Day 5 - 7 May, 2006: Seville
Today was so much easier. We woke up around 9 or so, met in the lobby of our parador in Ceuta, and had a nice breakfast at a cafe on the main street of Ceuta. The town was, in fact, lovely, just as we suspected last night. We had to make an 11:30am ferry back to Europe, so we called a couple cabs, loaded up, and got down to the ferry terminal.
Once back on the European mainland, we found Patsy safe and sound right where we left her. Loading up this time was much simpler, since we already knew how to put the luggage puzzle back together. The drive up to Seville was very easy. We went up past Jerez de la Frontera, stopped for gas and got a quick update on the F1 European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, and got to Seville by 2:30 or so. Since we're not actually staying in Seville, but rather a small town outside called Carmona, we drove into the center of the town and found a parking spot in a public garage. Adam and Carlisle picked up the tickets for the bullfight later that evening. Fortunately, they were able to get seats in the shade. It was brutally hot.
After securing the tickets to the bullfight, we decided to do the hop-on/hop-off bus tour of the city. We're going to be here for a couple days; so we figured it would be a good way to get our bearings of the city. Got to tell ya, besides the historic part of the town that surrounds the cathedral and Alcazar, Seville really isn't that much to write home about. The bus tour wound through the site of a World Expo that looked like some sort of event occurred that forced everyone there to leave all of a sudden. It was very "Mad Max" or something.
After the bus tour, we just found a bar outside where we could people watch, have some Sangria, and hang out until the bullfight. As the time for the fight drew closer, the crowd around the bullring grew and grew. I felt like I was at the Kentucky Derby; with all the men in their linen and seersucker suits, and the women with their big hats. These are quite the social events, apparently.
The bullring was very crowded. The "seats" were barely big enough for a 10 year old to fit in, so we felt packed in there like sardines. Now, I don't really know anything about the history of bullfighting or anything, but the pageantry was incredible. The matadores in there costumes, dancing with the bull in very well choreographed steps; the horseman with his spear; the final "deathblow." It was all very impressive. Carlisle had to leave before the first bull was finished. I noticed a couple other tourists get up and leave, too.
The fight ended, and since we had a short drive to Carmona, we didn't bother to hang around afterwards. Carmona is a small town about 12 miles from Seville. As we approached the town and wound around the small streets, following the signs to our parador, we realized that we should maybe spend some time there tomorrow. By the time we got to the highest point of the town, we finally saw our parador. We were stunned. The parking lot was in the courtyard of a restored fortress; dating to the 13th century. It was unreal. The whole complex was stunning. There was a beautiful interior courtyard, a huge vaulted dining room, a lovely terrace overlooking the countryside.
We had dinner in the dining room. Part of the parador experience is the "adventurous" dishes cooked up in the restaurants. Last night, in Ceuta, I had stewed veal tail. Tonight, fish.
I think we've decided to sleep in tomorrow. We deserve it.
Once back on the European mainland, we found Patsy safe and sound right where we left her. Loading up this time was much simpler, since we already knew how to put the luggage puzzle back together. The drive up to Seville was very easy. We went up past Jerez de la Frontera, stopped for gas and got a quick update on the F1 European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, and got to Seville by 2:30 or so. Since we're not actually staying in Seville, but rather a small town outside called Carmona, we drove into the center of the town and found a parking spot in a public garage. Adam and Carlisle picked up the tickets for the bullfight later that evening. Fortunately, they were able to get seats in the shade. It was brutally hot.
After securing the tickets to the bullfight, we decided to do the hop-on/hop-off bus tour of the city. We're going to be here for a couple days; so we figured it would be a good way to get our bearings of the city. Got to tell ya, besides the historic part of the town that surrounds the cathedral and Alcazar, Seville really isn't that much to write home about. The bus tour wound through the site of a World Expo that looked like some sort of event occurred that forced everyone there to leave all of a sudden. It was very "Mad Max" or something.
After the bus tour, we just found a bar outside where we could people watch, have some Sangria, and hang out until the bullfight. As the time for the fight drew closer, the crowd around the bullring grew and grew. I felt like I was at the Kentucky Derby; with all the men in their linen and seersucker suits, and the women with their big hats. These are quite the social events, apparently.
The bullring was very crowded. The "seats" were barely big enough for a 10 year old to fit in, so we felt packed in there like sardines. Now, I don't really know anything about the history of bullfighting or anything, but the pageantry was incredible. The matadores in there costumes, dancing with the bull in very well choreographed steps; the horseman with his spear; the final "deathblow." It was all very impressive. Carlisle had to leave before the first bull was finished. I noticed a couple other tourists get up and leave, too.
The fight ended, and since we had a short drive to Carmona, we didn't bother to hang around afterwards. Carmona is a small town about 12 miles from Seville. As we approached the town and wound around the small streets, following the signs to our parador, we realized that we should maybe spend some time there tomorrow. By the time we got to the highest point of the town, we finally saw our parador. We were stunned. The parking lot was in the courtyard of a restored fortress; dating to the 13th century. It was unreal. The whole complex was stunning. There was a beautiful interior courtyard, a huge vaulted dining room, a lovely terrace overlooking the countryside.
We had dinner in the dining room. Part of the parador experience is the "adventurous" dishes cooked up in the restaurants. Last night, in Ceuta, I had stewed veal tail. Tonight, fish.
I think we've decided to sleep in tomorrow. We deserve it.
posted by Matthew Belk at 10:03 PM
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