Day 17 The berth of the original....

Last night's Tapas had put the blog behind so the first job of the day was get that done, the blog certainly gets written at some unusual times and places, but I'm not doing this for the blog so it has to play catch-up... So far I've been pretty much on top of it ..

Anyway.   

Breakfast at Toc Seville was in the cellar, well not cellar it's actually an old bank vault! Complete with huge door! Quirky!!kindly modelled by this Chinese lass I'm not sure but that could be Reed a dorm mate I met later.

Food done I wander down to reception to head out I fail happily! 

Yep my Buddy (now) Alba the receptionist was there, We've really hit if off such a smiley fun lady we easily lose an hour talking sh#t! 

The Hostel is lucky to have her! 

I feel similar about her company ... You can tell! 😁

With a cheery wave I finally give her some peace and head out, first stop is the palace, it's buy a ticket for an alloted time system, my ticket is for 12.30, which isn't that long to wait so I wander old town , hard to get bored of this place! 

With it's twisty tiny roads which incredibly cars actually navigate!as ever my random wanderers find things to spark my interest.....Google translated this fire insurance plaque for me! 

A little further I find the British institute, a place advertising Cambridge and Oxford universities while teaching English naturally I poke my nose in to hear my own language..it's getting close to my allotted time at the palace so I wander back and get a lemon gelato while I queue... Ice-cream in January! i didn't realise quite how big the palace Real Alcazar and it's gardens were so I'm lost for a good few hours here taking in the incredible moorish architectureusing a vertical panorama here to catch the hall and ceiling, i can't begin to fit in enough photos to the blog I'm afraid! 

There are some incredible tapestries including maps depicting Mediterranean medieval navigation and grand sea battles beneath the palace is a huge water vault /cistern/crypt (you decide which is apt!)i wonder if Frank Herbert got some inspiration for the Wind traps in the book Dune in similar places? 

Into the garden and even out of season it's beautiful with it's citrus orchards lemons, grapefruit and of course Seville oranges!

Shaded paths take you under towering palms with peacocks strutting, water features glistening in the sunshinetall walls with sheltered but open passages give a view over the gardens and the paths lead eventually to the exit, and shady square where I found the perfect souvenir of Spain a tiny watercolour of a flamenco dancer that can fit in my pack with no weight!

i love how much people smile here! Almost I'm amongst my own! 

I'm trying to gather one souvenir from each country I pass through I wonder what my travels will bring! 

Out of the palace I forgo a visit to the cathedral to wander to the river the Guardal quivir which in the city is now docks having been diverted from it original course downstream, it's from here that I stand in the shadows of history a pale facsimile of the round the world master Ferdinand Magellan! Who left from this town in 1599!

A replica of his ship the Nao Victoria floats to gather tourists and dreamers alike!from here a short walk and I'm at the Torre del Oro a military guard post built on top of the original moorish foundations

The original was built after the town was sacked by the Vikings a thousand years ago, sadly no museum has an exhibition here for that simply a picture of a Viking ship in the tower!

into the old city again I find a flamenco dancer performing in the street, that saved a few quid!! 

back to the hostel to clean up and another chat with Alba, she must be bored! 😊

A shower then a long wander around town to get an economical dinner after the expense of the day and I'm back at the hostel no one at reception but a shouted hola from Alba she's helping pack away the bars street chairs,a 'good night' exchanged and I'm nested down again.