It wasn’t really that expensive to get a Blablacar from the Portuguese Algarve to the Spanish Sevilla… but that’s not what I do it for anyway, for the money (that’s just a positive side effect). I adore hitchhiking because instead of a simple lame transfer you allow yourself a true adventure.
There goes the backpack with the girl! Spongebob on the highway!
It’s never the mundane boring people that pick up hitchhikers.
Especially Joy wasn’t. After my friend Wouter had driven me to the international highway where I shortly posted in the blistering sun, it took the British 50-year-old-but-looking-like-40-year-old only 4 minutes to promptly halt with squeeking tires and take me for a spin. Within a mere 10 minutes I was entirely updated about the life of this piece of blonde craziness, including the ins and outs of her delirious adventures as an alcoholic journalist (sober since 2 years) and her psychotic son brainwashed by a spiritual commune. At least she’s going places.
With her little dog on my lap we raced straight to Andalusia, throwing a well-meant “fuck you, you foh-king wankah” to every perceived ‘idiot’ driving passed a tad too reckless. This woman was absolutely nuts, which is exactly why we immediately hit it off. Scarily enough, I felt like I was granted a little sneak-peek into future me.
With bed-breakfast-but-no-alcohol-invitations in the pocket I wandered from the highway intersection to downtown Sevilla, where hotel receptionist and heavily-pierced metalhead Alvaro was awaiting my arrival.
While the sweat poured down my face (Sevilla, djeez, get a grip with your humid 45 degrees, you think that’s fun?) I suddenly noticed how much I’m in Europe right now. I mean, it’s been a while. I’m not used anymore to those straight well-kept streets, immaculate bicycle lanes and trees planted with an exactly measured distance in between them. And man, what’s with the surplus of traffic rules and signs?! Luckily Alvaro shares my general life ethics, which basically means using rules as an indicator of what ‘normal people’ do, so where the fun begins for people like us. Even though he spent his days working his ass off saving for his next trip (also for him money is only meant to travel), the time we would pass together was an absolute blast.
So after a little welcome hug I started walking into the direction of the historical center alone, being one of the few people outside in the devastating midday heat, sprayed by tiny water hoses hanging over the streets for the necessary cool-off. Admitted, Sevilla was worth it. Opposed to the modern and well-organized outskirts, the core of the town is as traditional and ancient as time could have possibly preserved it.
The deeper I walked into the center, the more tourists blocked my way, which unconsciously forces my mind into flight-mode.
Without realizing where I was going I had already dived into a labyrinth of narrow twisting side streets where all sounds suddenly disappeared. Amidst the acute stillness my thoughts were rapidly released and it swiftly occurred to me how happy I was people spoke Spanish again after 4 months of Brazilian and Portuguese-Portuguese… alright, I learned that language good enough by now, but it feels like for months people around you have been stuttering or the sound level of reality had been too low and all of a sudden you can hear clearly again. Sure, after 3 years in South America I had to get used to the monotonous s-s-s-tongue-out-of-your-mouth-Spanish, but it felt like home somehow. My home for only a week.
When I awoke out of my thoughts I suddenly stood at Plaza de España, at the foot of a giant palace with fountains and bridges and people being unrealistically happy in front of cameras.
Including this one.
The wind carried some distant music that pointed my ears. I followed my curiosity and walked guided by its rhythm. The melody of these strengthening sounds melted together with some flavorful clapping, filling up the music with the taste of strong passion. I followed the pillars alongside the gallery until they revealed a woman. She was dressed in black and wore flowers in her hair, her face serious, drowned in amorous concentration. I tried to move but I couldn’t, I was under her spell. I could think of nothing, the aroused ticking of her feet echoed through my brain. This is magic.
I don’t know if I sat there 10 minutes or an hour watching the flamenco, but once they stopped and I looked up to the sky the night had made its entrance. It had ‘cooled down’ to 31 degrees, pleasurable.
I decided to return to Alvaro when I promptly walked into a giant street party. It’s like life wanted me there… and you should never turn down an invitation, especially not from life itself.
