Seville scenes

I gave myself the task of choosing 25 photos to represent Seville. It was hard to choose because it's so vibrant and fascinating. Here's what I came up with. 

Sugary treats are available in fancy stores like this

Everyone has cell phones, and lots have scooters

Tile work on an old store front

Visiting the market is an everyday event

Never did find out what this religious parade was about.

The tourist scene by the Cathedral with horse and carriage

Sevillianos love to get dressed up.

Tiled murals are all over the place.

The Sunday flea market

Cafe scene in Triana

An alleyway bar on Sunday afternoon

Children playing as dusk falls

Moorish details on a downtown building

An evening bar with families

Gathering at the Metropol Parasol

Man out for a stroll with his dog.

A 15th C church from the top of the Parasol

Typical narrow street with no cars or parking

Beautiful details on this building...

And this one.

Children play in a pool at the Alcazar

This church is 400 years old, reminds me of Mexican churches.

Flower seller on a pedestrian street

Door detail in the Santa Cruz barrio

Typical tapa bar, this one with mounted heads of bulls.

These photos are taken with the iPad since my camera seems to be unable to download photos to my computer any more. It's a bit more cumbersome than the camera but I've managed to get some nice ones and the lens is not too bad.

Tomorrow is our last day here and we will be sad to leave. We figure we could easily spend a couple months exploring Sevilla--but we would choose to come at a time when it's a bit cooler. Maybe in November or March or April when it's in the 20s rather than the 30s during the day.

Live and learn - and learn and learn

So we're sitting in the police station in the centre of town waiting to file a report about the theft of my wallet from my bag. It happened yesterday and I think it was likely at the Alcazar, where I was so fixated on taking pictures that I failed to zip up my bag at times.  I didn't notice that the wallet was missing until we got home from dinner last night. Sadly I had my drivers licence and both my credit cards in it, as well as about 60 euros. Happily Harry has his credit card and the bank card so we can continue to pay for things. I have cancelled the credit cards but we want to report the theft in case my drivers licence turns up.

We walked up to the Alameda de Hercules this morning and finally found the police station. We've been here about 45 minutes waiting to make the report on a special telephone to an English-speaking person. The room has been occupied by an Asian couple the whole time. Meanwhile several other people have come through to have their reports processed in Spanish. We asked if we could try to make the report in Spanish but apparently this is the protocol. Besides even if we were able to explain it is very unlikely that we would be able to understand the response. The Andalusian Spanish here sounds completely different from what we hear in Mexico.  And it's delivered very very fast.

Just now the door opened and the Asian couple came out so we enter the room with the telephone.


Later.
After making the report on the phone to a very fluent fellow I was directed back to waiting room to be called I to receive and sign for a copy of the denunciation report. That's the Spanish word for it. It's a very formal procedure involving many stamps and signatures.

I don't really have any expectations of having anything returned to me but just in case something turns up like my drivers licence or the lovely red wallet that my sister gave me before our first trip to Europe I will be happy. Meanwhile we've tightened up our security strategy and we carry on. I did know it was stupid to carry both credit cards together but just didn't pay enough attention. Live and learn--and learn and learn!


On a brighter note, I've been taking some photos of the people here in Seville. Despite the petty theft, it's a wonderful city, full of happy families enjoying life in its many plazas. The weather here has been very hot--up to 34 degrees C in the afternoons--and it seems the people disappear in the middle of the day into air conditioned restaurants or their homes for a siesta. But around about 6:00 pm they begin to wander into the streets with the kids and the grandparents.

The paseo goes on for quite a while. Parents drink a beer or a coffee while the kids play in the plaza.  Probably that would be frowned upon in Victoria but it works here in Seville.

In the evenings and on Sundays kids zoom around on scooters or draw pictures on the slate tiles in the plazas. Family life appears to be very important here in Spain. Dads spend Sundays with their children. Even the policemen at the station appeared to be family guys. The men are warm and gentle and seem very fond of their children. Spanish culture is really very appealing. People are invariably polite, offering us seats on public transit and smiling at us when we speak to them in Spanish. Travel here is really very easy and pleasant.

