The Ranch

A cortijo is a Andalusian ranch.  Today we visited La Calera, a cortijo that raises bulls for the bullring.  The boys toured the fields, had a lesson from a bullfighter, tried their hand with the cape and a baby bull, and dined on some delicious grilled pork. 

This group is getting high marks from our guest teachers for their inquisitive nature and language ability.

Italica and chocolate

Today we had a great tour of Italica, a grand Roman ruins which was home to two emperors, Trajan and Hadrian.

We then headed to a chocolate factory where were learned the history of the product and how it is made.

Three cultures

One reason I find Seville to be special is because the large historic center is so full of concrete evidence that many cultures lived here, particularly what is often called the 3 cultures- Christian, Moorish and Jewish.  A professor we have worked with for many years took the boys through the center and gave a lesson in one of the classrooms in the world.

Here is a pic before they took off for the center.

Music and bulls

Today's special class was on the history of Spanish music.  Later in the evening, the boys saw a bullfight in the Maestranza, a grand bullring well known for the color of its sand.

Spanish Guitar

Our longtime Spanish guitar instructor came to class today to give the boys a private concert and talk to them about the different styles of classic and flamenco guitar music.  We also celebrated a birthday in class and his Seville mother sent a photo of them doing the same at the house.

Enjoy a short clip of our private concert.

Cathedral and Alcazar

After class the boys visited both the huge gothic cathedral of Seville and the Alcazar, which is part fort part palace, built by the Moors and expanded by the Catholics, with great examples of Mudejar architecture, which is Arabic architecture contracted by Christians after the Reconquest.  It is also one of the filming sights of Game of Thrones.