Spain 12/7

We slept in this morning - big time. We had thought that we would either take a bus or hire a car and go to have a look at the town of El Rocio, a "white village" that looks like a wild west town. When we got to the tourist information office we found that we were really too late to take a bus and the car hire was just too much - money and effort. So we went off and had something to eat for breakfast and decided to visit the Real Alcazares, a palace that is really three palaces in one, with very extensive gardens around them. We got our first bus in Spain and on our arrival at the Alcazar we were approached, nay accosted, by Maria Teresa who realised that we are english speaking and told us that she was about to start the last tour for the day with english commentary - well, we were sold. We joined the others, who included a man who used to live in Carnegie, and off we went. Maria Teresa has been a guide around Seville for 26 years, and knows her stuff. We were treated, and I mean treated, to some wonderful commentary from her about the palaces which are an Arab palace extended by various caliphs, then extended further by the Christian kings in the 14th century, capped off by Carlos V in the 16th century who seems to have made some rather arrogant extensions to celebrate his wedding. Maria T seems to disapprove of most of his work, lovely though it is, as it showed little respect for the previous artisans and incumbents. We also got a history of Seville - as a liberal minded town tolerating all peoples and all religions right up to Isabella, the first queen, who added the title Catholic to her nomenclature. Isabella was an intolerant woman who single handedly destroyed the freedoms of the inhabitants of Seville - for Seville read Spain - imposing Catholicism on everyone and getting rid of the rest. According to Maria Teresa Spain was not liberated for another 500 years with the end of Franco's reign. Now thanks to Juan Carlos Spain is at last free again. The palace was extraordinary, and extraordinarily beautiful. The preservation is quite remarkable as one of the signigicant problems is rising damp. Seville is barely above sea level and is earmarked for drowning if the seas continue to rise with global warming. Maria Teresa pointed out to us some preservation work on murals that is destroyed again within the last five years. The last decade has been a time of extensive restoration of the palace, and includes the opening up of the Arabian baths below the palace and the exposure of courtyards that were covered by Carlos V with white marble brought in especially for his wedding day. That must have been some wedding as he went to a lot of trouble to show off what he could afford and command. As Maria Teresa left us to our own wanderings in the grounds we headed off for lunch and then the gardens. The gardens are also a collection of various gardens - those closest to the palace buildings are the Arabian gardens and then there are extended French labyrinthine gardens, a garden installed by Carlos V with a summer house, English gardens from the turn of the century and a maze - and more.... We spent pretty well all day there, and decided to get the bus home again. That turned out to be a very good decision. We got the same numbered bus we had in the morning as it does a circuit of the city and travels in only one direction. The trip took us across the river and through the suburbs on that side and then we headed towards a very extensive technology and science park with streets names like Calle de Thomas Alba Edison, Calle de Leonardo da Vinci, Marie Curie, etc etc. At one point the driver got out to check the notice on the back of the bus stop wall - which we took to be a map of a diversion for some reason. Off we went again through nore of the technology park, and at one point realised that the young passenger at the front was giving the driver some instructions. Interesting indeed. The next thing we knew the driver stopped in an area that had extensive construction work going on and was deep in conversation through the window with a security guard. We went a few feet further, stopped again, and you didn't need any spanish to interpret the sign we could see through the window. The road was closed at this point. A second security guard arrived in a car and more conversation ensued - they were obviously talking about backing the bus up and turning it round somehow. Did I mention yet (I don't think so) that we are on an articulated bus - the sort that has a sort of concertina section in the middle? Worse than backing a trailer I should think. Back we went and then around a tight corner giving us a clear demonstration of how efficiently the bus turns - one side squeezed up tight and the other extended as far as it can go. Neat. Oh, I forgot to say that while the driver was getting in and out to discuss various points with various people he seemed to be a bit hot under the collar, banging and crashing in and out of his enclosed driver space and at one point having great difficulty getting his door open to get out of the bus to see what was going on with traffic behind him. We of course are completely unconcerned about any of this and nor are the other handful of passengers. We just found it comic and a bit of an adventure. The security man with the car pilots the driver out of the construction zone and when he is out of the way the driver revs up the engine and takes off making up for lost time. We are soon down to three passengers, a young woman who is on her phone and the two of us - all towards the rear of the bus. When the bus pulls up at some stage behind another bus the driver tries his door again, but he is locked in. Rob rushes to help him and the driver sends Rob off to the bus in front. Rob goes to try and get the other driver to help the first. Meanwhile our driver starts frantically making signals which I interpret as we should all get off the bus so I tap the young woman on the shoulder and in my best English suggest that to her. She looks bewildered but realises that something is up when I am pointing to the driver. So I gather up Rob's bag and join him on the other bus with the young woman in tow and we abandon the driver to his fate. We see him heading off as fast as he can now that we are out of his hair and hope that he manages to get help from someone at some stage. We cannot stop laughing at it all. We fortunately do not miss our stop and head off to pack up our bags before dinner as we have an early train to catch. It is hot of course walking a few blocks so luckily we pass a cerveceria and stop for a beer. Packed and ready we decide to go and get a quick bite somewhere. Monday is a day when lots of places, including our now favoured local bar, are closed. We walk to the corner - three doors - and immediately decide we have arrived at just the right place for a meal. What we didn't know until later is that caracoles (snails) are THE speciality of this restaurant and people come from all over Seville to get them there. Never mind, we did discover another treat - montaditos. These are a small soft bread roll served toasted with various fillings - rob had vegetal (potatoes, tomato, etc) and I had chorizo picante. Along with a tapa plate of gambas - prawns. The montaditos are so good that I order another chorizo one and one with queso cabales. I am not sure what that is but it isnt manchego cheese so I hope it has a bit more flavour. It is blue cheese and delicious. Along with the drinks we are served some beans to have with it. We are not sure what they are, but they taste all right so if you recognise them let me know - I think they are chufas, or earth almonds, from which the local drink "horchata" is made. So the end of another great day, and a train trip at the crack of dawn to take us to Granada.