Seville – Rest, Flamenco & a Sidewalk

---

The long day yesterday, humidity and pretty much nonstop moving, finally caught up with us. I Jerry started feeling it a couple of days ago, but thought it was allergies, but know a light head cold got us both. Last night we already had modified what we were going to do today, but when we woke up, we scraped it all together. What we missed was our Cathedral tour, lunch at the central market, the bull ring, Iglesia Del Salvador (another small church) and the Flamenco Museum.

What we have managed to do today so are; Jerry got the laundry to the laundry service down the street, we had breakfast (more on that in a bit) and slept. We are still planning on making our evening events a Flamenco Show and dinner.

Breakfast was the standard fare; meats, cheeses, fruit, bread, pastries, some hot items and yogurt. It was pretty good and our only meal of the day so far. We were among the last to go down to breakfast (7:30 to 10:30 on weekdays) so we had the place pretty much to ourselves, until the Family of six came in and decided to sit directly next to us with their screaming child, one of four I might add. They made no attempt to calm the child, and then the mother felt it necessary to take the stroller the size of a minivan through the entire breakfast area as she put her plate together. As if your husband could not possibly watch the baby for five seconds. Well, no, actually he could not be bothered, one look at him and you knew he was very much an asshole. He even sent his young son to get more food for him, because it was just to much of a bother for him to do it himself.

The moment they sat down, we both looked at each other and immediately picked up our plats and moved as far away as possible.

After that, Jerry went to the pharmacy to get some medicine for the cold, and we took a nice long nap.

Since I do not have much else to write about today, I will do something I rarely do, actually mention our hotel’s name. Usually, I do not like to advertise for places not because they don’t deserve it, but we have at times been told that the owners of smaller places don’t really want to be on Trip Advisor and the like, because they sometimes can’t handle the increased business, or just don’t want to be that busy. Since this is not a privately owned hotel, I don’t really have any issues about doing a bit of advertising, well really just some tips. We are staying at Hotel Fernando III, in the Santa Cruz barrio and I guess Jewish Quarter. It is a few narrow winding streets and plaza from the Cathedral. It has a rooftop pool and bar. But what I really want to let you know is if you ever stay here, which I do recommend you want Room P8, it is a corner room and has a huge balcony overlooking the street below. It is on the 1^st floor (which is the second floor in the United States). The staff is friendly, and they even appear to have valet parking if you are driving.

That is pretty much it until after this evening’s activities. We have pretty much redesigned tomorrow to make it less intensive as well. As originally planned it was going to be those 7-mile walking days, but I think we have managed to cut our at least 3. The highlight of tomorrow is the Alcazar.

When we left for the Flamenco show and dinner, I did not think I would have that much more to blog about, well things tend to happen.

Our first stop before the Flamenco show was the Seville Bullring, no we were not going to a bullfight, I think they are barbaric and as much as I do not like cows, I would always root for the bull. The reason we went was to get a new poster. Anyone who has been to our home since 2007, will have seen our very large Red Poster of the 2007 Seville Bullfighting Season. We got this on our honeymoon. It has not fared well with the Move to New York, then Providence, so we wanted to replace it. It was easy enough as they have several years of season posters available in the gift shop, we found 2007 paid and were off to the Flamenco show which was next door. At this point I noticed that my classes were not in my front shirt pocket, Jerry was sure I left them in the room, so I didn’t think about it again. Skipping to the end of the night, no they were not in the room, I apparently left them in the bullring when I put them on to pay for the poster. So today, a trip back to hopefully pick them up.

The Flamenco show was right next to the bullring. Andalusia really is the birthplace of Flamenco, and Seville has Flamenco clubs all over the city. Some of the best we ever saw was in 2007 when we were in Jerez, visiting Maria, a world-renowned Flamenco show that we met when she was doing a series of events in Portland. Whole Foods was a major sponsor and provided all the backstage food for them, I found an immigration attorney to help with their visa’s. When she found out we were coming to Spain back in 2007 she insisted we visit them in Jerez. We did and had a wonderful evening in a Flamenco Bar, not a show place but where they actually just do impromptu Flamenco. But I digress, the show tonight was very good, I think a bit more authentic than what we saw in Madrid in 2016 simpler and not as staged. Flamenco is certainly not for everyone; in fact, some compare the singing to the screech of a dying cat. We happen to really enjoy the art form. It is pretty hard to get a good picture since there is pretty much constant movement on stage, but Jerry still managed to get some good shots.

