Saturday in Sevilla

With a few morning clouds in the sky we started the day with a walk to the Puente de Isobel 11 (bridge) and across to the old Triana district.

Our first stop was the Mercado Triano, a very orderly, clean and prosperous looking fresh food market and still quite busy despite the fact it was after 11.00am by the time we got there. It proved to be a great find for good coffees and a late breakfast (with pastries after).

This country REALLY takes its hams seriously....this was the Jamonerie shop (pic below).......... Every bar, cafe, restaurant has cured hams hanging up from every available hook and always a ham on a special stand being carefully sliced according to need.  No need for refrigeration obviously!!

Olives are serious business too. This stall had all sorts of olive offerings including olives marinating with raw seafood (tuna slices(?) and calamari) and other things.

 In Plaza del Altozano we were struck by the number of beautifully dressed young women (and men) about.

 ..and realised we'd come across a real live Triana wedding........

Maxie and I joined the guests hanging out at the next door open air bar while the ceremony was in progress, admiring all the womens' outfits. They were drinking, smoking and having a great old socialise while the "boring" bits of the wedding were going on inside the little church.

Eventually it was all over and the bride and groom emerged to a great show of rice and rose petals. At this point a singer performed a beautiful Spanish song that everyone seemed to know and love.

 ......and we left to walk some more around this lovely old district.

 ..whereupon we came across another wedding...and more women dressed to the nines.......

We saw at least 3-4 wedding parties today, a big day for weddings obviously here in Sevilla..they looked like they'd be relaxed, fun events too (apart from having to wear those killer heels all the women were wearing). 

Later, walking along Calle Betis beside the river gave us great views of the Torre del Oro, looking quite pale and golden today - as befits its name.

We stopped for a beer break on the longish walk back to the apartment then walking past one of the boundary walls of the Real Alcazar gardens later we realised we'd been here at least once before this visit. We're starting to get a better feel for the layout of this picturesque city.

Tonight we treated ourselves to a Flamenco performance at the Casa de la Memoria in Calle Cuna. This is old school Flamenco with all the traditional elements and top class performers.  I was a bit concerned it might lack a bit of character because it is a top class, but packaged, performance to introduce the art form to visitors 

I needn't have worried..the performance was fierce and spine chilling ..with the freeform singing, the solo guitarist the dancers and the incredible percussion rhythms of the clapping and the foot stamping...absolutely wonderful...there were buttons and bobby pins, sweat and earrings flying in all directions from the dancers. We loved it!

And some street scenes around our Sevilla apartment.........on our last evening here after a perfect four day stay....