After the hustle and bustle (and humidity) of Barcelona, Seville was a welcome dose of sophistication and affordable food. Andalucia’s capital city is a vibrant town, full of culture and history. Apparently founded by Hercules, it became the major port of Spain after Columbus sailed to America. Columbus’s remains now rest in The Seville Cathedral, which is the 3rd largest in the world. Interestingly, the Dominican Republic also has a set of bones, which it claims are those of the explorer.
There is a big Moorish influence in the Andalucia region of Spain. When the Moors invaded Spain in 712, they brought with them their Islamic beliefs and scientific knowledge. In the 13th century, Christianity was introduced. One man I met reckons it’s the one area of the world where Christians and Muslims have peacefully coexisted in a mutually beneficial relationship. While this statement ignores some pretty blatant religious persecution in the past, evidence of this valuable relationship is evident in Seville. Ironically, the Catholic cathedral has some Islamic architecture.
The aggregation of Islamic and Christian influence is visible in the Real Alcazar palace. This palace was built in the 10th century for Muslim rulers, but later used as the main residence of Christian kings. It’s still used occasionally by the current royal family.
It is also used as the filming location of Dorne in Game of Thrones. We arrived as it opened, and had the gardens to ourselves, which was so peaceful. We were able to channel House Martell before the area was swarmed with people.
Unfortunately Paul got sick while we were here. As he was fighting whatever the Spanish version of Montezuma’s Revenge is, we decided to extend our stay by a few days so he could rest. This gave us the chance to spend additional time exploring the city at a gradual pace, soaking in the vibe. 
Beer of choice: Mahou (again)