NO8DO

When I first got to Sevilla, I was kind of disappointed. I had been expecting a place with the charm of Florence but the culture of Spain. That's definitely not what I got. It took me a while, but I really did fall in love with the city. Mostly because of the amazing people I met there. My host family, my professors (not just the one I was in love with, but definitely including him!), my fellow students, my friends Ale and Gerardo, my students and host-teachers, the lady at the cafe I went to for breakfast before every class I taught on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the guy at the fish shop who would say hi every day we walked by...plus the random people we met and just saw.

But besides the people, Sevilla really is pretty great. It is full of beauty with sights like the cathedral and the Alcázar-which I think rivals the Alhambra; the tiny streets that are scary to walk down because you could easily get run over by a car or a bike, but that are so nice and cool because they are so "estrecha" (narrow) and shady; the tapas and tinto de verano; the orange trees lining the streets (with bitter oranges that you can't eat, but that look so tempting); the roasted chestnuts being sold all over; Catholicism; hot, hot, HOT summers; the incense being burned on the streets so it smells amazing and makes you want to buy some; the gypsies trying to scam money out of you; the fans that the women carry in the summer; the fashion; the churros-ooohhh the churros; convents and nun goodies; the park I walked through every day on my way to the University; the horse-drawn carriages (touristy and I felt so bad for the poor horses, but that is for sure a part of Sevilla); walking, walking and more walking (I think a minimum of 5 miles per day); cathedrals everywhere; freezing cold tile floors; FLAMENCO; Sevici (the city's bike-rental system. Even though I never used it, it was pretty fantastic); DOUCHKA; dog poo everywhere, I mean everywhere; the art market outside of the beautiful art museum; Cruzcampo; trying crazy and interesting and good and not-so-good foods; the Andalucían accent...I could go on. For ages. But when I think of Sevilla, these are the sights and images that come to mind.

While Sevilla wasn't my favorite city in Spain as far as sights and ambiance go, it is my favorite place because of the time I spent and the memories I have there. I think this is why I loved Florence so much too. Granted, Florence does have the sights and ambiance that make it such an amazing city. But I have such great memories in both cities that I love them both.

I am a person who falls in love way too easily. Not just with people. Although it did take me a while, I did fall in love with the city of Sevilla. It will forever hold a special place in my heart and it is a place I will go back to again and again if I have the chance.

NO8DO is a symbol you see all over the city. The "8" represents a piece of rope, or "madeja." So to read it, "No madeja do" sounds like "No me ha dejado" which means "It (Sevilla) has not left me." And indeed Sevilla will never leave me. The images, memories, people, language, sights, smells, sounds, tastes...It is all tied around my heart like the piece of rope in the city's motto, keeping me forever in love with the wonderful city I called home for nearly four months.

THIS is Sevilla, to me:







My goal was to narrow it down to 5 photos. This was nearly impossible. And I could easily put up another 1000 photos and still not represent the city fully. But, these are some of the first things that come to mind when I think of Sevilla.

Oh, and this: