The Sunday Scribblings prompt is "good." So here's my account of a "good" weekend:
When my husband came to Sevilla last weekend, the midnight photo of La Giralda above was the romantic view from our second-floor room at Hotel Los Seises on Calle Segovias.
The beautiful hotel in the Barrio Santa Cruz was once part of a 16th-century palace.
Except for two interruptions to work on my Spanish homework, the weekend was magical!
We visited La Giralda (for the second time), which despite the ongoing construction and restoration is magnificient.
We had tostadas, coffee and tea at a bodega near La Giralda and a typical Sevillian lunch at a terrific restaurant with Art Nouveau architecture near the Universidad.
Dinner was al fresco beneath the orange trees at Dona Alvira in Santa Cruz.
We marveled at the stunning art of Murillo and Leal in the Museo de Bellas Artes and the unique beauty of the Plaza de Espana, now housing Andalucian government offices, as well as the Museo Militar.
The latter boasts incredible examples not only of swords and weapons, but of carriages, furniture, a complete train car, blacksmith's shop, printer's studio, hospital and pharmacy and other military memorabilia.
Amidst the blossoming palm trees and tiled seats in Parque Maria Luisa, we saw the Glorieta de Becquer, an ivory statue featuring allegorical figures depicting the phases of love. It was sculpted in 1911 by Lorenzo Valera to honour Sevillian poet Gustavo Aldolfo Becquer (1836-70). We strolled the palm-tree and fountain-filled Jardins de Murillo, walked across the Isabelle II iron bridge to Triana, then walked back alongside the Rio de Gualdaquavir to the Moorish Toro del Oro, built to defend Sevilla.
At the Sunday morning flea market at Plaza el Cabildo we bought 19th-century postcards featuring photographs from Granada and Madrid, a 19th-century book about the Spanish artist Goya and an exquisite hand-tooled leather prayer book - for just 10 and 15 euros, respectively! We also bought sweets from the adjacent convent for my husband's office staff. The weekend was great fun, but exhausting! We walked for miles and miles, savouring each other's company and the beauty all around us.
This 17th-century furniture grouping was outside our room at Hotel Los Seises.
A heraldic inscription from the palace has been restored to its former glory in a hotel corridor.
The hotel's restaurant is built artfully around the palace's original foundations.
A Saturday evening view of La Giralda from the poolside restaurant on the hotel's third floor. We watched the kestrels swooping about looking for insects - lots of those in Sevilla, especially mosquitoes!
Sounds like a GOOD weekend to me!
Great photos!
Posted by: Don | 24 October 2006 at 04:38
oh my goodness i just love the
restaurant - how inviting and
beautiful:)
i am so happy your sweetie came to
see you :)
Posted by: sophie | 24 October 2006 at 04:26
Tara: We are sisters through and through. I love taking photos of views from my room and all the photos you took are as if I were there telling you to! They are absolutely lovely. As always, thanks for sharing your life with us. xo
Posted by: Rosa | 24 October 2006 at 00:59
Sounds like a lovely time. The restaurant reminds me of a place in northeastern Brasil that a friend of mine runs. He bought an old colonial house and was in the process of fixing it up when he discovered a series of underground tunnels leading from his property to the main Catholic Cathedral in the town. They were old slave escape tunnels, and also places the priests would hide gold when pirates would attack.
I'm serious!
Once my friend discovered all this he turned his home into a themed restaurant, preserving all the tunnels much in the way your hotel built the restaurant around the original historical part.
Que aproveche bastante!
Posted by: Ali la Loca | 23 October 2006 at 18:46
Beautiful pictures! You're a "good" advertisement for the hotel--it looks amazing!
Posted by: Bug | 23 October 2006 at 18:26
I am happy you are having such fun in Sevilla while you study!Thanks for taking time to show us!!
