Nextbiteoflife Podcast

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Why fear should have your ears, not your balls you ask? I will do my best to explain why. With the recent events that have happened not just in western countries like Brussels and Paris but also in far-flung third world countries such as Ivory Coast, Kenya and  Istanbul.

It would be impossible to say that fear is not at the forefront of every traveler’s thoughts. We are only human. To us and hopefully to you, life is still a precious thing. The same thing can not be said for the cowardly terrorists that are sprouting up like weeds all over the world.


Why fear should have your ears, not your balls :
Fear of traveling:


Fear and your ears:

In the new world, it is important to keep ourselves vigilant. Keep our ears to the ground. We must all do this as a collective. You shouldn’t become paranoid however, just do your part. Stay observant as you travel through places such as airports, train stations and other public areas.
Terrorists are looking for the maximum damage and loss they can inflict on the world. It would of course make sense for them to target public areas. I am guilty of not observing my surrounding when l travel, being so involved in my own little bubble.
We (all of us!) have almost become immune to the overhead announcements that tell you not to leave your bags unattended or to report any suspicious packages. It is about time we start listening again.
You never know whose lives you might save. Listen to your iPod, talk on the phone or what not, but still keep an eye out for things out of whack. It seems the security personnel pay so much attention to foiling our innocent attempts to bring our water that they fail to notice the freaking guns/kids/bombs right under their noses! ;-) :-) . Learn to trust your gut instinct.


Fear and your eyes:
Don’t prejudge people. Every person you see wearing a hijab is not a terrorist. They do not want to blow you up or cause mayhem. They want to catch their train, bus, plane….just like you and go home to their loved ones.
I have noticed something in common with all these terrorists that l see  captured. They all seem to be young men and women from middle class families. I tend to believe that most of their parents truly have no idea that their kids are brainwashed.
I think they believe they are giving their kids structure, discipline  and guidance when they send them off to the mosques. Think of when christian kids attend church. The parents are proud and you consider it a good thing.
Unfortunately, the house of worship seems to be quite the recruitment “offices” of these terror cells. The kids heads get filled with manipulated teachings of the holy Koran. Promises of virgins that will be theirs in the next life being one of them. What wet behind the ears, real life frustrated virgin kid wouldn’t be swayed by that?! Thankfully, they are a tiny percentage of the whole.

The rest of the Muslim world want peace. I come from Nigeria, and we definitely have had our share, and still have more than our share of terrorism. I will not give them credit by mentioning their names.
You should know that despite what you see on the news, the Christians get along well with the Muslims and most live harmoniously side by side in most parts of the country.
I feel tensions are understandably frayed. Shortly after the Brussels attack, a famous mosque in Madrid was burned in retaliation. We are playing into their hands while our leaders are twiddling their thumbs :-( . This is of course my personal opinion, l am not an expert.

 


Fear and your nerves: I must not Fear.

Podcast with Expats – Episode #1
This is the first episode of our new addition to the podcast series. Knowing that you might be getting tired of hearing my lovely voice :-) , we have added podcast interviews with expats like us who are choosing life outside of the norm, so to speak. It’s being a long time coming l know, as l mentioned this in the very first podcast that we would eventually be doing that. It only took a few months. I think it went very well for the first time, as far as trying to coordinate schedules and getting the microphone to work so as to make the voice audible. As time goes by, l hope the process becomes smoother. Thanks for bearing with us, and for growing with us.

This premiere episode features Jenny from the website andthreetogo. Jenny, along with her husband and adorable baby Z reside in Phuket, Thailand currently. Listen to her story on the podcast.
Jenny gives us a taste of life in a foreign land. She has some helpful tips and advice for anyone contemplating the move.
We also talk, along with other things, about:

* The Cost of living in Thailand and how much is a reasonable amount to bring with you initially to set yourself up. The current rent they pay.
* How she ended up as an expat.
* Types of visa you should consider.
* Food! But of course :-) . We have that in common. Her posts on food slay me all the time as l love Thai food.

In addition to the podcast, you can check out her website here for more on life in Phuket. She is also on Facebook , twitter , Instagram  and Pinterest .

