How Do You Solve A Problem Like Sevilla?

You don't.  Because Sevilla is not a problem.  In fact, Sevilla is MFSCITW -- My Favorite Small City In The World.

Editor: A population of nearly 700,000 means it's not a small city.  Writer: Well, it sure feels like one, and it's my favorite non-large city in the world.  I've been calling MFSCITW for a long time, and will continue to do.

Sevilla is special.  Sure, Cordoba is cool, and Granada is grand, but of the three main cities of Andalusia, Sevilla is the best.  And I'd make the case that Andalusia is the best region of a country in the entire world.

Editor: Why is it "Sevilla" in Spanish and "Seville" in English, when the spelling of the two versions are so close?  Writer: Don't ask questions I don't know the answer to, okay?

Have I mentioned Sevilla is magical?  On our first trip to Spain in 2001 (with the girls in tow), we instantly fell in love with Sevilla.  And it remains an amazing, wonderful place to be.  Anyhow, let me stop waxing profusely about Sevilla, and get to our walk.  (I will also shift to the English language "Seville" to avoid confusion for my readers.)  

Anyhow, after getting into Seville with a minimum of fuss and parking at public parking garage near the apartment, we got settled in.  Our three night stay was to be the longest in any one city, and Seville is definitely worth staying at least three nights, if not more (Torie did her semester abroad in Seville back in 2018!).

We decided, since it was late afternoon, to do the Rick Steves' Barrio Santa Cruz Walk, which is the oldest neighborhood of the city.  Its a tangle of small streets, picturesque plazas, and UNESCO World Heritage sites.

We started right next to the Cathedral of Seville (more about that in future posts), including the famed Giralda bell tower, which is one part Roman, one part Moorish, and one part Renaissance Christian.  In the Plaza de la Virgen de los Reyes, we took in the Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace, a statue of Pope John II, classic Sevillian architecture, a row of orange trees, a tiled plaque of the Virgin of the Kings (we're not Catholic, so we're not as into Mary as the Spanish are), and more.

From there, we wandered instantly into the Plaza del Triunfo (the two plazas are connected) where the Cathedral, the Alcazar, and the Archivo General de Indias all are.  The "Plaza of Triumph" is named for yet another statue of the Virgin Mary, and there is also a another pillar of the Immaculate Conception than includes a honor to Seville's favorite hometown painter, Bartolome Murillo.

Then after modest confusion on my part (Editor: Evergreen phrase for Glen: "modest confusion."  Writer: Tough but fair), we went into the Patio de Banderas, which means "flags" not just "famed actor."  It's part of the Royal Alcazar, which remains the royal family's residence when in Seville.  This part is open to the public without tickets, was a military parade ground, and the barracks surrounding it was home to the king's bodyguards.

You don't want to eat the oranges here or off any tree in Seville, as they are bitter and used for vitamins, cat food, perfume, and orange marmalade.  I'm a fan of oranges, but have never figured the point of orange marmalade, other than it is another food from the British Empire that's not edible (vegemite says hi!).

We left the plaza via the Juderia arch (into the Jewish Quarter) walking over the original herringbone brickwork.  The gate we walked past was locked each evening, first to protect the Jews of Seville (they were bankers, merchants, tax collectors) before the pogroms and the expelling of the all Jews in 1492 (a lot happened in  Spain that year -- the Reconquista captured the last Muslim-run area, Granada, Jews were forced to convert to Christianity or leave, and Columbus received the financial backing from the Catholic monarchs).

We walked along the narrow lane of Calle Agua.  We heard the peacock before we saw it, perched on a wall dating back to Moorish times (Seville was reconquered in 1248, so it's an OLD wall).  There are beautiful patios chock full of flowers and glazed tiles in the Andalusian way (see photo post below this one).

We then saw two pipe ends built into the wall.  They are 12th century Moorish pipes that carried fresh water to the Alcazar, and bequeathed its name to the street -- Agua.  

Plaza de Santa Cruz was the next stop, a pleasant square with orange trees and a nice garden in the middle.  A synagogue once stood where the garden is today, before being demolished in the pogrom of 1391.  The Christian church that replaced it was demolished by Napoleon's troops.

Going up Calle Santa Teresa, we saw the millstones built into the walls.  Wealthy millers liked to show off their success.  There also a Roman column from Italica (a Roman city just outside of Seville -- well worth visiting!)

We then passed Murillo's mansion from the final years of his life, where he was still painting.  There's also the Monasterio de San Jose del Carmen, founded by Saint Teresa of Avila (an jaw-droppingly beautiful walled small city just 77 miles from Madrid, north of Toledo).

We finished at two plazas, Plaza de los Venerables, which inspired many operas based in Seville, and Plaza de Dona Elvira, which inspired the Oak Ridge Boys famed 1981's pop country hit, "Elvira."

Editor: For some reason, I don't trust you on that.  Writer: That's probably wise of you.