Autumn 2024

Seville - 1 October 2024

01.10 - Seville

Didn’t go inside soon enough last night - more bites 😠 I read until gone midnight as it was warm - plus had overhead lights shining onto my bed!

Me driving today - after servicing Dave and paying our €15 for the night - drove about 1-1/4 hours. Amazingly, we’re parked up for free in a huge carpark and less than 2 miles away from the cathedral in Seville.

Seville has a population of about 690,570. We’d checked with Sarah on where she recommended, and she forwarded her friend’s list who had been and enjoyed. No pressure - but Sarah and Herc loved Seville…

Had a light lunch, bikes out and off we went.

Saw the Torre del Oro when cycling in and crossing the river.

First stop was what we thought was a tourist information. In hindsight - think it was a place which didn’t offer impartial advice - and was trying to sell tours. Anyway, after having waited ages, the lady said she could possibly get us on a tour at 15.30 (for €72) - but laughed when I asked about visiting the Alcázar (same price). She turned her screen around - totally booked! I did look once back at Dave later - earliest availability is 5 October. So blown that one! It is a problem - we just take each day as it comes, and decide where we’re going the day before, or even in the morning - so makes it hard to book beforehand. However - lesson learned - no Alhambra in Granada, and no Alcázar in Seville due to lack of forethought!

Thought we’d cut out the middleman and went and queued up at the cathedral - only waited about 5 minutes. Was €20 for us both. I’m liking the reduced rates for the over 65s!

What can I say - it’s the world’s largest Gothic cathedral. In 1401 the city’s ecclesiastical authorities decided to replace the former mosque which had been damaged by an earthquake in 1356 with a spectacular new cathedral - ‘let’s construct a church so large future generations will think we were mad’ they quipped - or so legend has it.

It has the tomb of Christopher Columbus - which supposedly has his remains, but debate continues as to whether the bones are actually his or his brother Diego…

It’s almost overwhelming as it’s so big, and such intricate detail on the carvings. Just putting it out there - but St Peter’s Basilica in Rome has spoilt all future religious places for us as it was just so wonderful and awe inspiring!

We’d had audio guides when visiting Zaragoza - to be honest - it might have been just as ‘good’ - but probably because it wasn’t as busy!

We then went up the Giralda (tower alongside). Basically you just walk up 34 ramps (no steps apart from the very top). Was built like this so that guards could ride up on horseback. It’s 104m high - was the minaret of the mosque - constructed between 1184 and 1198. From bell level up - this was added in the 16th century. As to be expected - really good views from up there - just have to get the camera between the ‘chicken wire’!

From there we rode to the Metropol Parasol for a look. Was opened in 2011 - locally called the mushrooms - it has divided opinions. Said to be the world’s largest wooden structure - designed to be a sunshade at 30m high.

Parked the bikes and went for a walk. Bought ice creams - well it was very hot!

Rode to the Plaza de España. I’m surprised it’s not pushed more as a destination. It’s stunning! It was completed for the 1929 Exposición Iberoamericana. It a huge brick and tile building with fountains, mini canals and Venetian style bridges. What made it special was musicians at the top of some of the tiled steps. We sat and listened for a while - grateful for the shade.

Felt a bit sorry for the many, many horses waiting to take tourists for a ride - literally! It was so hot, they were drooling. I guess they’re used to the heat… Yesterday in Jerez, the horses had 💩 sacks tied to them - very neat and tidy - here there was smelly 💩 drying in the streets!