Pictures and Stories About Bicycle Adventures

- Arrive by Air at Sevilla/Seville
- Walk Tour Seville
- Bike Tour Andalucia: Carmona, Palma Del Rio,
  Córdoba, Baena, Almedinilla, and Granada
- Car Hire Drive to València
- Loop Drive through Castles and Petroglyphs
  near Morella
- Bus and Walk Tour València
- Air Depart València, Madrid, Chicago,
  then Denver

- We had a very successful bicycle tour - No Rain, No Flat Tires (Schwabe Marathon Tour Plus)
- Every day was in the 30s C (90s F), Day High Avg 35C/95F, Highest Temp 46C (115F)
- Our Mexican (weak as it is) carried well in Spain. In Spain a Tortilla is an Omelet,
  a Baños can be a Bath House, a Servicio is a Toilet (not to be confused with a Cerveza)
- We got lost once and performed a Metric Century that day
- Our rental car had a GPS with no language other than Spanish
  Our long Car Drive Day was on a Monday (when every good Museum in the world is Closed)

- We made the mistake of telling departing airline agent that two suitcases were bicycles,
  We usually get free or discounted allowances; in Spain it cost an added €75 per case!

Arrival - 1 May 2015
Sevilla, Mid-Day

Above: Old Room (this is good), Tile everywhere, First Floor (played the Dr's card), and the tandem bicycle is hiding in the two aluminum suit cases.

Above Left: Hotel Simon's central courtyard looking toward the front desk and entrance.

Above Right: A right-angle view of Hotel Simon's central courtyard. It was very pleasant but we spent very little awake time there.

Above: Very understated Entrance, Hotel Simon (Nice Location).

Bullfighting: While Bullfighting is not for us, we did want to learn about Spanish Bullfighting, so we visited one of the most famous Bullfight Rings in the world to see its Museum and take a guided tour. Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza is a very popular place, we waited in line to buy tickets and our tour's start time was scheduled for one hour later.

• Bullfighting is not part of the history of all of present day Spain, most of the northern Provence's have no Bullfighting at all.
• Bullfighting is a common way of poor people to achieve success, much like Boxing in the USA.
• Bullfighters are paid before an event!

* 'Real' in Spanish means Royal in English (the root word of Real Estate).

Above Left: S.A.R. La Augusta Senora Condesa (Contessa) de Barcelona, Seville Spain. Note that this is a Side-Saddle pose.
3 Histories, Pick One:
1) She was the wife of the King Franco and the mother of the king he designated as his (Franco's) successor.
2) She was a member of the Bourbon Family.
3) She was a noble and a wealthy land owner who survived 3 stately marriages.

Above Right: A statue of Curro Romero, famous Matador (Bullfighter).

Above: Wide closeup photograph of Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza.

Above: It's Huge - The interior of Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza. It seems to be twice as big inside as it is outside, very strange.

Above Left: Every other Seat is Numbered.

Above Right: The King's permanent viewing box. No one may use the box if the King is not there.

Above Left: Interior walkway.

Above Right: Sections and Seat Numbers.

Above Left: Service Accoutrements.

Above Right: Real (Royal) Accoutrements.

Above: Picador Lances - Once upon a time the Picador was more of an attraction than the Matador.

Above Left: Famous Bull Fight Action Painting.

Above Right: Famous Matador Suits.

Above Left: Picador's/Lancer's Target Ring for practice (fancy).

Above Right: Matador's Chapel.

Seville Walkabout

The Outside Temperature is in the 90s F/30s C, people walk in the shade.

Above Left: Typical European big city parking but the motor bikes seem a little bigger than the scooters typical of Italy.

Above Right: A little cooling refreshment was in order.

Above: The main plaza outside of Seville Cathedral.

Above Left: We're looking at the horses relaxed pose.

Above Right: Interesting architecture.

Above: Seville Street Life.

Above: Seville Back Streets.

Above Left: Seville Back Streets.

Above Right: Ale-Hop.

Above Left: River walkway/alcalde along the Rio Guadalquivir. Rio is Spanish for River and Guadal and is Arabic for River, a little redundant but customs hold. NOTE: Jacaranda trees (purple, in bloom) are from South America.

Above Right: Tower of Gold (Torre del Oro) on the Rio Guadalquivir. At one time, especially of the Columbus era, sailing ships docked here.

Above Left: Alkazar Plaza and Statue.

Above Right: Carlos del Rio playing just outside of the Alkazar walls. We bought one of his CDs.

Reales Alcázares de Sevilla or Royal Alcazars of Seville
(Alkazars/Alkázars is Arabic for Palace and Fortress),
Home of the Moorish Muslim Kings

Only in recent times is Spain recognizing the Moorish contributions to health, architecture, music, art, and life.

Above Left: The line to get in moved quickly.

Above Right: Crossed Palms.

Flamenco Show

Above Left: This is the Flamenco Show that we saw.

Above Right: Dinner and a Show. No Photos at the Flamenco Show. The Dinner was good and the show was Superior.

Evening Stroll

Above Left: Tapas slicing rig (Jamos - Ham).

Above Right: We're in Sherry Country (Sherry/Jerez/Xeres), it dates back to Phoenician trading times.

Above Left: My favorite travel partner.

Above Right: It is not cool enough to be pleasant until 8 pm, that is when restaurants open. Houses are not cool enough to sleep in until mid-night and that is why people sleep from midnight to 8 am.

Above Left: Cooling refreshments.

Above Right: Tourists like us are ready to turn in at 2100, the Spanish are just starting to socialize.