Pictures and Stories About Bicycle Adventures

Breakfast and a Morning Walk in Downtown Seville

Above Left: Our eatery this morning.

Above Right: Door cover of a restaurant (which will not open until 8pm).

Above: I think this is a Bank/Banco but it is the Snapshots of Life hanging on the building that are of interest to us.

Above: A view up and down the street of a downtown avenue (Sunday morning, just us tourists are wandering about).

Above: A set of buildings (entire block) that became a Spanish Government Administration Building (Sunday morning, not busy).

Above: A Scale Model Store (Barcos Y Trenes [English: Boats and Trains]).

Carmona, Spain

Above: Our northern view from the front plaza of our hotel. Just out of view behind the knoll on the right hand side is an old Roman Bridge. Carmona exists as a fortified hill in the middle of a plane. It has served as a fortress for every ruling force since the times of the Phoenicians. The oldest Church has a Roman Gate entrance and Phoenician Columns on the Interior knave (the ultimate in recycling and reuse).

Above Left: The beginning process of building the 'Bee' (da Vinci Tandem Bicycle). We first lay out a plastic sheet (it keeps people from walking in our build area and it keeps any grease or oil of the building area surface).

Above Right: Terry is about to remove the Ballistic Nylon Cover from the Pilots Seat Tube.

Above Left: The is Terry and Martin. Martin was very helpful in helping us build our bike, test drive and help make tuning adjustments, giving us a tour around Carmona, and teaching us the basics of living on the road in Spain. See Next for Added Remarks.

Above Right: Martin is a representative of Cycling through the Centuries a Bicycle Touring and Rental Company through which we set up our Self Guided Tour Arrangements. Martin drove us here from Seville and he will serve as our guide and provide us with an introduction to Spain and Spanish eating habits (Road Survival 201). Martin was extremely useful to our needs and education.

Above: The 'Bee' (da Vinci Tandem Bicycle) building process is completed (sans saddle bags and gear).

Notice the new mountain bike fender on the front (for times when we do not pack or mount our front rack) and notice the stinger stripes on the rear stays (new).

Above Left: This is where we ordered Tapas (small snacks/meals, very much appetizers in English). Because Restaurants do not open until 8 pm, most of the population survives on little snacks available at bars/cafés. We also ordered drinks, we have almost exclusively changed to only ordering beer (no wine). One, Terry has stomach troubles with Wines (except not with Sangria), the volume of Wine served decreases each time that we travel anywhere, and Beer is still served in Mugs, Pints, or Bottles (no volume decrease).

Above Right: Tapas #1.

Above Left: Tapas #2.

Above Right: An important flag or crest.

Above Left: Martin at the bar and patron watching a Soccer Match.

Above Right: My favorite travel partner.

Walking Tour of Carmona

Above Left: The East Gate (of only 2 gates).

Above Right: A view west from the East Gate.

Above Left: Wall Damage. Usually this is caused by Motor Vehicles, it is such an old problem that in the Ox Cart Days, this part of the wall was curved away from the Ox Cart's Axil - Demonstation pictures coming soon.

Above Right: Geraniums.

Above Left: Nice Old Stately Home.

Above Right: The outer entrance to the old Moorish Fortress.

Above Left: Southern Turret on the old Moorish Fortress.

Above Right: Inner Entrance of the 'Kill Box' of the old Moorish Fortress.

Above: A view north and south of the outter wall of the Old Moorish Fortress. Note that the corner structure of the wall to the left/north end was an Old Roman Fort - See Next.

Above Left: Old Roman Fortification Outpost.

Above Right: North corner of the Moorish Wall.

Above Left: Southern Rook/Observation Post.

Above Right: Southern View.

Above Left: Southeastern View.

Above Right: A Wall and a Rock.

Above Left: Notice the inward-folded mirrors.

Above Right: The western view and the remaining part of Carmona.

Above Left: The Daisies of Spain appear to have over-sprayed Stamen.

Above Right: The Western Gate and Wall of Carmona have more remaining Moorish Architectural Patterns than the Eastern Wall.

Above: Carmona's Western Gate.

Above Left: A Royal Declaration.

Above Right: A cafe, normally busy now but a village celebration is about to start up the street.

Above: Typical White Plaster Street Views.

Above: Central Plaza of the Carmona Fortress area.

Above: Some sort of Ox Cart Prosession and Ceremony is taking place.

Above: Magic happens hear (we are back at our hotel briefly).

Above Left: We are now walking with Martin

This is now a Catholic Church, formerly a Phoenician Temple, a Roman Mithrandir Temple, and a Mosque. It still has features from its past days.

Above Right: This is a column, probably from Phoenician times, with carved Christian Epithets.

Above Left: Phoenician Courtyard.

Above Right: Phoenician Calander Information, probably religious in nature.

Above Left: Not so common twin fountain spouts.

Above Right: Aging Church Exterior.

Above Left: Palm Sunday Remnant.

Above Right: Old Moorish Tile (before Blue Tile era).

Above Left: Ox Cart Damage/Cutout.

Above Right: A popular door knocker to bring good luck to the house.

Above Left: Typical Village Street.

Above Right: Palm and elegant stone work.

Above Left: Crest & Elegant Heavy Door.

Above Right: Special Historical Home (Casa) Marker.

Above Left: Vehicle Damage (an Ox Cart Hub is higher above the ground).

Above Right: The view south toward the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Above Left: Old Roman Bridge to the Northeast.

Above Right: Honeysuckle.