Seville : Day 5…

Today we went on a little walk. Well, a long walk actually. A walk through a desolate, discarded and drab concrete wasteland. Filled by a walk past a gloriously colourful and vibrant parade.

The wasteland was the site of the Sevilla Expo 92. A huge area, now all but abandoned. Derelict fun fairs, weed-filled parks, dry fountains, and architectural follies. We walked for miles without seeing a single person. The train station is a ghost station. Automated announcements still call out to echoing stairwells and empty platforms.

Sad that the vast spaces once filled will noise and bustle now resemble a post-apocalyptic wilderness. There were a few splashes of colour though. Some flowering plants had run wild amongst all the concrete.

We then walked back into town and stumbled across a fantastically noisy parade. It was a riot of colour. It had taken over the streets. It was some sort of South American celebration; Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru were all represented. Dominica, Columbia, Chile too. The list went on. Colourful traditional dress, rapturous music and frantic dancing. It was fab.

And I danced with a person in a big fluffy polar bear outfit. The way you do.

We then had some tapas in a local corner and headed back home for a belated siesta.

In fact the siesta turned into a quiet night in. We decided to stop in and watch some films together. The week’s energetic itinerary having rather caught up with us. And we are not as young as we once were! Well, I’m not.

But you know what they say. Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think.

Seville : Day 4…

Another eventful day out for Andy, Tim and I. First we took the train to Jerez (pronounced ‘sherry’ to you and me) and then on to Cadiz. The former was lush, the later moist.

Having now been to Jerez we now know that that’s where all sherry comes from. It’s a protected designation of origin tipple. So if it ain’t from Jerez (or surrounding town) it ain’t sherry.

That said, not everyone likes sherry of course. It’s that sweet thing that women drink, right? Well, yes and no. Sherry can be dry, sweet, aromatic, and much in between. It’s a fortified wine. But still a wine. Much dismissed as an old ladies snifter or something you put in trifles. But after our tour, we beg to differ. We sampled all sorts of sherries. And it turns out you can drink it as you would any wine, on its own or with just about any food.

And after the Lustau sherry tour we experienced I’d challenge anyone to not be a fan. Isobella was a great guide and the sherries we sampled were superb.

Not that we bought any at the shop at the end if tour mind you. Stuart would have killed me.

After Jerez we headed further towards the coast to the beautiful city of Cadiz. After a false start at the university to found ourselves in the port city. Sadly it was raining gatos and perros though so we headed to a beer hall to sit it out before heading to a fast food place to stock up on carbs.

Then we ran for a fun two hour train trip back home to Seville.

Once home, we decided to venture out to experience some of Seville’s night life. The bars and the streets were positively jumping. Crowds of good looking folks all chatting, laughing, smoking, and boozing. Wow, what a buzz!

We happen upon a gay bar that was having its opening night event called Pride B4r. No, I didn’t understand the ‘4’ either. €8 to get in but that gets you two beers.

The place was compact with a small stage (drag appeared later) and soon started to fill up. By 1am it was packed. Mainly men, mainly bearded, mainly good-looking. We got chatting to some of the locals who all seemed really friendly. One rather handsome guy was doing his best to chat me up. I was flattered of course and rather amused. Not been chatted up in years! Tim and Andy looked on in fits of giggles. Bless him I had to let him down easy in my broken Spanish. “Yo tengo novio”, seemed to do the trick. But full marks for trying though. “Next time you’re in London…” etc.

As we walked away from the guy Tim said to me in a stage whisper, “Still got it, Jono!”

At 2am we three moved on to another bar for more beers and a slightly less excitable clientele.

Home by 3am for toast and more giggling it had been a super day. Sherry, rain, and unexpectedly entertaining nightlife.

Seville : Day 3…

Big trip today. Huge. We three got up super early to board a train to Granada. Nearly three hours each way. But boy was it worth it.

