Seville
Lazy day today, so there is time to pass on a few general observations.
More about bullfights. In Spain, a bullfight meet involves 6 bulls and 3 matadors. The matador spends only about 15 mins with the bull - as the guide said, that is a long time to spend at close range with a very angry very large bull! The bull is dragged from the ring, and then the meat is sold for consumption. In Portugal, bullfights are still fought on horseback, dating from the 12th century as a way to maintain military fitness and prepare nobles for horseback battle. Since the gory death of a nobleman in 1799, the bulls´ horns were covered in leather or capped wtih metal balls as some protection for the fighter. The bulls are not killed in the ring, but slaughtered away from the public.
On the route from Granada to Seville, the countryside was first filled with thousands of olive groves, each overlooked by an expensive-looking large villa. Later on the journey, the olive groves were replaced by expanses of ploughed fields, apparently in preparation for the planting of a winter crop (we suspect wheat, although are unsure)
The towns along the route had all crisp white houses and buildings, with apricot-coloured tiled roofs. Very pretty and from a distance the ones on the hills could be mistaken for snow.
I expected to see vegetation very different from Australia, but the majority of plants are those to be found at home - bouganvillia, hibiscis, oleander, magnolia, chestnuts, palms, and pines. Many of the smaller plants are those grown in the Wimmera and are relatively drought-tolerant.
The temperature in the afternoons has been extremely hot, particularly in the sun with reflection from the hard pavements of brick or stone. In spite of the heat and harsh sunlight, no-one wears a hat for protection (neither tourists nor locals).
There are three different types of police in Spain - Policia Municipal (local police - urban traffic), Policia National (law and order and national security), and Guardia Civil (borders, country areas, and the coast). Each wears a distinctive uniform and a different coloured hat. Accidents and drink-driving are viewed very seriously, and all visitors to Spain who drive must hold an International Driving Licence. Most of the cars seem to be diesel, and hire cars manual ¨stick shifts¨ ie no automatics. The roads are excellent and good even off the main routes, and we have yet to strike a Tollgate.
Tomorrow we depart for Portugal, and in particular Evora which is a small town with the original old city behind the city wall. There appear to be some very interesting things to see there, so will let you know and hopefully post a photograph or two.