Make sure to visit her at any of the social media handles. As usual, we welcome any tips or suggestions you might have regarding the podcast. Feel free to leave a comment on itunes or on Libsyn or send us an email. Our objective is to make the podcast informative and fun, so here is your chance to help shape it. We would really appreciate your taking the time out for constructive criticism.  Rating us on itunes would be great too. I hope you enjoy the  Podcast with Expats series. Has a nice ring to it does it not? It is my hope that we will be able to showcase travelers of all ilk and share their journeys with you.
Pinnable:

Thank you Jenny for being the very first guest. We wish you many more great years of traveling the globe :-) .

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The Alcazar of Cordoba was a pleasant surprise. Truth be told, l didn’t even know they had one. I thought the one in Seville was it in the Andalusia region, excluding the Alhambra in Granada of course.
I found the Seville Alcazar so impressive, l didn’t think this one would measure up. Duh! I had forgotten what an important Roman city Cordoba had been. Rude awakening for me as we wandered the historic fortress that was the royal residence of past monarchs.


Alcazar Cordoba (Alcazar de los Reyes de Cristianos)
Alcazar of Cordoba is officially known as the Alcazar de los Reyes de Cristianos (Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs). This was one of the official residences of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand.
I think l walked about 3 miles just inside the rooms that we were allowed in. It wasn’t because the place was huge, but because l was hoping that at least once, Isabella or Ferdinand might have stood in the very same space that l walked on! As far back as the 1400’s! Mind blowing isn’t it? ;-) .
In a previous post on the Mezquita of Cordoba, l had told you how the exiled Abd ar-Rahman had fled to Cordoba. He used the Alcazar as his palace. Once the Christians conquered Cordoba, they took over the fortress and turned it into the structure that it is today.
I had jokingly mentioned how, in my mind, the seats  in the cathedral reminded me of the interrogations, it was jarring to discover that the Alcazar of Cordoba, practically next door to La Mezquita,  was actually the site of the Spanish Inquisition. It was also where they planned the invasion of Granada ;-) .
 

Inquisition Tower at the Cordoba Alcazar:
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The headquarters of the Inquisition was the Alcazar, and it was from here that Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand plotted the downfall of their enemies. A lot of the grounds were turned into torture chambers and prison cells.
Upon entry to the fortress, you  go left to visit the rooms with discovered relics. There is the Hall of Mosaics with amazingly well-preserved mosaics that l would still love to put in my home today. There is also a 3rd century Roman Sarcophagus in great shape.
Looking out from the balconies of this Cordoba castle, you see ruins of parts of the castle. Later on, l read that they used to be part of  the Arabic Baths, but they were later demolished and turned into more torture chambers during the Inquisition. What a waste! We did miss seeing the salvaged part of the baths below, thinking they were no longer in existence.

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Related Reading: Seville Alcazar
We climbed up to the tower. I only went halfway as the stairs were kind of steep and it was a tight space. I was enjoying the view, and Federico went up to the top. A few minutes later, he is yelling down to me and motioning for me to come up. I refused at first, but he wouldn’t give up, so l reluctantly climbed up.
I didn’t like the climb at all, the stairs were steeper, it was even narrower, there was no railing to hang on to, and lots of pigeon poop, but l maneuvered it sideways and boy..was it worth it. The view is stupendous from the top. If you make visit, and are able to climb up, do it. You won’t be sorry.

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La Mezquita, the grandiose Mosque-Cathedral is located in the Andalusia city of Cordoba. It was definitely a place we had to check out whilst we were visiting this charming city.
The Mezquita is considered the most important ancient mosque in the Muslim world. The architecture is a unique combination of Visigoth, Christian, Renaissance, Baroque and Gothic styles. Now, you know why we had to witness it for ourselves
Mezquita de Cordoba visit:

La Mezquita Courtyard: (Mezquita de Cordoba)
As you enter into the grounds of the imposing, whole block occupying Mezquita, the first thing that strikes you apart from the Mudejar designs that adorn the entrance doors, are the size of the doors themselves.
Each stands at about 20 feet plus by my estimation and look to be solid brass. These doors open up to an impressive courtyard. The main focus is the fountain, as well as the beautiful minaret ( a second reincarnation).
Cordoba Mosque:
The original minaret was destroyed and rebuilt under the reign of Abd al Rahman III who wanted it pointing towards the north) that towers over one corner of the yard. We are now so used to the Mudejar style of architecture that we were not suitably impressed by the courtyard itself, unlike some other visitors :-) .
Having seen some of the wonderful examples we have here in Seville, you can understand why. The courtyard was used for teaching and carriage of justice under the Muslim rule. There are orange trees planted in the courtyard and close to the fountain was their water supply. The sculpture of Saint Rafael sits at the top of the minaret, which was used as a call to prayer.
 