Posted by: tongue in cheek | 23 October 2006 at 10:03
What splendid travel writing ... a joy to visit your site and worth saving these posts for a trip to visit Spain. Thank you ...
Posted by: Becca | 23 October 2006 at 05:28
Good, good, VERY good! I love these pictures of the ruins and the tables. That is so cool. So the kind of thing you just don't see in the States! LOL!
oxox
:)
Posted by: Amber | 23 October 2006 at 04:27
Thank you for showing me how wonderful Spain is. Admittedly, not a country to top my list of places to visit, you are changing my mind with your tales and lovely photos. I especially love the last three!
Posted by: kristen | 23 October 2006 at 03:58
I'm really enjoying visiting Spain with you. Sad that it has to end sometime (but then, there's always Paris).
Posted by: Catherine | 23 October 2006 at 00:47
good weekend? It sounds WONDERFUL! I would love to see the inside of that restaurant; to look down into that history.
Posted by: AscenderRisesAbove | 22 October 2006 at 22:53
Sounds so romantic! Wonderful pictures to illustrate a very good day.
Posted by: chiefbiscuit | 22 October 2006 at 22:43
How romantic and lovely to just spend that time together strolling and chatting, 'enjoying one another's company.' I'm sure it definitely was a 'good' time for you both.
Hope all continues to be well for you there in Spain, Senora Tara!
xox
Posted by: tinker | 22 October 2006 at 22:43
oh wow paris...that DOES sound like a GOOD time. it makes my heart go pitter-patter and wish my husband and i were in spain also. i love this post--both your words and your photos.
*sigh* so very, very romantic. ;)
Posted by: jessie | 22 October 2006 at 22:36
Your pictures always offer such a good insight into your life :-)
Posted by: Jemima von Schindelberg | 22 October 2006 at 20:59
Those are some views, madame! A magical place in spite of itself.
So looking forward to seeing you!
Posted by: Laura | 22 October 2006 at 20:39
Sounds like an absolutely magical weekend!! Especially loved hearing about the Sunday market. Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: JavaCurls | 22 October 2006 at 20:33
Are you sure you don't work for the Sevilla Chamber of Commerce or Tourism Board? I so want to go there now.
Posted by: Donna | 22 October 2006 at 20:03
I paused when you got to the postcards...the old postcards..one of my favorite hobbies..finding old postcards of places I've been...a kidred soul...Have you posted the stages of love?? did I miss them?
I love being a tourist..in the good sense.. with my husband. Observing details together. I do this more than he does.. He just likes "hotel sex" I think. He's an engineer. Much more concrete...
ah well..have fun!
Posted by: wendy | 22 October 2006 at 19:40
I have always wanted to see Spain--hope to visit someday. In the meantime, I get to live vicariously through your writings and your pictures, Tara.
Lovely!
Posted by: January | 22 October 2006 at 19:26
My, what a wonderful weekend you had :) Many sweet memories were made...thanks for sharing them with us!
I love the restaurant among the ruins, so to speak. What a marvelous atmosphere for dinner!
Posted by: Becca | 22 October 2006 at 17:38
What a lovely time with the one you love! Thanks for posting those gorgeous pics and letting your readers have a peek in to your experience. xo, D
Posted by: Deborah | 22 October 2006 at 17:20
(sigh) Gorgeous...and what a weekend! Glad you had such a good time with your love.
Posted by: Marilyn | 22 October 2006 at 16:50
This does sound like a "good" weekend. Gorgeous photos, the restaurant looks spectacular!
Posted by: Kamsin | 22 October 2006 at 15:38
Wow! Very romantic and quite beautiful. A very good weekend indeed.
Posted by: GoGo | 22 October 2006 at 14:58
Tara,
What a beautious and magnifico weekend. I 'm happy for your pleasure and wonderful time. Those are the times that retore our souls.
P.S. thanks for giving us a glimpse of the wonders your eyes feasted upon.
rel
Posted by: rel | 22 October 2006 at 14:26