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A sunny morning as we walk into town where we meet N+G by the Golden Tower, once a store for nautical treasure and plunders but now a maritime museum.
We pass the cathedral and horse carriage ranks and enter the Alcazar, or more correctly the Real Alcazar [Real meaning Royal]. This Muslim Royal palace was founded in the 11th Century and extended over the next few.
Rooms are richly decorated with coloured tiles and patterned ceilings. Walls and doorways are carved in the Mudejar style and the releif neatly painted like wallpaper. Secluded courtyards are surrounded by pillars and poly-lobed arches. In one room hang six tapestries, each about 5m x 10m although these are 18th C copies after the originals were destroyed in the earthquake. We have lunch n the gardens where waterfalls and fountains play amongst orange trees and peacock strut around the paths.
Next we tour the Jewish quarter. Streets narrow to squeezes where upper windows almost touch. Brght yellow plaster brings light to these spaces. Tobacco and spice smells waft out of doorways and everywhere there are little mosaic panels and street signs. Flamenco souvenirs hang in bright reds and pinks outside little doorways and here and there guitar music can be heard. It's a side of Seville we hadn't heard about, but very glad we discovered.
Our final treat today is a boat trip. We board the 16:30 at the Golden Tower for a one hour ride up and down the river passing under six of the city's bridges. Low sun accentuates the scenery and canoes and sculls pass by. Bougainvillea and geraniums line the shore in places and commentary is broadcast in four languages including English.
Afterwards we walk back through the riverside park, much quieter than the roadway. A short detour into Aldi just outside the site then it's almost dark as we get back to the van where Ali cooks risotto for supper.
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