Escuela y La Alhambra

I started classes this week and they all seem like they are gonna be good classes. I have two favorites already though, due to the incredibly enthusiastic and amazing professors: Literatura de renacimiento y barroco (everything is "¡fatal!") and La política y el gobierno de españa. The professors are just so engaging and you can tell they really love what they teach. My other classes are La historia del cine español, Literatura hispanoamericana, and Producción oral y escrita (aka POE pronounced poe[the writer]-eh). Unfortunately, most of the students in my classes are fellow Americans, with the exceptions of one French guy and one guy from Hong Kong. But I am seeking out other routes to meet the Spanish youth!

I also visited the inside of the last Moorish palace in Spain yesterday. Though I was tired and sore, it was the most incredible thing I've seen since I arrived in Spain. It was the first moment in which I felt inspired, awed, and confident in my decision to come to Granada. The history and beauty of it all simply took my breath away. It was as if I were in a movie, everything was so perfect. (Which reminds me of how many accordian and violin players there are all over the city! Makes me feel like I'm in Amèlie.) This movie moment day even included one of the girls in our tour group "testing out the acoustics" of an amphitheater by singing opera. And it ended with a beautiful view of the city that I have no picture of because my camera died on me. But just try to imagine: on the top of the bell tower of an ancient fortress atop one of the highest hills in the city; simply breathtaking.

the outside of the amphitheater

one of the ceilings - such beautiful artistry

serenity fountain area

some of the arched decorations

i need to edit the lighting, but this is the ceiling of the room of the sultan

some of the arabic poetry that had to be mathematically calculated to fit around the room!

another beautiful ceiling reminiscent of a cave, which has roots in the muslim religion: it was in a cave that mohammet was given the laws of the religion from allah.

some of the beautiful architecture

the top of the corridor for the baths