John Edward Cooper’s Notes

FREE DAY
Today we have a free day. There are the ‘musts’ such as the Alcázar and the cathedral but take time to wander around the Barrio Santa Cruz – the medieval Jewish quarter and the smart pedestrianised Sierpes full of beautiful shops selling high quality leather goods. The Maria Luisa Park is a beautiful display of colour where you can watch the locals relaxing.

Janet got up ca.8.30am. She reported that she’d had a good night’s sleep, in contrast with previous nights. I showered after she vacated the bathroom. Checked e-mail accounts (09:26). We went for breakfast at 9.30am. Janet sought out a hairdresser near the hotel; but they couldn’t fit her in till tomorrow, by which time we’d be gone. She decided to try to find one while we were out today.


Monday 4 September 2017 — 10:23:30
Views from our window at Hotel Don Paco, Seville


Monday 4 September 2017 — 10:24:02
Views from our window at Hotel Don Paco, Seville


Monday 4 September 2017 — 10:25:04
Views from our window at Hotel Don Paco, Seville


Monday 4 September 2017 — 10:25:26
Views from our window at Hotel Don Paco, Seville



We left the hotel at 11am, heading west along Calle Juan de Mesa, Calle Almirante Apodaca and Calle Imagen, and stopping at the Metropol Parasol. It was another very hot, sunny day. We went upstairs to the first upper level, seeking entrance through one of the “stipes” of the “mushroom” to the walkway on the “pileus”, but all the doors in them were locked.


Monday 4 September 2017 — 11:17:46
Metropol Parasol, known locally as “Las Setas” (“The Mushrooms”) in Plaza de la Encarnación, Seville


Monday 4 September 2017 — 11:20:38
Metropol Parasol, known locally as “Las Setas” (“The Mushrooms”) in Plaza de la Encarnación, Seville

We continued westwards along Calle Imagen, Calle Laraña and Calle Martín Villa, then turned left and went down the narrow shopping street Calle Sierpes, continuing through the Plaza de San Francisco and along Calle Hernando Colón as far as Calle Alemanes. From there we found the trattoria–bar–pizzeria Doña Francisquita, where we’d been yesterday evening. I had a pizza and Janet a salad with bread.


Monday 4 September 2017 — 12:24:22
“Trattoria–bar–pizzeria Doña Francisquita”, Calle Alvarez Quintero 43, 41004 Seville

The Real Alcázar ticket instructed us to “show your ticket… to the staff… 15 minutes before the time set for your visit”, i.e. at 12.45pm for “13:00:00”; so at 12.25pm we left the Doña Francisquita. After the cruise on the Guadalquivir river yesterday, Manuel had escorted us to the south side of the Cathedral, and had pointed out the entrance to the Alcázar opposite the south-eastern corner. He’d also told us to bypass the queue of people waiting for tickets and go to the ticket-holders’ entrance to the left of it. So it was that we entered the Alcázar through the Lion Gate. We were still uncertain precisely where to go after that, but were pointed to the far right corner of the second courtyard: there was a courtyard with trees (Patio del León) and beyond it a larger paved and galleried courtyard (Patio de la Montería). Anyway, we found the entrance and the staircase leading up to the Cuarto Real Alto near the end of the right gallery.



Janet couldn’t find any information leaflets in English, so picked up one in French.




Alcázar of Seville: leaflet in French


Monday 4 September 2017 — 12:46:22
Alcázar of Seville: stairs to the Cuarto Real Alto
(19 on the plan)

The staircase led to a corridor to the left and a double-leafed door to the right. Ahead was a desk with a young man behind it, and to the left of that a security scanner. Cameras weren’t allowed, and we had to put ours in a nearby locker; and because we didn’t have a €1 coin to put in the slot to release the key, the young man kindly lent us one. It was a refundable deposit. We were given listening devices; and after a bit of a wait, a man unlocked the door, and conducted us from room to opulently appointed room, as we were given an audio description of each.


Monday 4 September 2017 — 12:46:22
Alcázar of Seville: entrance to the Cuarto Real Alto

The tour lasted a little less than an hour. We remembered to return the €1 coin to the young man! Along the corridor was a door to an exhibition of pottery and tiles from Triana, so we visited that before returning to the Patio de la Montería.


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:28:16
Alcázar of Seville: exhibition of pottery and tiles of Triana, Carranza Collection
(30 on the plan)


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:28:32
Alcázar of Seville: exhibition of pottery and tiles of Triana, Carranza Collection


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:29:58
Alcázar of Seville: exhibition of pottery and tiles of Triana, Carranza Collection


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:30:58
Alcázar of Seville: exhibition of pottery and tiles of Triana, Carranza Collection


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:31:24
Alcázar of Seville: exhibition of pottery and tiles of Triana, Carranza Collection


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:31:42
Alcázar of Seville: exhibition of pottery and tiles of Triana, Carranza Collection


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:31:56
Alcázar of Seville: exhibition of pottery and tiles of Triana, Carranza Collection


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:36:08
Alcázar of Seville


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:36:08 (detail)
Alcázar of Seville


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:36:18
Alcázar of Seville

From there we went through the Palacio del Rey Don Pedro (below the Cuarto Real Alto) into the gardens, with a look in the Baños de Doña María de Padilla.


