Rio Guadalquivir

11 May 2009
It speaks volumes to the dense richness of sights in Sevilla that I only today (our third day here) wandered over to the Guadalquivir river. It is only a few blocks west of our apartment to reach the banks of the river. I walked both banks between Puente San Telmo and Puente de Isabel II Triana and then further northward along the west bank to Puente del Cachorro.



The river is well integrated into the life of the city. Apparently, it is navigable all the way to the Mediterranean, about 80 km away. The area where I walked is lined by bicycling and walking paths, in some places down near the river and in other areas well above its level. People were walking and cycling in abundance and I saw several rowers making their way up or downstream.

The picture at the top of the post shows a view of Puente de Isabel II Triana, looking northward from the east bank. The second large photo depicts the same bridge, but from above on the west bank. The lovely towers on the left are the Capilla del Carmen, a small chapel built in 1928. Mass is celebrated there once a month!

Yesterday, in the late afternoon, we took a brief walk in our neighborhood and came upon a group of street performers singing, clapping, and dancing flamenco, as shown here at left. I'm not a proper judge, but they seemed very good! The other photo in this pair is from a quiet barrio street, also nearby.

The final photo in this post shows the "Torre del Oro" (Gold Tower), which is a military watchtower built during the 13th century, with strongly evident Moorish influence. It is sited on the east bank of Rio Guadalquivir, not far from the Cathedral.