Sevilla

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Day 9 (Wednesday, April 1st, 2009)

We left Arcos de la Frontera early in the morning and headed out to Sevilla. The drive took about one and a half hours, and included passing through a toll road, which we had to pay 3 Euros to drive on.

As we approached the outskirts of Sevilla, I was pleased with what I saw; the city appeared clean, and had lots of palm trees and other vegetation, and most of the buildings seemed well cared for. Just as we had hoped, we were able to easily find the parking garage we had planned on parking in near our hotel without any issues. Unfortunately, we soon realized that the garage was only available for residents of the neighborhood to use. As we did not have a plan b, I was very concerned. I immediately began consulting our guidebooks and detailed maps of Sevilla while Mike tried to find parking garages by looking through the navigation system; all efforts were without avail. We were both stressed out, and it took at least 30 minutes driving around in circles on the crazy streets of Sevilla with motorcyclists weaving in and out of cars until we were finally able to spot one of the parking garages that was listed in a guidebook. The entire ordeal was quite stressful but Mike did very well navigating through the busy traffic of Sevilla. The parking garage we found was further out of the historic core, located very close to the bullfighting arena. Since it was quite a walk from the historic core, I was hoping the daily rate would be a little cheaper than the advertised rate on the garage we had initially planned on parking at (16 Euro per day); unfortunately, it cost 13.50 per day, which was definitely more than we wanted to spend given the walking distance to our hotel, but after all of the stress trying to locate a place to park, we didn’t really care.

From the parking garage, we walked a good 20 minutes to the hotel. While we never got lost per say, it was quite confusing at times to find our way to the hotel due to the medieval street plan.

As we walked through the beautiful streets of Sevilla to our hotel, my initial impressions of the city were quickly forming. I instantly fell in love with the city; it was absolutely gorgeous with brightly colored architecture and so many picturesque squares filled with cafes and parks. Most of the important main sights were all located within a 15-20 minute walk of one another. While the city was clean, it also had a wonderful rustic charm that was impossible not to enjoy. Another thing that stood out strongly for us was the overwhelming but wonderful smell of the orange blossom flowers. The smell was so incredibly lovely; I have a difficult time finding words to describe the intense smell as it was unlike anything else we had encountered before. The weather was also perfect on our first day; it probably varied between 65 to 70 degrees with little to no wind and just a few clouds in the sky.

Hotel rates in Sevilla are known for being outrageously expensive, at least when compared to other prices throughout Spain. I had the most difficult time trying to find a hotel or hostal that fit my criteria; I wanted a place that was within walking distance of the historic core, location had to be in a charming neighborhood, a private bath was a must, and being located within close proximity to a parking garage was also very important. For these requirements, we ended up paying 95 Euros per night, which was the most expensive hotel of our entire trip. The Hotel de Puerta Sevilla was located at the end of the Barrio Santo Cruz neighborhood. It was filled with lots of character and charm; our room was decorated very nicely in pale blues and with crisp, white molding. The hotel also had an awesome rooftop terrace with great views of the city.

After settling into our room, we left and headed out to do some sightseeing. Our first stop was the Alcázar. This royal palace was originally built in the 10th century as a Moorish fort. The upper levels of the Alcázar are still used by the royal family as the official Sevilla residence when they are in town. The entrance fee was 7.5 Euro per person, and we opted not to purchase the audio guide as Rick Steves had a fairly detailed walking tour described in his book. The complex itself has several sections, but we visited just four of them. The first part we walked through was the Admiral's Apartments, then King Pedro the Cruel's Palace, followed by the gardens, and finally the Gothic Wing. While the Moorish decorations were impressive in King Pedro the Cruel's Palace, they just couldn’t compare to what we had seen a few days prior at the Alhambra. What we were extremely impressed with however was the gardens of the Alcázar; they were perfectly manicured and immaculately taken care of. There was countless tropical flowers, ponds, fountains, and lovely cool orange-scented breezes. It was the kind of place I could have spent hours in, just simply relaxing and enjoying the amazing views. It was definitely one of the favorite sights we visited on the trip.

After visiting the Alcazar, we headed across the Palaza del Triunfo to the Catedral de Santa María de la Sede (Cathedral of Sevilla). Construction of the cathedral took quite awhile, beginning in 1402 and continuing into the 16th century. After the Vatican in Rome and St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, the Sevilla Cathedral is the third largest in Europe, so I was quite excited and looking forward to our visit. Although we were both very impressed with the beautiful exterior of the building, we were slightly disappointed with it’s drab interior. I think part of the reason why we were somewhat disinterested was because the church was quite dark inside. However, it appeared as though a massive cleaning project was just beginning during our visit, as we saw two columns that had recently been cleaned and scaffolding around several others. The difference between these columns and the rest of the church was astonishing, so I am sure that by the time the cleaning is completed, the church will be very impressive.