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:38:08
Alcázar of Seville


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:39:28
Alcázar of Seville


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:39:46
Alcázar of Seville


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:41:08
Alcázar of Seville


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:42:16
Alcázar of Seville


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:43:18
Alcázar of Seville


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:43:32
Alcázar of Seville: (above:) people looking down from the Cuarto Real Alto


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:44:46
Alcázar of Seville: gardens


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:45:00
Alcázar of Seville: gardens


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:45:44
Alcázar of Seville: gardens


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:48:20
Alcázar of Seville: Gruta de las Sultanas
(43 on the plan)


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:48:20 (detail)
Alcázar of Seville: Gruta de las Sultanas


Monday 4 September 2017 — 13:56:46
Alcázar of Seville: gardens


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:00:18
Alcázar of Seville: gardens


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:00:46
Alcázar of Seville: gardens


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:00:46 (detail)
Alcázar of Seville: gardens


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:02:02
Alcázar of Seville: gardens


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:02:02 (detail)
Alcázar of Seville: gardens


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:02:58
Alcázar of Seville: rainwater tanks Los Baños de Doña María de Padilla
(34 on the plan)


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:04:10
Alcázar of Seville: rainwater tanks Los Baños de Doña María de Padilla

We got lost trying to find a way out, and asked a couple, “Salida?” They were Italian, though, so it should have been “Uscita?”!


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:06:46
Alcázar of Seville

Anyway, we got back to the Patio de la Montería, and thence found our way out into the Plaza del Triunfo.


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:09:16
Alcázar of Seville


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:13:52
Giralda of Seville Cathedral seen from the Alcázar


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:15:50
East façade of Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:15:58
East façade of Seville Cathedral

We went north, to the adjoining plaza outside the Giralda tower, Plaza Virgen de los Reyes, and just off there to the right had much-needed refreshments at the Cerveceria Giralda.

 


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:32:48
Cerveceria Giralda, Calle Mateos Gago 1, 41004, Seville



Then we visited the Cathedral. We showed the copies of the picture page of our passports and got in for €4 each; otherwise it would have been €7 each.

 

We also received free entry to the baroque Church of the Saviour (Iglesia del Salvador), which we passed once or twice when going from the environs of the Cathedral northwards, on occasions when we didn’t go along Calle Sierpes. We didn’t have time to visit it, though.






Seville Cathedral


Seville Cathedral, old plan

First, we went in a room with an exhibition of fine arts, before wandering through the vast nave (occupying the space of the original mosque but rebuilt in Gothic style), of five aisles, with scores of tall fluted columns supporting ogival vaults, many side-chapels, a main chapel in the central aisle, and a choir with not one but two organs also in the central aisle.


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:53:14
Seville Cathedral, museum


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:54:46
Juan de Mesa y Velasco (1583–1627): Head of John the Baptist, ca.1625


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:55:16
Seville Cathedral, museum


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:56:16
Juan de Valdés Leal (1622–1690): Liberation of Saint Peter, 1663


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:56:48
Seville Cathedral, museum


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:57:20
Seville Cathedral, museum


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:58:52
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:59:00
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 14:59:46
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:00:16
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:01:24
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:02:02
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:02:52
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:05:08
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:05:36
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:07:08
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:07:46
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:08:54
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:09:08
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:09:30
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:09:58
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:10:44
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:12:22
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:12:48
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:12:58
Seville Cathedral: tomb of Christopher Columbus


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:13:30
Seville Cathedral: tomb of Christopher Columbus


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:14:12
Seville Cathedral: tomb of Christopher Columbus


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:14:58
Seville Cathedral: Vestry of the Chalices


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:15:52
Seville Cathedral: Vestry of the Chalices


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:19:46
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:20:14
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:20:58
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:22:26
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:24:18
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:24:26
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:25:12
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:26:28
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:27:10
Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:28:00
Seville Cathedral

We left by the Door of the Orange Trees on the north side, passing through the former courtyard of the mosque for ritual ablutions, now the Courtyard of the Orange Trees, and out through the Gate of Forgiveness to the north of that.


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:31:24
Seville Cathedral: (left:) the Giralda Tower, seen from the Orange Tree Courtyard


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:31:36
Seville Cathedral: the Orange Tree Courtyard


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:32:02
Seville Cathedral: Gate of Forgiveness, seen from the Orange Tree Courtyard

I wanted some pictures of the outside of the Cathedral, so we turned left, and left again at the north-west corner, going as far as the south-west corner.


