Seville Cathedral, Bullring, and Flamenco!

Tags

Andalusia, bullring, cathedral, Christopher Colombus, flamenco, Giralda, Seville, Spain

This morning started off warm and got warmer in Seville.  We went straight to the cathedral after missing it yesterday. 

However, on our way we stopped to buy a fan for Sherrie.

Fans laid out from which too choose

Sherrie and the kids at the fan shop

The best part of the cathedral was walking up the minaret – now bell tower – the Giralda tower.  The walk up over a thousand feet was easier because the interior is a ramp rather than steps to facilitate a horse and rider.

Sherrie and the kids going up the tower

Seville from the Giralda tower

Sergio, Lucas, and Aurelia at the top of the Giralda tower

Sherrie and the kids at the top of the Giralda tower

Isabella in the Giralda tower

The second best part if the cathedral was the grave of Christopher Colombus.

Isabella and Lucas at the grave of Christopher Colombus in the Seville cathedral

Grave of Christopher Colombus in the Seville cathedral

Cathedral rooftop and original mosque plaza below

Isabella and Lucas never miss a chance to play in the water

Lucas and Isabella in the mosque plaza in front of the original entrance

The original mosque entrance at the Seville cathedral

Giralda tower

We then had tapas for lunch which included bacon wrapped shrimp, which were wonderful.  After that we stopped in a nearby Starbucks, of which they are many, for frappuccino and cookies.

Lucas, Isabella, and Aurelia enjoying cookies in Starbucks

We then decided to go to the bullring since that would be cool and take a scenic route along the river and post the golden tower.

Sherrie and the kids at the golden tower. Aurelia is asleep on Sherrie's back.

Golden tower protecting the river and port of Seville

The bullring and museum were fascination and rate as one of our favourite activities – although I don’t feel I’ve read enough Hemingway to appreciate it.

The whole family at the Seville bullring

Lucas and Isabella at the bullring

The Seville bullring

Inside the bull fighting museum

The bull fighters chapel

The bull fighters alter

After leaving the bullring we were approached by someone selling flamenco tickets. Since it was on our list we decided to do it, but the show started in one hour so we had to get to the show and stopped for a slice of pizza.

The flamenco show was at the school of flamenco I’m the Barrio Santa Cruz, the historic Jewish district. This also gave us a chance to see one of the more beautiful neighbourhoods in Seville.

Buildings in Seville barrio Santa Cruz

Street in Seville barrio Santa Cruz

We also walked through the El Arenal district.

Seville El Arenal street

The flamenco show was very nice and luckily for the kids, and our sanity, only lasted one hour.  But, it was awesome with great dancing, guitar, and singing.

Seville school of flamenco

Seville school of flamenco

Seville school of flamenco

Seville school of flamenco

Spanish guitar interlude at the Seville flamenco school

We then had a late dinner and enjoyed a much cooler weather on the way back to the hotel.

A day in Seville

Tags

Alcazar, Andalusia, Columbus, Europe, Seville, Spain

We spent a hot day in Seville exploring the streets, visiting the Alcazar, and enjoying a carriage ride.

It promised to be a hot day and it delivered with temperatures over 90f/30c. But we stayed cool, drank a lot of water, and whenever possible stayed in the shade.

Since it was Sunday the cathedral was offering mass all day and not suitable fit sightseeing. Therefore, we started with the Alcazar.

Sherrie and the kids in a Seville plaza on the way to the Alcazar

Sergio, Isabella, and Lucas in a Seville plaza walking to the Alcazar

Building in Seville

The Alcazar was nice but we thought the decoration and architecture were better at the Alhambra. However, the historic events which occurred in the space are amazing.

During the height of Spanish power the Alcazar was the royal palace and where Amerigo Vespucci created the first atlas, Columbus planned his voyage and prayed in the chapel before leaving, and where the new world riches and exploration were administered. It is a significant location in world history.

Sherrie, Isabella, and Aurelia walking into the Alcazar

Isabella and Lucas in the chapel where Columbus prayed and planned in front of the famous painting marking the first European images of native Americans as well as the best portrait of Columbus

Sherrie and kids in the Alcazar hunting courtyard

Sergio, Lucas, and Isabella in the Alcazar hunting courtyard

Dolls' patio in the Alcazar

Alcazar ambassador room

Alcazar doorway

Alcazar courtyard

Isabella and Lucas resting in the Alcazar

Leaving the Alcazar after a few hours we were on the hunt for some fans. However, a hard sell by a horse coach convinced us – albeit with a little bartering. It was a great 45 minute ride through the best sights in Seville, a great thing on a hot day.

Isabella on the coach

Isabella, Lucas, and Aurelia in the coach

Sergio, Isabella, Lucas, and Aurelia in the coach after the ride

Lucas, Aurelia, and Isabella looking at the horses

Aurelia examining the horses and coaches

After the coach ride we went on the hunt for fans. All the kids got a fan and Lucas fit a new hat.

The kids with their fans and Lucas with his new hat

Aurelia on the way to ice cream

We them had ice cream followed by pizza for dinner. The best order of things in my opinion 🙂

Aurelia, Lucas, and Aurelia enjoying ice cream in Seville

During dinner Lucas kept saying “hola” to everyone who passed by hoping for a reaction. Isabella, meanwhile, was keeping watch down the sidewalk and announcing “more customers” to Lucas when people were approaching. It was funny and almost everyone was smiling and laughing.

It was a nice day full of adventure. Seville is filled with friendly people and an interesting amalgamation of architecture spanning a 1000 years and multiple cultures.

Seville cathedral belltower, a converted minaret

La Playa en Marbella

Tags

Andalusia, beach, Europe, Marbella, Seville, Spain

Today we left Granada and headed to Seville with an afternoon stop at the beach at Marbella. Of course, the chance to spend an afternoon swimming in the Mediterranean was too good to pass up.

The kids woke up nice and early this morning giving us a good start to the day. Have I mentioned that it’s been over a year since we’ve used an alarm clock 🙂

It took a little over 90 minutes to reach Marbella which took us through some beautiful countryside.

Thousands of olive groves

Sergio driving to Marbella

Olive groves and mountains

Once at Marbella we found the first accessible beach with parking and nearby restaurants for lunch. As we didn’t bring a beach towel to save space we paid an exorbitant price for one, not knowing they were included in chair rentals – oh well.

We also had lunch at a beach side restaurant that charged 1.90 euros per piece of bread – I did my best to argue with their highway robbery in Spanish but failed. In case anyone I’d wondering what that looks like, it is Sergio gesturing wildly with much eye rolling followed by uttering loudly of broken high school Spanish phrases. In their defence the swordfish was very good.

Sherrie and Isabella at lunch

We then hired a couple of beach chairs and ordered some drinks – more highway robbery occurred at the bar. The chairs, at 30 euros for two, were worth it.

The kids and even the adults then spent the next four hours playing in the surf, swimming, building sand castles, and relaxing. Sherrie even saw a ray!

Sherrie, Lucas, and Isabella relaxing

Aurelia playing in the sand

Sherrie relaxing

Lucas and Bella playing in the surf

The beach

Lucas, Isabella, and Aurelia (behind Lucas) building a sand castle

Aurelia and Isabella playing in the surf

Lucas and Aurelia playing in the surf

Lucas getting sand from the ocean for the sand castle

The kids playing with an elephant statue on the way to the car

We then drove the two hours to Seville where we promptly got lost searching for the hotel and ordered room service which included the best burger Sergio has had in over a year.

Tomorrow, Seville!