Seville is credited with the invention of tapas. Join in with the locals as they graze from bar to bar, making an entire meal out of the experience. The city also has a rich history evident in its landmarks. The Alcazar, the main palace, is exquisitely decorated in Moorish style, with themed gardens laid out in terraces. All in all an abundance of riches for all those who come to call.
10 November 1300 - 2400
Overnight we move to Seville. We'll pass Gibraltar at about midnight and continue through the straits. In the early morning we'll pass the area where was fought the Battle of Trafalgar and sail over the sunken wreckage left from that Battle. We'll be at the entrance to the river Guadalqiver about daybreak. Columbus left from here in 1492 to find what became America. We'll continue up the river to Seville in the morning daylight with great views of the countryside.
We slept in because we had no obligations this morning. When we opened the drapes we recognized we were in the river. O put laundry into the washer, then off to breakfast.
The countryside here is very flat. Many fields appeared to be growing rice. We took pictures of several residencias, where the house and barns and equipment sheds are centrally located. The farms are quite large, but there are a few small ones interspersed.
We watched the ship's progress from the level above the Living Room, then from the Sunset Bar with Silke & Kai. We passed an old unused set of locks and went under a high bridge. The ship then turned around to go backward to the cruise ship terminal (a mile or so). So then we were in perfect position to watch as we approached the terminal and city.
There's a boating club across the river. They're using sculls for the most part, practicing for a Regatta of the East Bank vs the West Bank this coming weekend. Other floating devices are paddle-boards and kayaks.
After tying up we joined the Panorama Seville bus tour. It took us first to the huge building surrounding Plaza Espana. It is a celebration of Spain. Tiles and columns all over. There are small niches in the front, one for every province in Spain, with tiles showing notable happenings in that provide. There is a moat sort of thing surrounding the plaza.
A flamenco couple was doing their dance in the shade of the central tower. Nice. Our guide had a lesser command of English but he was understandable if you paid attention.
Then the bus drove all over town, keeping the old town on the left side of the bus. It would be good to go there and walk through those pedestrian streets. We went to the other bank of the river, and back to a plaza by the bull ring. There's a replica of a Magellan ship there as well. Then we came back to the ship.
During the tour we saw Nick & Robin, and Joe & Nancy. We'll dine tonight with Joe & Nancy.
Photo Link
Today is known in various places as Armistice Day and Remembrance Day. In the British Empire countries, the Exhortation below is said in remembrance:
The Exhortation
"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old, Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, We will remember them."
Response: "We will remember them."
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We signed up for a boat tour that turned out to be less a boat tour and more a lunch and notable places land tour. We started with a visit to Plaza Espana, which we did yesterday. Took pictures, of course. Then to the boat dock. The boat was supposed to begin at 1030. It showed up at 1055, but required cleaning for another 15 minutes. Humph.
The boat went downstream to the Quest (with the wind) then turned around and went a couple of miles upstream into the wind. O got terribly chilled to the point he was still shivering an hour later.
We were taken to a tapas place in the old city. They served tapa after tapa, with wine. We were terribly full when we left. We thought we could walk back to the ship. We walked across the street to the largest Catholic Cathedral in the world. D wandered around taking pictures while O tagged along. Impressive place. Contains Columbus' tomb.
But we got lost and took a taxi the rest of the way. While we were in the restaurant, an Army vet note he would be 82 in five days. O told him he was five days older than O.
Photo Link
O was still cold on the ship, so he took an hour-long nap and woke up feeling better but still chilled. He went to bed at 2000 and slept till 0700.
Photo Link
O woke from his 11-hour sleep, finally feeling warm and ready for breakfast. But he had a bout of diarrhea after returning from breakfast. Something in the tapas yesterday must have triggered it. We hope that's the end of it. Immodium taken.
That stops us from doing any more tours in Seville. We'll stay aboard and later watch the ship go downriver to the Atlantic and begin the trip to Lisbon.
In the midst of this Citi made us aware of suspicious charges to a credit card. We identified about a dozen charges of around $50 each to some health outfit in Australia. O identified the bad charges on line, but Citi still called us this morning to tell us to destroy the card, they'll send a new one, and the charges will be removed.
Then came the nose test to satisfy Portugal's requirements for entry tomorrow. Damn, that's tickly.
O went to Customer Relations to report his malady this morning. It seems no one else has complained.
Photo at left is of the boat club and lots of people on the water.
At 1300 the captain brought in all lines and we departed for Lisbon.
At 1600 we put together a team for trivia; Joe & Nancy, Silke & Kai, and us. We won the musical trivia contest.
O started feeling poorly again so he went to bed - and stayed there.
D ordered cabin service for the evening meal and was impressed.
