Seville, First Stop in Andalusia
Nothing went according to plan, but everything worked out alright
On December 17, 2016, I flew from Funchal airport to Lisbon. After a brief stay at a hostel near the Lisbon airport and meeting up with my friend (whom I haven’t seen in nearly 10 years, and whom, btw, missed her direct flight from Milan to Seville and re-purchased a ticket to transfer in Lisbon), I took an early flight to Seville, Spain the next morning. (Let’s hope I won’t be on an airplane for a while.)
The first part of my journey covers four Andalusian cities: Seville, Córdoba, Granada & Málaga. The schedule was tightly packed as my friend had to get back to the UK before Christmas. And I didn’t have any time to plan the details as I was working on my graduation project right until the day of the trip.
Let’s start with some background info.
What Is Andalusia?
Here’s from Wikipedia:
Andalusia is a large autonomous region of hills, rivers and farmland bordering Spain’s southern coast. It was under Moorish rule from the 8th-15th centuries, a legacy that shows in its architecture, including such landmarks as the Alcázar castle in Seville, the capital city, as well as Córdoba’s Mezquita Mosque-Cathedral and Granada’s Alhambra palace.
My take is that the region is heavily influenced by Moorish culture and art due to its geographic location and history, which makes it quite an exciting start for me: as I barely know anything about Moorish culture, everything is new.
Landmark, Plaza de España, An Unorthodox Visit
Speaking of Seville, people think about the Alcázar. Note that “alcázar” is not an definite noun that’s specific to Seville, it just means castle or palace in Spain and Portugal built during Muslim rule.
Alcázar
An alcázar (pronunciation: /ˈæl kəˌzɑːr/)[1] is a type of Moorish castle or palace in Spain and Portugal built during Muslim rule, although some were founded by Christians and others were built on earlier Roman or Visigothic fortifications. Most of the alcázars were built between the 8th and 15th centuries.
source: Wikipedia
By the time we finished lunch, it was already to0 late to visit the Alcázar of Seville. So I dragged my finger around Google Maps to see if there’s any interesting place that was still open nearby, and I found Plaza de España.
Plaza de España
The Plaza de España (“Spain Square”, in English) is a plaza in the Parque de María Luisa (Maria Luisa Park), in Seville, Spain, built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. It is a landmark example of the Regionalism Architecture, mixing elements of the Renaissance Revival and Moorish Revival (Neo-Mudéjar) styles of Spanish architecture.[1]
source: Wikipedia
Upon entering the plaza from the east side, I was stunned by the sheer scale of it: a huge half circle that expanded beyond what my eyes could take in. Then I walked closer, and was amazed by how intricate the decorations were: on walls, lamp polls, and alcoves of the different Spanish provinces. I especially liked a section with many pillars. I was telling my friend that it would be a perfect place for a secret rendezvous, just like those classic black-and-white spy films. Guess what, later I learned that the plaza was indeed used as a shooting scene for many well-know movies, including Lawrence of Arabia and Star Wars.
Sketch, Jardines de Catalina de Ribera, A Sunny Morning
The next morning we were supposed to catch a bus to Córdoba, but we went to the train station by mistake. And… we also messed up the departure time. Long story short, we ended up staying in Seville for a few more hours than initially planned.
With nothing in mind, we took a walk in the city and stumbled upon Jardines de Catalina de Ribera. The weather was nice, and the sun was bright. Locals were walking dogs in the park. I saw a lot of parents with kids as well. A peaceful, slow morning.
My friend needed to use the restroom at a nearby hotel. So I sat down at a bench to wait for her and let my mind go blank. Then I noticed the fountain: in the center there was a sculpture made up of two pillars, with a boat half way in the middle and a lion on top. I had no idea what the monument was for and why it was built that way, but it look interesting enough. Hence the sketch below:
Food, Perro Viejo’s Roasted Leek, Something New
I was never a huge fan of leeks. For me, they are just a little…bland. But this time, the truffled hollandaise sauce made all the difference. The acidity of the lemon juice nicely cut through the buttery taste of the roasted leek, and the crunchy bits of onion on top adds interesting texture. Well done, Perro Viejo of Seville.
And this is only the beginning of the extraordinary food scene in Spain.
Next Post: Córdoba, Late Arrival and Early Departure
