sevilla part I

NO8DO is the official motto of Sevilla.  Once pointed out, you can't help but notice it all over the city. On manhole covers, flags, official gates, bike-share locations, it's everywhere.  It's believed to be a rebus meaning "No me ha dejado" and loosely translating to "It [Seville] has not abandoned me".  Whether that is the true meaning behind it or not - every local and international student (who lived there for a semester or two) find comfort in the saying - as if Sevilla is forever in their hearts (as silly as it sounds).  

I will try my hardest to not make this an entirely biased post.  Kidding, it will be.  In 2006 I spent a semester aboard living and attending university in Sevilla.  I'm forever thankful to my friend Lindsey who studied there the year prior and insisted I go.  

WARNING: cliché laced sentences ahead.  I don't know how to NOT sound like every American college student who was lucky enough to spend a semester in somewhere Europe, but I look back on those three months so fondly.  What felt like a lifetime of experiences, it was three months of total cloud nine and one of the happiest points in my life.  I even considered a "NO8DO" tattoo on my right bicep ... kidding Mom!  

I was excited to show Marco around my city.  

We stayed in the old Jewish quarters, the picturesque and historic Barrio de Santa Cruz.  

We started the four day trip in my old stomping grounds, the neighborhood of El Porvenir.  I showed Marco the apartment building I lived in, the cafés I frequented before and after classes, my university (a single building schoolhouse), and the beautiful Parque de María Luisa and adjacent massive horseshoe shaped Plaza de España.  

Despite El Porvenir being right next to Plaza de España it is a quiet residential neighborhood.  I took comfort in noticing not much has changed, I even recognized some of the staff at the cafés.  Nostalgia city!

The tapas bars were filled with families dressed in their Sunday best.  Sevilla fashion is classic, polished, and sophisticated.  Tweed blazers, knee length skirts, Queen Elizabeth handbags, and flats - very proper. Children are always dressed to the nines, like little dolls.  

We sat down at one of my old staple corner tapas bars.  We ordered jamón ibérico, croquetas, and tres quesos.  I told Marco story after story and he indulged me.  I made a game out of picking out the American study abroad students as we people watched and sipped Cruzcampo.       

That night we hit up tapas bar after tapas ordering jamón ibérico, croquetas, and other little bites.  Marco was able to sweet talk someone from the waitstaff at Bar Europa into letting him leave with a Cruzcampo glass to add to his barware collection.  We ended the night in the plaza next to the Cathedral watching the bats circle the top of La Giralda.     

The next morning Marco and I went for a run along my old running route through Parque de María Luisa and along the Guadalquivir river.  So nostalgic!

We also toured the Cathedral that day.  It is the largest Gothic and third largest cathedral in the world.  There we viewed the tomb that houses the remains of Christopher Columbus and we climbed the twenty some stories to the top of La Giralda and looked out onto the city in all directions.

An integral part of the city landscape are the famous orange trees (bitter oranges used to make orange marmalade - a pantry staple in British households). They were in in bloom with little white flowers that are used in the perfume Agua de Sevilla.  The parks, plazas, and streets lined in orange trees smelled amazing. 

Next up was a walk across the river to wander the neighborhood Triana.  Historically Triana is famous for being home to bullfighters, flamenco artists, and gypsies.  Modern day Triana is known for it's eclectic architecture, beautiful ceramic tile workshops, and nightclubs that the American / international students frequent.  

We strolled along the river and plazas as it grew close to siesta where we plopped ourselves down at a tapas bar to enjoy cold Cruzcampo and a platter of fresh (fried) seafood.  

On our walk back to Barrio de Santa Cruz we visited the new wooden installation, Metropol Parasol.   Built atop preserved Roman ruins (just like the city's new tram-line) Metro Parasol looks like giant mushrooms. The massive structure houses a small museum of Roman ruins as well as artisan shops, a bar, and terraces providing vista views.  I think Metropol is a fresh addition to a city that isn't always so accepting of the "new".

meeting up with friends in bruxelles

Last weekend Marco and I met up with some friends in Brussels.  Both Zach and Rosalin live in Germany. Zach is a former colleague of ours from when we worked in the Washington, DC area.  Rosalin and I go back to kindergarten days, we grew up down the street from each other.

