Sevilla's Plaza de Toros, Alcázar and Some Saucy Flamenco

Saturday, our last day in Sevilla, was a busy one!

Can a woman ever have too many

Spanish fans?  

Sevilla is known for their passion

for Flamenco 

Sister Mary Sabina was

my Sixth Grade teacher

Tough Nut!

Why was this here? 

A Tile Mural

Sevilla is famous for its tiles.

No, a woman can never have

too many Spanish fans

We will soon need to replace our

electrolytes soon in the Andalucian heat 

Mysterious fan waving beauty 

Stylish Graffiti? 

 El Torno Pasteleria de Conventos

This building houses a shop that sells pasteries and handicrafts, like baby's baptismal dresses, made by various orders of cloistered nuns.

We opted for some cookies

Is this store politically correct?

Cool Red Building

Finally, a beverage stop!

Nice Decorations 

 Guys solving Spain's economic troubles

Torre de Oro 

It is now a naval museum that we did not enter.

St. George Sighting

Nice little church 

Matador Curro Romero 

 Sevilla's Plaza de Toros

No corrida today, so we just took a 35 minute tour of the arena and its bullfight museum.

The Arena sits 12,000 

Two Aficionados of

La Fiesta Brava

Chaos in the Arena 

This portrait depicts a crazy scene from bullfights in the 1800s before horses ridden by the Picadors wore protective padding.

Our guide told us that in those days six to ten horses would perish in the arena in addition to the customary six bulls.

All that horsemeat and beef on the hoof means but just one thing if you ask me, a BIG post corrida BBQ.

For a time there was a Spanish king who tried replacing bullfighting with some warlike equestrian events like . . .

Spear the Head

Replacement Heads

Not Real.

Don't Sit Down on the Job! 

A Matador's Suit of Lights

Portrait of the only matador

ever killed in Sevilla's Arena 

Two banderilleros have also died in the Sevilla ring over the years.

Prayer in the Plaza's Matador's Chapel

This way to the cheap seats

Once out of the bull ring, it was time to work our way to Sevilla's top tourist sight, the Alcázar.

An iteresting door along the way

And an interesting house as well

We had to walk by the Cathedral again

Gazpacho Soup for Lunch

Cool and refreshing on a hot day, the claras were good too.

The Alcázar

This is a royal Moorish palace rebuilt in the 14th century for a Christian king, Pedro I, by Moorish workmen known as the Mudejar, in the Moorish style.

Ceiling

Floor

Tile Work

Moorish Art . . .

It comes in colors too

Moorish Arch

One of many peaceful gardens

The original Golden Arches

Ceiling

Floor

Ceiling

Modest Arch

Fancier Arch

Ceiling

The Moors ruled much of current day Spain for nearly 700 years bringing their art, architecture, advanced mathematics, science, agriculture and a progressive culture to the peninsula.

Why, of course then, they needed to be sent packing during the Reconquista that ended in 1492.

Serene Garden Arch

Ceiling

Floor

Simply incredible art and architecture!!!

Tapestries are a MUST!

This Tile Mural represents Rio Mesa
students driving Joe Mollica mad

The Big Fish that got away?

Young Love at the Alcázar

A Big Fountain

More Alcázar Gardens

How hot was it today?

It was THIS hot!

So, explain to me again why forcing
this culture out of Spain
was such a good idea.

Roof top garden on the
walk back to our hotel

Siesta Time.

Just in case you need to
buy any Communion wafers

Nice Architecture

Velasquez
The Great Spanish Painter

After getting some much needed rest from the heat during our self-imposed Siesta break, we were ready for a night on the town!

A Commie Concert perhaps?

Nyet.

Some Tapas to start us off

Sweet Dessert Tapas

I was a good boy and only had five toothpicks on my plate when it was time to settle up the bill.

Caravaca?
Really Pedro?

Just another random church
in Sevilla

This was our destination,
a night of Flamenco!

Our exceptional
Flamenco Guitarist

Our sad, wailing
Flamenco Singer

Our fierce
Flamenco Dancer

These three put on quite a show for 75 minutes which we thoroughly enjoyed!

It was now about 11:00 p.m. and we needed to get back to our hotel as we had a 7:10 a.m. train to catch Sunday morning for Granada.

The Giralda Bell Tower at night

Lots of Horse Drawn Carriages

We opted to walk to the hotel instead.

This shop was closed or Laurie
would surely have bought her
very own Flamenco dress

Night life in Sevilla

Bring the kids, they won't be disappointed.

We had a fantastic time in Sevilla, I highly recommend that you visit this beautiful city some day.

VIVA ESPAÑA!!!