El Alcazar de Sevilla

Our guidebook introduces Seville's Alcazar with these words: If heaven really does exist, then let's hope it looks a little bit the like the inside of Seville's Alcazar. I'm inclined to agree. It is a heavenly place.

We lined up before it opened so we could get there before the heat of the day. Of course a lot of other people had the same idea, since it's a UNESCO heritage site and maybe the top place to visit in this city.

But although we were worried that it would be mob scene once we got inside, the Alcazar is so enormous that the crowds dispersed and we were able to wander around and feel its incredible beauty and tranquility.

Built primarily in the 1300s its a mix of many cultures. Parts of it are fortress-like, parts Moorish, and parts Christian kings and queens. Somehow it all hangs together to create a sense of light and peace.

Water is a big part of the Moorish structures, as you can see in these photos.

Then there's the incredibly intricate decoration to every surface through plaster, inlaid wood and tile. And the arches which are positioned so you can look through them to views beyond.

We marvelled at the detail and the fact that they allow people to walk around and touch some of the walls and tiles and sit on the benches. You can see that some of the plaster work is eroded or under repair whereas other parts are still vibrantly painted. 

And the tile work is exquisite. Some are pressed and glazed like those on the left. But the tiles on the right are individually placed to create the pattern.

Then there were the gardens. Walking though these acres of gardens with arches and palms and hedges and small buildings and pools was a heavenly experience. The gardens are in many different styles and there were lots of places to sit in the shade and watch the rest of the visitors take photos of each other.

I'll leave you with one last image of this beautiful place. If you're ever in Seville make sure to visit.

Voting day in Catalonia

These flags can be seen hanging off of balconies in some parts of Seville. This is the Catalan flag showing support for the separatist movement in northeastern Spain, centred on Barcelona. Catalonia is voting today on a referendum to separate from Spain.

Yesterday we saw a number of people walking around wearing flags like this fellow. It's a controversial referendum because Spain has declared it an illegal vote. But people in Catalonia are determined to make their voices heard. Voting stations are set up in schools and colleges and people are advised to use passive resistance if the vote is not allowed. Long lineups formed at polling stations overnight and this morning things are unfolding. 

Here's what the Guardian says about the vote: 

Spain is bracing itself for an unprecedented challenge to its territorial unity as the Catalan regional government stages an independence referendum that has been suspended by the country’s constitutional court and dealt a series of devastating blows by the central government in Madrid. The Catalan government has predicted that 60% of Catalonia’s 5.3 million eligible voters are heading to the polls in defiance of the Spanish government and constitutional court, which have declared the vote illegal.

After a tumultuous 10 days in which Catalan government officials have been arrested, referendum websites blocked and millions of ballot papers seized, the Spanish government said it was confident it had dismantled the electoral apparatus.

This morning we are watching on TV as the Spanish police, the Guardia de Seville, in riot gear are going into the schools and taking away the voting boxes. Police have been ordered not to use force but to stop the vote from happening. People are gathering, holding their votes in their hand and pushing the police back. Things are very tense in Barcelona. Apparently the police have shut down the internet there. It's a difficult time for the country, although from reactions here in Seville this morning you wouldn't know it.

If you want more information on what's at issue, read about it in this article fromThe Guardian. Catalonia Independence Referendum

Later:  During the afternoon we saw reports that over 400 people were injured in clashes with the police in Barcelona. Last night we went out to get a bite to eat and as soon as we opened the door we heard the noise of a large crowd. When we turned the corner we saw this gathering of hundreds of people on the steps of the Metropole Parasol, waving Catalan flags and chanting and singing. Obviously people in Seville are upset at what happened in Barcelona this afternoon. This is not going to be easily glossed over by the Spanish government.