Our first rest day. Seville. We managed in spite of the overwhelming masses to get our passports stamped at the Cathedral, to visit Hotel Simon for additional credencials, to restock on sunscreen and a few food items, to catch up on our laundry chores and to find our first yellow arrow the other side of the river to guide our way out of Sevilla in the morning. Plus we explored and soaked up a bit of the local culture. A special day, special memories.
Staying in the old town in the heart of the city of 700k Spaniards and countless extra tourists. We are privileged to be here in the most important week in the lives of the locals. Most businesses and schools are closed. The excitement and enthusiasm is palpable. This is Catholicism heartland. Proudly.
Old town was originally encased with ramparts for security, but these were removed long ago. However, despite now being open to the world the road system in Old Town remains narrow with linking alleyways. In one such lane today Jenny and I had to find shelter in a doorway as a car passed with tyres rubbing the gutter on each side and the footpath beauty 30cm wide. And despite the unbelievable accuracy and symmetry evident in Roman building, in here there are few straight, parallel streets or symmetric street blocks.
Not sure what the final count is for churches within a one kilometre square radius, but they are certainly in abundance. And to this day the centuries old traditions of brotherhoods continue to exist. I understand each church embraces its own brotherhood group and that is why there are so many different colours of the peaked cap and cape wearing brigade. And there remains enthusiasm and pride in being a part. They all march from their individual churches to the cathedral, accompanied by marching bands, and back via a different route. That is the centuries old ritual that persists to this day.
A lovely city, built high and close preventing full appreciation of the buildings, but regardless they are beautiful. The stay in our traditional casa has been special. The building is a square design with the central core open and a glass roof on the third floor. So we have windows to the street, but inside it is also well illuminated, protected and cosy. This is a traditional Spanish design. For size, there are five bedroom suites on this floor (6m x 3.5M) and the staircases are 16 steps, so we enjoy very high ceilings. The owner has living space on the ground floor, all the third and fourth floors, half the fourth floor being open area.
Long walk tomorrow so an early start, just in case it gets hot, crossing the river and following the stream north. The beginning of our Via de la Plata. Jenny is pleased to advise that after tomorrow we will have less than 1K km to go to our destination Santiago de Compostela.
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