Sevilla! Sevilla! Sevilla! With the chants of the diehard Sevilla FC fans fresh in our memories, we joined our Sevillano friend, Koke, on a train from Madrid back to his home. Though our stay was only a week to button up the month of May, it was discernible why Sevillians hold such pride for their city. Not only were we fortunate to have the home-court tour advantage of our gracious friend, Koke and his girlfriend, Candela, but our Airbnb hosts and its location were pleasantly more valuable than the listing price. A Brazilian pair working and living there, Debora and Jardel offered us amazing tips, and when either of the two were available, escorted and accompanied us to suggested markets, restaurants, museums. Debora spoiled us with her excellent English and introduced us to a few of her buddies as well, Brazilian, Argentine, Chinese, Spanish. We were situated in an excellent old quarter, between Alameda de Hercules and Mercado de Feria, ideal for strolling about the narrow cobblestone streets and losing ourselves in the deep-rooted city. We tirelessly explored in all directions by foot, delighting in the architecture of the surrounding housing, Las Setas (Metropol Parasol), Catedral de Sevilla, Real Alcázar, the Museo de Bellas Artes, tapas bars, pastry shops and cafés (note the merengue and not pictured croquetas). The structures, walls, forts, stones of centuries preceding us somehow unremittingly available to humble us, reminders of our fleeting moments there in Sevilla, in Europe, here on earth. Sevilla imparted much on us, her Roman and Moor times gone by as Hispalis and Ishbilliya respectively, present still in our time, influencing our passage. Our side trips to the nearby forgotten Roman city/ruins of Italica, where our amphitheater paddleball session was cut short by a disapproving security guard (read: we were wild but not entirely free hahaha) and the beautiful coastal Cádiz with all of their histories and charm only added to the richness of the Sevillian experience. As Sevilla functioned as a trade hub during the Golden Age, it’s difficult to argue that has changed, where cultures and nationalities gather together in a delicious city, affordable, accessible and alive, to the many people who call her home…and the visitors who call her a city to return to. TIPS: AirBnB continues to impress and entertain us. Sevilla gets hot. We were lucky to time our visit right before spring became summer. The weather in late May was perfect. Walk a lot (if you can and time permits). We use our trips as an opportunity to force ourselves to be fit (if not in order to make room for/excuse food grazing). Walking gives you time to learn a place. Even in massive cities like Madrid and Barcelona, we focused on walking. Tapas bars vary in price and offerings. The effort that sometimes is required to find that perfect one is well worth it. That said, check out Lola Por Dios (Address: 44, Feria, 40) Music on video by Astra Heights - Never Meant to Be https://imperativarecords.bandcamp.com/album/danger-for-beginners
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Rebecca y Bernard"Let me see you, let me hear your voice, For your voice is sweet, and you are lovely." Categories |