A special day in Sevilla

Since Rob's been using my iPhone as his travel camera he's made it his business to take pics of me that prove I too have been in exotic locations (usually I am the one taking the photo!). I was lucky enough to celebrate my birthday in Sevilla yesterday...starting with a visit to the Real Alcazar, the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe, and declared a World Heritage site in 1987.  This is a pic of me (nice one too Rob!) on my birthday in the front courtyard of the amazing Real Alcazar........

The building had its origins in the eleventh century AD.  Almost every century since it has had some addition, renovation or modification made by the rulers of Iberia, but there is a lot here that shows its Moorish heritage..including this most beautiful courtyard, with its sunken garden of orange trees and Vinca..... 

We loved all the small details of the Real Alcazar....

...and its extensive gardens with so many places to sit and admire the beauty........

we were intrigued by this unfamiliar tree in the front courtyard garden..further research showed us it was a "silk floss tree" (Ceiba Speciosa from South America)....we were lucky to see it in magnificent full bloom!

Then I was invited to a special celebratory late lunch at the wonderful La Bartola in Calle San Jose, right near the Cathedral.

We tried a number of their tasting plates of the day....an almond dip, with figs(!!), to start with, a gorgonzola & pesto lasagne - my 3 favourite food groups...and a lovely reminder that I had my first taste of gorgonzola cheese in Roma on my 24th birthday (an awfully long time ago).........

...then a carpaccio of tuna and a rare beef dish. Such wonderful food, which we all loved...and so different to the other tapas style offerings we have tried in Sevilla which are mostly based on fried things (seafood and potatoes mostly)....good drinking food and very yummy, but getting quite predictable. We have all loved the food and funky style at La Bartola.

We take a long walk then to the river, past the famous Sevilla bullring (no fights today, thankfully) and up to the Puenta de Isobel 11, looking across to the Triana district which we'll explore more tomorrow.

We ended off the day again on our breezy terrace, raising a glass of Jose's Tempranillo to another lovely day spent in this beautiful city.