Spain, Day 2 - Seville's cathedral and the Plaza de España

Quick update, then bed.

We got a very late start today (Wednesday) -- I think Vicky and Mom got up around 10, while Dad and I slept in until noon. We had breakfast (toast and jam) at one and left the apartment shortly thereafter, heading toward the cathedral. The Seville city cathedral is the third largest cathedral in Europe (maybe in the world, who knows!) -- only St. Paul's in London and St. Peter's in Rome are bigger. It is built on the footprint of a former mosque, though the mosque itself was razed and the cathedral is mostly Gothic style with bits of Baroque decoration thrown in later as they gradually finished it over the centuries. The Courtyard of the Oranges is still the original construction, though -- it was a place for ritual cleaning before entering the mosque -- and the bell tower is the minaret, just with a new top added.

Interestingly, the bell tower (or Giralda) is nearly handicapped accessible -- instead of stairs, it has ramps almost all the way up. Only the very last flight to the bell-bestrewn walkway and viewing area has actual steps. The cathedral also contains the tomb of Christopher Columbus, and a chapterhouse chapel thing that has the most gorgeous acoustics I've heard in a long time -- it would be wonderful to practice singing there; any wrong note would practically jump out and stab you in the ear, the echoes are that crisp and clear.

After leaving the cathedral we had cake in a cafe, followed by a walk to the Plaza de España. (The walk was punctuated by an interlude trapped in a bar on account of rain, during which I discovered that Spanish Pepsi is made with real sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup, which I think is unfair. I want proper sugar in my unhealthy drinks in the USA too!) Anyway, the Plaza de España was, I think, built for a World Fair or some similar exhibition, after which Seville didn't know what to do with the thing, and resorted to installing some government offices there. We then went out for dinner -- tapas at a bar Vicky likes -- by way of walking past the Torre del Oro, the University, the bullfighting ring, and a big Christmas market set up in a couple plazas near the cathedral. All very interesting, though often a bit damp!

Dinner was, of course, delicious. :-)

Then we returned home for dessert and several games of hearts, which is a game that works best with four people and which we all therefore get little chance to play. Mom crushed us all, very efficiently. *wry*

And now we are off to bed, as tomorrow we plan a day trip to Córdoba -- where it will, we hope, not be raining. :-)

Spain, Day 3 - wherein Liz's family inadvertently destroys an innocent car en route to Córdoba

Today has been an ADVENTURE. Capital letters most definitely deserved.

So, first we decided to go out for breakfast. Then we had to go back to Vicky's apartment because she forgot her phone. Then once we got the car out of the garage, we had to drive back yet again because Dad had forgotten both the guidebooks and the papers for the car. So we were nearly two hours late leaving on our planned day trip to Córdoba. But we got onto the highway, and thought our troubles were over.

Oh no.

As we were nearing Córdoba, we stopped to get gas for the car. We figured out which side of the car the tank was on, and continued on our merry way. Just as we had exited the highway and were getting into the city proper, following signs for the historic district...

The car stalled.

It wouldn't start again, no matter what Mom tried. (She drives, Dad navigates; it's a good partnership.)

It turned out, upon looking in the manual, that the car took diesel fuel. We had filled it with regular gasoline.

Ooops.

Fortunately, Vicky speaks Spanish and after she and Dad trekked to a nearby gas station and determined that they couldn't help us, she called the emergency help line in the car papers (and wasn't it good that we'd gone back for them?) and got us a tow truck to take the old car away, plus a taxi to take us to the local Alamo/National/Atesa office where we were able to rent a new car. Which also takes diesel fuel... but this time we KNOW that, and will not screw up again.

In a silver lining of sorts, it turns out that the new car is easier to drive than the previous one. *wry*

Anyway, we proceded onward to find parking and walk into the historic district at the center of Córdoba, whereupon we stopped for lunch, and then spent an hour or so wandering around the inside of the Mezquita, which was the huge and famous mosque built by the Caliphate of Córdoba (I cannot remember which dynasty they belonged to) that was later consecrated as a Christian church, and even later than that, bits of the mosque roof were knocked out and a Gothic/Baroque cathedral was inserted into the center of the vast colonnade that makes up the mosque's interior. It is architecturally bizarre, and absolutely fascinating.

We then took a brief walk out onto the old Roman bridge to see the flooded Guadalquivir river (this is apparently one of the rainiest Andalusian winters on record), and decided we had had enough adventuring for the day; we headed straight back to Sevilla. We reached the car park safely after another slight adventure in inadvertent detours (we seem to have taken one exit too soon or too late; we're not sure which), whereupon we went to a grocery store to get some supplies for Vicky and for tomorrow's breakfast.

When we reached Vicky's apartment, Dad declared he was feeling ill and needed a nap. Vicky said she was tired and ill and stressed and didn't want to go out for dinner, or to cook. So Mom and I went down the Alameda on our own and managed, rather awkwardly, to order dinner at a local restaurant Vicky recommended to us -- despite me slipping and ordering papas frites instead of papas bravas, it was tasty enough and we got through with extensive use of "por favor" and "gracias." Thank goodness for phrases of social lubrication!

Tomorrow Mom and I plan to see the Alcázar (the old Moorish and then Spanish royal castle/fortress), whether Dad is up to it or not. Vicky will be staying home to rest and start packing for her move. If Mom and I are feeling particularly adventurous, we may try to visit the Museum of fine arts as well.

I shall report on how this goes. But for now, I am off to bed. :-)