Savoring Seville

Saturday, May 2

We were on line at the Alcazar when it opened this morning and were delighted to be able to buy tickets at the greatly reduced rate for retirees, or as they are known in Spanish, jubilados.  To us, the similarity to the English, “jubilant", could not be more apt!

Though it looks like Moorish fortress, the Alcazar is actually a palace built after the Muslims lost Seville, by a Christian king in the Moorish style.  In fact, it still functions as a royal palace, the oldest one in Europe.

There are three distinct sections to the Alcazar, the central one constructed by King Pedro in the 14th century.  All the elements of Moorish design -- tiles, topped by filigreed stucco, calligraphy, courtyards, fountains and ornately carved cedar ceilings and doors -- are here, though modified with some distinctly European additions.  A 16th century wing, developed by Isabella to administer the affairs of the New World, is topped by the apartments used by the reigning royal family.  The walls of the Gothic wing are covered with ceramic tiles and ENORMOUS tapestries depicting military victories and maps.  The "backyard" of the Alcazar is a series of beautiful gardens, pools, fountains, paths, mazes, galleries and arcades -- just lovely.

After leaving the Alcazar, we tried to get a little off the beaten path and beyond monumental Seville.  We walked through the streets of the Barrio Santa Cruz, the city's original Jewish quarter, where some of the streets are so narrow that they're called "kissing lanes", where the buildings on each side almost touch each other.

We walked along some of the back streets and shopping areas en route to the Macarena district, where we stopped in the Basilica to see the ornately robed and bejeweled Weeping Madonna, complete with crystal teardrops!

These wanderings took us far from the old center of the city, so we headed back along the tree-shaded riverfront.  Eventually, we came to the bridge over to the Triana district, where we stopped in the covered market halls, which provided a delightfully cool respite from the afternoon heat.  We continued along busy Av. San Jacinto and picked a spot in a quiet side street for our lunch, and a good choice it was!  The cafe specialized in fresh tuna and we had two versions, each of which were just delicious -- as were our umbrella-shaded table and the cold beers on this warm afternoon.

Rejuvenated, we walked along the Triana side of the river, crossed back to the old center of town and our bus back to the apartment.

Our time in Seville has been wonderful, and the city seems made for strolling, exploring, enjoying, and lingering.  It is blessed with many gracious public spaces, shaded by huge trees (including the biggest magnolias ever), and "decorated" with flowers; purple jacaranda, masses of lantana, roses, geraniums, and bougainvillea of all colors trained to reach for the sky.  The terrain is flat, so the walking is easy, and bicycling even easier.  A good portion of the sidewalks is demarcated for bike traffic, and it has priority over pedestrians; there are even crosswalks indicating where walkers can cross bike lanes! 

Seville has been easy to love, and it will be hard to leave tomorrow, as we head to Lisbon, and a much cooler forecast.  We'll meet you there!