We solved the problem of waking up at 3 a.m. and not being able to get back to sleep – just stay up till 2:30!! Soccer game at a local taberna then getting lost in the Juderia kept us up. Then, a little sleep, a little internet, a little email, background reading about Sevilla and, before you know it, it’s time to go find good pastries. What’s with the surly waiters? They’re everywhere! Maybe it is Mark’s bright yellow coat and baseball cap…the ONLY person not in dark brown or black. Off to meet Alvado, our tour guide for the day. Concepcion was to be our guide (Rick Steves’ suggestion) but she is a bit indisposed- about 6lbs 4oz worth of indisposition.
Waiting for our guide we again saw the bicycles owned by the government. White in Barcelona,here they are red. For 8 euro yearly, you get a license to use the bikes for 3o minutes at a time. They have racks everywhere and everyone uses them. We also saw the pneumatic garbage shoots located all over the old town where trucks can't get to pickup trash. Interesting solution to the problem!
Walking tour of Sevilla…the same maze of narrow blind alleys and shuttered doors in the Jewish quarter and Alcazar we were lost in last night became picturesque photo ops as shops and restaurants opened and the ambience poured out. We got more of the idea of the growth of Seville from a Phoenician then Roman city, through 800 years of Moorish rule and the subsequent re-conquest by Ferdinand. After the discovery of the Americas (Columbus is a majordomo here – they even celebrate Columbus day like we do) Sevilla became the largest city in the world in the 16th century. All riches from the Americas came to Europe through Sevilla, with taxes collected right outside the cathedral – or inside if it was raining. Off to lunch with a great recommendation to eat at Casa de Romans, where they serve the best jamon iberico (acorn raised pork) in Spain – 5 “Js”. Great thin sliced prosciutto, chunks of parmesan and asiago, mushrooms steamed in olive oil and a GREAT WAITRESS! Mark must be getting better at trilling his “r”s (not arse). Back to find Alvado for a 1 hour tour of the Cathedral. It is the largest gothic cathedral in the world (by area) and they post the Guinness Book of Records to prove it. Our luck with guided tours continues – only 4 of us, the other couple from Massachusetts. Inside the cathedral walls are actually 44 other individual chapels which were privately owned in the past. Wealthy 16th century Sevillans had to own a chapel and celebrate mass every Day, even if no one attended. Good gig for the church and priests. The vied with each other to decorate their chapels. The main altar has a gold encrusted tableau depicting the life and times of Jesus – 40+artisans worked 85 years to complete it. Christopher Columbus, or at least 60%of him, is entombed here with DNA evidence to prove it (his son Hernando is also here). He spent a few hundred years traveling after his death with stops in Cuba and the Dominican Republic and left parts along the way. We were feeling really strong after our 5 Js lunch so decided to climb the minaret, cum bell tower thanks to Ferdinand. The re-conquest in Seville and elsewhere involved switching the east west orientation of the mosques to north-south, add a bell to the minaret and shazam! You have a church. The story is they built 26 churches in one day in Sevilla.
Muslims were called to prayer 5 time daily from the Giraldo tower…long hike, so this one has a series of 36 ramps so the mullah could ride a horse to the top. It made the climb a breeze for us and the view was well worth it. The climb made us really hungry for the big meal of the day. Couldn’t find any of the restaurants recommended in the books, so instead followed our noses, which has worked well in the past. Mark’s bad cold didn’t help. We went into one place with only one table left and great food, but after 10-15 minutes without even a nod from the waiter 3 feet away, we decided to take our stomachs elsewhere. Two doors down Don Carlos himself invited us into his place. A great bottle of white wine washed down plates of fried calamari and boquerones (anchovies). All went well until Kathie, famished after her long climb up the tower, ate the tails and spines of Mark’s fish (taste like thin potato chips) and washed them down with an espresso.
With Mark gagging, we trekked back to our hotel by way of the Flamenco museum, signing up for a show tomorrow night. Fell into bed to sleep off lunch and for Mark to try to shake off his cold. The bad thing about 5 pm naps is waking up at 10 and needing to go out (like the dogs). Off we go to find more nightlife, which doesn’t exist for those over 30. Can’t figure it out, by those standards we are over qualified! Mark’s fever broke sometime after midnight- God bless gelato! Now, again up at 3 a.m.. Oh well, got the blog written and typed in. Waiting for pastries and Starbucks to open.
Thanks for all the emails and comments. They do help to make our day.
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