Field Trips, Museums, Landmarks

June 6, 2017

It is hard for me to narrow down my favorite aspects of the tourism that I have experienced in Spain because we are constantly moving and seeing something every day, each of which is my new favorite in the moment. Seville was a smaller city, so everywhere we went there was a landmark to admire. On my first day roaming around Seville, I went through the nearby Parque de Maria Luisa and ended up walking into Plaza de España, a totally touristy building, but to me, when I first started photographing it, it was just a random giant building in a park. I started passing the Plaza de España every day but never seemed to be able to process its magnificence completely. I don’t think a day went by without me photographing it from a new angle with a new lighting. I even spent my free time just sitting in the shade around the plaza because it was such an active area.

Our group had many scheduled excursions in Seville, almost one every day during our second week. We visited the major tourist sites, like the Catedral or the Real Alcázar, as well as exploring other cities like Cordoba, and even class trips to observe local, poorer neighborhoods like our walking tour of Poligono Norte. These trips are really enjoyable because we get a knowledgeable tour guide to walk and talk us through the history and significance of where we are. In our tours we generally get a receiver with headphones for an audio-tour from our tour guide. I love this concept because it allows me to stray from the group a little bit and find aspects that interest me, while I still get the education about the place from the tours.

Now that I am in Barcelona, we have less excursions planned; however, that does not mean that I am about to slow down my tourism. Yesterday, I went for a random walk and ended up lost, but found the most incredible museum of music. I have never been to a museum and read every word but I was so engrossed in this music museum, Today we had a tour of La Sagrada Familia, which is too beautiful for words. I will always find something to do, something to see, because I am seeking adventure and I really want to cease this opportunity as much as I can. Who knows when I will be back here? (The answer is 2026, when the construction on the beautiful La Sagrada Familia is completed).

Written By

Rishab Mathur

While most people in my high school Spanish classes used the lights dimming and TV turning on as a cue to pull out unfinished homework or catch up on sleep, I was always fascinated by the videos of people roaming around Spain. So when I saw the opportunity to be one of those people, I had to take it. I chose this program because studying sociology, I can actually analyze and understand the cultural differences between Spain and all the places I’ve lived in the past. My family lived in Hyderabad, India from 2007 to 2010 and those were the most formative and fascinating years of my life. You can not stay in another country for an extended period of time and not have it majorly impact you. That is exciting. I love food and I love music so I’ll be detailing Spanish food and music with all the adjectives I know. I hope you enjoy reading about my travels!