I promptly forgot about my self-invented detox week and ordered a ‘vino de laranja’, an orange wine, the local specialty. Orange = fruit = healthy, right? I decided I like Sevilla.
Every smile turns into a conversation and everyone has something to say, even if they don’t.
I wanted more of it. As my Dutch blood goes pumping every time I visually trace down a bicycle lane, I decided to surrender to my instincts and uncover Sevilla on wheels. Luck had it that Alvaro owned a public-bike-membership-card which I could use for free, as long as I limit myself to rides of maximum 30 minutes each (an hour only costing €1 - it’s called Sevici). European cities are small anyway.
First I raced down to the Metropol Parasol, a futuristic building providing a fantastic view over the ancient-modern cityscape (€3).
From there I pedaled down to the Andalusian palace Casa de Pilatos and Museo de Bellas Artes, which is free for EU citizens but closed early in summer. As the combination of art and free stuff sounds like the ultimate Steph-deal I came back for that one though, to conclude this ‘best museum in town’ is merely a pathetic mix of religious bullcrap. Apparently just the Spanish Inquisition wasn’t enough suffering caused by the church, they have to bug generations to come by spreading their atrocious imagery globally under the cloak of ‘art’.
This was actually the only piece I liked in there...
No, then you’re better off at the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo. Especially if you’re into plain weirdness, which needless to say I am.
A surreal expedition through the subconscious layers of those mentally deviant. Delicious, keep it coming.
Staring at some cultivated mind trip on canvas I suddenly felt my phone vibrating against my hip: Alvaro. If I had time to meet him at the Bohemian Quarter, the part of town once tormented by the hookers and homeless until it got swiped empty to serve the New Age youngsters and liberal hipsters. Sure, fill my glass.
… with ‘tinto de verano’, according to local practice. A fancy name for cheap wine with fanta lemon.
The next morning Alvaro was free to show me one of his favorite places in town: The Alcazar Palace. Or, if you’re a fervent Game of Thrones fanatic like this one: Dorne.
I already visited King's Landing (Dubrovnik), Braavos (Šibenik), The House of the Undying (Dubrovnik), Meereen (Split) and Qarth (Trogir), all in Croatia, but now I can proudly add another film location to the list. It’s not cheap, but man, is it worth those 9 bucks!
You see, the Spanish know how to build shit, that’s why in Latin America you probably gonna like the cities with a sad colonial history best, because they are shaped to Spanish example… BUT those Moorish Muslims are pretty damn awesome with a bunch of bricks as well! Let them blend at this African-European border and tadaaaaaa, magic happens.
Alcazar truly shows that 1+1=3, the best of both worlds can be found back in this architectural masterpiece. With Alvaro on my side to point out the sublime details (like a tiled wall composed by a drunk guy and two people portrayed on a tapestry… fucking)...
... I felt I could truly capture the essence of this ingenuity. I sat against the walls where Oberyn held sensual orgies with his beloved Ellaria and I strolled in the gardens where the Sand Snakes fought the Lannisters. I was grateful.
I love it how this guy got hired to build one of Spain’s architectural masterpieces and he was just like ‘fuck this shit, I’m going home’.
With this I already got more than I could have ever expected from Sevilla, but this sweltering pearl of a city wasn’t done with me yet. Initially I came up with the plan to join one of the many tip-based walking tours Sevilla houses, but I apparently choose exactly the wrong company: freewalkingtoursevilla.com. Even though their website shows an extensive schedule with precise days and times, that apparently doesn’t really means anything in Spain. But that’s okay, I rather just walk and see whatever comes on my way, which is usually more exciting than following a neatly planned program shielding off all surprises.
And so I found myself hanging out in the oldest bar of Sevilla, El Rinconcillo, ordering the (only?) vegan tapas ‘espinaca con garbanzos’ (spinach with chickpeas… and a bucket of garlic) whilst finishing a ‘vino de laranja’ or two.
They say time travel isn’t possible, but you simply never entered El Rinconcillo before. The dusty bottles, the cracked mosaics, the old ivory dial plate phone… everything is old here. Man, even the staff comes from the early 1900s! Their big bellies telling the story of a good Burgundian life full of tastes and flavors maneuver passed the wooden bar, on which they write your order with a white piece of chalk. Secretly they put the leftover pieces of the ‘manchego’ cheese and Iberic ham in their mouths, mischievously grinning when they noticed I was watching them. Life is good in El Rinconcillo, a little time capsule in the heart of Sevilla.
