Why I Lost

So I lost the A - Z Challenge.  What's worse, I lost it with two letters left:  Y and Z, which were going to be "Youth Culture" and "Zzzzs:  An Ode to the Siesta."  Alas, I failed--but for good reason!

A week ago, my roommate and I moved from an apartment near Nervion (a modern but ugly district best known for its shopping mall) to a house in Barrio Santa Cruz, which is, well…magical.

How to describe it?  The house is four stories, but it's small:  the bottom floor is nothing but the front door, and after that, each story only has two rooms:  2) tiny kitchen and living room/dining room, 3) bathroom and our bedroom, 4) bathroom and other housemate's bedroom.

But the location?  Goodness gracious, where to begin?

Santa Cruz is the oldest neighborhood in the city, so as you might expect, it looks like a medieval Spanish neighborhood:  white walls trimmed with gold, narrow winding streets, fountains and small plazas bordered by the outer walls of a castle.

What's that?  A castle?

The entrance to the castle I now pass every single day :)

Oh, yes.  Santa Cruz neighbors the Cathedral an the Álcazar, the gigantic castle known for its Moorish architecture and extensive gardens.  Every day on my way to the metro, I pass by this beautiful castle.  So casual, right?  (Nope.  Every time I walk by, I freak out a little bit).

What's more?  There's a musician who has taken to playing his accordion below our window.  Then there's the flamenco singer who likes to stroll around the block.  Down the street, there's an old-fashioned spice and tea shop, which makes the whole neighborhood smell like, well…spices and teas.  Honestly, I feel like I'm living in Epcot.

Anyway, moving is a difficult, time-consuming process, which is why I failed.  But that's all right:  it was completely worth it.  Lots more space, a fantastic location, and a third housemate who happens to be one of our good friends.

No WiFi though (at least, not yet).  Surprisingly, I don't mind all that much.  It adds to the medieval feel of the neighborhood.

More pictures to follow!