Yesterday was my last day in Seville. I spent more time in Seville than any other city. Why? Because Seville was that great? Ah-no. Seville actually is beautiful. When I was done with the hostel, where I spent 3 nights (which ended on a Thurs), I figured that airfares we're more expensive over the weekend, so I planned 3 more nights at the hotel, which would take me until Monday morning. Plus at this time I enjoyed Seville enough that I figured surely there would be enough for all weekend.
By Saturday, I decided it was time to move on-I also found that flying out on Tuesday was significantly less expensive than flying out on Monday. (and flying out on Wed less expensive still, but I wasn't going to wait that long), so I am finally out after 7 nights here. Yesterday, I jumped on the hop-on hop-off bus to see any sights I may have missed. I then checked out of the hotel and back into the hostel where I spent my final night. Then I walked around the city, enjoying a final lunch at 100 Montaditos (50 cent sandwiches on Mondays-I don't know if this is in the states as well). I also decided to take the metro to the last stop to see what was there-which wasn't much. The last stop is called "Ciudad Expo" which sounds pretty cool-there is a city expo-but it was a large office park, but I did eat more cheap tapas. I also found an intermediate stop with a huge chapel/seminary on a hill, with a great lookout point, and also an elevator there that moves in a diagonal manner, like a finicular. So that was nice.
Observations about Seville:
1) It is very easy to get lost. Around old town, the streets are at all sorts of weird angels, so even yesterday I tended to get lost when going from the hotel to hostel. Between all the alleys and tiny streets Old Seville is a maze, charming the first few days, just annoying the last two.
2) Every day really is Friday: :There are probably hundreds of hostels, and thousands of college students, or those just out of college. They seem to be studying everyting from Spanish history to Neurology, and they are undoutabably drawn here but warm Mediterranean year-round sunshine, residents who are friendly, and cheap food and drinks, namely drinks. As a matter of fact, there is more partying here then I have seen in any other place I have been, including Key West, the Bahamas, etc. The first night(a Tues night/Wed morning) I finally checked into my hostel at 2:15 am. I believe 6 of the residents of the room we're still out partying (2:15 is late for me).
3) To counteract all of this partying, hundreds of Churchs, Cathedrals, etc. And Sunday morning, the streets are full of Churchgoers
4) Tapas: Mcdonalds doesn't serve tapas. Just about every other resturant does, which include Italian, Mexican, as well as Spanish. The tapas I found we're sort of mediocre foods, heated in the microwave, broken up into smaller portions.
Well, I am moving on to Brussels today, I am sort of happy. I enjoyed Seville, but this is clearly a 4-5 day trip (tops). 7 is a little much.
