Paris, Je t'aime

The goal of our Paris trip was to tour The American University of Paris

What we also did was of course, eat, really well

See the sights and take lots of pictures of us seeing the sights

First stop, the Catacombs

Technically probably not supposed to take photos in here but...I think the signs were in French, dang, I speak Spanish

Next, Cimetière Montparnasse to see the headstones of:

Jardin du Luxembourg

The Lovers Locks

Even found my future hangout spot, we thought Mr. Spanier might aprove

And for the finale, La Tour Eiffel

Then back to Madrid for my last couple weeks of high school and then in a few more weeks I'll be heading to Paris for University.

¡Barcelona!

Before heading off to Barcelona my parents and I stayed a few days with my host family in Madrid. Here I have my two families together for the first time: mom, dad, Alvaro, padre y madre. 

On to Barcelona where we stayed in the rented out apartment of an Aussie who'd decided to move to Barcelona 14 years before because, well, why not?

And having seen Barcelona, I have to say I'm considering it too.

It reminded me a bit of Venice Beach, as in Hipsters, Hipsters en todas partes (everywhere)!

A Banjo player making a music video on the beach for instance

We of course made a trip to La Sagrada Familia

But my favorite sight in Barcelona, was by far one of the strangest

After three days in Barcelona we said goodbye to my dad and my mom and I flew to Paris to meet up with my friend, CHS student and fellow exchanger, Emma Chong.

Semana Santa en Seville

In the U.S. we have spring break, in Spain the Holy Week, most famously celebrated in Seville. And since my host family has a house in the nearby city of Cadiz where we spent most of Semana Santa doing what those in the south of spain do best, eat, siesta, and go to the beach, then repeat.

But we couldn't miss the celebrations in Sevilla. The processions are organized by religious brotherhoods and start at the brotherhoods home chapel and continue to the Cathedral of Seville and back. The procession starts with a large cross. And is then followed by often barefoot people dressed in the typical habit with a pointed hood. No, these are not the KKK, they actually got the idea for their robes from the processions in Seville. 

They cannot speak for the entire procession which lasts anywhere from 4 to 14 hours and happens every day for the entire week.

They are followed by the Paso, the center of each procession. Which is usually an image or set of images that sit on top of a moveable wood float carried on the shoulders of a team of men hidden from view by a curtain. With one man walking in front to guide them with his voice and another following behind. 

Some processions are totally silent, other are accompanied by bands

The processions are then followed by los penitentes who carry large, wooden crosses and walk with their ankles bound as penance for their sins. For kids though, the best part of the processions is collecting the wax from the candles to make into wax balls. 

Her sister started this one ten years ago, and passed it down to her. 

   

I'll be going back to Cadiz and El Puerto de Santa Maria in a couple weeks and will have more pictures coming from that trip.