Sevilla, Feb. 1-4, 2007

Ah... Yes, I do realize that describing an event about a month after it happened is not really an 'update', but still, let me tell you about Sevilla.Rocio, Jessica, and I decided to go to Sevilla for 3 1/2 days in February as a 'present' for Rocio's birthday.

Originally, we were supposed to go to Paris, but we couldn't find cheap tickets, so instead we went to Sevilla for £0.01 going there and £5.00 for coming back to London (without taxes, yet very cheap nonetheless). We had a lovely time, and so many adventures! It was ridiculous!

It all started off on Thursday, Feb. 1, at 2 p.m. when we were about to take the bus to Richmond Station. Problem No1 -> I forgot my passport in my room, so I had to run back and get it which meant wasting 15 mins waiting for the next bus.

We take the bus, great. It takes us to the tube station, where we have to take two tube lines to get to Liverpool Street where we get the train which takes us to Stansted Airport. Time is ticking... It's almost 4:30 when we get on the final train and our plane leaves in 1 1/2 hours!!

We get to the airport at 5:15, by 5:17 we're at the check-in desk... Whew, 3 mins before it closes. We only have 40 mins left before our plane leaves!

We have to wait at the longest possible security line, ugh, we're on the verge of complete and utter panic! Finally, we pass by security with only minor problems (blame me for forgetting that I put a prefume bottle in my bag!). Whoosh, we're running across the airport! I'm barefoot because I didn't have time to put my shoes on after the security check; Rocio's shoes are untied; Jessica is ahead of both of us. After a lot of running around and panting (believe me, the departure gates are SO far away from the check-in desks, argh), we finally reach our gate and board the plane just in time.

Right after boarding the plane

The plane takes off. Fifteen minutes later, the pilot tells the passengers that there is a minor technical problem with one of the engines so we have to go back to Stansted. He then tells us to stay in the plane while they fix the engine. We lose an hour, but thankfully we take off for Sevilla in the end. The flight is pleasant and funny; kids in the plane don't cry!! It's a miracle!


We land in Sevilla. Hooray Spain! We walk into the airport and prepare to go through passport control. Rocio and I go through just fine... But Jess doesn't. Apparently, she needs a visa to go to Spain, even if only for 3 days. Bummer.


Policemen at the airport take us to a small white hallway where they discuss Jessica's fate. Rocio translates; without her, we'd be in a really big mess. The policemen don't want to let Jess enter Spain. Frustration.

We wait and wait, and we're hungry... They give us chocolate, Rocio and I eat some, Jess looks at the other side of the chocolate and finds a) a spider web, b) a maggot. Rocio spits her chocolate out... it was too late for me... Oh well, I survived. (BUT IT WAS SO GROSS!)

The maggoty chocolate... Yuck!

One hour later, the officials tell us there is hope. It's a good thing we were all girls, looking innocent and endearing. The policemen call our hostel, confirm our reservation, and let us in! Yahoo! It's a miracle!

We take a cab from the airport to our hostel in a town called Carmona (23 km east of Sevilla). It's around 2 am, we enter our hostel, look around, then go to bed and prepare for the next day.


Friday, February 2 - Rocio's Birthday! We go to Sevilla, walk around, get lost several times, have Starbucks coffee during the siesta, plan on attending a church service for Rocio's bday at 8:30 pm.

We took a horse carriage

Our horse and Plaza de Espana

We decide to rent a car and both Rocio and I would drive. The car is a stick shift, so Rocio can't drive, and I end up being the only driver. My heart leaps up and I rejoice :D Now I can tell people that I drove in Spain! We drive around and get lost as usual. We find the church on time. Turns out the service was at 8:30 am. Haha.


We leave Jess in a pub next to the church because she is tired. Rocio and I go back to look for the car; we get lost, and 2 hours later we pick up Jess. It's raining now. Back at our hostel. Quick dinner. Bed time!



Saturday, February 3 - We eat breakfast with a guy from Switzerland who likes horses, so he tells us of a horse-riding place nearby (I had read about it on the internet, but I wasn't sure where exactly it was). It's raining, still, yet we set out in our small blue car to look for the place. Amazingly enough, we find it after only one wrong detour - impressive record for us! We get all excited by the prospect of riding horses... alas, our bubble is burst (for the day at least) - they tell us we can't ride that day and that we should call back the next day. We leave with the hope of riding on Sunday.

On our way to Sevilla, we get stuck in the longest traffic jam ever. Rocio is bored and does our make up. We listen to music and talk about what we're going to do that day.


We finally reach Sevilla and start walking around. We decide to look for the archeological museum. I look at a map and find number 29, our museum. We walk through the most dilapidated parts of Sevilla and end up in a really awkward place with no museums in sight. We look back at the map, and guess what, it has two sets of numbers, one for attractions and one for hotels... Yeah... We found hotel number 29. Ironic.

Us at the Plaza Espana

We walk back to downtown Sevilla, tired, cold, and miserable on one hand and amused by our confusion on the other hand. We get back to our car, go through a gas station, buy some Philadelphia cheese, salami, crackers, and Cheetos.

On our way back to the hostel, we got lost (woooow) once again... Anyway, we reach our hostel, eat dinner, and go to bed.


Sunday, February 4 - We go to the horse riding place again! Yes, they told us to be there at 11 a.m. They only have two horses that can go out in the countryside... So Jess stays at the ranch and gets a private riding lesson in the outdoor riding arena. Rocio and I go out into the fields with Fernando, our guide, and a woman from California who was also a riding instructor. I want to ride an Andalusian horse, my favorite type of horse, but I have to ride an Oldenburg mare. She's very friendly and big and black though, so I'm happy as I usually am when I'm riding horses :)

Three girls and a horse :)

An Andalusian horse...

Three riders!

Me and Valkyrie

My favorite picture of an Andalusian :D

When we finish riding, we're all gleaming! Happiness all over! Sadly, we have to go back to Sevilla. We drive around town until it's time for us to return the car. The guy we rented it from drops us off at the airport.

Bye Sevilla!
It was amazing!


We take off, arrive in London, wait in line for almost 2 hours, take the night bus to Richmond station and walk back to school at 4 a.m. Good times, good times :)


Yes, Sevilla was super fun! We loved it! We didn't argue about anything, and all the adventures we had were great for a laugh afterwards. Next destination: Bulgaria during Fall Break 2007.