Fun with friends, sleeping in, visit to Los Reales Alcazares

Last night a huge group of girls on the program got together.  We had a tonnn of fun being able to hang out and relax and not have to worry about school today, because we didn't have class this morning.  We stayed up pretty late and were able to sleep in this morning.  After lunch we headed down to the "tourist district" of the city to visit the Reales Alcazares.  It is a palace that is right in the middle of el Barrio Santa Cruz.  Since we're such a super cool group we got to enter through a backdoor into the gardens.  It was really cool.  The gardens were beautiful (pictures below)!  We got to tour the site and even though we spent approximately an hour and a half there we only saw about 30% of the available tourist sections.  It is free for students to get in though, so a few of us plan to go back to see more and to be able to take more pictures.  Our professor/tour guide was moving kind of quickly for us to all be able to stop and take pictures.  Mom, we did get to take one group picture (I'll put it below) so I know you'll enjoy that.  :) 

It was amazing to be able to tour the site.  The architecture was a mixture of different styles and periods (representing the various groups that lived in Spain at different points in history) and it was all so beautiful!  I really love being able to visit these sites as a group with our professor.  He is very intelligent and knows a LOT about Spain's history, art, etc.  So we pretty much get our own personal tour guide.  Yes, it is in Spanish, but I guess that's why I'm here, right?  :)

Okay, okay, okay.  I know you're all dying to see pictures.  Here are some.  :)

So this is just actually a pretty scene on my way home from school.  I really love it so I decided to take a picture the other day. 

The river at night.  Absolutely stunning.

Pretty view of some architecture in the gardens. 

More of the gardens.

One of the ceilings inside. 

Pretty ceramic decorations on the walls!

One of the original gates into the place.

Pretty!

Allegra, Me, and Tiffany in one of the patios.

Gorgeous patio!

Most. awesome. ceiling. ever.  It was the "diplomatic relations room" meant to impress foreign dignitaries and such.  It impressed me for sure!

Pretty fountain.

View of the Cathedral in the distance.

Group pic in the gardens.  Our whole UNC Study Abroad in Sevilla group.  :)