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Tapas, Cathedrals, Flamenco and Street Mazes: Seville, Spain

By The Girl Next Door is BlackPosted on 03/30/201406/15/20157 Comments5min read149 views

5 min read

Last October, a friend and I traveled to Spain for a three-city trip. After Barcelona – the first city on our self-planned tour – we boarded a Vueling flight to head 650 miles southwest, to Seville, in about the time it takes to fly from San Francisco to Los Angeles. While I liked Barcelona, it’s a large city and shares many similarities with other large cities I’ve lived in. I looked forward to spending a couple of days in Seville, because it’s a smaller (population-wise, not size).

We stayed in the Triana district, a scenic neighborhood along a river, connected to the rest of Seville by a bridge, Puente de Triana.

While I didn’t see a bullfight when I visited Seville, Spain, I did see an unforgettable live flamenco show, dine on superb cuisine including paella (and of course, ham) and got lost in a maze. If you haven’t been, I recommend adding Seville to your list of cities to visit! See more photos on The Girl Next Door is Black
At a little cafe in Seville called Charlotte, decorated with photos of American celebrities, current and past. This was interesting given none of the staff seemed to be fluent in English. The reach of American pop culture never ceases to surprise me. (There’s Grace Kelly above me, and Jennifer Lopez and Brad Pitt in the other photos.)
While I didn’t see a bullfight when I visited Seville, Spain, I did see an unforgettable live flamenco show, dine on superb cuisine including paella (and of course, ham) and got lost in a maze. If you haven’t been, I recommend adding Seville to your list of cities to visit! See more photos on The Girl Next Door is Black
Monumento a la Tolerancia or the Monument to Tolerance in Seville by Basque sculptor Eduardo Chillida
While I didn’t see a bullfight when I visited Seville, Spain, I did see an unforgettable live flamenco show, dine on superb cuisine including paella (and of course, ham) and got lost in a maze. If you haven’t been, I recommend adding Seville to your list of cities to visit! See more photos on The Girl Next Door is Black
Walking from Triana to Seville’s city center above the Guadalquivir river. It was really windy that day!
While I didn’t see a bullfight when I visited Seville, Spain, I did see an unforgettable live flamenco show, dine on superb cuisine including paella (and of course, ham) and got lost in a maze. If you haven’t been, I recommend adding Seville to your list of cities to visit! See more photos on The Girl Next Door is Black
The Guadalquivir River

We spent our first afternoon exploring the city center, intending to visit the Royal Alcazar, a palace, grand in every sense of the word, known for its lush and expansive gardens, and for being the oldest palace still in use. As it turns out, parts of Seville are designed like a maze. Like rats, we’d wander down one narrow street and cross over to another, only to realize we’d already been there, running into the same people, clearly also puzzled, some with their noses in a map. [Here’s a tip: GPS on your smartphone works with or without a mobile network. It pinpoints your location and is much more convenient than carrying around a giant guidebook or map.]

While I didn’t see a bullfight when I visited Seville, Spain, I did see an unforgettable live flamenco show, dine on superb cuisine including paella (and of course, ham) and got lost in a maze. If you haven’t been, I recommend adding Seville to your list of cities to visit! See more photos on The Girl Next Door is Black
While I didn’t see a bullfight when I visited Seville, Spain, I did see an unforgettable live flamenco show, dine on superb cuisine including paella (and of course, ham) and got lost in a maze. If you haven’t been, I recommend adding Seville to your list of cities to visit! See more photos on The Girl Next Door is Black
As seen outside a souvenir shop in Seville.
While I didn’t see a bullfight when I visited Seville, Spain, I did see an unforgettable live flamenco show, dine on superb cuisine including paella (and of course, ham) and got lost in a maze. If you haven’t been, I recommend adding Seville to your list of cities to visit! See more photos on The Girl Next Door is Black
A cure for what ails and spices for sale
While I didn’t see a bullfight when I visited Seville, Spain, I did see an unforgettable live flamenco show, dine on superb cuisine including paella (and of course, ham) and got lost in a maze. If you haven’t been, I recommend adding Seville to your list of cities to visit! See more photos on The Girl Next Door is Black
We spent a looong time looking for the Royal Alcazar palace, walking through the labyrinth of narrow streets in Seville. Eventually, it began to rain and I picked up a cheap umbrella at a souvenir shop we found while lost.
While I didn’t see a bullfight when I visited Seville, Spain, I did see an unforgettable live flamenco show, dine on superb cuisine including paella (and of course, ham) and got lost in a maze. If you haven’t been, I recommend adding Seville to your list of cities to visit! See more photos on The Girl Next Door is Black
I believe this is the third umbrella I’ve purchased in a foreign country.
While I didn’t see a bullfight when I visited Seville, Spain, I did see an unforgettable live flamenco show, dine on superb cuisine including paella (and of course, ham) and got lost in a maze. If you haven’t been, I recommend adding Seville to your list of cities to visit! See more photos on The Girl Next Door is Black
Cool balcony tiles
While I didn’t see a bullfight when I visited Seville, Spain, I did see an unforgettable live flamenco show, dine on superb cuisine including paella (and of course, ham) and got lost in a maze. If you haven’t been, I recommend adding Seville to your list of cities to visit! See more photos on The Girl Next Door is Black

Finally, after an hour of zigzagging through the Santa Cruz area, we found the palace – which was designed like a labyrinth! Another place to get lost.

