Sevilla

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We had a long day planned today as we were leaving Sintra for Estepona, Spain but wanted to spend half a day in Sevilla. So, we were on the road before 6am which was fine as everyone slept except Mark and the roads were empty. Mark and Deb had previously been to Sevilla, so we hoped to give the kids a flavor of the town with a half day visit. We were first confronted with parking difficulties. All parking garages we immediately found were full. So, after a tour of downtown Sevilla we parked across the river in an underground lot where we found a suitable spot for the bus.

We started our short stay with a visit to the Cathedral which of course was impressive since it is one of the largest in Europe. The kids were anxious to find Christopher Columbus's tomb. We climbed to the top of the Giraldi and admired the views from the top. It was a gorgeous day so the view was nice.

After a quick sandwich, we went to the bull ring in Sevilla and went on the brief 20 minute tour they offer. Michael and Deb remarked how the bull ring was much nicer than the one they attended in Barcelona.

After an unsuccessful search for a favorite cafe that Deb had for churros and chocolate from our previous visit, we bartered with the coachmen for a ride for the six of us. We went through the old downtown and the areas around the Plaza Espana. Will enjoyed sitting up front with the driver.

We would have loved to stay longer in Sevilla, but Mark did not want to be driving too late at night, so we got on the road to Estepona where our Marriott timeshare awaited us.

Blog trivial note: If you want to play a game, try to find Mike's thumb up in any picture he's in. I don't think we've be able to take one without him sneaking it in. Lately, the other boys are copying his trick.

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Photos

Tower along river in Sevilla
Sevilla was the port in which the Spanish explorers left for the New World.

View from the top of Cathedral
The Plaza de Toros (bull ring) is in the foreground.