WORLD OF NADA: Spain

On my first night in Seville, when me and my friends just got back, we were hungry and looking for food. It was already late around 10pm so we didn't hope much. As we were approaching our hotel, which is Novotel Seville, we found two restaurants opened just beside the hotel. Seemed to be more crowded, we ended up choosing Cerveceria 100 Montaditos.

There's another reason why we chose this over another, it' freaking cheap! Nearly all the menus are only 1€! If you find anything more expensive than those, you'll just have to pay 2€. When we had our seats, we became busy trying to translate the menus. Turns out, after we ordered, there was actually English menu on the cashier (d'oh).

Talking about the taste, despite the cheap price, they don't mess with it. The food are awesome. Though the size might not be big, they are actually quite fulfilling.

Tapas

Addictive chicken wings

Glass of beer to top it off

We then found out that there are 100 tapas menus, so that's where the restaurant name comes from. And this is how you order: go to the cashier, mention the menu or the number to make it easier, pay, wait on your seats, and after the food is ready, they will call your name from the pick-up station, go grab your orders, and eat.

We thought this is a one-store only restaurant. Later I found out this is a restaurant chain you can find all around Spain. How could I just realise this? First, I found another branch in Tetuan Street, it's even not only one. When we went back to Madrid, I spotted another and even grabbed a beer there.

I really recommend this restaurant and you should make a stop here when you are in Spain.

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While me and my friends were in Seville, we were told that we should also take a tour to nearby cities such as Cordoba and Granada. There are many packaged tours available. After long thinking and many considerations, we decided to go to Cordoba by ourselves on our last day in Seville.

On Wednesday morning, we headed to Sevilla Santa Justa station to take the train to Cordoba. The station is only 3 bus stops away from our hotel. We already checked the schedule and the prices the night before so we directly bought the tickets at the counter. Thank God the staff, who is an old man, is fluent in English and very helpful.

Inside the comfortable Renfe train

Most of us were very sleepy including me so I slept during the ride and after an hour, we finally arrived in Cordoba! While some of us needed to go to the restrooms, the others went to the tourist information center to get the city map and ask about everything.

Auto buses station across the train station

We took bus no. 3 to get to our main destination, Mezquita. Looking at the street we passed, I spotted more ancient buildings than the modern and already could feel historical atmosphere. No wonder the city becomes UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Roman Bridge

From the bus stop, we still had to walk for a bit. Then we saw this huge Roman-style gate that leads us to Mezquita. I was confused at first because there was no sign of any church.

Mezquita is a mosque that turns to a cathedral. You cannot miss this place while in here. The cathedral is unique since there are still some remaining Islamic touches. An hour is definitely not enough to explore all of the area. The building is large indeed! I could easily get lost. This place attracts me in some ways. I couldn't describe how amazed and enchanted I was by the charm it offers.

Mezquita

Weird and creepy Jesus cross

At the center of the cathedral, I heard this music that sounds like an intro of horror movies when you enter an empty, spooky house. It definitely sounds like that. I didn't expect that it was live music. It was a piano being played by a little boy!

Best view

Spotted the Bell Tower

Getting outside Mezquita, I was very impressed by the street I encountered. There are some restaurants, cafés, and souvenir shops. We discussed where to go next since we didn't have any particular plans. We tried to find Synagogue so we walked further.

Love these colourful plates and their patterns

Jewish Quarter

As we walked further, I found more interesting things! And I just realised that we were in Jewish Quarter. Oh my, how I love the street so much. More shops and eating places are found at the corners and small alleys. People-watching is quite enjoyable that I met locals and tourists.

City Wall

We didn't find the Synagogue until we reached the end of the street and got out. Accidentally we found these tall walls that covered the area. The view was great enough so we didn't become too upset. We tried to go back by taking different ways.

Statue of Sephardic Jewish Philosopher, Maimonides

Finally we managed to find the Synagogue. I was quite disappointed with it since there wasn't much to see and the place is quite small. Later we found out that we just missed a turn before that made us missed the place. We passed the same street again and got out at the same exit, hmm.

The Synagogue

We didn't have much time left since we took the 4pm train. We were tired and hungry so we used the remaining time to eat! Mercado Victoria is the recommended place. It is only a 10-minute walking distance from the City Wall.

This market is perfect for us that we could choose any food we like. It reminds me of Mercado de San Miguel in Madrid. The difference is that the interior is more modern and they provide more international food than local. However, there are so many choices and they all taste great!

From there, we went back to the station by walking. How come it was actually not that far? We were quite surprised.

The mix of Muslim, Catholic, and Jewish history in Cordoba gives me an interesting cultural experience. During the city tour, I feel like I was being taken to the past. It's not like any other cities I've visited before that I could really immerse myself with the history. Hope I could explore more places in Cordoba in the future.

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Located in Avenida de la Constitución area, standing beautifully among shops and restaurants around it, Catedral de Sevilla is certainly not to be missed. Before my visit, I had no idea this church is something. Besides being one of the largest church in the world, it is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Before entering the church, there is a museum where you can see statues and beautiful paintings.

When I enter the church, I think my heart skipped a beat. I was in an awe and being amused by the beauty of the church, maybe these pictures could explain. As usual, I pray in every new church I visit. I don't know why but I cried while I was having my prayer here.

Christopher Columbus burial site

Another part of of the church is Giralda Tower. Since the church is formerly a mosque, the tower is the remaining muslim site. You need to go to 34th floor to see Seville from above. I know it is quite tiring, but the beautiful view you will see is worth the effort.