Sevilla

Wednesday 26th June
The early bus from Faro leaves at 8:20 but that wasn't a problem for us, we were in plenty of time to have breakfast at a cafe across the street from the terminus. The 4 hour journey initially followed the marshy coast of the Algarve dotted with townships of blazing white walls and terracotta tiles. Should we worry when our driver is in control of this huge vehicle, all the passengers and a mobile phone in each hand? Perhaps it would have been better to sit further back and be oblivious. Storks were taking every opportunity provided by man-made structures to build nests, as we had seen at this time in Turkey last year.

After we crossed the river and moved inland through Spain our highway was bordered by mile after mile of colourful blooming Oleander and many of the fields were ablaze with sunflowers and golden hay being cut and dried. 

While we had onboard wifi we learnt that Julia Gillard has lost a leadership ballot and Kevin will be sworn in again. Guess they had to do something to stop the mutiny.

We arrived in Seville about midday, like most big cities the bus terminus is not necessarily in the prettiest end of town; picture Spencer Street Stn in Melbourne in the 80's. We took a taxi to our apartment in Santa Cruz, the old Jewish Quarter. As we drove by an interesting garden we were pleasantly surprised when the taxi turned in. In the 1200's this area was full of noble houses and palaces because Seville was the most important Jewish community in Spain, after Toledo. When the Jews were expelled in the 1400's Santa Cruz was left in ruins until the 1800's when it was decided to re-urbanize it. The cobbled streets here are narrow and connect into plazas, once again a labyrinth of lanes rather than laid out in a grid. Our taxi had to drop us short and indicate for us to walk the final leg to Murillo Apartments. Thank goodness we are still only carrying hand luggage and a couple of bottles of Porto Port, though at least it is flat, no steps here as in Lisbon. We are very pleased to be staying in this most interesting area and look forward to exploring. As we cannot check-in yet we dropped said bags and headed out into the old town for a bite of lunch and a wine or two in the shade.

With map in hand we found our way to Plaza Virgen de Ios Reyes surrounded by the magnificent Gothic Seville Cathedral, Girelda (bell tower), Archbishop's Palace and Encarnation Convent. It was stunning. The cathedral is surely the biggest I have ever been in (apparently the 3rd largest in the Christian world) and the views from the tower well worth the climb of just under 100m.

The site of the cathedral was once the main city mosque built in the 1100's and the tower is what remains of the ancient minaret from that building. The upper copper spheres were destroyed in an earthquake during the 1300's and replaced with the bells and a weathervane in the 1500's. That also explains why the climb up the bell tower follows a square pattern, every other bell tower I have climbed has been up a spiral staircase. In Islam the cube represents the earth and the dome is the starry heavens.

Reading local information afterwards on the terrace, we realised the tomb Eric saw was that of Christopher Columbus. He was actually an Italian wool weaver who ran off to sea and was shipwrecked off Portugal. He married a Portuguese captain's daughter then convinced the Spanish monarchs to finance his bold scheme to trade with the East by sailing West. He never did get it quite right, having found the Bahamas and trading with them, all the time thinking it was Asia, but he did open up Europe to the new world.





Thursday 27th June

We began today with a self guided walk through the Aldcazar, the royal palace whose upper quarters are still used today by the current royals when they are in town. It was initially built by the Moors for their governors in the 10th century, then extensively renovated in the 14th by moorish tradesmen but for the Christian king, Pedro I. He transformed the rather austere site by hiring tradesmen from Granada, trying to recreate the romance of that city's Alhambra for his new mistress.

The halls and courtyards are beautifully decorated in distinctive Islamic style but with a mix of Christian elements while the gardens are lush and shady. It was amazing to stand in the Admiral's Room and realise that this is where Columbus recounted his travels to Queen Isabel, Magellan planned his around the world cruise and the map makers came up with names for the new discoveries.

The gardens are full of cool fountains and hot tourists. There are intimate geometric zones, grottos, pavilions and lawned expanses with shady trees. We walked along the elevated walkway and found the underground cistern where rainwater was collected and where Pedo's mistress could bathe. A dip would be nice in this reflective pool but it is time for lunch and Eric has a hankering for Paella. He noticed a restaurant offering paella on the way to the palace, with tables skirting the shaded sides of a small plaza and he made up his mind to return. Fortunately by lunchtime they had also turned on the mist.