Marco and I took the Eurostar (the chunnel) from London St. Pancras >>> Gare de Midi Bruxelles Central. We putzed around the Saint-Gilles neighborhood until check-in time at our Airbnb apartment.

Rosalin met us at the apartment.  We took some time to relax and enjoyed a few beers, catching up in what was another great Airbnb find.  We are on our fifth or sixth Airbnb experience and all have been great. It is the combination of spending less than a hotel room, staying in a slower paced / non-touristy neighborhood, and getting an entire apartment to relax in - it's the best.

We set out Friday afternoon to explore the Saint-Gilles neighborhood and pop into a few bars that Marco had researched.  We started at the art deco restaurant La Porteuse D'Eau and then made our way to Brasserie Verschueren.  

Zach arrived that evening and then we headed to Moeder Lambic.  The tiny corner bar had a chalkboard menu, old wooden tables with mix and match bentwood chairs, and was lined with racks and racks of old comic books.  (Who knew that Brussels is a comic book arts mecca? Tintin and The Smurfs are by Belgium artists and there are comic murals are all over the city.)  We scanned the packed room and saw no tables available.  Two guys motioned us over and started speaking to us in French  I translated for my group, "Guys, they said they are leaving soon and we can have their table."  Marco jumped in, "No they didn't.  They said they are going out for a smoke but we can squeeze in and join them."  Both guys laughed and spoke back in perfect English that Marco was correct. They were from São Paulo, Brazil and were studying at an English university in Brussels.  We talked the night away, trying beer after beer.  It was so much fun to exchange life + travel stories with our new friends while I could casually order a 2007 De Dolle off the beer menu.

Saturday morning was a slow start (see above).  Up and at 'em Marco hit up a corner bakery and brought back some much needed pastries to get Rosalin and I moving.

We walked to a flea market that came recommended from the owner of our apartment.  Then we walked towards the Grand Place through the design and furniture district.  We browsed store after store - many of them specializing in mid-century furniture, lighting, and art.  Everything was catching our eye.  We couldn't resist some white gloved high end chocolate shops along the way as well.

We arrived at the Grand Place, the center square of Brussels and joined the rest of the tourists in tilting our heads and cameras high, spinning around to admire the towering gilded Gothic buildings.

After the Grand Place came more chocolate shops and Rosalin showing us the Delirium Cafe (she has been to Brussels several times for work trips) which is affiliated with the beer but it's not the brewery.  For lunch we found a quaint brasserie for some mussels and frites.

After lunch we headed over to Cantillion Brewery.  The place was packed.  We relaxed in the bar area, had a few gueuze beers and I picked up some bottles to bring home with me.

That night we headed back to the popular Delirium Cafe along with everyone else visiting Brussels.  A three story Belgium beer mecca.  We started in the rowdy basement and realized the floors got progressively quieter as they went up.  We ended the night on the top floor, where we could sit down at a table and hear each other speak.

Sunday we roamed some parks, ate Belgium waffles piled high with Nutella and bananas (AMAZING!) visited the Manneken Pis (like celebrities and the Mona Lisa - smaller in real life and a bit disappointing) and stocked up on more chocolate to take home.

We ended the day waiting in line at the highly recommended frites shop Maison Antoine. The 30 minute wait was well worth it.  Similar to the original Shake Shack in New York, it is a stand alone building in the middle of a square. Tourists and locals wait in lines wrapping around the park to order from the extensive menu and list long of sauces - frites with tartare maison, andalouse, and curry sauces being the most popular.

Brussels architecture as a whole was less ornate and more modern day than I expected, but the cliche things that make it famous: frites, chocolate, waffles, and the beer culture make it worth a visit.

Not one day goes by where I don't appreciate the travel opportunities we are experiencing, but weekends where we can meet up with friends make it even more special.  It was great seeing you Rosalin and Zach!