Cruising the Guadalquivir River
 
 
We had a pleasant boat ride along the Guadalquivir River. Most of our group sat topsides. Along with a grand view, the people topsides got a high intensity sun-bath. We understand that they also enjoyed the company of quite a few bees. Dot and I sat below decks and enjoyed bee-free shade. The tour was narrated in English--and several other languages--by our nautical hosts.
 
The Naval Tower is one of Seville's most famous landmarks. Technically, it's known as "La Torre del Oro" or the "Golden Tower" because in centuries past it was covered with gilt mosaics. Nowadays it houses a Naval Museum. Most people visit and view it from the land; we got a riverside view of the monument. (But I didn't take a picture from the water.)

 
From the river we saw the most popular pavilion of Seville's very successful 1992 World Expo. (It was a beer garden.) Compare that to the Plaza de Espana from Seville's tragically unsuccessful 1929 Expo (which suffered because of the stock market crash and attendant economic chaos). Kate took us to the Plaza de Espana during our city tour. How grand the plaza was! Makes you wonder about progress, doesn't it?

 
The bridges over the Guadalquivir reflect a wide range of engineering designs. One (top left) was constructed by a student of Eiffel (of Parisian tower fame). Construction for the 1992 Expo spurred an engineering competition in which the unusual "musical harp" design (bottom right) won out. Other bridges were also interesting from a design perspective.

 
Our cruise took us past a landing constructed for the recent Expo. At the landing there was a replica of Magellan's vessel from his circumnavigation voyage. How would you like an "around the world" cruise in this baby? Not quite the recently christened 109,000 ton Grand Princess, eh!

As a matter of fact, Magellan himself DIDN'T make it around the world; only SEVENTEEN of his crew did. That's out of two hundred and seventy who started. Which raises another interesting question: How did 270 people, along with provisions, FIT on this sized vessel? Answer: Magellan actually started with FIVE ships.

 
We had a pleasant cruise. No one tripped, or fell overboard. No one got seasick. And, when we debarked, would you believe that the "ship's photographer" had our boarding pictures developed and posted for sale! Just like for Carnival, or Holland-America, or Crystal, or whatever cruise line!

 

Continue to the next page.

Go back to the Seville page.