We are just so impressed with the interesting architecture and beauty of this old quarter of the city, everywhere we look we are astonished and feel the need to take another picture.

Our afternoon wandering took us up the Avenida de la Constitucion, a grand boulevard named to celebrate democracy after the death of the dictator Franco in 1975. Time to buy a recipe book apparently. We found Plaza Nueva with its statue of King Ferdinand III who liberated Seville from the Moors in the 13th century and was later sainted. That led us along a few of the other better shopping malls and we ended up with parcels on our arms.

Heading for home we walked via the Plaza de Toros and discovered that we had the opportunity to watch a bull fight tonight! How fortunate, but not for me. It is the one thing about the Spanish culture I cannot condone, this cruel spectacle.

We followed the Guadalquivir River to the Torre del Oro (Gold Tower), the starting and end point for all shipping to the new world. A large chain used to be draped across the river to protect the harbour here which silted up long ago.




















Friday 28th June

We are up early again to take the train to El Pedroso in the Sierra Norte Nature Park. Our plan is to either walk a 10 km trail or cycle the 20 km rail trail, whichever looks best when we get there. Arriving at the station we discover we have missed the only morning train at 9:30 by about 5 mins, the next one doesn't leave until after 2pm. Instead we had a coffee (as you do in Spain) and considered our options for the day, we'll do the Sierra Norte tomorrow instead. Not to waste the walk here to the station we purchased our AVE (fast train) tickets to Madrid for Sunday and then found the metro. This took us back into Santa Cruz, close to where we had found bikes for hire. Seville is very bike-friendly with designated bike lanes and a public bike sharing-program. We couldn't understand the instructions so instead hired them for a half day from a shop. Our journey on wheels took us across the river to Parquet de Los Principes. (Princes Park) then back to the river which we followed for quite a few kms.

There were a number of rowers in training on the water and some lovely bridges. 


Staying on bike paths all the way we circled the whole heritage city centre in about 2 and a half hours. By that time my seat was very uncomfortable so we returned the bikes and had lunch. Now I know what I want to do in Sierra Norte tomorrow and it is not bike riding.



After the essential siesta back in the air-con for a few hours we ventured out for a stroll to people-watch, as everyone else does, it is a Spanish custom. The lively paseo takes place before dinner each evening, when everyone is out strolling, being 'part of the scene' so to speak. I tried shoe shopping but it was Eric who came home with new shoes. We finished up at El Rincon Bar, next door to our apartments, for dinner. We had to dine here at least once as it shares the same name as the restaurant we ate at many times in Barbastro, when we were staying in Juseu in 2011.

Saturday 29th June
The Sierra Norte Nature Park lies within the Sierra Morena Mountain Range where the countryside is predominantly woodland or large pastures of oak and cork oak trees, the source of all those wine bottle stoppers. 

These trees shelter species threatened by extinction such as the rare Iberian lynx, black stork and the imperial eagle but we were happy to find black vulture, azure winged magpie and wild boar. There are a number of towns within the park, some with Roman and Arab remains and a number of rivers which are tributaries of the Gualdalquivir River that we rode beside yesterday. 













Our train dropped us at El Pedroso and we headed straight for the tourist information for a more detailed map. We found it closed, for some years by the look of it. So we checked the train timetable in the station, the only train returning to Seville today passes through at 6:55, oh my we are in for a long day! Obviously the articles I have read about this park rely on visitors having a car. Still, we are here now (for the next 8 hours) so time to walk. With help from a local restaurant owner with very little English we found the sign to signal the start of the walk. Of course it was all in Spanish but we could recognise the name; Arroyo de las Canas. That was the last sign we found for 10 kms other than little posts with white arrows.

This is a tree stripped of its cork. It looks like ringbarking but doesn't damage the tree which can live to 120+ years and can be harvested between 9 and 12 times.

The walk took us along country roads, through the oak forests and occasional herds of cattle, sheep and goats. We found one herd of sheep being minded by a St Bernard dog as the only shepherd.

These pigs knew how to keep cool.