While inside the church, we made sure to stop by the Tomb of Christopher Columbus. The tomb was placed directly in front of the main entrance, but only relatively recently around 1900. Apparently, the famed explorer was initially buried in Spain, then taken to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, then to Cuba, before finally being brought back to Sevilla. Many people have questioned over the years about the possibility of the remains actually belonging to Columbus; however, DNA samples were taken from the tomb a few years ago, and when analyzed, proved to be the real deal. Aside from wandering around the church, we also climbed to the top of the Giralda Tower, which provided great views of the historic core of Sevilla, and even further out into the outskirts of the city. La Giralda, which is minaret tower, was originally intended for the chief mosque. However, it's purpose was later changed to the bell tower of the Cathedral. The walk up did not include stairs as it was built as a ramp system to accommodate the riders and their horses who had to gallop up five times a day to give the Muslim call to prayer.

After touring the cathedral, we walked back to the hotel as the battery in my camera was nearly dead and needed to be changed. We were quite lucky that we had been able to make it through more than half the trip without a battery dying on us.

Next, we left the hotel and walked about ten minutes in order to reach Casa de Pilatos, which was a palace built in the 16th century. This gorgeous former palace had an unbelievable amount of decorative tile and Moorish influences. Unfortunately, our visit began just as a ridiculous number of students (at least 40) arrived, so the large number of people in such a small place somewhat ruined the peaceful atmosphere. In addition to touring the grounds, which included the main patio and side gardens, we also took a guided tour of the private apartments on the second floor. Much to our disappointment, the interior rooms were not that impressive, especially when compared to the public rooms downstairs. However, I did have a lot of fun taking many photos of the beautiful details found throughout the building and would recommend Casa de Pilatos to those visiting the city.

Afterward, we went back to hotel so that we could grab our dirty laundry. As we both only pack enough clothes to fit into a carry-on suitcase, we inevitably always have to wash laundry during our trip. We dropped our laundry off at a place located near the Cathedral for only 6 Euro per load and planned to pick it up the following morning. We were both happy with the price and convenience of a drop off service as we did not have to waste time waiting for the clothes to wash and dry. Normally, our laundry washing experiences in the past have taken about two hours, so I was pleased to be saving precious time!

Next, we completed the Rick Steves Barrio Santa Cruz walk, which we found in his guidebook. We had already wandered the streets of this neighborhood several times that day, but this walk helped us to become even more familiar with the area. We loved everything about this neighborhood including it's narrow lanes, beautiful and colorful architecture, and amazing atmosphere. It is the type of area where one could simply wander for hours enjoying the sights, scenes, and lovely smell of orange blossoms.

While on our walk, we purchased tickets for a 22:30 flamenco show for the following night at Casa de la Memoria de Al-Andalus.

We were starting to get hungry at this point, so we referred to our guidebooks and decided to try a tapas bar called Bodega Santa Cruz. The place was recommended in all three guidebooks we had and was filled with locals, so we figured it was a good choice. We just wanted a small snack, so we ordered croquettes (with ham and bechamel sauce) again and what I can best describe as a potato omelet sandwich, called a tortilla.

We left Bodega Santa Cruz and later ended up eating a cheap dinner at a kebab place near our hotel. Initially, when we ordered our food we requested it to go as we were planning on eating in our hotel room. However, we changed our mind at the last minute and decided to sit down inside the restaurant instead. Just as we were beginning to eat, one of the girls who worked at the restaurant came over to us and explained that we would have to pay an additional fee of 1 euro per person to sit down and eat. We thought this was quite ridiculous and obviously left to go eat in our hotel room.

We had planned on buying dessert at a chocolate place near our hotel for churros and chocolate, but they unfortunately closed earlier than we realized at 21:00, so we planned to go the following day for breakfast instead.

Day 10 (Thursday, April 2nd, 2009)

Our first stop on our second day in Sevilla was the churro and chocolate place, located across from our hotel. As the small eatery had been closed the night before when we attempted to visit for a late night snack, we figured it would be a great place for breakfast. Unfortunately, this was not the case. The churros were lifeless (i.e. floppy) and soaked with grease. The chocolate was also terrible; it tasted more like weak hot chocolate than thick and rich chocolate pudding, as it had in Barcelona. We left feeling only slightly full and very disappointed.