The city of Granada, like Seville, is also in Andalusia, and is home to something quite special; The Alhambra.

The Alhambra ('The Red One') is a palace and fortress complex on a hilltop. It is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved palaces of the historic Islamic world, in addition to containing notable examples of Spanish Renaissance architecture.

We loved it. Crowded yes, but worth the hustle and bustle.

The vistas out over the landscape were amazing. The architecture inside the palace sensational. The gardens a delight.

Having had our fill of the Alhambra palace and fort up close we headed down into the town below and then up, up, up again on the other side of the valley to Saint Nicolas plaza for a fresh perspective on the place. Very Insta-friendly.

We then walked back down into the town and a found a great place to eat just by the cathedral. Menu of the day; mushroom bruschetta, sautéed chicken with olives and sun dried tomatoes, followed by Greek yoghurt with honey and walnuts and flower petals. Yum! All accompanied by beers, free tapas and free post meal baby deserts.

We then caught the last train back to Seville full and sated. An amazing day. A Granada day out. Great views and great food.

Seville : Day 2…

Fresh as daisy today I was up early and, after a lovely breakfast prepared by Andy, hit the tourist trail. The boys had given me some great tips and I mostly managed to not get lost - but met up with them throughout the day for some much needed reorientation, some tapas, and a few counterintuitively disorienting drinkies. Oh well. When in Seville.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. The drinks came later. First off I headed to the resplendent epic that is Catedral de Sevilla with its cavernous arches and stunning gold altar pieces. Christopher Columbus has his tomb there and it’s a marvel of elegance and design.

Attached to the cathedral is the massive La Giralda tower. And it’s high. Very high. But great views from the top.

Then I met the boys for a wander around the rather lovely Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija with its mosaics and history and shit. Great courtyards and all that but it didn’t impress as much as what was to come later that day.

As it was noon somewhere it was time for a pitstop so we three all went for…. Beers. Then tapas (and more beers). A Sevillian staple diet.

No, the really impressive place for mosaics and much else besides was the Royal Alcázar of Seville where I headed to post-tapas. It’s huge. It’s beautiful. It has stunning arches, fountains galore, pristine gardens, beautiful courtyards, a maze, peacocks, mosaics to die for, and all in that lovely shade of terracotta that so richly complimented the bright green of the orange trees that littered the grounds. It was fab.

Well, then it was almost cocktail hour so I met up with boys once again and we headed skyward to the roof top bar Pura Vida Terraza for a Long Island Iced Tea and a lovely sunset view over the cathedral. Gorgeous (the company, the booze and the view).

On the way back home for a sumptuous supper cooked by Tim we stopped off to have one for the road at another roof top bar The Corner House.

A tiring day. But a fab one.

 

Seville : Day 1…

“Come and stay with us in Seville”, the boys said.

“How lovely, a week away. I am a bit of a nervous flyer though so hopefully I won’t be too worse for wear when I arrive.” Oops.

Well, I did arrived safe but unsound in Seville. And yes, more than a little tired and emotional from the flight. Tim kindly collected me from the station as I was a little disoriented. And wearing my coat on my head. And in tears. Double opps.

Weirdly the next morning I discovered a lovely card in my bag from the aircrew on the flight. They had all written in it. Including the pilot. Goodness only knows what had happened on board!

Next flight, meditation not medication.

Loving Seville. Warm, friendly, pretty. And that’s just the waiters!

Where shall I go?…

Update: Good Samaritan (tick!)….

Update: the old boy that collapsed last week just knocked on our door with a nice thank you card and a posh bottle of red. He spent 3 nights in UCH and now out has tracked me down. He thinks it was a seizure. And was very grateful to me and the other neighbours who helped him. As was his partner, Tony.

This fills me with joy…

Bill and Ben Dover…

Paul’s mam bought a couple of novelty plant holders for the porch and put cacti in them. She really didn’t understand why everyone was laughing so hard.