Harvested cork

Black Vulture. We saw many other small birds but could not identify them without our binocs.

Azure winged magpie




















It was a very pleasant and interesting walk and by the time we got back to El Pedroso we were weary and hungry.Thank goodness not everything was shut up for siesta. We ate a huge lunch at the same restaurant where we had got help earlier. It was like returning to family. They put the tv on for us so we could watch the Dutch motoGP and we didn't have the heart to tell them we would rather watch Wimbledon. Guess with Nadal out already there is no interest here.

After lunch we tried a walk around town.


















It was so hot and the white-walled buildings created an uncomfortable glare. We were the only things moving, everyone else had the good sense to be indoors. I felt like ants crawling across a white car bonnet, no idea where to get relief from the sun.

It was my choice to return to the railway station. 
















I was prone on the benches for the next 3 hours, most uncomfortable. 

Back at the apartment we both enjoyed a cleansing shower and then Eric cooked dinner. Our last night in Seville

Sunday 30th June
We had to check out by 10am so we walked to the station and still had plenty of time to kill. The train was full so a good thing we had booked a few days ago. Our trip was uneventful, the countryside, dotted with small, white-washed villages, ranged from verdant green in full production and under irrigation to scorched golden by sunshine. Today no exception.
Arriving in Madrid we were assaulted by the heat of the afternoon sun and pleased to only have a short walk to our Chic and Basic hotel on Calle de Atocha, just down the same street where we stayed in 2011. The aim of this new chain is to offer you hotels and apartments with charm, the best location and always at very attractive prices. What more can you ask for? They are now in Madrid, Barcelona and Amsterdam. I think they will grow. We found them very clean and comfortable for a short stay. Dropping our bags we collapsed for a an hour before wandering out into the Botanic Gardens for a saunter through the shade and some birding. We saw magpies, monk parakeet and common wood pigeons among others. Then we walked slowly up the hill to Plaza Mayor with the fabulous frescoes.

This was the one bit of shade I could find in the whole plaza.

Arriving at Puetre del Sol (to see the Bear sniffing the tree statue, the emblem of Madrid) we found these street performers. I'd seen a photo of them in The Age photo gallery recently but never expected to see them in the flesh. Their performance is astonishing and it is not until I study this picture that I believe I have worked out how it is achieved.

















We saw all these wonderful facades in 2011 but I'm sure it wasn't this hot then!
There were so many people out for a stroll on a Sunday evening.

Walking back down Calle de Atocha we found a lovely restaurant and had our best meal in Spain so far; a fabulous grilled vegetable salad and baked hake which we shared. 


Our waiter is very excited about the football match between Spain and Brazil to determine the winners of the Confederation Cup tonight and as we left he insisted we share a glass of liqueur, origin unknown. Powerful stuff. The game doesn't start until after 11pm and we can't stay awake that long.


1st July
Well, it was the quietest night sleep we have had in some time. It is obvious that Brazil won the game - there was no street cheering or horn blowing during the night. One more time of packing bags, checking we've left nothing behind, got everything charged up for the journey. It has been fabulous but we are ready to go home and soak it all up, browse the photos and drink the port. While we have been away Singapore has been shrouded in smoke from out of control bushfires in Sumatra. A good time to be out of the country it seems. 

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To Lisbon and Faro

Fri 21st June

Our hosts met us as arranged in the morning to check-out, then we walked the short distance to the metro and caught connections to the station where our train left for Lisbon with plenty of time to spare. Our trip was just under 3 hours with wifi in each carriage. How good is that? We crossed the Duoro for the last time and had a very pleasant journey to Lisboa. Then the fun began. It wasn't difficult finding the metro and sorting the different lines and directions but when we walked out onto the street at Martin Moniz we were baffled by the streets, many which end in steps. Lugging our bags along the busy pavements and up and down steps with frustration mounting was not a good way to end the trip. Perhaps a taxi would have been a better idea. We eventually found our way to Rua João do Outeiro 55, Lisboa and climbed upstairs to level 2 (more steps). Our bedroom is on level 3. The apartment is in a quarter known as Mouraria, right by Baixa, the heart of the old centre of town. Baixa was destroyed in the earthquake of 1755 and when the Marquis of the time rebuilt it, he laid out all the streets in a grid pattern so it is very easy to navigate. On the other hand, Mouraria is still as it was in medieval times, so a minefield to navigate

.

