Real Alcázar

I had some language troubles this weekend.  With the Andalucian acento here, many words blend together and sound like other words because no one likes to complete their syllables.  I'm mostly used to this, but I swear my host mother's accent has been unusually thick recently.

Rosa Maria asks me the other night, "Has visita'o Alcázar?"

What I hear is: "Have you been to the house?"

Wait. I thought we were in the house right now...

"Cual casa?"

"No!" And this next part is my own fault, because I taught her how to say it in English, 

"Speak Spanish!!" Except it comes out like, "Speak Spaneech!!" and she points at my head very emphatically.

I'm sorry I'm a failure!!!

Hey look, a castle!

After we got it sorted out that Alcázar is a place, not a casa, I knew what she was talking about.  Real Alcázar is the castle-thing we always talk about when we walk around el centro.  "We should go to that castle-thing sometime."  "Yeah we should.  Hey, are you down for .50 chupitos tonight?"

So yesterday, I was all set to take a daytrip sóla and absorb some of the culture in nearby Italica.  I had done my research the night before, figured out the bus schedule (I thought), and packed a nice little bag with a camera and sunglasses.  I was even fifteen minutes early!  But the lady at the bus station window directed me to the information desk--never good--where the man printed out a little schedule and told me that the bus doesn't run until 12:30pm.  Mama Rosa was going to cook my favorite meal for lunch at 2:30, so that was unacceptable.


Then I looked at the schedule.  Okay.  I may not be fluent in Spanish, so perhaps this bus schedule has some sort of hidden code that only native-speakers can read, but my host mother and her amigo especial are native-speakers, and they couldn't figure it out either.

Change of plans.  Instead I walked around enjoying my city, and decided to explore Alcázar.   Dios mio.  According to my pamphlet (because only suckers wait around for the tour) it is the oldest palace in Europe that is still in use.  So that means when the king of Spain visits, he opts out of the 10-euro/night hostels and stays at Real Alcázar.  When visiting Royal Alcazar you tour the rooms of the palace and the many surrounding gardens, all of which are under a combination of Spanish and Moorish influence.

Still frowned upon to chase the peacocks.

Real Alcázar was built over the remains of an Islamic quarter back in the eleventh century.  Over the centuries it has been added to and redone in many places. I mean, your kitchen would need a remodel too after ten centuries.  The inside is stunning.  The gardens are even more incredible.  Honestly, I felt like I had gotten hit by one of the sneaky trains that zoom around el centro and had a preview of paradise.  As nice as my camera is and as extensive my photography skills are, my pictures cannot even begin to do this place justice.  You just have to visit Sevilla.  It's the most beautiful city in the world, so I don't know why you wouldn't, anyway.

And of course, there are gads more photos on Facebook.  Really though, just come visit.  It's supposed to be upper 70s all this week, so join me by the river.  I'll be with the rest of the Sevillan youngsters, sippin' Cruzcampo and soaking up the never-ending sunshine.

That last part was for you, Moscow.  Sorry about those clouds, bro.