Holy shit it's hot

So Saturday wasn't very exciting, so we have included it in today's entry. We left Granada and got a bus and a train to Seville where we have a hostel with a pool (an absolute win, it is hard to find hostels with a pool here)! After finding a supermarket that was open, eating, and swimming we went to bed. Good day.

Today was a little more exciting. Europe is currently in the middle of a heatwave and it is forecast to be the hottest it has ever been in Portugal and the south of Spain. Great timing. We started the day by walking into the city about 11am to find our tour of the Real Alcazar of Seville. It was already 30 degrees! The Real Alcazar was the palace used by successive dynasties/kings over the years in Seville. The complex also incorporates the House of Trade where people came from all over Europe to put forward their case to take part in the conquering of the New World. As Seville was the nominated city for all of the resources from the America's to arrive to, it became

extremely rich and powerful. Our guided tour included the House of Trade and the Palaces, of which there are two. One which is modelled on the Alhambra because Don Pedro liked it in the 15th century and the other was originally built around the 1700's, although it was rebuilt in the 19th century after it was destroyed by an earthquake. Following the tour we were free to roam the gardens. Sorry what I meant to say was we were free to roam the HUGE gardens. We even found peacocks and a labyrinth, which I think we finished! Above all, the most exciting news was that the gardens are used on Game of Thrones for the Kingdom of Dorne. Great place!

After coming out of the Alcazar we hid in some shade and tried to decide where to eat. We found a tapas place close-ish and went for it. It had air-con. Walking the streets of Seville is amazing. The buildings are so ornate and colourful. So after lunch we walked around to the Bullring and down by the river. It was fully hot now and

about 42 degrees. There was hardly anyone about except for some lost tourists on bikes!

We then went into the Cathedral. The largest Gothic Church in the world and the third largest Cathedral after St Peter's in The Vatican and St Paul's in London. It was huge. It had 30 different chapels, a treasury showing off all of the treasures they have 'acquired' over the years, and Christopher Columbus's (very impressive) tomb. Well worth an hour or so.

Now for the half hour walk back to our hostel as the pool was either beckoning or the heat was beginning to get the better of us. This wasn't so bad as we stopped off at the Plaza de Espana. This was built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. This was an idea of the Spanish King's to bring all the Spanish colonies in the Americas together to help stop the wars that were happening and re-set both relations and trade. Bit of a fail as the countries that came were bankrupt due to the depression and saw a Plaza showing off a Spain built with the resources taken from their countries.... Anyway it is an impressive square.

Once back at the hostel it was time for the free sangria and jumping in the pool to cool off. At the time of writing it is midnight and still 30 degrees.....thank god we have air con!