2012 - OCEAN PRINCESS - SEVILLE

CADIZ - ANDALUCIA - IN SPAIN

THIS IS THE MARINA, NOT THE OCEAN PRINCESS

THE OCEAN PRINCESS HAS LEFT AFRICA BEHIND & ARRIVED IN EUROPE.

I HAVE SPENT MONTHS IN SPAIN OVER THE YEARS BUT NEVER BEEN TO SEVILLE. I AM GOING TO RECIFY THAT TODAY. THE SHIPS TOUR IS GOING TO GET ME THERE AND THEN LEAVE ME TO MY OWN DEVICES.

IT IS A COUPLE OF FAIRLY PLEASANT HOURS ON THE ROAD TO SEVILLE.

AND I HEAD STRAIGHT FOR THE ALCAZAR & I COULD BE BACK IN MOROCCO.

WHAT WONDERFUL BUILDINGS THE MOORS BUILT DURING THEIR TIME IN SPAIN. THE ALHAMBRA NEAR GRENADA WHICH I HAVE VISITED & NOW THE ALCAZAR.

THE ALCAZR THAT IS IN CORDOBA TO GO, & I WILL HAVE TO START INVESTIGATING THE LESS FAMOUS ONES.

A LOT OF WORDS STARTING WITH AL HAVE ARABIC BACKGROUNDS & ALCOHOL IS ONE OF THEM WHICH IS STRANGE CONSIDERING MUSLIMS DO NOT ALLOW THE DRINKING OF ALCOHOL.

SOMETHING ELSE TO GOOGLE.

AFTER A FEW HOURS IN THE ALCAZAR I WANDER THE BACKSTREETS.

SEVILLE CATHEDRAL I SUSPECT...

& THIS IS A SHOPPING MALL, IF YOU CAN BELIEVE IT....

TAKE A SNACK IN A CAFE AND GENERALLY MOOCH ABOUT TIL THE BUS COMES TO DRIVE US BACK TO CADIZ.

EVERYONE IS RIGHT ON TIME..BUT

ANOTHER TOUR BUS HAD A COUPLE ABOARD WHO ARGUED WHEN THEY ARRIVED IN SEVILLE AND WENT THEIR SEPARATE WAYS FOR THE DAY. COME TIME TO GET BACK ON THE BUS & THERE WAS NO SIGN OF THE MAN. THE WOMAN REFUSED TO LET THE BUS GO WITHOUT HIM & WOULD NOT GET OFF THE BUS TO WAIT FOR HIM. SHE THREATENED THE GUIDE WITH CHARGING HER FOR A TAXI BACK TO CADIZ IF SHE WAS FORCED TO GET OFF.

SHE MADE A BUS LOAD OF PEOPLE WAIT FOR OVER AN HOUR UNTIL HE TURNED UP.

IF I HAD BEEN THE GUIDE, I WOULD HAVE LEFT THEM BOTH THERE.

THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS TRAFIC JAM GOING THROUGH CADIZ & WITH TIME GETTING SHORT TO REACH THE BUS, THE GUIDE GOT OFF THE BUS. HELD UP THE TRAFFIC TO LET OUR BUS GO BY & JUMPED BACK ON AGAIN - TO A GREAT ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

JUST LIKE A MATADOR WITH EL TORRO & TILTING AT WINDMILLS - BUT NO ORANGES.

SEVILLE GETS SOME POOR WRITE-UPS LATELY ON ACCOUNT OF CRIME BUT I FOUND IT A VERY PLEASANT PLACE TO VISIT.