Adventures in Andalucia - Part Cuatro

It is already Saturday and we are headed for Seville - how did a week pass so quickly?

A large black silhouette appeared on the horizon - it was El Toro and he was complete! Limestone caves pock-marked the adjacent rock face. Nearby the flamingo breeding grounds attract up to 32,000 each season requiring no assistance from El Toro. Jess steered the van off Autovia 92 for morning refreshments at Benta Los Cazaones. A long table bearing an assortment of knick-knacks was being attended by a tanned Brit ex-patriot and his freckled wife.

They owned apartments for rent, but business must have been slow for the offering included the Complete Beatles Recording Sessions for only 10 euro. "That cost me 40 quid, new", said Allan through uneven white teeth surmounting gold chains. Allan was a big Buddy Holly fan and had spent thousands on his passion. I requested he reserve the book for me while we had our coffee. Wendy said "It will probably cost 15 euros by the time you return".

Finishing my fresh orange juice I headed outside to banter. "Like the 60's?" he said as an opening gambit. We discussed the merits of our music and that rubbishy rap and told me his sister had once sold a Burns Bison guitar to Hank B Marvin. I responded by informing him Hank had seen the light and now lived in WA. "Watch out for those thieves in the West End" he warned as we resumed our journey.

Entering Seville we passed the Real Betis' Stadium located on Avenue Palmeros. The buildings were built in the late 20's for the Exposicion Ibero Americana just prior to the crash of '29.  "Another example of Spanish economic incompetence" offered Shane.

We set off into Seville and as we rounded Plaza Salvadore, Catedral Seville loomed into view - the Catedral is the third largest in the world in terms of footprint and the largest in volume. Gypsies plied their trade offering sprigs of herbs to the queue as a ploy to engaging suckers into having their futures read for a yet to be determined price.

Once inside we were awed by the vaulted ceilings that reach 37 metres at the centre of the transept. We wandered through the many chapels, sacristies, alters and tombs including that of Christopher Columbus. The Catedral was built on the site of Seville's main Mosque and Minaret in 1344 and was consecrated as a cathedral in 1248. A climb up the Giralda Bell Tower finished us off.

After stopping in a shop to purchase some postcards we headed towards the Real Alcazar. The Alcazar, resident to many generations of Kings and Caliphs is Seville's answer to Granada's Alhambra. This beautiful and intriguing complex is intimately associated with the lives and loves of the extraordinary Pedro I of Castille (Pedro the Cruel).

Upon leaving the Alcazar, Shane suggested either a walk around the city's parklands or alternatively we could hire a horse-drawn coach. Eagerly we opted for the latter and were soon clip-clopping around the pebbled pavement under the direccio of Diego, our coachman. A trip took us past Seville's oval shaped bullring, the Tower of Gold and into various parks. The triumphant statue of El Cid waved us by.

....to be continued.