Cadiz

The flamenco performance in Sevilla was very interesting. I had no idea men also danced... but one came slinking down the stairs and danced for a while. The singing was very... different. She sounded like Merritt. Cadiz was fantastic. The beach was very hot and very nude. It was a culture shock for sure. Our last meal was a little Italian place on the beach. We went back to the hotel and stayed up until 3 in the morning when we left for the airport. Although crunched for time the entire trip home, we finally made it. The trip was unforgettable... ADIOS!

Sevilla

We boarded a bus in Granada and took it with luggage in tow to Cordoba, where we stopped to tour the Mezquita. La Mezquita de Cordoba was gorgeous. Although originally a mosque, it was eventually converted to a cathedral and is now a Christian house of worship. We boarded the bus again and Merritt sat across from me. When I opened my eyes I saw her dead asleep, mouth hanging open, with one eye staring at me. We finally got to Sevilla, which is much hotter than Granada, and went on a walk exploring the city last night. This morning we had a REAL breakfast and took a tour of a couple of cathedrals, both were amazing. Tonight we are going to watch a flamenco performance. Only four more days!

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Bulls and Horses

The day before yesterday we went to watch the matadors test the bulls to see if they were capable enough for a bull fight. It was a one of a kind experience that's for sure. It was a lot more artistic than I thought. The matadors were also incredibly brave to be out there with charging animals. Although blood was visible on the bulls and the matadors' pants were tighter than should be allowed, I loved this part of the trip! I took some really cool photos.
Yesterday we went with our On Assignment groups (mine is Hanna, Jamie and Clark) to start our photojournalism project. Our group is to observe the comparison between setting and people. We met some interesting people. Hanna and I wandered into a meat market. It smelled really great! Last night was by far my favorite part so far. We went to the Arab baths. We walked through downtown Granada with towels and bathing suits looking like absolute tourists, so by the time we got there it was a relief ha. The massage was AMAZING. It almost put me to sleep.
Today we went to an equestrian center to take photos of the riders and their horses and tonight we are going to a bar to watch the US/Brazil game. ADIOSS!

Flamenco!

Today we went to watch Flamenco dancers get ready and practice. They were gorgeous and moved with amazing grace and fluidity. It was interesting to see such a different style of dance as I took pictures from as many angles as possible. The lighting was hard to deal with but I ended up with a few decent pics. Lucia, the dancer I focused most of my attention on, was captivating in both the way she moved and her facial expressions. After the dance class we came back to the hostel, had a picnic lunch, and watched an Annie Leibovitz documentary. Tino left at 7:30 after we took group pictures with the National Geographic flag...
Last night we went to a bar to watch the Spain vs. US soccer match, amazingly the US won, killing Spain's three year winning streak! We had to miss the second half and came back to watch it recorded. The bartender asked if we saw the equalizer, so with eight minutes left I still thought Spain was going to score two goals. He lied but it worked... I was on the edge of my seat the whole time haha. When we left at the end of the first half, we visited the Alhambra, which was lit up and provided phenomenal picture opportunities. Using a tripod, I took silhouette pictures of Hanna who was lit up by the outside walls of the castle. I also took pictures overlooking Granada which are so so pretty! Tomorrow we are going to watch La Tienta, which is when the matadors test bulls to see if they are capable (mean enough) for a bull fight. Hopefully it will be nice because if not it will be lead to a very tough death. So sad. Alright, will write more tomorrow... ADIOS!

Gypsy in Granada

Granada

We've been in Granada for three days now. The first night we met Tino, our National Geographic photographer. He is amazing and incredibly helpful in improving our photography. He teaches us about composition, lines, and other elements of photography that greatly enhance a photo. Yesterday we took a walk through town, winding up to the top it and then back down again. I focused on taking photos of the locals. My favorite picture of the walk was one of a gypsy just on the inside of the tunnel. That evening we took the same walk again, taking advantage of the different lighting and assortment of people at a later time. This morning we went to the Parque de los Ciencias where the types of photos we took changed. I then focused on arcitecture and stationary objects. We are heading off to dinner after a three hour siesta... talk to you tomorrow! Adios!

Streets of Toledo

Madrid/Toledo

After a few days in Madrid we are now in Granada. Madrid was amazing, hectic and very different from what I am used to in Houston. The streets are narrow and cars and mopeds don't yield to you... you definitely yield to them. We went to the Museo Nacional del Prado and took a tour to see famous paintings by artists such as Velazquez and El Greco. We visited the Real Madrid soccer stadium and took a tour through the locker room, trophy room, and field. Yesterday we took a train to the quaint city of Toledo where we roamed the streets, taking pictures of the gorgeous architecture and local people as we went. There are endless possiblities as far as places and people to photograph. Adios!!