Still with my head a century back in time I entered a hidden book shop, one of those where you have to blow the dust off the covers to read the titles. When I asked the good man behind the counter about his favorite Spanish writers his eyes lit up and filled with a passion you hardly ever see in a world where people are always busy. I knew I wanted to buy a book from him, if only to capture this passion and take it with me. ‘Historia de la Vida del Buscon’ from Francisco de Quevedo is what he enclosed in my hands, a masterpiece of Spanish literature rooted in the city I was standing in.
I felt it burning in my backpack. I traveled to Sevilla and now Sevilla traveled along with me.
Great to be able to be one of the very first people to have finished reading this goodness and vote on the 30 minute mark too!
Thanks for the link! ;)
"The Alcazar Palace" is a must for anyone travelling out this way, what a sublime place to visit, I only wish at this point... Crossing my fingers I'll be able to make it out there one day.
Your description of the Call of the Flamenco is resolutely very close to my experience of such music as well, such heart and ingenuity in both the playing as well as the dancing.
Thanks for all your sharing, as always, travel safe, keep on smiling and thrive on! Namaste :)
Oh Eric, I know you will, you're a wanderer :) If not we should go there together while picking up on a flamenco course while we're there anyway haha, I'm sure we will get a few people to smile! Safe travels and thanks for posting again
Very appealing ideas in there... "Flamenco Courses", hey? I could play the cajon maybe or try to dance, but the fire of the percussion is already in my blood and the dancing legs not as loose as they used to be. I'll happily let you do the dancing, maybe???
Namaste :)
Upvoted, love the work you put in and the mindset you have, would love to see everybody to travel!
Thanks a lot! Checking out your work as we speak
Thanks for that, crazy busy at work, but will posts more soon, saving money for a few more months and than i would love to travel again or live in a other country again, thinking about how and where for now.
keep your blogs comming, followed
Sorry for the long timeout, I had some health problems, but now I'm back to cure your posts.😉
Congratulations, your post was chosen from among the best work to be upvoted on Steemit Community Quality Support . Thanks for sharing!
What to say? You made me live a trip with your post! Wonderful!
Ohhhh, are you ok now??
I've never been ok. :) Apart from the jokes, yes, I'm better now, thanks!
This recalls all my memories about Sevilla. I was eating in the same tapas bar and passed the amazing Metropol Parasol. Plaza de España is my absolute favorite square in the whole Europe.
Would love to see more wonderful posts like this from you :D
And your name is Joy too! Did you perphaps give me a ride as well? ;)
Lol.
Fantastic! Highly recommend La Banda Hostel in Seville, amongst my favorite in all of Spain.
Ah really? Good to know :) I'm personally not a great fan of hostels, I rather go Couchsurfing or camping, but as a traveler you end up there every now and then anyway.
Excellent post. Loved your pictures and the story-telling. I envy you, as Spain is one of the places I so much want to go to. Maybe next year.
Have fun!
Yeah it's a really nice country, basically THE country where all my fellow Dutchies head to 'en masse' to catch some of those satisfying sun rays we have to do without all year. It was my 3d time as well, but then again, it's not so far for us. It'll be touristy, especially in summer, but in a bunch of places that will be worth it.
The Alcazar Palace 😍
Great images.
Loved the post
Thanks a lot, yeahhh it's an absolute stunning place. You've ever been there?
No but I would love to..and yeah I am GOT fan
Then also go to Croatia and Ireland! :)
What a cultural immersion, right? The only way probably to top that is if you've stumbled upon Tyrion and shared a bottle of wine and a nice conversation ;)
Hm, maybe I can trace down a taller version of him antyime soon?
Haha I think the taller version of him would be happy to share that bottle of wine with you :)
You really have made the most of Sevilla in a record time :) There are so much to see, and your pics are really making justice to it! If your travel leads you to Granada next step, let me know !
