Today was one that was left unplanned by the tour company. We went on the optional tour, a drive through part of the city, then walking through the Spanish Pavilion,the Royal gardens and the Cathedral of Sevilla.
The Spanish Pavilion at the 1929 World Fair in Seville
All this took over 3 hours. I had hoped to see the álcazar, but we both had very sore legs, a condition that started a couple of days ago, and so decided to pass on it. The King of Spain and his family still use it as a winter residence becasue it is so much warmer than Madrid. We walked back to the hotel rather than taking the bus. Walking at a natural pace is much less tiring than the pokey pace of a guided tour.
On the way back we stopped for lunch at a restaurant with outdoor tables.
This afternoon, after a sleep, Dick & I went up to enjoy time at the rooftop saltwater pool.
Internet at the hotel was down so this will be posted in Granada.
Day 12, Tuesday, June 1: Jerez, Ronda, Granada
Jerez We were en route from Sevilla by 8:15. Our first stop was in Jerez, where we were given a guided tour of wine cellars of Tio Pepe & Stock.
Tio Pepe, the symbol of the Winery
The winemakers follow a practice of partially emptying a cask that has matured sufficiently, leaving it 1/3 full, then refilling it from the cask next to it, etc., until the last cask is ready to be topped up with new wine. The process takes several years. Important visitors get to autograph a barrel. No, we weren’t important enough.
At the end of the tour we were invited to taste their sherries, and, of course, spend money in the always present gift shop.
Ronda The people of the town of Ronda were the originators of bullfighting back in the 14th century. This ring was open to the public and includes a museum of bull fighting and other weapons of defense and aggression through the centuries.
Dick in the bull ring at Ronda
One of the members of the tour got lost on the way back to the bus. When she was asking directions back to the bus, she was told to turn left, instead of right. We were a bit late getting on the road again.
We’re in Granada now. We have all done some independent exploring and are looking forward to the tour of the Alhambra tomorrow before we move on to Cordoba. Dinner was at 8 pm, a little early, and it was very good. This was the first time we had to pay extra for the water on the table.
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