At first, Jerry was a bit concerned that it might be another Moulin Rouge experience. Long before I started blogging, our very first Trip to Europe was a trip to London, Paris, and Italy. Back in the days when we did not plan, booked hotels the night before we were going to the next city and no dinner reservations. We actually did the same thing in 2007 when we went Spain the first time. These experiences are why we plan plan plan now. Anyway, one of the things we did back then was go to a show at Moulin Rouge, my advice DO NOT EVER go. Huge tourist trap, pack them in, very uncomfortable seating and busloads of tourists. Back to the present, the Flamenco venue is pretty large for such a venue, we were seated in the balcony, but had a good view of the stage. While we were seated, in came the bus tours, there because its included in the package, not because they even know what Flamenco is. It turned out fine and it was not a Moulin Rouge Experience. They did there own singing, everything was lipped sink like a drag show at Moulin Rouge.

After the show we walked to dinner not far away. Here is where the sidewalk come in. Think back to La Rochelle last spring and a little incident with a bike, woman and canal. This time there was no bike or woman, just me of my own accord tripping over the curb (Seville is no level walking place) and yes you know what happened. Jerry was not 20 feet ahead this time, and said the entire thing looked like it was happening in slow motion. I feel forward, right knee hit the sidewalk first, my left hand went out to break my fall, which it did as well as my face on the wall, then the turtle, Chris on his back looking up, shoulder in pain, face looks like round two of fist fight, people looking over me. There always seems to be some there to help Jerry get me off the ground or out of a canal. It was much easier to get up from the sidewalk then out of the canal in La Rochelle. I was not seriously hurt, no concussion, just a nice bruise on the knee, face a little scraped and left shoulder a bit sore.

Back on my feet, we were off to dinner. Dinner was in a very nice sitting in what once must have been a Casa of a very wealthy family, now a hotel. The place was packed, and they had one table of at least 35 American’s that was taking a lot of their time. We were seated in a nice quite back room. While we were there Three Friars walked in with a group for dinner. Obviously, someone was trying to buy absolution. The dinner was very simple, so choices were not hard. What turned out to be the dish of the day was not even something I originally ordered. It was a substitution because they had just sold the last thing I wanted.

We started of course with Cava, the olive oil with the bread service (and yes you have to pay for bread) was the best we have had so far. Jerry’s stater was Gamba Blanca with a poultry creams and jamon, nice and light and nice portion for a starter. I ordered Huevos Bogavante (lobster and eggs in a red curry) but that was sold out so instead they offered me an off the menu dish, patatas, huevos & Jamon. It was huge and very good. Basically, peasant food, but so flavorful. The potatoes were thin and crispy, the eggs over easy, and the Jamon pure Iberico.

The mains for me was Presa Perigord, Iberian pork in a Périgord sauce (what exactly a Périgord sauce is up for grabs, when I googled it, I got several different version, basically mushroom, leeks and sherry.) Jerry had tableside Steak Tartar, definitely one of the best we have had, and a close second for the dish of the day. The wine was a Rioja, very young and very big, definitely needed more time in the bottle, but it was still good after it was decanted and given some time to breath.

No dessert, as it was 11, truly dinner on Spanish time. We managed to walk home without me hitting the ground. Took some nice night shots of the Cathedral.

Tomorrow is our last day in Seville then off to areas yet explored.

---

Comments

[Sharon Hughson]

Bummer Days
I’m sorry you two have succumbed to the travel bug. And the sidewalk incident sounds painful, to body and ego. I hope you found your glasses. I love that the “peasant dish” was the dish of the day. Did you find out a name for it? I loved the pictures you shared here. And although dying cat sounds are certainly not my favorite, I would like to see Flamenco.

[Connie Craddock]

Yikes
I hope you are not too sore and bruised tomorrow. Sounds like you need to have a few slower days in the midst of your travels. Did you find your glasses? Glad you were able to replace your poster.