Ole Sublime Sevilla!

I just totally fell in love with Sevilla as it was one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. It really caught me by surprise. I expected it to be nice, but it was so enchanting, sophisticated, alive and original that I was just in awe. I am so glad that we will be back for Holy Week/Semana Santa!

It has a very different flavor than other places in Spain that I have been to, yet was still very Spanish. Perhaps it was the warm colors, or aristocratic architecture from its rich history, feel of a small town or the orange trees every where that helped to capture my heart. I am not sure what it was exactly, but I was smitten from the first moment I put my foot on the ground and my eyes and senses had a feast taking it all in. It is Sevilla in Spain & Seville in English, so I interchange.

We got lost a little finding the hotel and then finding the Cathedral and Alcazar, which was hard on our elders feet, but allowed us to explore some interesting nooks of the city. We also took the obligatory carriage ride at dusk and saw some highlights of the city that way.

Our first evening out we took a taxi to the Triana area (the fisherman’s quarter)  across the river and got to experience some of Seville at night. Our second night we sauntered to the tapa bars and small Flamenco show, thru all the twisty turns and narrow passage ways of the old Arab and Jewish quarters of Santa Cruz.

I had been warned that much of the city was dug up due to the major construction of putting in a new metro system and how that would impact us. We did see a lot of that coming in, but it really was no problem in our tour or visit. Coming into the city was much easier than we had anticipated.

I think it is intriguing that four major operas are set in Seville, but not really surprising after experiencing this city. There is something very romantic and folkloric about it and now I see why so many young people like to spend a semester here studying Spanish. I am sure they learn as much from this city as they do from their classes. I look forward to getting to know it better and could even imagine living there.