seville - a brief note

I started a big ranty post about Seville while I was still travelling but then deleted it, deciding I should just focus on the positive. People describe the city as near perfect, the only thing wrong being that it has no beach. I found the city itself really nice, it was the kind of ridiculous hostel experience I had there that put me off.

Seville Cathedral

Failure number one was booking a hostel with only a couple of reviews. Sometimes cheapest isn't always best, which I am generally well aware of but I let my judgment slip here since it was only for one night. Thankfully it wasn't more!

Failure number two was not looking up properly where the hostel was so my attempt at saving pictures of the map meant I proudly found my way to where I thought it was, to find it wasn't and I had no clue where to go from there. A little luck and slowly walking down the street to find free open wifi solved that one, although since the hostel was actually an apartment with no sign outside whatsoever I went up and down the street and around the block several times before deciding I didn't have it wrong and buzzing the door. All with a backpack on my back in 30 degree heat! Not something I am unused to, but not exactly something I enjoy either!

Walking the narrow streets

Amazing architecture around the city

Part of the Cathedral, it's too big to fit in one picture!

I can see what the owner is trying to do with his place, but unfortunately the La Oveja Negra Alameda Sevilla Hostel needs some work. It's small and gives you the feel of staying in an airbnb type place, but with strangers, which would be awesome except for several things.

I probably could have forgiven him not being there when I arrived (someone staying there let me in), asking for extra money for sheets and not having change to give me but asking me to pay upfront, if not for the complete lack of cleanliness, super cramped dorms and putting me in a bed already taken, causing a fight in my room in the middle of the night.

The place had been open for 2 weeks, and clearly not been cleaned in that time with hair and empty bottles all over the one shower room, plus a huge pile of dirty sheets by the door, not to mention the empty food wrappers and mug growing mould beside my bed. The rooms should have had one less bunk in each because the lockers weren't big enough for bags and there was no space for them other than the centre of the room. I was checked into a bed in a smaller room than I booked (there are only 2, a 6 bed and an 8 bed) and another girl later told me she had booked the 6 but was in the 8. Added to that in the middle of the night a large group that had been out all day came home and proceeded to have an argument about how I stole one of their beds.

All in all an unpleasant experience. I started this saying I wasn't going to rant didn't I? Whoops. Rant over.

I found this sign while wandering...maybe a sign?!

Seville itself on the other hand, was beautiful. I had my first taste of tapas and Sangria in Spain, which was delicious. I did see the outside of the famed Cathedral and loved the narrow alleys with tall buildings. I did also meet some nice people.

Sangria and a traditional seafood salad

Another side of the Cathedral

Unfortunately it was closing so I just walked around outside

Breakfast I ordered with my limited Spanish...luckily I know how to say cheese and tomato toast!

It would be great to spend some more time there and actually go in to some of the places, and I think there would be better nightlife than the Irish bar we ended up in. However, the next day I was only to happy to leave on my lunchtime bus and make my way to Granada, which completely stole my heart...but that's another story.

x