Pavme: December 2013

Hola todos!

So in november our lovely coursemate who lives in a village outside of seville welcomed us into her house and town an it was a great day. Her friends offered to drive us to the village around 40 mins away. Here I show some generic photos of this great little village, estepa.

My mug

So we walked up hill/mountain to see the overview of estepa and it was beautiful and such a nice change to have hills to walk up as seville is completely flat. You could even see the snow peaks of sierra nevada in the distance which is a skiing resort I MAY visit. It is still strange to me that this is the warmest place I have ever lived and a ski resort is so near and I saw it!

One such hill with steps (friends photo)

LOOK SNOW! Put your glasses on if you can't see the snow peaks. Its just left of the boulder hill on the right.

SO we also went to an olive oil factory located in estepa. Olives are hugely popular here (obviously) and even me who didn't like olives can't stop going back to the olive bowl (I think they marinate them in a sauce to make them nice or something, Every one I have had in the UK made me vom). We see vine yards everywhere in the fields by the road so we finally got to see how they process them for olive oil. The truck empties the olives into the factory and they are washed and crushed to make olive juice! The oil is subsequently made from the olive juice with more time making the oil nicer (apparently). We tried shots (not LMFAO style) of the oil from different ages and olive, Its fair to say drinking olive oil on its own like that is NOT nice however much the guide said it was... I'l take my own bread with it next time.

In go the olives!

Everywhere is a photo opportunity! #FactoryStyle

After the olive factory we went to my friends house which was very nice indeed. Where we had paella and more cooked by the three generation in her family. All in all it was a very Spanish lunch where obviously her family were showcasing their food, culture and themselves to all of us.

Part of the house

JUST LOOK AT THIS KITCHEN TABLE! The jamon

What does one call this room?

Such a nice house.

Right so estepa is famous for creating and being the origin these mantecados (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polvor%C3%B3n) and have MANY factories. These sweets are very famous all round spain at christmas time and my friends' family is relate to the buisness somehow.

Mantecados

So we went to one of the factories and saw them being made and packaged. It made me feel like charlie and the chocolate factory haha.

It very much felt like a christmas evening trip for the spanish people. So although I have mentioned christmas in spain. Again Feliz Navidad!

Hola todos,

Here are some photos from seville which I liked. These are from the first week in December. Followed by those Christmas lights! Enjoy!

This is the golden tower which is by the river (now canal) which used to be the location of the port of seville which used to be the main hub for ships leaving for the Americas and Philippines.

Another view

The river with calle Betis which is v.lively at night. I like the colour of the houses and the sky in this one.

This is the other side of the river (which contains most of Seville)

These line the bank of the river and along with the many other trees in seville act as shade against the constant beating by the suns rays.

If it not an orange tree its these.

Ok so I diddnt take this one but I would look strange taking a picture of a tree in the street. These orange trees are everywhere in seville and I mean everywhere. Seville is famous for them. You can't eat them but my house mate put them with hot water and has a sort of orange tea haha. I believe they make marmalade from them. My dad loved these trees when he was here, maybe I have just gotten use to them.