Next, we walked a long distance to the Museo de Bellas Artes (Museum of Fine Arts). This is a fine arts museum that is housed in a former mercy convent. There are 15 exhibition rooms which showcase a wide range of Sevillian art from the Gothic period to the early trends of the 20th century. As the museum was located away from the historic center, we had to refer to a detailed map several times in order to find the building. Because we approached the museum from a side street, we weren't quite sure if we head the right building or not. I finally saw a sign posted on the side of the building, so we naturally walked up towards the sign to read the information. It was at this moment that we both got yelled at by a construction worker. He was screaming and frantically waving his hands around. Apparently, we had accidentally walked onto newly laid tile. As he continued to scream at us, we looked down at the ground and realized that the tile was indeed slightly wet from recently being set. We quickly moved out of the way, but were both slightly pissed off that we had gotten yelled at by the man as the tile wasn’t marked nor roped off. It definitely wasn't obvious that work was going on, so how could we have possibly known not to step on the tile?

Feeling quite irritated, we finally found the main entrance to the museum shortly after the tile incident. The museum was small but well-laid out. While there wasn't anything specifically that we wanted to see, we had an enjoyable time walking through the galleries. I did enjoy looking at the painted portraits of Sevillians during the late 19th century, including a very cute one of a little boy. The best part of the museum however was it's free entry, which was a very nice surprise!

After touring the museum, we made our way over to the bull fighting arena, Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza . In order to gain access to the arena, it was required to partake in a guided tour, which cost 6 Euros per person. Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza is considered the oldest bullfighting arena in Spain, with the initial construction beginning in 1749. The arena has seen many physical changes over the last few hundred years as it was often in a state of repair or remodel.

Our tour guide first took us to the arena, where she spoke to the group in both Spanish and English. As it was very close to the beginning of the bullfighting season, the arena was in the midst of being prepped, so there was machinery and workers everywhere. Next, she took us to the Bullfight Museum, which was filled with a myriad of different objects relating to bullfighting, including costumes, artwork, accessories, and even the heads of a few bulls. While I immensely enjoyed the tour and found the museum fascinating, I had a very difficult time relating to the concept of bullfighting itself. I understand that bullfighting is a custom and an integral part of the culture in Southern Spain, but I don't agree with the sport. I stood there in the museum, looking into the eyes of the dead bulls, feeling so terribly sorry for them. The part that bothered me the most was that these poor bulls live happy lives out in the farms of Andalusia for a few years, only to one day be quickly whisked away and brought to an arena, where there are thousands of loud people everywhere around them. It has to be an incredibly terrifying experience for the bulls to be randomly thrown into a completely unfamiliar place (the arena) where there is a massive amount of noise and commotion going on. Then, to top it off, there is a man in the center of the arena, waiting for the bull to approach him so that the animal can be killed. I don't think I will ever be able to truly understand the sport of killing for fun, but that is just the animal lover in me.

After touring the bull fighting arena, we began walking back towards the hotel, but first stopped to pick-up the laundry from the place we had dropped it off the night before. We then took the clothes back to our hotel room, and quickly headed back out, grabbing another pita sandwich for lunch along the way.

We then took another long walk towards Museo Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija. This was a former aristocratic mansion that was redesigned by the Countess of Lebrija in the early 20th century. The building was originally constructed in the 15th century, and later rebuilt into an elegant mansion in the 16th century. The Countess of Lebrija decided to restore and redecorate the family mansion approximately one hundred years ago. She was a passionate collector of antiques, and incorporated Phoenician, Greek, Roman, and Moorish artifacts into the design of the home. The most famous of these additions were the amazingly preserved Roman mosaics, that were found in the nearby Roman city of Italica. Entrance into the small palace was 4 Euros and was well worth the cost. I thought it was shocking yet amazing that we were able to to actually walk upon the Roman mosaic floors; I would have assumed that all of the mosaics would have been roped off! In addition to the wonderful mosaics, the palace was filled with numerous works of art, all of which were very different, but blended together in a beautiful and harmonic way. The Museo Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija reminded me very much of the Hearst Castle in California, as both buildings were constructed using artifacts from other historical places around the world.

