Roma, Italia is unique. I borrowed this guy's bike today and took an independent bike tour of the city. It seems like once I arrive in a new town in Europe the Metro workers go on strike. So they were striking today in Roma and I was pedaling. Maybe it was a good thing b/c these people live amongst so much history it's a little absurd. I mentioned to someone how little I thought of the metro system in Rome and they responded by telling me that every time they try to dig they discover a new layer of history and then have to call archeologists and start excavating it. I'm not sure how true that is but it makes sense, 3000 years of history in one city. I heard another story about some American tourists here that were acting a little crazy and jumping in a historic fountain in one of the many squares until the police asked them to kindly get out of the fountain. "Please," they said, " this fountain is older than your country."
How did I get here? Well last I wrote I was on a train headed to Sevilla from Madrid. On an impulse, when the train stopped in Cordoba I got off. I knew I would go to Cordoba eventually but I hadn't really planned this and I was without a place to sleep walking around Cordoba at midnight. It's funny how travel changes you. In the States, I'm so stressed out about the details. But there I was walking around in a strange town, where I didn't speak the language, and I didn't have a place to sleep, yet surprisingly, I wasn't worried for some reason. I turned off the main street and into some back alleys and by coincidence I walked up on a place called "Bagdad Hostel". Interesting in south Spain. This sleepy guy about my age came to the desk a few minutes after I rang the bell and told me it would be 30 euros. We started talking and a few minutes later we found out that we were both Jordanian citizens. Instantly the Arab hospitality kicks in! I love it, not to mention this is the first time that my Jordanian citizen ship actually helped with anything.
So I spent the night in Cordoba and the next day was in the Mezquita (The Great Mosque of Cordoba). If you don't know anything about this building you should hit up the Wikipedia. Lonely Planet says that the Great Mosque has been described as "the greatest visual representation of homesickness ever constructed" since it was influenced by the Great Mosque of Damascus. Now, it's like a Church Mosque Cathedral museum; I swear that makes sense. At the entrance, one of the Spaniard security guards looked at me really hard (I hadn't shaved in days so I was rolling straight terrorist style) and then he says to me, "Don't pray." haha if you know me you'll understand why that’s funny. "I don't" is what I thought but I said "No problem". Ironically enough while inside I met some girls from Durham! WTF? Small world. Mosque Churches - the place that brings people together…really!
I left The Great Mosque of Cordoba and hit the train station immediately enroute to Sevilla. This place was awesome. All the people I met were really cool and the Catedral de Sevilla supposedly houses the room where Columbus' famous voyage started and ended. They also have a false tomb for Columbus in the Catedral (he wasn't really buried there). Right in front of the Catedral is the Al-Cazar, which it took me a day to figure out that it comes from the Arabic for "The Palace". Now at the time I walked through this building it was the most beautiful building I had been in in my life. Two days later, it would be overshadowed by another building but that’s further down this long ass post. The Al-Cazar remains from when the Moors controlled Al-Andalucia (South Spain), and is now the official residence of the Spanish heads of state when they come to Al-Andalucia. Maybe it's because I have Muslim roots, but for me the experience was quite powerful (disclaimer: not in a religious sense).
I stayed in Sevilla longer than I expected so I planned to go to Granada, Spain to the Al-Hambra, see it, and then bounce the same day. BIG MISTAKE. I'm lucky I even got in b/c Al-Hambra is one of Spain's most visited sites and to be honest I didn't see half of it. Al-Hambra is what I mentioned earlier and usually overshadows Al-Cazar (which is unfortunate b/c Al-Cazar really is quite impressive, but it's true Al-Hambra is breath taking). It's quite hard to describe, but its not a building but more of a village with military barracks, a palace, and a garden. But honestly, it brought me to my knees b/c it was as if they were trying to recreate heaven on earth. The pictures don't do it justice but when you see it with your eyes it will make you awe in wonder. The level of detail ectched into the rock and the ceilings that were designed finished wood and gold to look like the stars is overwhelming. And just when you think its over you go out into the garden which is 3-4 times the size of the palace. The fortress was designed so that you can hear running water at all times regardless of where you are. Anyway, I could spend pages trying to describe it but wouldn't do it any justice so just go! Seriously!
I took a sleeper train back to Barcelona which was like dorm life all over again. There were four beds in my room and the Brazilian wanted to smoke pot so bad! The other guy was American and just traveling in Granada. He met this girl there and they hit it off so well that he bought her flowers and she stood there waving to him as the train started moving. It was like a movie.
They had a bar on the train LOL. Odd! But it was kind of cool b/c we just sat there meeting new people on a train traveling at 125 mph. Got back to Barcelona and two days later hopped on a ferry on whim that crossed the Mediterranean and landed me in Roma.
I've toured the old Roman Colosseum. Okay I know this is really not very eloquent but I can't say it any other way: That shit is older than Jesus! And I've also tried to Lasagna in Rome! It was really good but I know someone back in the States who tells me they can make it better! We'll see. That’s it for now!
So when in rome, say peace like the Romans do….Ciao!
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