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Sunday, 12 November. The bus picked us up near the Tropicana at eight, then went to the Nautilus for the others. By 8:30 we were on our way to Seville. (Jane and I had been there on a tour in 1972.) The weather was sunny and warm. We stopped at the village of Aguadulce on the way. This village is the source of most of the special Christmas cookies sold in Spain. We bought a box of cookies and a box of chocolate truffles. (When we finally ate the cookies after the trip, we discovered that they are very unusual, apparently because they are made using finely ground almonds instead of flour.) We got to Seville about 11:30 and were dropped off near the Cathedral, built beginning in 1401 around a 12th Century mosque. The huge old minaret, known as the Giralda, is now the bell tower. The tomb of Christopher Columbus is in the Cathedral, but we never went inside. (Fortunately, the two of us had seen it on our 1972 visit.) With a local guide, we toured the magnificent rooms of the nearby Royal Alcazar, begun in 913 A.D. (An "alcazar" is a fortified palace.) This is where Ferdinand and Isabella received Columbus.
From the Alcazar we walked through the Juderia (Jewish Quarter), then back to the bus. We passed the Golden Tower (1222 A.D.) on the drive to the restaurant where we had lunch.
Afterward the bus took us to the Hotel Macarena where we were to stay that night. It was only about 2:00 p.m., bright and sunny. We thought it odd that we were left to sit in the hotel for more than three hours in the nicest part of the day. Jane and I took a walk around the area near the hotel and tried to visit a historic chapel nearby, but it was closed. Finally we returned to the hotel and rested. Around 5:30 our group left for the bus tour of Seville. We rode down some of the most elegant boulevards, past marvelous houses and other impressive buildings. Seville has been host to two Expositions (or World Fairs), one in 1929, the other in 1992 (the 500th Anniversary of Columbus' voyage). The second site was built around the first, and our tour focused on the older area. We finally came to the Plaza de Espana, heart of the 1929 Exposition. It was a beautiful place, even at dusk. Actually, it may have been more beautiful then because all the lights were on.
By seven we were at the theater-restaurant where we had dinner, then saw what was billed as a flamenco show. There was plenty of flamenco, but the performers mixed in many other styles of dancing as well. It was an excellent show. Afterwards the bus took us back to the hotel. |
