Europe Day 21 - Seville

Thursday
Our second and last full day in Seville. We get later every morning, ha-ha. We have been so busy for almost 3 weeks that it is nice to just "float along" for once. The only thing we want to do today is to see the cathedral, but it is too early because the line is loooooong. So we walk around it to find the sign of the camino, after all Seville is on the Camino de la Plata. James had started here last year and memories came flooding back.
We found it!

It sounded like this woman was a peregrino. She was excited to see the sign. Here you can see the sign in the way that all the "ways" come together to "meet in Santiago". I think I had written about it before that in other areas the sign is the other way around. A bit confusing.

We wanted to go to the river so we decided to just follow "the way". Wow, for a little while that was a great feeling again. See the sign in this picture?

We are on the bridge over the Rio Guadalquivir. James' first albergue last year was here in Triana.

We only go as far as the other side of the bridge and then turn back.

Time for elevensis. One of my favorite parts in Spain is to sit in a street (or plaza) cafe and see the world go by.

Ok, let's brave the line. It has become shorter. Where in the world is ... James?

When you are in line you still can learn something. This is a copy of the weathervane, made to replace the original one while it was restored. That figure is more then life-size.

The Spanish sure like their seniors. Besides cheaper fares for public transportation also cheaper tickets for entries. 4 instead of 9 Euros each that is a saving for the elevensis or tapas.
Finally we are in the cathedral. This is the main altar but of course on Wednesday for the service the doors in the wrought iron screen were open.

You can stick the iPhone through the bars but then you are not far enough back to take a photo of it all. But there is so much detail ...

The choir.

The tomb of Christopher Columbus in the right side aisle.

There is so much to see. Besides all the different side altars there are also rooms to display things like in a museum.

Couldn't help taking a photo of this little guy.

I was fascinated with his suspenders.

We had read about that you should get extra tickets on line for a roof tour but James found the website not really working well and all in Spanish mainly for groups. And they seemed very expensive.
But when we were in the cathedral there was an open door to the tower so we went up. There were no steps but a steady uphill brick slope with I think 37 corners to round. Many bells above us all around. Luckily only one chimed once.

The view was incredible and so worth it. I think I went around twice because I had taken pictures of some views twice. I could have stayed up there for a while!

See the hands on the right in this photo? My worst nightmare sticking my hands through like this and losing my iPhone. That's why I have it on a lanyard. Except ... the lanyard broke and I had to knot it together which made it shorter around my neck. Note to myself: bring replacement next time!

Back down, a picture of the side aisle on the left.

Ahhhh, it's really overwhelming. Outside again. What now?

Time for lunch. Ensaladas. And gazpacho (in a cup).

It was fun sitting there because across was a shop selling shawls. One lady (from Germany) must have tried them all on. Her husband was sitting two tables further. He watched her and she looked to him for approval. They were so cute. She did buy one.

Yes, the original weathervane is up.

And finally we decided on a carriage drive. I had contemplated whether that was a good thing to do (fair to the horses) but the horses seemed happy and healthy and well kept and after all this gives them a purpose. Our driver was very friendly and it was a good experience.

Around the first corner was a narrow street with a glass wall on the house. It was like a mirror. Isn't this a great picture? I only had a second to recognize it and take it. Proud of it.

We were told they have a woman president of Andalusia at the moment and this is were she is.

This is the cigarette factory made famous by the opera "Carmen". When I humm the first few notes the driver starts singing too. It is now part of the university.

Then we enter the "Parque Maria Luisa". Very nice. This sculpture around the tree is of three young ladies representing love in the past, in the present and in the future.

Next to it "Plaza de España". Very impressive. It was the Spanish building for a World's Fair in 1929. It is now military.

Our driver is excellent. He makes an extra round with our carriage, then stops and gets out to ask whether he should take pictures with my camera. He clicked happily away!

The whole tour took about 40 minutes and we did see some things we would not have otherwise.
Our horse's name was Paulini (not sure about the spelling) and had a nice braid. The only thing about the carriage I didn't like: I couldn't see the horse's lovely gait.

After that we had a sweet tooth. Where is a pasteleria when you need it. Finally we settled for this.

After a little time in the hotel (have to finish yesterday's blog) it's time to go out and find dinner.
When we come down the steps into the lounge area there is a couple (our age) sitting with a glass of wine. She immediately calls "you speak English?" so we join them for a little while for a lively conversation. They were from Nebraska.
We had passed a restaurant several times which we had nicknamed "the dungeon" because from the entrance you looked down into something like a basement with arches and pillars. We decided that might be nice for our last dinner here and we even found it. No reservation? So we have dinner 2 stories up in that dungeon. Food was very good though. Last dinner in spain .... I had to try paella.

L

James had duck breast.

Ugghhh. We have to pack. Tomorrow morning comes early. It's a bit difficult because first we take the train to Madrid and then we fly with Ryan Air to London. What is the carry-on situation? Oh well ...
Night night.

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