Valencia

Yesterday's high speed train from Seville to Valencia was a smooth ride and got us in to town right on time.  Our new homestay families were all there ready for us.  Today we took a walk through the historic center of Valencia and showed the boys how to get to our classrooms.  The boys then went back to their families for lunch and many explored the beach and their environs.

Toros and midterm exam

As we wrap up our time in Sevilla, the boys got to spend their last night at a bullfight.  The next morning they took their midterm exam.  As always, Sevilla has treated us so well and I am sure a good number of the boys will return someday.  In a coupe of hours, we will be boarding a high speed train to Valencia, home of paella, horchata and more great guest professors.

Jerez and Cadiz

We had a great excursion to Jerez and Cadiz today.  We were able to tour the famous equestrian center
Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Ecuestre as well as a nearby winery where the boys learned about how sherry is made.  We then headed to Cadiz, city of watch towers (for incoming boats,) where we toured the cathedral and museum and saw Spain's best "dark camera" in the Torre Tavira.

Music and pairings

Carpaccio of zucchini and foie of iberian pig

Our morning class was about the history of Spanish music with an focus on modern rock and flamenco fusion.  Our teacher is a musician and he brought his guitar to play parts of different songs.  Our friend, Rafael Bellido, one of the top wine experts in Spain, gave us a class at his restaurant, La Mojigata, on pairing wine with food.  His restaurant is full of fun food which plays with traditional Spanish dishes and the typical Spaniard's childhood.

Aracena

It's always nice to take a break from the cities and head out to the pueblos.  Today we went to Huelva's Aracena, home of one of Spain's best denominations of ham- Jabugo.  We started with a typical Andalusian breakfast, toast with tomato, ham and olive oil.  We then headed to a deep cavern called Gruta de las maravillas.  Then to a museum dedicated to the whole hame process, from raising the special breed of iberian pig, to feeding them from the acorn producing fields, to the killing and preserving.  We then climbed the towns pretty and narrow streets to the castle which was Moorish, then Portuguese, then Spanish.