0305 and 0405 Seville

The women wear huge flowers in their hair held upright by large combs











Mules





Back to Seville by bus and this time we arrived at a different bus station on the river. The weather was beautiful and there were girls in flamenco dresses everywhere. Taxi to the Plz de la Encarnacion and then to the Oasis Backpackers hostel again. Sorted out the tickets to Avila after another minor fiasco due to incorrect information given at the desk which cost us a long walk to the San Sebastian bus station only to find we had to go back to the Plz de Armas bus station.

At night we walked to the Feria which is about 40 minutes from the hostel. I don't remember much of the Feria from 1971 except many horses with men in the saddle and women in their frilly flamenco dresses sitting side-saddle on the back. This time, I only saw one but I did see many girls on the back of scooters. In the Feria ground there are rows and rows of tents where people have private parties. There are more than 1000 of these small tents which become a home away from home for Sevillanas during he fair. There is live music in all the tents and food and drinks. There is a lot of parading around in colourful dresses and lots of dancing in the tents. It is a week long party with people staying up all night.

The following day we went to the train station to buy tickets to get to Avila and then we went over to the Feria again. There were fewer people around but there were families dressed in traditional gear riding around on their horses - again it was a parade in style. There were also highly decorated horses and mules drawing sulkies and wagons of all types. The drivers were often to be seen having a beer or a wine and the passengers were usually eating and drinking all the way through the streets and more often than not, clapping a flamenco rhythm.

We learned from some Aussie women we met at the Hostel that we could get a Seniors' Pass for the train for 5 EU and it would give us a 40% discount so that is what we did. I also notice that the prices given for train fares once here, are less than a quarter that quoted on the net by the mob trying to sell Eurail passes and selling tickets online.

I don't think I've mentioned the all pervasive smell of incense in the streets of Seville. I thought it might have been just for Easter that peddlers were out selling it but they are still to be found in the streets of the old city, burning and selling the incense used in church services. It really does nasty things to the sinuses.

Last night we went to a Flamenco performance in an old coal yard, starting at 11 pm again. It was very intense and very worthwhile despite it being way past my bedtime.

Stayed at Oasis Backpackers Hostel for AU $108 for 2 nights.