Haha, yeah I unfortunately didn't have too many weeks there, just a bunch of days. But with the heat that was enough for the time, I'm not used to that haha. I already traveled to the Netherlands, Scotland and up to Denmark in the meantime, so Granada is kind of out of the way (I went to the Latin American one though haha)... but I hope to visit still on another trip! Thanks for the offer :)
Ah well, looking forward to seeing your next posts about those countries :) Good luck!
I ate this post up fast.
I love the narrative structure of your posts. Your narrative voice, that is. Sometimes I wonder what your voice would actually sound like.
Aside from the beauty of the places you visited I found myself wondering two things... The first was how many languages you know (you know English, obviously, you're a Dane so Danish is pretty likely, and you bought a book in Spanish, so... woah, pretty impressive so far).
The second thing I wondered was... When the hell did you get a chance to watch Game of Thrones with all of your traveling?!
P.S. You were always a good writer, but your posts have gotten really strong, lately. More centered and better structured. Be honest: did you hire a professional editor? :P
Haha, well hard to describe a voice, but you can read it in Morgan Freeman's voice, that's what I usually do myself ;) I'm actually not a Dane, I'm Dutch... but the funny thing is that I AM in Denmark right now, Copenhagen, and I can't understand one single thing they're saying haha. I do speak / understand 9 languages, in varying degree. I'm pretty good in Dutch (my native language), English, German and Spanish... alright in French, Latin and ancient Greek... beginner in Portuguese and Italian. Haha, and to answer your other question: I carry a laptop with me, so in the evening hours when I'm alone and not writing I put that genius show on.
And thanks a lot for your compliments... no, no editor for me. Maybe I should hire one some time if I ever get rich ;) But feel free to take on that role via comments.
Looking forward to your next posts!
Thinking of you speaking like Morgan Freeman is pretty funny, haha.
9 languages?! I'm even more impressed. Ducth. Not Danish. Gotcha, sorry 'bout that.
I'm not sure if you mean my posts on my blog or my comments on yours but yeah, I'm looking forward to doing them either way :).
@budgetbucketlist I look forward to UPVOTING & FOLLOWING your writings, insights and perspectives. I would welcome your following, votes & comments on “Escaping Culture – Finding Your Place in the World”- essays of love, life, death, humor sacrifice, accomplishment and redemption. @escapingculture.
You look forward to upvoting me? :) your dreams can become a reality haha ;)
such a splendid journey ! I feel like Bangladesh is calling me as well
Bangladesh! Yeah, sounds like an amazing country! I have never been, did you?
That is a great story. We have plans to go to Sevilla next year for the Feria, hopefully we can make it work.
Are you traveling further into Spain, where will you be going next?
Hey, that's a great idea, but make sure you don't go for full-on summer as the heat gets quite intense! Just an advise haha. I actually am 3 countries further right now, had some internet and laptop problems so I'm quite behind. Traveled to the Netherlands, Scotland and now I just arrived in Denmark :) I'll keep on posting those stories!
Okay, feria is in April, so that should be okay.
If you're ever somewhere near Benidorm let me know, you can crash at our place.
Hey that's so cool! Thanks! I've never been there
oh u are so beautyfull nice bossted and ty for sheres
Thanks, I guess :)
nice pictures .. upvoted :)
Thanks a lot!
Beautiful place, beautiful post. Not been a vegan, I do miss the calamares in su tinta... and the ham, of course!
Calamares in tinto de verano? That sounds like a bad idea. Had no problems leaving the corpses out ;)
No! Calamares en su tinta means squid made with its own ink (the ink it uses to run from the enemies).
Is the ink of a squid permissible into a vegan food? I don't know were the boundaries lie...
If it is, try it with rice or with spaguetti then... DELICIOUS!!!
The ink comes from an animal, so it's not vegan no. But to be honest, I did eat it before in Italy before my vegan era... and I thought it was absolutely disgusting haha.
Oh... so we cannot be friends anymore... :)) :)) :))
I've heard: the Oranges of Sevilla are the best in the world. True?
I only experienced them mixed with alcohol, but yeah: so far so good! ;)