And on to Seville!

Which took all day!  We caught a train from Lisboa to Faro at 10.00am which is on the south coast of Portugal and then a bus to Seville.  Interesting getting a look at the country. Trees in most of Portugal are quite small and in the south of Spain it is just about completely covered in olive trees. It is quite a sight looking at the very straight lines of trees in fields going at all angles everywhere you look. It reminded me of the rice fields in Japan. Looking at the countryside, sometimes you think it is just like country Victoria  we have been surprised by how much of the land is under cultivation  

Notmuch else happened that first night in Seville except to find the local IGA and buy milk etc for breakfasy and we had a drink at the local bar.  

Our first day was spent walking, walking.., we visited One church so we could buy a combined ticket for that church and the Cathedral which meant we jumped the queue- pretty tricky!  This was good advice from Rick Steves - and we were in for half price as we are Seniors  It is the best here - nearly everything has a reduced price for +65s!  We love it . So this day we visited 2 churches  and they were both so huge and over the top.  And here is the usual snaps - I won’t call them photos which would intimate that I took some care.... 

when we walked into this church, our jaws dropped. There was so much gold, gold and more gold  

This is one of the floats they carry statues on during processions. It is a big thing here in Seville

Just another altar. 

And another! 

This was the peaceful courtyard, part of the old Mosque. Many of the Churches weee built on the mosques sites after the Reconquista.  

And now fir the biggest Gothic Cathedral in the world and the 3rd biggest church!

the altar is behind the grille.

How is this for a monstrance! 

And this is the tomb of CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS- unbelievable! 

A rather large something?

A bird bath? No, a very large baptismal font in the chapel of St Anthony.  

And then we climbed the Bell tower called the Giralda. 330 feet high and fortunately it had ramps which made it much easier than steps. They used ramps to accommodate the a donkey- riding muezzin who had to climb to the top 5 times a day - again the association with a mosque. Some snaps from the top. 

The bull ring....still popular in Seville

The bells in the tower.

And then we home and had tapas at our local bar which was very delicious. Day one done.