Rota to Seville

Wednesday 9th December
Rota to Seville
We had to get up with a different attitude and get into gear to clear up and set off traveling again. It was really hot so all the washing dried a treat, we loaded the bikes and caught the fast ferry over to Cadiz in the afternoon; then onwards by train to Seville. Spanish trains are as good as the French ones and it was palatial with booked seats and places to hang the bikes. We were pretty nervous about finding somewhere to stay and biking through the centre as Seville has a bad reputation bike-wise. However, a really efficient girl in the travel centre at Seville station had us booked in to a small hotel in minutes, and produced a bike map through the city. It was amazing, all the way around the busiest streets, on a special bike route, and the adrenalin got going as everyone else shot past us, weaving in and out of trams and pedestrians who were foolish enough to walk on the wrong bit of pavement.
It is the most beautiful city and the Christmas lights were fantastic. In the cold air it all looked very festive and for the first time we felt quite Christmasy – although it was quite strange to see all the orange trees full of Seville oranges which line the streets, festooned with lights. Lots of chestnuts stalls and if we could fit any more into our bags we could have had very successful shopping for Christmas stockings. Our hotel was tucked up one of the old streets behind the Cathedral and it is a great area for exploring, full of tapas bars and restaurants.
We went to the tapas bar as recommended by the man in the hotel as we have finally learned that this is quite often the right thing to do. As it happened it was next door to the one recommended by my cousin’s husband Jimmy so who knows which one might have been better. Anyway our one was a very pro bullfighting bar and there were pictures of strutting matadors and dead bulls heads crowded all over the walls. Bit like William’s downstairs loo only these things were trying to kill the chap in the pink tights who was antagonizing them!