Tags
Andalucia, Andalusia, Archivo de Indias, Bar Europa Seville, Christopher Columbus, La Giralda, Pierre Dancart, Sevilla, Seville, Seville Cathedral, St Paul's Cathedral
Seville Cathedral. Having indeed added to my stock of nougat, I made my way mid Sunday afternoon to the Cathedral, to be confronted with a long queue. As I sat on the steps of the Archivo de Indias wondering what to do, feet sorely in need of a rest, I firmly resisted the temptation to take a pony trap ride – I felt so sorry for all those many creatures, trotting around the hot streets of Seville all day. When I eventually looked up from my guidebook, I saw that the queue had reduced in length quite considerably, so I joined it.
I had already taken these exterior pictures of parts of cathedral the previous day.
This is of a replica, placed near the entrance to the cathedral, of the bronze weathervane depicting Faith on the top of La Giralda. 
With almost no commentary, here is a selection of the photos I took inside. (Audioguides are wonderful, but you have no record of what they tell you. I do recall however that listeners, English-speaking ones anyway, are informed that this cathedral is the third largest Christian church in the world, after the Vatican and St Paul’s Cathedral, London. However, size depends on how you measure it – St Paul’s comes well down according to this list!) 
I loved the variety of marbles at the entrance to the retro choir
Tomb of Christopher Columbus
Above it, noticed by scarcely anyone, this magnificent clock
The Main Sacristy
Impossible to do justice to the oval Chapter House (above) in a photo, so here’s a video.
This grill was forged 1518-32, and protects…
The great altarpiece, the work of just one man, Pierre Dancart, who worked on it between 1482 and 1526
La Giralda, was the Moorish minaret, finished in 1198. In the 14th century, original Muslim spheres were replaced by Christian symbols, and in 1568 the renaissance belfry was added. At the end of a tiring day, I had decided not to go up it unless there was a lift, which was unlikely. However, when I found that in fact to go up meant walking up 34 slopes, not hundreds of steps, I decided to embark on them and see how I did. At each quarter turn there is a little notice telling you how many slopes you have done, so, distracting myself with mental arithmetic to tell me what proportion I had done, I did find myself at the top of the 34 – only to find there were another 17 steps. (I suppose that was the renaissance bit.) There were slopes, not steps, originally, so that horses could be ridden up. Splendid views of central and greater Seville from the top. Somewhere near the middle of this one is my hotel. 
For the evening, after a long rest, I went out seeking another tapas restaurant, one which had a reasonable number of patrons, but which was not too noisy. In fact being Sunday evening there were many fewer people around, and less choice of eating places. But I found the modest Bar Europa met all the criteria, and I had a really excellent meal. Sadly the (Italian) ice-cream bar I had identified previously was shut, so I had to forgo a dessert!
But it turned out to be the side entrance. Despite the fact that a mass was in progress, I was encouraged to walk around at the back and sides of the church by a member of the congregation standing by to greet visitors. The building proved to be anything but plain on the inside.
I went on to the Triana district, the other side of the Guadalquivir river, over the Puente (bridge) de Isabel II, looking north
Can’t resist an indoor market.
I was beginning to want a drink and a sit, and I was delighted to find a quiet square, that of the 13th century Iglesia Santa Ana, Seville’s oldest church.
Ooh, it’s the University of Seville. Open to the public, so there’s another deviation from the walk.
and was level with its chapel, when I noticed a wedding party arriving, and managed to get a photo through the grill as the bride emerged from the car.
where I sat to eat an apple, all the lunch I needed after the very full breakfast and in the great heat. Looking at my map, I realised that I was not far from the 
and serendipitous further diversion took me past – or rather into – a nougat shop where I bought a large bar of the softer version, with tropical fruits, with the thought that I might well return.
And back to my hotel, via the Plaza de San Francisco and the Ayuntamiento once more. 
Too exhausted to explore more widely, I just took tapas in the hotel’s own restaurant later on that evening.
Lots of exotic shops, but I was surprised to see these hookahs. 
I caught my first glimpse of the 
I added a trip to the top of it to my list of possible things to do, but at this point moved on. Shortly afterwards, on a main shopping street on a Friday evening, I was astonished to see this orderly queue. 
With even the British losing the habit, I thought the courtesy was extinct. But I was back there on Monday morning, and saw that the bus stop queue was even more orderly, in single file.
I’m not usually one for taking photos of my food, but how could I not when it looked as good as this? 
Tosta gratinada de gambas con alioli. You’ll can almost smell the garlic. (I did resist taking a photo of the amazing sweet…)
and this the pedestrian road (calle) in which it was located.
The next post will cover the rest of my ’90-minute’ walk.
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