Bullfighting, tapas, flamenco and the guitar all began in the Andalucia region of Spain. This is the southern most part of the country and quintessential Espana. We arrived in Seville, the capitol of the region around noon on Friday after a three hour, high-speed train ride from Madrid. Heather had found a great hostel (in an MTV travel guide) in Bario de Santa Cruz in the heart of the old city that wasn’t far from the cathedral, La Giralda, and the Alacazar, all the sights you simply must see when you are in this city. We spent the afternoon walking around and after a brief siesta, we did some more sightseeing then hit the tapas bars for dinner. If you would like to check out Seville, click here:
http://www.red2000.com/spain/sevilla/index.html
You can’t visit this part of the country without seeing flamenco. According to Wikipedia, “Flamenco is a Spanish term that refers both to a musical genre, known for its intricate rapid passages, and a dance genre characterized by its audible footwork. The origins of the term are unclear. Flamenco embodies a complex musical and cultural tradition. Although considered part of the culture of Spain in general, flamenco actually originates from one region: Andalucia.” As you might imagine, there are a lot of places for tourists catch a performance but Heather has a friend, Okado, who studied in Seville for five months and he gave us the address of a club called “La Carboneria” which was the place to see the real thing. We had the address but finding it was another matter. We wound through the tiny streets and walkways for what seemed forever trying to read the street signs and figure out where we wer on the map. The club didn’t have a sign out front so you really had to know what you were looking for and we didn’t. Finally, we arrived at a nondescript, red door with the number 18 above it and said “this must be the place”…it was. Inside there was a huge crowd waiting for the next performance. We grabbed a couple of cervesas and sat down just in time for a big, heavy set woman dressed in a purple dress to take to the stage along with a guitar player and singer. A hush grew over the crowd…the guitar player began with a strong, powerful melody…then they began clapping…then the singer began almost shouting the lyrics and finally the woman stood and danced. She was fierce. She stomped and clapped and swirled…it was mesmerizing. This was a woman with issues and obviously a few scores to settle. She looked like she could dive into the audience and wipe out the first two rows in an effort to right passed wrongs. It was terrific. Remind me never to cross a flamenco dancer. Heather took a great shot which is posted above and for a little more on flamenco, check here: http://www.andalucia.com/flamenco/
Saturday, we took in the major attractions of Seville beginning with the Cathedral of Seville and La Giralda. The cathedral is the 3rd largest in Europe behind St. Peter’s in Rome and the Cathedral of London. From the outside it looks fairly large but you really don’t get an idea of the size and grandeur of the place until you enter. It is absolutely magnificent. Inside you’ll find the tomb of Christopher Columbus that dates back to 1902. In 1899, bones were brought back from the Caribbean that were thought to be that of the explorer and placed in the tomb. The Dominican Republic, however, also claims to have the Chris’s bones buried beneath a monument in Santa Domingo. They did a DNA test in 2003 and found that the cathedral bones match that of Christopher’s brother, Diego, who is also buried in Seville so they are the official remains. Since the bones were moved several times over the years, however, it’s possible that both locations may have part of the explorer. Fitting since, throughout his life, he had a least one foot in the new world. Here is an interesting interactive site that will give you some good shots of the cathedral, as well as a map of the city,
http://www.sevillaonline.es/english/seville-city-centre/cathedral.htm
Attached to the cathedral is the bell tower, La Giralda. At 320 feet tall, it was the tallest building in the world at one point. It was built in stages with the first part, (the Islamic section) being started in 1184. They built ramps, not stairs to the top so men could ride horses up the tower to ring the bells. The view is the best in the city. Here is some more on the tower: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/spain/seville-giralda.htm
After a little lunch, it was on to the Alcazar also known as the Royal Palace of Seville. The structure began as a Moorish fort and became the eventual home of monarchs including King Ferdinand and Isabella, known as the Catholic Monarchs. It was here that Christopher Columbus pitched his idea for a trip to the Indies going to the West from the Iberian Penninsula…”Look I know you may think the world is flat and all but I’ve got this great idea for a new way to the Indies”. He was obviously a great salesman. You can check out the Alcazar right here:
http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/spain/seville/alcazar/alcazarindex.html
Later in the day, we rented bicycles, rode along the river and toured the rest if the city and early Sunday morning we took a sleepy bus ride to Granada. Check back Wednesday for tour of the ancient palace made famous by Washington Irving, Alhambra, then it's back to Madrid and back home.
Hasta la vista!
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