Seville, Day 2, 19 July

Today I resolved to go back to the Reale Alcazar to finish taking the photos I missed after my camera battery malfunction the day before. I reasoned if I went first thing in the morning is would be (a) cooler and (b) less busy and I was right on both accounts.

When I walked into the Patio de Leon, I found a white dove's feather, so I knew it would be a good day. Doves are everywhere in Seville (joke: What is the difference between a dove & a pigeon? A: Doves have better PR.). The day before, I saw a small cat who had caught a dove and was carrying it across the Patio de Banderas - the dove was almost as big as the cat! Anyway, I like doves and pigeons and I have always believed that when you find the feather of a bird you like, it means good things, and this was true today. When I needed someone friendly to be nearby so I could have my photo taken, there was someone there. When I didn't want anyone else in the photo, there was no one to disrupt my view.

I spent another 2 hours at the Alcazar and still didn't manage to see all of it. Truly a massive space.

After a brief cool down - have I mentioned it was about 44 C every day??? (That's close to 100+ F) - so I took a fair number of those cool down periods - I walked down to the river, the Rio Guadalquivir to catch the bus for the city tour. it lasted about 1.5 hours. Sadly, it spent more time then I thought necessary at the site of the 1992 world expo, which has not been well maintained. When I completed that tour, I went on a short tour of the Plaza de Toros - the bullfighting ring and museum. the short tour was interesting and thankfully, out of the sun. The Plaza de Toros is very famous in Spain, mostly for its acoustics. I always pictured a bull fight to be a loud, noisy affair, but apparently this is not the case. They are generally quiet, and in the Plaza de Toros, you can hear the bull snort and the swish of the matador's cape. There was also a museum under the ring which concentrates on the history of the fight, and that was quite interesting too.

I hadn't eaten much during the day & the ever helpful hotel staff recommended tapas at a nearby place that actually served large portions, Habanares Colonanies. Good tapas, large portions, happy staff. Then I wandered around the Barrio Santa Cruz area towards Santa Teresa.

Seville on a Saturday night is a vibrant place! People out in the evening, enjoying the cooler air and each other's company. All the little bars and restaurants packed. Young men dressed up in costumes busking on the streets and smiling and laughing. People enjoying life. This is what I enjoy about Seville - the simple pleasures of living.