Paco's Bar

Well, Tony soon got sick of the blog he suggested, didn't he? Anyway, it was cloudy today, but warm. We slept in by mistake, and had a late breakfast, and then went to look at the new market. It's a big modern, unusual structure, with the market underneath. I didn't like it, as it was too big for the old market square. But Tony liked it, and it was intersting, to say the least.
Then it was off to the Cathedral. It's very imposing, with lots of the usual Spanish gold on the main altar. The most interesting thing was Christopher Columbus' tomb, which was four gigantic figures carrying a coffin. All very different. We both liked the orange grove left over from when the church was a mosque.
We had a picnic lunch in the park, which is very tropical and lush, and which smelled heavenly (the park, that is, not the lunch). All the parks seem to be laid out in the Moorish style, with long straight paths leading to fountains. I really love it.
Next stop was Plaza Espana, which was built in 1929. Although relatively modern, it is again reflective of the area's Moorish origins, with bridges, water, tilework, and Moorish arches. It's huge and impressive, and would be great for photos on a sunny day.
This evening we thought we would try the local tapas bar where all the locals seem to eat. It's in the square near to our hotel, overlooked by a small church, and lined with orange trees. I've made that sound very exotic, but it's actually very ordinary. The bar is owned by a man called Paco, and it's very plain and down to earth. The tapas are simple snacks obviously made by Mrs. Paco, nothing like those I've had before. We had a great time watching the locals, trying to understand what was being said to us, and trying the food. We ate inside, though, as it was coolish outdoors. That's what we both love best about travelling, doing things that are culturally very different for us.
So it's been another good day, and so far it's thumbs up for Seville.