A minor cash flow problems means a trip to the bank first to
stock up with pesetas, then, having paid the hotel bill (for
parking) we're on the road to Seville, opting for the pretty
route with some nice views.
The first attempt at sightseeing was Medina Azahara, but the time
we've allowed ourselves and having to pay for parking as well as
entry means we take a picture from the road and move on to
"The Hermitage" for a panoramic view to Cordoba. That,
at least, was the plan but the route to the hermitage was less
than clear - we appeared to be driving down this long road for
miles before we decided it was the wrong road and turned back to
travel down another long road for miles.
It got to the point of reversing up a drive to turn round, when
we decided to check our position with the GPS. The reading we got
suggested that our destination was just a couple more kilometres
further on - we trust the high tech navigation equipment and
continue on to find the hermitage a couple of kilometres further
on!
Had the atmosphere not been so hazy, we would have picked out
Cordoba without any problem. As it was, the GPS gave us the
bearing and a view through the binoculars revealed the bell tower
of the Mezquita.
The Hermitage itself was a quiet very peaceful place. There were
a number of two roomed houses for the hermits and the general
ambience was very pleasant.
No time to rest, though, we have to be on our way and lunch
beckons. The village of Almodovar is the chosen spot - it has a
picturesque castle perched on the hill top. [Our guidebook
describes the place as "One of Andalucia's most dramatic
silhouettes breaking the skyline as the traveller
approaches"]
We dine, but being lunch time, aka siesta time, the castle is
closed, but the town square and castle make a nice picture.
Next stop Palma del Rio, the home town of bullfighter "El
Cordobes" - An 18th Century Baroque church, Inglesia de la
Asuncion, sits in a small park and surrounded by remains of the
12th Century walls around the town.
It is mid afternoon local time and the temperature is about 35C -
we are pretty warm as we walk around the town walls and watch the
storks nesting in the church tower, then it is time to drive in
the general direction of Seville.
Anticipating no time to stock up with refreshments and other
provisions we pick a town at random to find a supermarket - The
random town was easy to find but the supermarket therein was not.
The town was Cantillana, and everyone was still on their siesta.
Eventually (18.00) we found somewhere suitable to buy food. The
town was pleasant enough to walk round, too.
So it was, suitably stocked up, we made the final leg to Seville.
Of the hotels we have stayed at so far, the hotel in Seville,
Hotel Regina, promised to be the easiest to find, it was north of
the city, next to the river. Suspicions were aroused as we drove
down a road that wasn't named what we though it should be, though
that isn't unusual in Andalucia we have found, there was no sign
of the river and the city gradually worked its way round from
ahead to being off to the right to not getting a mention. Time to
stop and ask directions, and as usual I select a Spanish only
speaking person and between us (and another passer by) we are
unable to pinpoint ourselves on the map - it turns out later it
is probably because the place we have chosen to stop and ask is a
new road and not on our map!
We set off again and turn right, based on general location of the
city it seemed the way to go and it was - we encountered a big
road, a sign to somewhere we could relate to on the map and
eventually found ourselves at signs pointing to our hotel down
the usual set of one way streets that is Andalucia.
The room is particularly nice. It is on two floors, the lower is
the "lounge" and the upper, via a spiral staircase, is
the bedroom and bathroom. We overlook an attractive patio in the
centre of the hotel - one of several scattered about the place.
If all that wasn't nice enough, the air conditioning works.
Having settled in and eaten, we pop out for a walk. Seville has a
lot of dogs, and I didn't have to see them to know that. Around
the streets one has to tread carefully.
We left the hotel at about 9.00 as Croatia and France kicked off
in the World Cup semi-final, and we got back not long after the
second half started having completed a mini-circular tour around
the area to get our bearings, passing the "pillars of
Hercules" in our round trip. The "Alameda de
Hercules" had several shady characters around, and around
the restaurant area at the southern end there seemed to be
several "ladies" hanging around the streets. Our guide
book describes this boulevard as one of Seville's seedier areas.
Back to the hotel for an early night after the long day of
sightseeing in the heat - the best laid plans..... - France and
Croatia are drawing and it goes to extra time (and sudden death),
then it goes to penalties, then it gets to be later than I
wanted. I also didn't get want I wanted out of the football -
Croatia lost.
Go to Day 7
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Author: val_and_andrew@hotmail.com
Copyright © 1998 Andrew J White