Mexico. I had never been to a stadium that size in my life. I did some research and the stadium’s capacity is around 79,000 but has been as large as 110,000 in 1953. I was astonished when I read that. 110,000 people crammed into a stadium to watch an hour and half long game is amazing! Another cultural aspect that is different here in Spain than the U.S. at sporting events is the food the spectators eat. Everyone had what looked to me like large sunflower seeds that they ate during the first half of the game and after the second half everyone bought huge bocadillos. I bought one so I could fit in. I was happy to have been able to go see the major past time of many Spaniards and get a look into their world and culture.

Favorite Things

One of my favorite things about Madrid in addition to the buildings, scenery, and history are the really neat cows that are all over the city. They are in many different locations and all decorated differently. Some have kisses on them, some have wings and some are just plain colors. I picked this one for my blog for a few different reasons. First I liked the colors of it, I also liked where it was (it was on the corner near Gran Vía close to El Puerta del Sol) but most importantly, I liked what it has painted on it. To me, this looks like a small pueblo that could can be found in the vastness of the mountains somewhere in Spain. It’s a small town that’s far away from any of the hustle and bustle of the city and yet, it’s sitting here in the middle of one of the busiest intersections. I think it’s great that even in the midst of all the buildings and business of a city, we can be reminded that the city is such a small part of what Spain has to offer.