Plaza de España
“Sevilla doesn’t have ambiance, it is ambiance.” – James Michener.
I found this quote in my Rick Steves’ guidebook to Spain. Of course, Sevilla is on one of my lists I always make for my travels. My eight-month Spain list is long, but Sevilla is an easy city to check off. It is just two hours from me. I took the bus to meet up with another auxiliar and her German friends. We were lucky to be able to stay at their apartment (two of the Germans are studying abroad there.) Our conversations were a mixture of German, English and Spanish, and somehow we were all able to understand each other.
I followed Rick Steves’ advice and traveled around to the various sites in Sevilla. I saw the highlights including Alcázar, a tremendous Moorish palace built in the 10th century and revamped in the 14th century. The king and queen of Spain still stay there when the visit Sevilla. The gardens are unmatched. I could have easily spent an entire afternoon strolling through the lush scene.
Gardens of Alcázar
Entrance into “The Courtyard of the Maidens”
And the weather couldn’t have been more beautiful. The only thing that would have made it more perfect would have been a picnic lunch and company. Although the peacocks could have stolen the lunch from me:
There were many peacocks throughout the garden.
I saw the Cathedral and the Giralda Bell Tour from the outside. I have yet to venture inside and explore the world’s largest Gothic Church. I’m not worried. My mom is flying into Sevilla in March and I know she will want to see it. It is really not to be missed. There was a wedding inside, and I later saw the couple get their photos taken in the gardens of Alcázar.
We spent some time shopping (I feel lucky to venture in ANY store after living in Jerez which lacks major stores). We took an evening stroll through Barrio Santa Cruz, stopping for tapas and sangria when we felt like it. The neighborhood comes alive at night. People spill into the streets, standing around outdoor tables with beers, wine and tapas.
It is good to know how easy it is to get to Sevilla, and how wonderful it is to spend any amount of time there. It is a city I know I will return to again throughout my time here.