The very ornate and impressive ceiling in one of the many, many, many rooms at Real Alcazar
The very ornate and impressive ceiling in one of the many, many, many rooms at Real Alcazar
Me at Royal Alcazar
Royal Alcazar
Tiled Steps
Tiled Steps
The tapestry room at Real Alcazar palace
The tapestry room at Real Alcazar palace
Royal Alcazar
Royal Alcazar
Royal Alcazar
Los Baños de Doña María de Padilla - Rainwater tanks
Los Baños de Doña María de Padilla – Rainwater tanks
Royal Alcazar
This photo barely captures the enormity of the gardens
This photo barely captures the enormity of the gardens
Royal Alcazar

By 6pm we found ourselves in a familiar conundrum, starting to get hungry, but not sure what to eat. Our stomachs were on an American, childfree, working professional meal schedule, meaning we generally eat dinner anytime between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., with 9 p.m. pushing it on a weeknight. By 9, Spanish dinner has barely begun! The solution is tapas and cervecerias (bars with snacks).

Manchego cheese and jamon serrano
Manchego cheese and jamon serrano
Cruzcampo is a popular and long established brewer founded in Seville. This pilsner reminded me of Heineken.
Cruzcampo is a popular and long established brewer founded in Seville. This pilsner reminded me of Heineken.
Albondigas (meatballs) in a light broth.
Albondigas (meatballs) in a light broth.

On each international trip I’ve taken, I have a “Ho-ly!” moment. In Tanzania, it was “Ho-ly shit! I am in Africa with real live lions a few feet away from me! I never would have imagined I’d be doing this (and please don’t let me get eaten)!” In Costa Rica, it was, “Holy crap! I am zip-lining over the mountains in Costa Rica. I cannot believe this (and please let this zip-line be safe)!” In Seville, as I sat entranced watching a flamenco show, in the region from where flamenco hails, I leaned over to my friend and whispered, “Holy cow, V, we are in SPAIN, watching a FLAMENCO show!” In Amsterdam, it was…well, anyway, the point is, it’s a surreal feeling, a wave of gratitude envelopes me; I wonder – how did I get so lucky?

A performance filled with emotion
A performance filled with emotion
Flamenco dancing is often improvised, but choreographed performances are developed for tourists. There were two dancers, a singer, a guitarist and the all four used their hands to clap rhythmically.
Flamenco dancing is often improvised, but choreographed performances are developed for tourists. There were two dancers, a singer, a guitarist and the all four used their hands to clap rhythmically.
La Case del Flamenco
These dancers could move!
These dancers could move!

That evening, we had dinner reservations for 9:30 at Vineria San Telmo, which still made us earlier than most of the diners. Like nerds showing up for a lecture extra early, hands ready to raise.

It was another excellent Spanish meal. Prior to coming to Spain, I hadn’t been all that enthralled with Spanish cuisine. Never one to suggest, “Let’s go out for [over-priced] tapas!” Now I know better. I hadn’t dined on good Spanish food until I came to Spain. Quite a long way to go to change my mind.

Squid ink spaghetti with garlic, pesto and grilled scallops.
Squid ink spaghetti with garlic, pesto and grilled scallops.
Vineria San Telmo
King prawn carpaccio with toasted sesame seeds and soy sauce.
King prawn carpaccio with toasted sesame seeds and soy sauce.
Veal with yucca chips
Veal with yucca chips
For just under $40US we ate like Queens - a meal like this would surely have cost us double at home.
For just under $40US we ate like Queens – a meal like this would surely have cost us double at home.
Broccoli cous cous
Broccoli cous cous

On the way home that night, we considered taking a taxi the few miles through the maze and over the bridge to our hotel, but decided to brave the rain (and getting lost in the maze) to get in more sightseeing.

In Santa Cruz area
The kitchen view from our bar seats.
The kitchen view from our bar seats.
Tapas Restaurants

—

And now for a ham break…

After a few days in Spain, I quickly grew accustomed to having ham (pictured: serrano) with every meal, including breakfast.
After a few days in Spain, I quickly grew accustomed to having ham (pictured: serrano) with every meal, including breakfast.

