La Catedral

On my 30-minute stroll to class every morning, I take Avenida de Constitucion and stare at all the buildings around me.  When literally every single one is beautiful, it's hard not to marvel like a tourist.  Because even though I've been in Sevilla a week, and am therefore a Spanish expert and thiiis close to being a Sevillana...I find something new to gape at every day.  The side-streets are tiny and adorable, the downtown buildings are all beautifully adorned, and the people dress like they care about themselves.  Even the pigeons are kinda classy here--they refuse to fly out of your way like poor commoner pigeons, instead they quicken their step and politely hurry away.

One of the obstacles on the way to the ISA office is the Catedral de Sevilla.  Let's see, it's the 3rd largest cathedral in the world, or the 2nd largest Catholic cathedral, or the largest Catholic Gothic cathedral.  Pick your favorite.  Yesterday we had the opportunity to explore inside on a guided tour.  Honestly, it doesn't seem real to be walking around in that much history and beauty.

The angel at the entrance to the cathedral

Christopher Columbus's tomb.  He is INSIDE that casket.

The view of the cathedral tower (tallest in Sevilla!) from the plaza

View from the top of the tower! 

The cathedral tower was built as part of a mosque centuries ago.  When the whole power and religion change-up happened, Spain destroyed the mosque and built a cathedral on top of it in the 13th century.  They kept the bell tower and added the very top part, which is currently under construction. My group climbed all the way to the top of the tower and certainly got our workout for the day.  You can see out all sides, and the view was absolutely amazing.  

After the tour we chilled beneath the tower and ate the bocadillos our host mothers made for us.  The pigeons wandered around the fountain while beautiful people used zero PDA discretion and motorcycles buzzed by. 

I live here.