Granada & Sierra Nevada: Unexpected meetings pt. 3

This might be it, people! I mean the last blog post from my time in Spain. In just 3 days it is time to head out for new adventures. I am kind of sad and happy at the same time. Sad because I have really loved these past 5 months, but then again eager to go back home again. Anyway, this week is my last week… But what a week it has been so far!

 

The last week here in Spain started on Friday with a crazy going away party and was followed by an amazing weekend in Granada! Last week, on Wednesday I got my cousin from Finland to visit me. It was very nice to see him from a long while as we had been roommates for over a year before I left to Spain in January. Anyways, on Saturday we left to see Granada with him, my two workmates and a girl from Iceland. By car, everybody in a terrible hang over – of course.

When it comes to unexpected meetings (this is again something unbelievable :D ), I met my friend from Barcelona in Granada (see this blog post). Of course I knew she was going to be there, but listen to this: this weekend, the friend that was travelling to BCN with me earlier went there again. The friend who we were visiting in BCN was then visiting Granada with her friends – as was I. But we didn’t know more than that. Little did we know that we would be all living in the same hostel – in the same dorm! I always thought Finland is a small place, but fuck, Spain is minimal! :D

We all headed out together to have a look at some famous street art. Some very nice pieces of work we saw! After walking uphill in the city, we stayed for a picnic in a beautiful park. There was also a small lake in the park. And a small island in the lake. And a small tower in the island. And then, somebody had taken a HUGE dump on top of the tower! :D But we didn’t let that bother us too much.

After picnic, we left for some beers and tapas. This is also something that is really something. One beer costs from 1,50 to 3 Euros. Every time you order a beer, you get a tapa (small dish of food) – every time. I mean, that is probably the most ridiculous tradition I’ve ever heard - but also one of the best! Imagine going out never having to think about if you had eaten enough or not: you just go drinking and you’ll get a free dinner same time :)

The next day, we woke up pretty early and went to see the Arab city high on the hill. The city and the view were totally worth the climb.  Unbelievable. Granada, is just a beautiful, beautiful city. After the tour, we decided to take our Renault and head for the hills: Sierra Nevada, baby! IF you ever go to see Granada THEN you must go to see Sierra Nevada as well. To be precise, go to Los Cahorros. I have never seen anything like that. The pictures give you just a glimpse how it was. Wow.

About Granada

I never knew so much about Granada, but I had heard some good things. Well, I didn’t misheard!! It is simply amazing city. So beautiful, so different, so bohemian, so Spanish, so sympathetic, so amazing. In Granada you can still see the influence that the Arabs had when they were living in Andalucia. Also, the city is a famous student city in Spain. Also, it is from Granada where Sierra Nevada begins. Also, they very cheap beer (including tapas). Also, I heard that Alhambra (an Arab fortress in Granada) is very easy to defend ;)

For all those reasons above, I honestly think that Granada is definitely THE place to visit in Spain. – IF you don’t believe me THEN look at the pictures! ;)

You're alright but I'm here darling to enjoy the party
Don't get too excited cause that's all you'll get from me
Hey
Yeah I think you're cute but really you should know
I just came to say hello 

Martin Solveig ft. Dragonette - Hello

Sevilla: the most Spanish city in Spain!

Okie dokie people, this time I’m going to tell you a little bit about the culture here in the city where live in. Just like I said in the post about Semana Santa, Sevilla is the most Spanish city in Spain when it comes to religion, culture and holidays. Next you’re going to find out what this actually means. Firstly the Easter week was already an example of this phenomenon, but definitely not the only example.

Few years ago bull fighting was prohibited in Catalunya – but not here in Andalusia. In here, the tradition of bullfighting lives on - regardless the people who are protesting on the streets to stop it! Bullfighting is something that is strongly connected to Spanish culture. I mean, the natives consider bull fights as art forms that are linked with their history, art and culture. Even the King of Spain has said that if EU decides to ban bullfighting, Spain will leave the EU :O

Even though I’m not in favor of torturing animals, curiosity made me want to go see it here in Sevilla. I wanted to see what’s so cool about it? Sevilla has Spain’s 2^nd oldest bullfighting arena just after the arena in Ronda. The arena is actually pretty big, it has capacity of 12,500 people and it is considered to be the most important one in the world and so it attracts the best fighters. During the bullfighting season, all seats are full every evening!

For me, the fighting was not anything special. They brought up around 6 bulls and from the 3^rd one I was already bored a bit. I mean, it was interesting, but the show was always the same and actually more interesting was to watch these 50-year-old Spanish guys show in the top shelf of the audience where they drank wine from a flagon and shouted out insolences :D Just like in Finnish ice hockey games

Anyway, I did not quite understand what was so cool about the fighting. Of course, if you haven’t ever seen ballet, you don’t understand it either, do you? It's like a guy next to me said when people were chanting: "Why he's good, I don't know." :D Well, I kind of think bull fighting as "show business butchering". Because that’s what it is: butchering the bulls. And there’s nothing wrong with the butchering part - you can even buy the meat afterwards! It's just that I think those animals could probably go some easier way...

Soy el quimico unico con la formula secreta del destino
la formula del sonido rapido en nuestro universo - galaxia
voy a mezclar ahora un liquido, quimico, toxico, acido y peligroso,
que cambiare la materia humana, ah, ah...

Ruido sintetico, sonido rapido, ruido incognito, quimico unico...
666 - Ruido Sintetico

Escape to the sin city, part 1: Semana Santa

Allrighty then, now I’m gonna tell you guys about my great escape from the Semana Santa in Sevilla. I started the planning when I got to know about the stuff going on here in Sevilla during the week. There was gonna be some interesting (crazy!) stuff going on and maybe a “few” people (tens of thousands!) hanging out on the streets in the centre (where I live!).

You see, Andalucía is entitled to be the most “Spanish” area in Spain. Also, it is the most religious area in Spain. And also, Easter a.k.a. Semana Santa is maybe the biggest religious festival. Of course there’s nothing wrong with being religious and stuff, but I still had to get out of the city and next I’m gonna explain why...
 

Festival of Semana Santa basically lasts for the whole week and obviously when the end of the week is coming closer, stuff gets more and more intensive. Every day there are thousands of people on the streets watching these never-ending parades going through the streets.

The parades consist of bands playing religious march music and of these HUGE structures of Santa Maria (St. Mary) carried on by dozens of men. The scariest part, however, are the brotherhoods that are also part of the parades. Basically there are hundreds of these dudes carrying candles and wearing robes. And guess what they look like when wearing those robes? The KKK my friend, it’s pretty scary!

So I was here in Sevilla until Thursday morning and actually it was interesting to see the parades go by my house. They started probably in the afternoon and kept going on until very late in the night. This thing is huge here! The guys who carry the St. Mary structures - they train for this week only for the whole f*cking year! I could see them training with these hugely heavy structures in the streets in February for example.

Anyway, all this stuff was very interesting as we don’t have anything like that in our culture.. BUT besides the fact that I’m not that religious myself and not THAT interested, I also wasn’t very keen to watch AND listen to the parades going below my balcony all day, EVERY day of the week....So I had to get away..! :D

When did punk rock become so safe?
When did the scene become a joke?
The kids who used to live for beer and speed
Now want their fries and coke
Cursing and flipping birds are not allowed,
In fact let's keep noise levels down

Must separate the church and skate!

NOFX – The Separation of Church and Skate 


PS. Would you like to know more? Here's another blogpost about the Semana Santa written by another amazed foreigner and actually I had to borrow the picture from there as well!