A first, on our last day

On our last day I did something for the very FIRST TIME.  I was anxious and if you know me and my proneness to accidents (remember fall and scrapped knee on day 2?) you would be VERY worried for me.  We took a SEGWAY tour of Sevilla.  Me, on a Segway- can you believe it?  Turns out it was absolutely fantastic!  After my initial wibble wobbleness when getting on and understanding how it worked, I got REALLY good at it.  Our guide gave a great instruction on how it worked and was patient.  He took us around to a bunch of areas and shared some great info about the different things we stopped at.  After that we went to the cathedral.  My goodness!  Huge with things to see in every direction- including the final resting place for Columbus, numerous side altars and a high main altar behind gilded gates.  Can’t even begin to describe that one.  Amazing.  So for quite some time we listed to the audio guide, wandered around, tried to capture some of the beauty and prayed along the way (and gave thanks for no more injuries on the Segway tour!) After that we meandered back to the hotel to cool off and rest the feet.  They were sore!  (We did take breaks and got off the Segway a few times during the 2 hour tour but my feet ached so much.  I think they were just extra tense because you use them to go forward, backward and to stop.  Then add touring a huge church-forget about it.  Feet: done). Then we headed with some people from the group to a flamenco dance.  Man, is that something to watch.  The clapping, stomping, snapping, arms, hands, using their expressions, gestures and scarves to tell the story.  Something you have to see if you’re here!  Then we ended the night eating tapas, which seemed fitting.  Much to Julie’s chagrin there was an open church on a new route back to the hotel (just a brief stop).  THAT seems like a more fitting way to end this trip.  Adios, Esapna! ( well hopefully- we have a short layover, so say a prayer for us).

Sevilla- we meet again….I think

Had a revelation that maybe I should have given my old scrapbook from our trip to Sevilla a better glance before coming back.  When we got to the main square by the cathedral Julie and I were stumped because we thought for sure we remembered what it looked like and what we saw didn’t look like that.  Granted it was 10 years ago and the area was a bit different because of Tom Cruise being in town for some kind of premier.  Anyway…….after our orientation we grabbed some lunch.  We opted for a bunch of tapas and then would have a smaller dinner. YUM!  I love tapas. They are perfect for someone like me.  Small plates of food so that I can test out if I like something or not.  If I don’t, no biggie because it’s not that much food shared by 2 and if you love it, you can order more. Then we wandered aimlessly, going up and down the small alleys/roads around and around.  We ended up heading to the Plaza de Espana, where we had been last time.  THAT looked familiar.  We got a frozen lemonade slushee thing to cool us in the sun and heat.  We listened to someone play music and another group do some flamenco and just chilled and people watched. THE BEST.  Then as we were leaving we spend the best 5 euros (really, tied for the best with that lemonade slushy).  A man had some cutouts you could stand by and look like you are dressed like a flamenco dancer.  HILARIOUS!!!  Bonus was that he took tons of photos and knew just what to do.  We made our way back to the hotel to chill, stopping at shops that interested us along the way.  After a brief cool down and foot rest, we headed out again to Metropol Parasol which is called the mushroom of Sevilla. It’s a wooden structure that was just completed in 2011.  It had an I Love Sevilla sign you could take pictures on.  Not sure if it was worth the 12 euro to go up (more at sunset and at night when it lights up).  It had GREAT views but you just walked around it in a circle.  Interesting to see how it was constructed and the views from above but……. Then instead of dinner we ended, of course, with gelato.  Only 1 more day so we had to get in at least a little more gelato.

As we drove to Sevilla we passed so many fields filled with sunflowers. These pictures don’t do them justice since the bus was hustling along at a fast pace but…

Tapas! :)