Day 3
With still a lot on our “must see” list we woke up around
noon and set off to visit Park Maria Luisa, the setting of the 1928
Ibero-American Exhibition where many of the pavilions are still preserved.
However, as we were strolling casually through the historic area and enjoying
some unexpected architectural gems, it started pouring rain. We ducked into the
first restaurant that we saw and were in for another great surprise. The tiny
place specialized in local olive oils and the owner suggested we try their
“olive oil tasting” which included 4 different oils with various flavors.
Some
were served with bread but one was surprisingly served with ice cream (the oil
was orange-flavored). I have never put much thought into my olive oil but after
this trip, let’s just say we no longer buy the $9.99 variety from the grocery
store.
The rain stopped and we continued on, passing by the Seville
University (an old tobacco factory made famous by the Bizet opera Carmen, who
was a beautiful gypsy woman working in the factory), lots of little squares and
fountains and numerous displays of azulejos (tiny painted tiles that decorated
anything from walls, to floors and doors).
Park Maria Luisa is vast and
provides great entertainment for both adults and kids because it allows the
kids to run around and discover different fountains, statues and alleys. It is
a favorite of the locals as well and you can see a lot of families strolling,
riding bikes and taking their kids for a walk. For Chris and I the highlight
was Plaza del Espania – the Spanish pavilion designed for the World Fair and an
absolute work of art.
Multiple benches surround the building, each decorated
with azulejos and highlighting one area or city in Spain. While we were
snapping photos left and right, Victor loved running along the vast square and
chasing the birds.
The rest of the park is also beautiful with a number of
features designed by Gaudi and the notable American Pavillion where hundreds of
birds come to be fed by people and, if you don’t mind, they will land on your
head, jacket or arm. And yes, they do poop, so be careful J
For dinner we were back in barrio Santa Cruz where we found
a little tapas place that was not overly crowded and Chris was happy to find a
tapa with tripe (typical Bulgarian delicacy) while victor and I were happy to
share a bunch of fish plates.
Fish in Spain is always a great choice for kids
and here are many varieties of fresh fish prepared in many different ways. For
the more picky eaters, there are lots of cheeses, breads, olives and small
salads. I was surprised, however, that Gazpacho soup. Which in the US appears
to be a staple of Spanish restaurants, was almost impossible to find in Seville
and when we did find it in one restaurant it was very expensive. Go figure…
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