Next, we completed what had to have been the longest walk ever from the Museo Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija to Plaza de España. In 1929, Seville hosted the Spanish-American Exhibition and several buildings were constructed for the exhibition in Maria Luisa Park, including a plaza. The plaza is a huge half-circle with a building that continually runs along it's edge, along with a moat (which was not filled with any water during our visit) and a huge water fountain in the center. The Plaza de España was undergoing a massive renovation/conservation during our visit (thus the reason for the disappointing lack of water in the canals). We were fortunate to have arrived just as the sun was setting, which helped to light up the buildings beautifully. Once the renovation is complete, this will be a great place for both locals and tourists to visit during the hot sunmmer days in Sevilla.

After spending some time relaxing in the sun at Plaza de España, we began the long walk back to the hotel. My feet were overly exhausted from two long days of walking, so the walk took quite a bit longer than it probably should have.

After arriving back at the hotel, we decided to find some tapas places to eat dinner. We first stopped in at a fish market, which was located directly next door to our hotel. Aside from several different kinds of fried fish to choose from, the restaurant also offered croquettes, so we purchased a few Euros worth as it was a good price, especially compared to tapas bars. Next, we stopped in at a wine bar that served tapas near our hotel. We had passed by the restaurant several times during our two day stay, so we thought we might as well stop in for a bite to eat. While they had plenty of tapas options to choose from, the tapas themselves were somewhat pricey and actually not that tasty. We did have a small piece of steak which was good, but everything else, including their croquettes, were not so good.

After we finished eating, it was time to head to the Flamenco show at Casa de la Memoria Al-Andalus. While there are dozens of different Flamenco places to choose from in Sevilla, we decided to go with Casa de la Memoria Al-Andalus based on the positive recommendations it received from Rick Steves, Lonely Planet, and Trip Advisor. The one hour show cost 15 Euros per person and shows were generally offered twice each night at 21:00 and 22:30. We had initially wanted to attend the 21:00 showing, but when we had bought tickets the day before, they were completely sold out, so we settled for the later showing. We were informed by the ticket agent that there were no assigned seats, so if we wanted to make sure to get good seats, it was best to arrive at least 15-30 minutes prior to our show time and line up outside. We followed his advice, and were the first people to arrive. As we waited in line, we eventually struck up a conversation with the couple standing directly behind us. We found out that they were fronm Vermont and owned their own bakery. We also discovered that it was their first trip to Europe. As they owned their own business, they had found it very difficult in the past to get away for any extended period of time. However, they finally committed to the idea of a vacation when one of their daughters began studying abroad in Cadiz through her university. We also found out that they had a son who was living in Bellingham, Washington and I informed them that my sister was attending school in Brattleboro, Vermont. It was funny to see the connections we could make; that's one of the things I enjoy most about traveling. I find it so amazing that you can meet a complete stranger half-way around the world and end up discovering that you have much in common.

After standing in line for nearly 30 minutes, we were finally ushered into the small venue where we and the couple from Vermont took the best seats, right in front of the stage. Casa de la Memoria Al-Andalus offers an intimate concert environment with a smaller cast, no alcohol or food, and less than 100 seats that circle the small stage; much the opposite of most other flamenco shows in Sevilla. The show was absolutely amazing and went beyond my expectations. The music was completely acoustic and sung by a young woman who had the most powerful voice I've ever heard. Her voice, combined with the soothing guitar in the background, evoked a truly incredible atmosphere. The male dancer was nothing short of spectacular and moved in ways I didn’t even know a human being was capable of doing. I could not imagine how one would not be impressed by his speedy and intricate footwork The most enjoyable part of the performance was the act when both the male and female danced together. I loved the rhythmic nature of the dancing and the fast-moving clicking noise that their shoes made on the stage. I was also very impressed by the level of passion that the singer, guitar player, and dancers displayed on their faces. It was clearly evident that their music and dancing was more than just a job to them; it was a part of who they were and they completed it with the most serious of convictions. I think everyone left the show in complete awe of the talent we were all fortunate enough to see. Attending a flamenco show while in Sevilla is must-see for any visitor, and Casa de la Memoria Al-Andalus is the perfect place to be introduced to this incredible form of art.

Overall, we were extremely pleased with our time in Sevilla. While I figured I would probably enjoy the city due to the positive things I had read about it, I had no idea that it would end up becoming one of my favorite cities in Europe. It's the type of place that one should linger in order to truly absorb it's many different sides and personalities. Every nook and cranny in Sevilla seemed to be filled with ambiance and a charm that I have not yet encountered anywhere else in the world. I will never forgot the amazing smell of orange blossoms that we encountered every second we spent outside. When I think of Spain, my thoughts will always turn to Sevilla, and the amazing time we had in the wonderful city that defines the country better than any other place in Spain.

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Photos

Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza
Getting prepped for the bullfighting season