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:33:16
Seville Cathedral: north façade, looking east


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:33:54
Seville Cathedral: Gate of Forgiveness, seen from the outside


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:34:26
Seville Cathedral: north façade, looking west


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:36:48
Seville Cathedral, north-west corner: Church of the Sagrario


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:38:50
Seville Cathedral, west façade: north-west corner of the Cathedral proper, Door of Baptism


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:39:10
Seville Cathedral, west façade: Main Door or Door of the Assumption


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:39:44
Seville Cathedral, west façade: Main Door or Door of the Assumption


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:39:56
Seville Cathedral, west façade: Main Door or Door of the Assumption


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:40:50
Seville Cathedral, west façade: Door of Saint Michael or Door of the Nativity


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:41:04
Seville Cathedral, west façade: Main Door and Door of the Nativity


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:42:02
Seville Cathedral: west façade, looking north


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:42:14
Seville Cathedral: south façade, looking east


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:42:24
General Archive of the Indes, opposite the south façade of Seville Cathedral


Monday 4 September 2017 — 15:43:22
Seville Cathedral: south façade

The street here had tram tracks; indeed one or two trams passed while we were there. I observed, though, that there were no overhead power wires, although the trams were equipped with pantographs (retracted). We were in urgent need of refreshments again on that hot, sunny day; but it was on the north side of the Cathedral that we found a place.


Monday 4 September 2017 — 16:08:40
Don Juan de Alemanes, Calle Alemanes 7, 41004, Seville



Then we headed back to the hotel. Janet was still looking for a hairdresser’s. There were a number of barber’s shops. Indeed, she asked at one in Calle Sierpes whether he would wash and blow-dry her hair (that was all she wanted), but he wouldn’t. (“Il barbiere di Siviglia”? “Il bastardo di Siviglia”, rather!) But we didn’t see a peluquería de mujeres till we got to Calle Imagen: the “Depiline Center”. Ironically, this was “unisex”, so if I’d wanted mine done I could have! I could have had beauty treatment and depilation as well! You had to take a ticket and wait for your number to be shown on an indicator. I was feeling a bit unwell, so Janet suggested I go back to the hotel to lie down. Janet got back ca.5.30pm. She’d had to wait ca.10 minutes for her number to come up. She packed one of the cases ready for our departure tomorrow. I showered and changed clothes. We went out ca.7pm to find somewhere to eat. It was perhaps almost as much due to becoming disheartened by the search, as being actually ill, that made me feel unwell again; I found a seat in the shade in Plaza del Cristo de Burgos for some minutes. Anyway, we decided that to go back the mile or so to Doña Francisquita was doable, and set out. I had a Caesar salad there and a couple of beers. Janet had a garden salad with smoked salmon and a couple of bread rolls.


Monday 4 September 2017 — 20:04:34
Doña Francisquita, Calle Alvarez Quintero 43, 41004 Seville

On the way back, a shop sign in the same row of commercial premises as the Depiline Center intrigued me: “Ferretería”. For I’d seen that an “-ería” was an establishment that sold or dealt with the item that it was prefixed with, e.g. cervecería, peluquería,[i] pizzería. So it amused me to see a shop that seemingly would sell ferrets! A closer look revealed that it was in fact an ironmonger’s, a hardware store — which made sense because ferrum is Latin for iron.

[i] I guess this is a bad example because “peluca” means “wig”; cf. Esperanto peruko. I imagine that originally peluquerías were wigmakers.

Monday 4 September 2017 — 20:58:26
“Ferretería”: a shop that sells ferrets?
Ferretería San Pedro, Calle Imagen 10, 41003, Seville


Monday 4 September 2017 — 20:58:54
Ferretería San Pedro, Calle Imagen 10, 41003, Seville


Monday 4 September 2017 — 20:59:08
Ferretería San Pedro, Calle Imagen 10, 41003, Seville


Monday 4 September 2017 — 21:00:10
Church of San Pedro, Plaza San Pedro, Seville

The old fig trees with their aerial roots, in Plaza del Cristo de Burgos, were worth a photo.


Monday 4 September 2017 — 21:01:06
Plaza del Cristo de Burgos, Seville


Monday 4 September 2017 — 21:04:16
Church of Santa Catalina, seen from Calle Almirante Apodaca, Seville


Monday 4 September 2017 — 21:06:12
Church of Santa Catalina, Seville

Back up in our hotel room, I turned on the computer… In the Gmail inbox were several Facebook notifications, which I checked out… Transferred 108 photos from the camera to the WD Elements HDD (21:36–21:40). Looked at them in Windows Photo Viewer, rotated 42 that needed it (21:41–21:49), and deleted two that seemed too blurred to be of use (21:42, 21:44). Looked up holiday-related things (browser activity, 22:03–22:11), e.g. “Alcázar of Seville” and “Málaga” on Wikipedia. I noticed that Riviera’s spelling “Andalucia” in its day-by-day descriptions of the holiday, which I’d copied into my diary entries, was challenged by Microsoft Word’s spell-checker; so I did a Google search “Andalucia” and found from the Wikipedia article that “Andalusia” is the spelling in English. We went to bed ca.10.30pm.

[Tuesday 5 September 2017]