Seville

The main reason for staying at the La Aldea campsite is that it is only a one hour drive from Seville, which we wanted to visit. We also decided that today (Saturday), may be a better day in order to avoid the weekday traffic queues we had experienced on the way here. The day didn’t start brilliantly as it was very foggy during the drive to get there, although it eventually got better.

We then had my own impromptu drive, or ‘personal tour’ as I prefer to call it, around the city (twice), into the old town, not very interesting, & certainly not a good idea in a 4X4!!

Obviously during this time TomTom Janet was trying to decide which way to hold the map up & whether to put her reading glasses on. In the meantime I was trying to dodge the manic Spanish driver’s who thought I was fair game & hadn't a clue where I was going, (they got that bit right)!

Eventually and after several discussions on the merits of a quickie divorce we found a parking space, had a quick coffee & a much needed relief stop & headed for what we hoped was the direction of the city.

Now, the next bit took me a long time to research so read on – well a few minutes on Google actually!!

In the 1920's, while they were redirecting the Gudalquivir river and building the new port and factories, the Sevillenos decided to put on an exposition. In a tremendous burst of energy, they turned the entire southern end of the city into an expanse of gardens and grand boulevards. (By luck this is where we parked & eventually started our day in Seville).

The centre of it is Parque de Maria Luisa, a half mile of palms and orange trees, elms and Mediterranean pines, covered with flower beds and dotted with hidden bowers, ponds and pavilions. (Obviously not at its best in March). The park is designed in a mix of 1920's Art Deco and mock 'Mudejar',  (the name given to individual Moors or Muslims of
Al-Andalus who remained in Christian territory after the Reconquistay – clever or what?) .

Scattered about and round the edge are more buildings from the 1929 fair, some of them surprisingly opulent, built in the last months before the Wall Street crash undercut the scheme's impetus.

Towards the end of the park, the grandest mansions from the fair have been adapted as museums. The farthest contains the city's archaeology collections. The main exhibits are Roman mosaics and artefacts from nearby Italica, along with a unique Phoenician statuette of Astarte-Tanit, the virgin goddess once worshipped throughout the Mediterranean.

The Plaza de Espania fronts onto a semicircular canal and a plaza, with the Museo Militar being the main focal point. This is Seville's military museum which explores Spain's military history from the 15th century to present day.

I expect my Masters Degree in the post after this!!

We then wondered into Seville for more cultural touring before lunch & then crepes later. (before you say it, I know a picture of a tram is not cultral!)