Sevilla for One

It took a lot, but my trustworthy travel companion has finally broken. Perhaps rebelling is a better word. Either way, she has claimed today as day of rest, with plans to sit by the rooftop pool and read a book. I have a little too much energy to burn off for that, so I head off solo in search of some excitement.

Our hotel is a little distance away from the old town where we have preferred to stay but, in a fortunate turn of events, forces us to walk through Maria Luisa Park to get there. It is an amazing urban park, perhaps one of the most enjoyable I have experienced in all of our travels. It doesn’t hurt that we are just a few days away from November and I’m strolling through it in shorts and t-shirt.

Near the end closest to the old town is the Plaza de España, a sprawling landmark built to flex a little for a world’s fair back in the 1920s. It doesn’t seem to have much practical purpose these days other than housing a handful of government offices, but makes for a great spot to rest for a bit and people watch.

From the plaza, I continue on to the old city. Much of it we explored last night, so I’m mostly passing through, making a few critical stops along the way for essentials such as ice cream and pastries. At the far side, I loop back around along the river. There are plenty of cafes, an hour long boat tour, and quiet patches to sit under shady trees. Were the rest of the team present I could easily see spending a good part of a day here and I file that away should time permit tomorrow.

It is hard to make a broad judgement since I assume these areas are the best Sevilla has to offer, but I quite like it, probably even more than Madrid. Of course the price to pay for 80 degrees in October is 100 degress in August, so my review then my be a little less glowing.