Looking out our back window.

The building dates back to the1690’s – which makes it very old even for Lisbon standards. The apartment was done-up in 2010 so has all the mod cons and a great shower but quite small. It is definitely only a one person kitchen and bathroom. There is really only one place to sit too, so not as good as our last stop but we won't be indoors that much. I'm sure the weather will improve.

Eric beside a Fado monument near Martin Moniz MRT
























Once we were settled-in we ventured back out to the Praca de Figueira to meet the 2 other couples we last saw at Paris airport, they have all spent the day in Sintra. Many of the streets in the neighbourhood are decorated in hand-made paper lanterns and streamers as if for street parties.
By now the 2 other couples (Deb and Michael, Heather and Michael) are old hands at finding their way around Lisbon so have lots to share over dinner accompanied by green wine (dry white made from immature grapes) and finished with pear liqueur.

After dinner we followed the crowds to the riverfront where the boats were all lit up. On the cue of a flare they all blew their fog horns. Not sure yet of the significance but everyone cheered before dispersing. Walking home we found many street parties, everyone out celebrating with loud music and food. Being a Friday night the party is not going to quieten down for these two weary travellers so we went to sleep in our loft to the beat of party revellers. It wasn't necessarily Fado style but a mix of world music I guess, including some pop and rock. Every now and again I would know a tune but my brain was too tired to recognise it, the words being sung in Portuguese. The next morning the streets are still decorated but the rubbish is mounting. We find Lisbon quite dirty compared to Porto.

Googling for information it seems that, being the birthplace of St. Anthony, Lisbon celebrates the saint’s birth during June with a Sardine Festival. In the historical centre the street entertainment ranges from theatre to all genres of music, to circus acts and mime. We have missed the main parade where associations from the city’s different neighborhoods marched down Avenida da Liberdade competing with one another in flashy costumes to music. In the old districts (like Mouraria) the streets are alive at night with lanterns, music, and crowds. In these parties Arraiais) the people of Lisbon go to dance and eat sardines all month long.

Saturday 22nd June

The sky is blue and the sun is glorious this morning. We got a load of washing done before joining the others in an organised walk from Praca do Comercio for an overview of the main city sites. We really enjoyed Pedro's explanation of the history and development of the city and some of the quirky snippets he included. Some of the landmarks we visited included Baixa – the new city built after the earthquake, Praça da Figueira – Lisbon’s traditional market square, Rossio – the heart of Downtown, Santa Justa Iron Lift viewpoint – 360º view over the Downtown district, Largo do Carmo – the setting for the democratic revolution of 1974, Carmo ruins – the only Gothic monument of the city, Bairro Alto – the lively bohemian district and Graça Viewpoint – a stunning overview of the city and the 25th of April bridge which we arrived at after a ride on tram 28.

Statue at Praca do Comercio (Commerce Sq.) just being unveiled after restoration

Pedro sharing his local insights with us.

Fun statues in a Braixa Square on our way to the No. 28 tram.

After lunch we left the others to visit the São Jorge Castle. We found it pleasantly shady to wander around while providing fabulous views of Lisbon (including Mouraria). The entrance to the São Jorge Castle is around 600 metres from our doorstep but it is oh, so steep to decend. I am starting to get my bearings now, thanks to the morning walk.

While we were wandering around the castle we came across these students and their teachers dressed in period costume for their excursion.

At about 6pm the neighbourhood was just coming alive with music and fiesta activities and feeling refreshed after a late afternoon siesta, we followed the music to Martim Moniz Square where we caught the end of a samba set which was followed by a very popular regional brass band. The others joined us and we moved on to a restaurant just near the Largo do Carmo for our last meal together. They move on to Evora tomorrow while we still have a few more days here.

