We started the day by going to our meeting point for our "free" walking tour. This was the biggest group that we have ever been in on a free walking tours. We were around 25 people. Our guide had a speaker and we had earbuds that he provided so it was easy to listen to him even though we were a big group. We met in front of City Hall near the fountain in plaza San Francisco named after the convent that used to be there. It has nothing to do with the city of said name in the states.
Our guide started by explaining all the sculptures and carving on the building. One interesting sculpture was of a cross representing the torture that Christians had to endure during the Spanish Inquisition. We saw many interesting places and buildings, Salvadore church, the Cathedral, Giralda tower, Torre del Oro and Alcazar. We finished at Plaza España. Miquel, our guide told us many interesting stories and legends while showing us the different plazas and areas of the city. He told us the story of Susona Ben Suson a Jewish girl from the 15th century who was in love with a Christian, she denounced her father for plotting a coup against the Christians. All her family were imprisoned for the rest of their life. She felt so guilty that she spent the rest of her life in a convent and asked that at her death she be beheaded, and her head placed in evidence for all to see for what she did.
By the time we finished it was time for lunch, so we decided to eat at a local bodega (bar). Joline and I both ate a cold tomato soup called salmorejo that had tuna, shredded boiled egg and cured ham as an appetizer. It was delicious. Jacques went for the fried anchovies which were ok but not as good as our soup. For the main Jacques and I shared a medium size plate of pork cheeks in traditional sauce which were melt in your mouth tender, while Joline went for a plate of pork sirloin in whisky sauce.
After lunch we returned to plaza España to walk around and look at all the tiled pictures. There are pictures representing every province in Spain except for Sevilla which is represented by the towers. Plaza España was built in 1928 for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition, so not as old as I had imagined. There is a scene from star wars that was filmed here. We watched a flamenco show and tried to do a lab cache but were unable to find the answer so it will be for another day. Plaza España is huge with so many things to see that one afternoon is not enough to see it all. We will have to return during our stay.
We returned to the apartment at the end of the day very tired after having walked 14.6 km in 25-degree weather. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing with a bottle of wine alongside cheese, pâté, and iberico ham.
Bring back memories, thanks
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