This city... Sevilla

UPDATE: I've written an updated and expanded version of this post over on my new current site. I would love to see you there over at Travels with my Belly 

This city Sevilla is in my blood. 

The dusty sun dreamed streets of rose, vanilla, terracotta, lemon, and blue enchant my sense and soul. Sevilla is a wonderful city full of wonders. It´s a feast for all your senses. The city is awash with charm as it is sunlight. 

You might turn a corner and stumble across a secret plaza with a fountain dressed with blue ceramics giggling to itself in the quite shade. Intoxicating scents of cooking and coffee drift from across tables that sit outside along with laughter and sunlight and conversation bubbles like an unwatched pot. If you are lucky, and I was, you might sit awhile in a shady garden and listen to the passioned voice of a flamenco singer. 

The arrival 

No matter how many times I fly I can´t lose the wonder of it. The impossible dream of flight is made possible. I watch in awed wonder as the beautiful alien landscape of silver clouds drift under us. How I want to walk across those silver mountains and dance the frothy plains of white. My plane landed late so I got a taxi from the airport with a manic driver that is probably a frustrated formula one driver! He raced through the streets only stopping a few times to beep the car horn and shout "cabron!" at any car that dared to get in the way! 

My thanks to the driver for getting me to my hotel in super speedy time! He was a nice guy and we chatted a bit before I went into my hotel ( as much as possible with my very limited Spanish ) My thanks to him again for being the first person of Andulacia that I have met. My thanks because it was a warm welcome. 

I have found the people of Andulacia friendly people so far. One thing I suppose I never get used to in spain: Cafe service. Spain is the only country I know where you can wait 20 minutes to be served, eat your dinner and drink in 15 minuets, and wait another 20 minutes for them to give you the bill. I suppose I am used to a more uptight society! lol Give me time... I will get used to it! :D 

The First Day 

I wandered around the dusty sun-drenched streets of Andulacia on a very hot Andulacian day. After a few false starts, I managed to find my way around! I walked down streets with their shades balconies. I strolled along beside the green river rich with light that danced like fish. I sauntered slowly through the old Santa Cruz streets with its narrow cobbled streets and houses of rose, amber, vanilla, tangerine, strawberry, and white. And of course, during the day I sampled much tapas! 

The food here is SO good as is the coffee. It´s also really cheap. You can get a small plate of tapas that is the quality of a 5 star restaurant here for about 1 pound and 50 pence. So cheap! If you havent visited Spain and tried the food you don´t know what you are missing. If you are Spanish... you probably take it for granted and don´t know what you have! 

 The cathedral and the Geralda tower are a gothic masterpiece! I stepped into the hallowed dark of the cathedral and my lips formed a silent wow. Stained glass windows let in rainbow light into the dark high above. The cathedral boasts the third largest unsupported dome in the Christian world.

The riches with in are almost beyond words... so lucky took lots of photos! :D The tower itself winds up and up and up and up for what seems for ever until you reach the top for a breath taking view of Sevilla spread before you. 

 The Second day 

I caught the bus to the ancient ruins of Italica. Once in its proud white glory, it was the third largest city in all of the Roman empire. Now it´s bones like exposed, crumbling in the dust and the sun. I really enjoyed Italica and especially the ruins of the amphitheatre! As I walked into the arena I imagined what it must have been like for a gladiator, or slave, to stand in the sun with 20,000 Romans seated all around howling for blood. Demanding blood. Screaming for blood - your blood. 

And if you killed enough and your muscles screamed and your soul screamed the question out to the crowd: Is that enough? Is that enough blood? I wander how many pained ghosts stood with me in the sun today. The rest of Italica is spread out over a large dusty area and took me some while to walk around in the blazing heat. I was glad I had my water bottle with me! 

The streets are lined with some of the original slabs and the walls of temples and houses rise from the dirt to show you their murals and statues. Later I walked again the streets of Santa Cruz to take photos as my camera died on me. 

 Well. now I will sign off. I hope you enjoyed this taste of Sevilla. I go out into the hot night of Sevilla in search of my dinner! :D