Sunday 23rd June

Woke to a sore throat and knees, need a day's rest but there is too much to see and do

We caught the yellow bus tour to Belem. The trip took us through some of the more modern areas of the city and then along the Rio Tejo (Tagus River) towards the mouth where Belem lies. We visited the Museu da Marinha which is appropriately housed in the Jeronimos Monastery since the church funded and supported the maritime exploits. The museum contains many models of 15th to 18th century sailing ships, celebrating the glory of Portuguese discovery and domination in the Age of Discovery when Europeans were searching for new trade routes via the oceans which had them explore Africa, the Americas, Asia and Oceania. It was interesting to learn about the treaty, drawn up to prevent conflict between the two most successful explorers, Portugal and Spain. When it was signed it divided the world into two regions of exploration, where each had exclusive rights to claim newly discovered lands, no matter who actually discovered it.

No trip to historic Belem is complete without visiting Antiga Confeitaria de Belem, a traditional cafe renowned for its custard tart recipe. If you can drag your eyes away from the array of pastries on display you can also admire the tiled walls of the interior.

The drive home took us along the Tagus River and passed the 25th April Bridge. It was originally named after dictator Salazar, but its name was changed after the revolution of April 25, 1974 when the fascists were defeated. Over 3 kms long, it is often compared to San Fransisco's Golden Gate Bridge which it resembles in both structure and colour.

Near the far end of the bridge is an imposing monument to Christ inspired by the famous statue in Rio de Janeiro. It was built in 1959 in thanks to God for having spared Portugal during WWII when they remained neutral.

Mon 24th June

We had a pretty lazy start to the day and then caught the train to gorgeous Sintra, reputed to be the single most beautiful town in all of Portugal. The train only takes about 45 mins from Lisboa and we spent the entire day wandering about in its quaint streets, beautiful cool gardens and visiting two major attractions; Castelo Mouros and Palácio Nacional de Pena. There are 2 other palaces here as well but you can only do so much in one day! The Moorish Castle is thought to have been constructed in the eighth or ninth century at the height of the Moorish occupation. The castle walls wind their way up the mountain to the summit, merging with the jagged rocks that line the steep gradients. The views extend right across the forested hills to the Atlantic so a very strategic place to build such a fortress. We could see Lisbon's 25th April Bridge from here. We also had fabulous views looking towards the Pena Palace.

The Pena Palace, coloured sand and pastel colours, is said to be one of the world’s best examples of Romantic architecture from the nineteenth century. Perched high on Sintra Mountain overlooking the town, its onion shaped domes and tall clock tower are one of Portugal's best known images. It is a protected national monument, both a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the official Seven Wonders of Portugal. It now also rates as my favourite palace; opulent no doubt but charming rather than audacious. The gardens cover a huge expanse but they are mostly pockets woven into the natural, shady forest.

Our last night in Lisboa. Although we are both very tired we ventured back down to Largo de São Domingos, a colourful Square with a colourful past for dinner. Depending on your faith, the church on the square is either blessed or cursed having survived fires and earthquakes. The square is also the site of a bloody massacre of Jews in the 1500's when they were accused of being heretics as well as responsible for the drought. It may have had more to do with the fact that they were the financiers of the day though. These days the African community clusters in the area because this church has had a black priest. We had fish for dinner, it is the traditional dish after all. Locals certainly love the salted cod, but I find it too salty. We resisted the offer of a glass of ginginha, a local syrupy cherry brandy liqueur as a nightcap. Tonight the music is definitely of African origin.

Tuesday 25th June

After tidying up and packing we were in plenty of time to catch the train to Faro from Oriente Station. The journey took us across the 25th April Bridge and on through townships, olive groves and orchards of citrus and fig. We didn't see any cherry trees but they must be around somewhere as the shops are all selling them. Three and a half hours later and at the end of the line, we were in Faro on the Algarve, Portugal's sunniest spot with the finest beaches and weather on the continent according to the brochures. True, the weather is glorious. Haven't found the beaches yet, perhaps they are further out of town. Faro is the provincial capital and not a resort town like the other centres. We booked our onward bus tickets to Seville for tomorrow morning and then spent the afternoon wandering by the marina to the old walled town with its quiet, cobbled streets and buildings that date back to the 16th century. Offshore there are many islands and islets. The region also includes a lagoon and nature reserve which are significant migratory birding sites. It reminds us a lot of the Camargue region in Southern France.

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