Europe Day 20 - Seville

Wednesday
First of three nights in Seville. Slept well. Breakfast is a little later here then usual: 8:30 am so there is no hurry. We wanted to go to the service at the cathedral and had looked yesterday ... 9:30 am. It's not far so no problem.

We were too early and the signs were wrong because it was at 10 am so we went back to the hotel because we had forgotten something.

This is on the way between the hotel and the cathedral and it was just the time when parents dropped off their children. Some were excited, some were crying. We had to think of our grandsons. Miss everybody!

The maid was just in the room so we sat for a moment on our patio.

The service was mainly in Latin but nothing written had been given to us. It was at the main altar though. It seemed there were more robed people (mainly older men) around the altar and in the choir area than in the pews. Of course James and I did not take communion. We are ok with it because just worshipping and knowing the symbolism of communion is enough but you do feel left out somehow.
After the service we were immediately ushered out. No time for lighting a candle or sitting somewhere quietly. Cathedral is going to be open at 11 for ticket-buying visitors.
We had decided to visit Sevilla's Alcazar. The Royal Palace. There was a line but it wasn't too bad. We did take audio guides though. They are helpful.

A kapok tree With lovely flowers.

Almost the first room had a display of things, mainly fans which Spain is of course famous for. I can't overlook the lace.I had never heard of Malinoix lace (my last lace fan picture).

This was the merchant room. The trade with the new world was important and Seville was the main port for trade with the Americas.

And of course there is a saint to protect the ships.

An exhibition of tiles.

We wandered around in the palace with its many rooms. It was like a puzzle. And the court yards and the gardens too. It was a bit like a fairy tale castle and we got lost a few times.

The tapestry was unbelievable.

We went upstairs and found out we could buy another ticket and actually see the royal rooms where the present King and Queen stay when they are in Sevilla. Well, why not? At the appropriate time we were supposed to send our bags and stuff through a scanner and then lock it up in those lockers. We had quite some time to discover how the lockers lock ... you stick in a Euro you get back after you unlocked it. No pictures allowed!

There was so much to see and after a while we thought we had seen the most important things and took it leisurely. We went along the garden wall to the end (if you look closely you might see James on the right on a balcony). We didn't like the gardens as much. There were several. All basically rectangular and very formal with those trimmed hedges of which I have never been that fond of.

Time to find a place for lunch. Nothing like an ensalada to perk you up.

On the way to the hotel we saw this at the end in a narrow alley. Cropping the picture helped tremendously.

James has bought a bottle of Rioja wine and the nice hotel lady provided an opener and insisted on glasses. We had one glass and then went out to find dinner.

Ha-ha, we actually went to two places. Tapas to share here. The calamari were excellent but not much else to choose from.

We found another place which was nice. This was the entertainment. The boy was playing with the fountain and we could just imagine William doing it.

Another very nice day coming to an end. Night night!

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