—

The next day we joined a free walking tour led by Feel the City Tours. Guided through the city by an enthusiastic local, a former history major, we learned about the major monuments in Seville including Christopher Columbus’ tomb in Seville Cathedral, the massive Plaza de Espana where scenes from Star Wars I & II were shot and Plaza de Toros (Bull Plaza). Bullfighting is an important part of Seville’s (and Spain’s) history, but my friend and I agreed, with little fuss or discussion, that we weren’t interested in seeing a bullfight. I also noticed a ton of cervecerias (bars), the abundance of which, were explained by our guide as such, “In Seville, you see a church, a tapas bar, a church, a tapas bar…We have 100 churches and 800 tapas bars [a chuckle]. Here, life is outside. It’s too hot to be home. Home is for nothing but sleep.” Luckily, since we visited in October, the weather was just right.

P1050342
Horse-driven carriages dotted the city center.
Horse-driven carriages dotted the city center.
Seville Cathedral, where Columbus tomb is housed.
Seville Cathedral, where Columbus tomb is housed.
We stumbled upon a "Future of Agriculture" fair. Importantly, this meant animals were on the scene!
We stumbled upon a “Future of Agriculture” fair. Importantly, this meant animals were on the scene!
Rooster
Sheep
Goats
Plaza de Espana
Plaza de Espana
Plaza de Espana
Me at Plaza de Espana
Plaza de Espana
Plaza de Espana
Torre del Oro (The Golden Tower) was once a prison.

That evening, we dined at Contenedor, where I enjoyed one of my favorite meals ever. One of those meals where I am thanking all the deities for my hardworking taste buds and the ability to smell deliciousness. The flavors of the dishes tasted familiar, the ingredients: fresh, identifiable and comforting – like soul food is to me – but, the execution was different enough to boggle my mouth. To think, we almost didn’t eat there.

It’s a popular restaurant and we didn’t have reservations. It was drizzling again that evening and again we’d gotten lost walking through the maze of Santa Cruz. Walking around for hours had exhausted us, we were cranky and my friend was starving. “We have full,” the hostess told us. We’d learned on our trip that meant, “No reservation, no dining.” V wasn’t having it; she and her stomach would not be deterred. She pleaded with the hostess, “Please, we’ve been walking for so long and it’s hot. We are hungry. Can you just fit two people? Please?” I have no idea if the hostess understood V or not, it seemed fewer people in Seville spoke English than in Barcelona, but the muscles in her face relaxed, she smiled and beckoned for us to follow her into the restaurant, where she said something in rapid Spanish to the chef, and then seated us at a small bar facing the kitchen. “Wow!” I said admiringly to V.

Our meal lasted a leisurely three hours. We drank, giggled, gushed over the meal we ate family-style, and observed the buzz of the other diners, everyone appearing effervescent with the excitement a Friday night and multiple bottles of wine with friends & family produces. It felt homey. We were part of a big dining family for the evening. The staff intent on ensuring our comfort. When we left the restaurant hours later, we realized we hadn’t seen a single table turnover in the three hours we’d been there. I’ve never had a more relaxing meal. The perfect meal to close out our time in Seville.

The menu changes daily. Our server patiently explained the Spanish dishes to us.
The menu changes daily. Our server patiently explained the Spanish dishes to us.
Arroz Pato (Rice with duck)
Arroz Pato (Rice with duck)
Of course we had ham (and cheese)
Of course we had ham (and cheese)
The dessert menu
I understood the words "tarta", "queso", and "manzana" and figured we'd get some kind of cheesecake. That's kind of what this was...a tart with cream cheese and baked apples - not the cheesecake I was expecting, but still very good.
I understood the words “tarta”, “queso”, and “manzana” and figured we’d get some kind of cheesecake. That’s kind of what this was…a tart with cream cheese and baked apples – not the cheesecake I was expecting, but still very good.
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7 Comments
  • Kitt O'Malley
    December 6, 2014

    Love your travel photos. Gorgeous!

    Reply
    • The Girl Next Door is Black
      December 6, 2014

      Thanks, Kitt!

      Reply
  • momssmallvictories
    November 21, 2014

    Oh Spain. We went a lifetime ago (before we had kids) and loved Sevilla. The food, the best paella, fresh shrimp and cherries, jamon and the charm and laid back lifestyle were wonderful. Anytime we get bogged down with life, hubby asks if we’re ready to move to Spain 🙂

    Thanks for sharing with #ThrowbackThursdaylinkup and hope you join us for our Small Victories Sunday linky that’s open all week also!

    Reply
  • styleandstylability
    March 31, 2014

    never really thought about visiting Spain but I like getting lost… and tapas

    Reply
    • thegirlnextdoorisblack
      March 31, 2014

      I didn’t have much interest in going to Spain either, no real reason, just that other places ranked higher on my travel list. I loved it though. The food was amazing, the people were generally pretty nice, the food…and the shopping! Architecture, history. I highly recommend it!

      Reply
  • Laura
    March 31, 2014

    Great photos!!

    Reply
    • thegirlnextdoorisblack
      March 31, 2014

      Thank you! 🙂

      Reply

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I'm Keisha ("Kee-shuh", not to be confused with Ke$ha). I am a (later) thirty-something, non-mommy, non-wife, who lives in San Francisco, California New York and has lots of opinions on lots of things.

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