Sevilla, Spain.

Let's get all the nasties out of the way, I am pleased to report that DH has recovered from his lurgy. He caught the flu from our UK coach tour, as did many others. After 10 days he has finally stopped coughing. My event was a fall in Madrid, fell quite hard and hurt my right arm and right hip, slowly healing, at least I can sew again, after 6 days, had to wait for the swelling to go down.

Bruise is slowly healing.

I cannot believe that I did not write about what is a very important art to the Spanish people, We would consider it a sport or entertainment, (maybe to some people) and that is bull fighting. 

DH and I chose not to attend one of these events. There were tickets on offer, but we declined. 

What is interesting about these fights are how they sell the seats, in the sun, shade or sun/shade. Price varies on where you sit. When the bull fight is over and the Matadors do well, flags are waved, if they continue to wave he gets one ear of the bull, if the crowd feels that he has been very brave, he will get two ears, so on and so on. The bull is then killed with the sword and sold off for meat at the end of the fight.

A brave matador

A couple in our tour group, attended the bull fight and the young matador was gored by the bull, the bull's horn gored near his jugular vein and in the stomach, the matador is on the critical list, apparently he was gored last year as well. Makes you wonder why they go back for more.

The bull ring arena in Madrid

Bronze statues of famous Matadors.

After leaving Portugal we  re-entered Spain and onto Sevilla, what a gorgeous city, we had the opportunity to attend a flamenco show.

The next day we explored the city of Sevilla, we visited the ruins of Italia, after visiting Ephesusus in Kurdashi, Turkey, these ruins were not very impressive. The only bit worth mentioning was the tiled mosaic floors in the ruins, otherwise not much to write home about.

The entry into Italia

Same entry, this was the only green area.

Mosaic tiled floor of a swimming pool, apparently the houses were quite large.

I can see lots of patchwork patterns in this tiled floor.

After Italia we visited the Sevilla Cathederal, the name is too long to remember. 

Horses outside the Cathederal.

This Cathederal also holds the coffin of Christopher Columbus.

The Cathederal in Sevilla has the Guinness book of records for being the world's largest.

Dressing room of the popes.

As always these Cathederal 's are elaborately decorated.

After the visit to the Cathederal, we walked 30 mins to the Espana Plasa, so pleased we actually took the effort to do this on such a hot day, what a beautiful square with the most gorgeous tiled buildings. each city in Spain is represented with a tile picture and it's coat of arms as well.

A canal flows through the square and boats can be hired to row on the canal.

Tiled staircases.

Tiled bridges with boats underneath.

Tiled city and coat of arms.

After visiting the Plasa we had tapas, then back to the hotel for a swim. We leave Sevilla to drive to Tarif to catch the ferry for Morrocco. So begins our next adventure.

Our Spanish adventure

After catching the Gatwick express train to Gatwick airport, we had to wait a couple of hours before a desk or gate was allocated for our flight. On rising early, we took this time to have some breakfast and reflect on where we have travelled over the last few weeks. Our flight to Madrid took 2 1/2 hours and on arrival into Madrid, sailing through customs, we caught a cab to our hotel. Checked into our hotel, then went for a walk to orientate ourselves to the area. We had our first taste of Tapa's for lunch, quite impressive.  The next day we took the metro into the centre of Madrid.

The bear below in Madrids Sol Plasa is their national emblem.

Just love the street signs in Madrid.

Royal Palace

Gorgeous statues

We visited the Pasa, royal palace and the Cathederal in the centre of Madrid.

Finished of with Tapa's

Always dessert first, just in case you choke on the main!!!

A fantastic selection, only one euro each. Heaps of salami, DH's paradise.

Tuesday night we met our tour group, quite a large group of 45, we were given introductions and then shared a buffet dinner.

Friday we had an optional tour to the city of Toledo, which is a 45 minute drive from Madrid. Toledo is a  fantastic historical place with winding streets, quite a number of cathedrals. The city is surrounded by a large wall, many of the streets were designed by the Arabs in the 1100's. Toledo is a well known city for three different religions coexisting together for more than 800 years.

Photo opportunity overlooking Toledo.

Narrow streets

Decorative cathedrals

Gorgeous painted ceilings

The interesting thing about Toledo is the escalator, seven in all to get to the top of the mountain to explore Toledo. In the afternoon we did a walking tour in the centre of Madrid, as Friday was a public holiday, the local folk was out and about in traditional dress.

Saturday our tour began, after a city tour of Madrid we travelled to Coimbra. 

On the way we visited Avila and Salamanca.

Avila, reminds me of Venice, St Marks square, we visited the birth place of Saint Teresa and centre square.

Saint Teresa Cathederal in Avil and the wall surrounding the city.

Saint Teresa's birth bed. 

In the museum shop is Saint Teresa's finger in a glass dome.

Onto Salamanca where we had tapas for lunch,,after some sightseeing, the most interesting structure in Salamanca is the university gates, where legend has it if you spot the frog, unaided, you make a wish and in one year that wish will come true.

University gates, multiple carvings, good luck finding the frog......

The best capriccio yet.

After Salamanca we left Spain to travel into Portugal, our first stop Coimbra.

Portugal next.