Seville

We took the train to Seville and let me tell you, trains are the way to travel with kids. You can move around and eat and go to the restroom any time you want. There is more space. If the kid starts crying, you take them to the enclosed space between the cars. It's perfect.



We went to the Alcazar first it was spectacular. I thought the Alhambra had some fancy work in it, but Seville managed to out do it. On the outside it looks like a boring fortress, but inside the mosaics and plaster work are amazing.

 





Miles was simply struck dumb by the beauty of it all

I love the arches.

All of these tiles are just mind boggling

Look how these are layered

There were elaborate rooms inside as well.

The red on the chapel walls was fabric. Very old fabric that was worn done.

 And the ceilings!

 The outer wall looked boring, but the inner wall was beautiful. The gardens and pools were huge and you could spend hours getting lost in them.

I want fancy windows!

 

Cypress arches

She didn't even fall in any fountains.

There is also a bath house hundred of years that looks like it is straight out of a movie.

The gardens have peacocks just walking around like they own the place.

After the kids tired of the gardens, we headed to the cathedral. It started out as a mosque and then the Christians came and built a cathedral on top of it. It has a famous bell tower called the Giralda

This organ is MASSIVE.

This is the tomb of Christopher Columbus

They had some lovely museums inside the cathedral of lots of fancy metal work religious pieces. I had to remind myself they were actual gold and silver and not just fakes.  These paintings are by a famous artist I can't remember the name of at the moment and the internet has failed me. Any art history folks recognize them?

Husband and I went up the bell tower while my parents hung out in the courtyard with the kids. The views from the tower were stunning.

It was Husband's bday so I made him pose for a picture by his age. Such a good sport.

I switched cameras with my mom since I didn't have a good lens for tight spaces and pretty views. I found these gems taken on my camera that I hadn't seen before.

Afterwards we went to a restaurant and had tapas. It translates to toppers and are like appetizers. You order a bunch and share tastes of them. This was a salmon salad with tomato and pesto

This was called the Devil's pot. Or the ox tail. I can't remember which one was which.

They also served papas fritas, which were potato chips instead of the fries were were expecting, served in paper cones.

It was a lovely trip and I'm glad we went even if it was for just a day.

Christmas

We came back from Barcelona on Christmas Eve and found the kids had made a lovely (and surprisingly delicious gingerbread house)

 M decided that this PopPop guy was a lot of fun.

Grammy too! She wrangled him into his new Pj's

J liked her new Pj's and slippers. Although she says the slippers are "Mommy shoes" like my knock off Toms.

They were all set to open up the bounty Christmas morning.

They have these powdery shortbread sweets that are sold only at Christmas so we bought a variety.

I bought some surprise eggs for our stockings. They are chocolate eggs with a plastic egg and toy inside. It was a hit.

Yeah, it's made in China like everything else, but this is a Catalan Shepherdess costume we had to pick up in Barcelona. I mean, next year's nativity enactment needs a sheohaerdess right?

 Grammy found a doll and made her a cape and beret. Note the matching expressions.

 PopPop was thrilled to have a 3 year old for Christmas morning.

J loved her flamenco dress and PopPop showing her how to dance.

 And there were matching shoes of course

And a well-loved umbrella

M got some Spanish leather shoes. Mostly because I forgot to pack him shoes...

He also got a car that spun in circles while repeating a very obnoxious melody. Needless to say he loved it.

Afterwards we had Christmas dinner with the office missionaries and played Nerts. 

Definitely a Christmas to remember!