Orange Trees and More

At the bullfighting rink
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What can I say about Seville except that I loved it very much and it is surely on my short list of cities where I would love to live one day! I will try to explain in this short blog why Seville holds such a special spot in my heart and where its charm lies! Enjoy!

As soon as you arrive in Seville, you cant help but notice one very special thing about this town.....orange trees! They are everywhere, lining every single street and every square and every park! If you a little peckish when you are wandering along the lovely streets of Seville, just reach up and sustenance can be found in a big squishy orange! While it seemed a little strange to us at first, we soon realised just how lovely these trees look lining every street....it felt a little bit like Alice in Wonderland with bright oranges instead of roses painted red! A fairy tale town almost...

If you a little peckish, just reach up and sustenance can be found in a big squishy orange!

Linda just loving Seville.....and this Chai Tea
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The second thing we noticed was that the city is contrasted between big wide streets with wide pedestrian friendly sidewalks lined with sunny cafes; and lovely narrow cobblestoned alleys with balconies covered with flower pots! Such a pleasure just to wander the enchanting streets.

And ofcourse, there is the beautiful river that cuts the city in half, creating such a picturesque setting for this pretty little city!

Then of course, there is the sights! We checked out the massive cathedral in gothic style, got a tour around one of the oldest bullfighting rink in Spain (very interesting but a little sad) and wandered over to the enormous and majestic Plaza de Espagna, which was in a perfect semi-circle with big fountains in the middle.....very impressive!

More horses
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And then there is the Jewish Quarter, which is where Mike and I spent our first afternoon strolling through the very narrow winding streets with white washed houses and endless little shops. Such a pleasure just to wander this enchanting part of the town. When we finally found our way out, it was dark and we had a lovely view of the cathedral all lit up, so we sat down for a plate of tapas...a Spanish "must"!

The next day we hopped off to see Granada and then came back for another afternoon to explore Seville. Having seen the Alhambra, we werent expecting too much from Seville's much smaller Alcazar, a muslim fortress from the 10th century! But our doubts were quashed when we entered the fortress and were blown away by its spectactular gardens and the amazing mish mash of styles within the palace (a result of centuries of redecorating) We couldnt believe how big it was either....it felt like we had entered one of J K Rowling's tents!

The incredible semi circled plaza Espagna
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After the Alcazar it was time for lunch in one of Sevilles many parks surrounded by beautiful architecture and just the wonderful small town vibe that the city exhibits despite being the third largest city in Spain! And then it was time to say goodbye to the lovely Seville, its wide open terraces, its narrow cobbled alleys, its grand architecture, its beautiful plazas, its lovely wide river and ofcourse, its orange trees!