Mezquita Mosque: (La Mezquita in English means Mosque)
 
 
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The geometric design of the Mezquita is amazing, and how thick are those pillars! You can just imagine all the man hours that went into building such an awesome monument.
Mezquita Cordoba history:
Also known as the mosque of Abderraman I. It was he who built the first mosque in 785! Imagine that for a second age wise. Insane right? It consisted of 11 naves and 11o columns of different heights due to the way the hall was built.
He is responsible for the horseshoe shaped arches that is synonymous with this monument. It was actually an original design by the Visigoths, but went on to become the signature style of the Muslims once introduced to them.
The candy cane stripes (alternating brick and stone) has been maintained throughout history. As the Muslim population grew, the mosque was extended over the years. I think this is my favorite part of the whole structure.
I sort of felt like l was in Willie Wonka’s chocolate factory. It was mind blowing to me that thousands of years ago, men were capable of designing and executing such an intricate building. A building that has survived for hundreds of years and will definitely survive more. I can only imagine how much manpower went into building.
Mezquita Cathedral: (Mezquita Catedral de Córdoba)
 
The placement of this is actually quite awesome. You are so busy oohing and aahing because more than likely you are following the edges, walking in a square if that makes sense.
You then look towards the middle and notice this amazing structure. Construction of the cathedral started in 1523 after then Bishop Manrique got permission from the King,

Written: Feb 29, 2016 / Updated Sept 21, 2019
It’s astounding how quickly time has flown by. A few days from now will mark our one year anniversary living in Seville. To me, it seems like we have only been here for a few weeks. Our lease is coming up for renewal and we had to decide whether to hang around for another year or search for our next destination. After going back and forth on the matter, we have finally made a decision. Here are some reasons why we are staying in Seville, our adopted and much-loved city.

**Update**
Regular readers will know that we have since moved to Valencia after our second year in Seville. We absolutely loved Seville and it would have been great to keep living there, but ultimately, the heat in the summer did us in. Our first summer was great, but the second one was scorching. We decided to find a place close to the water, which brought us to our new home of Valencia.
We love it here so much that we decided to buy a flat and settle long term here. You can find the home buying and renovating process on these posts. Seville is perfect for people who really enjoy the heat, or for those who can afford to go away in the summer like the locals do.
Buying in Valencia
Remodelling in Spain
Our new flat in Valencia
A year in Seville Spain: We want more
Why we are staying in Seville:
Seville is Awesome:
How can you not love Seville? The city is so chock full of history. It is the capital of Andalusia. It has a rich cultural heritage, dating back to Moorish rule and the Almohad dynasty. All one has to do is look at places like the Alcazar and the awe-inspiring Sevilla Cathedral and the Giralda. Seville is also home to Flamenco.
We have barely scratched the surface of the city. We still have to attend a proper flamenco show for instance (street performers aside :-) ), not to mention the various museums that are plentiful. It would suck to leave before we have fully discovered neighborhoods like Triana, Macarena, and Barrio Santa Cruz (love this area) with the tiny, narrow streets.
Find the best hotels in Seville
Day trips from Seville:
There are lots of wonderful cities that are close by to Seville still to be explored. So far, we have only been to Santiponce and Carmona.  Other places we would like to visit include Cordoba, Granada, Jerez, Cadiz. The list goes on and on.
All these places are beautiful and unique and will add to our Spanish experience. We want to stop taking them for granted :-) . We have traveled to so many countries outside of Spain in our one year here, and have been neglecting our own backyard so to speak. We want to rectify that ;-) .
The bigger backyard:
In addition to the above day trips, we would also like to visit other Spanish cities like Valencia, Bilbao, Barcelona (again! :-) ), Madrid (again!), Palma de Mallorca and etc..etc. Thanks to a pretty good train system (Renfe), it is possible to do these trips as an alternative to flying. We didn’t want to leave, then have to fly back down to visit if that makes sense. Spain is such a huge country, l am beginning to doubt if one more year will be enough :-) .
 Visit Portugal: The biggest backyard:
I am referring to Portugal specifically. At one point, we had considered making that our next country to settle in for a bit and had planned on an exploration trip. Seville is about a two-hour drive from Faro,