Seville, southern Spain

Our days in Spain were coming to a close. I knew I would miss the quaint white washed houses squeezed within the narrow cobblestoned streets. I would miss the incredible view from our rooftop terrace looking across the Andalucian mountains filled with endless olive groves.......but it was time to move on. We decided to leave our small casa and visit the classic city of Seville on our way back to France traveling another route north. Instead of driving a direct line up through Spain and through Madrid we decided to head west and see Portugal. This was an exciting prospect as we intended to enter Portugal from the very bottom of the country and drive up through its guts and exit at the top back into Spain before heading in France and the Bordeaux region!Seville was less than 2 hours from our quaint Olvera and we headed off at the crack of dawn to make the most of the day. From the moment we found our B&B, (another quaint courtyard style building owned by the same family for decades), we were in love with this classic city. Seville offers the most interesting centre with its stunning cathedral, one of the largest in the world and from the outside looks like some sort of magical high-rise from another planet. Within the great walls of the cathedral lies the tomb of Christopher Columbus. I was surprised to read that many countrie often fought to have his body but in the end he was Spanish and he now finally rests at "home". The royal palace is across the square and again, a gob smacking building with a strong Moorish influence. The Spanish royal family still live there and occupy the top floor. We wandered around the labyrinth of rooms with jaw dropping decor and ended our tour strolling through the gardens filled with fountains, mazes, beautifully paved pathways and gazebos. The city centre of Seville is pure class. The locals are dressed beautifully. We mingled amongst them, often stopping for a coffee or a juice.Seville bullring arena was another traditional "must", full of history with its museum of famous toreadors and their costumes! We took the guided tour through its ancient corridors and history. My friend Philly found all the walking a strain on her back so we lashed out and took a horse and buggy ride through the streets. An amazing stop was the Plaza de America, a long semi circle building depicting each province in Spain. Decorated with intricate tile work - a canal with small row boats and architecture that draws the crowds, this Plaza is situated next to the Maria Luisa Park. I met a lovely couple and together we took photos of us all in a "Flamenco stance".

At the moment my dear friends I am unable to complete this post. Blogger has upgraded its "face" and for some reason I cannot upload the rest of my Seville photos selected for this post. As you can imagine this is frustrating so I will post it as it stands now and hopefully add the new photos asap. I will however, add that Seville is a stunning city and highly recommend it for any travel plans you may have in the future for Spain!!