The alarming departure (as in we had to set our alarms to get up in time) was due to the need to be back in Sanlúcar again, this time to catch our ferry at 9:00 am to cross the mouth of the Guadalquivir river for a tour of a small bit of Doñana National Park at. I'm catching on to the fact that we always seem to have a "must-be-at-by" time, followed by "local-guide-show-up" time, the difference being twenty to forty minutes. No complaints this morning, however, because we were in comfortably warm sunshine on a beautiful beach.
I thought the ferry below was for vehicles....
...but once our park guide arrived, we learned it was just for us. Note our questioning behavior as we boarded.
The very short ride across dropped us at our private bus. No hiking is allowed in the park, you must travel it with park guides/drivers. Good thing we are experts in no hiking.
We traversed several biomes in the green machine #58, starting out on the beach that extends almost 30 kilometers along the Atlantic side of Spain. We drove only about one K, passing gulls, oyster catchers, sandlings and flamingos on the wing before turning into the dunes.
Our big-wheeled bus bounced along sandy roads with enough bumps to falsely add steps to any fitness tracker. With zero sense of guilt, I'm claiming them.
Behind the dunes is a juniper forest. Our driver explained the importance of juniper for making gin, which by the way, he doesn't like. All the more for us (though bar time is infrequent on this trip). Past the juniper forest we next drove through a pine forest. Aptly called "umbrella pines", the name triggered a little apprehension, if not full PTSD for some (the sun was still shining but clouds were beginning to appear).
Both red and fallow deer were in abundance. We also spotted a few wild boar, though I'm not sure how "wild" the boar are. One sow and piglet sauntering into view inspired more "aaahs" than "awes".
Centuries ago estates were built in the area for the kingly favored or simply rich people. To support and serve them, not-so-rich people lived in huts (ranchos) made of local reeds and trees. When the area was established as a national park during the Franco era, descendants of the rancho dwelling families were allowed ownership of their heritage property. Today the few remainng private owners are limited to staying only within their fenced area and cannot sell it or host anyone outside their family. Eventually these will transfer to the park (I'm guessing) when the Spanish genX-ers refuse to inhabit, even briefly, a grass roofed one room hut without electricity. Park owned reconstructed "ranchos" can be visited but I opted to not enter yet another dark hole.
To the sight of gathering clouds, we boarded another ferry for the ride back across the river to Sanlúcar and, you guessed it, lunch. This section of the river is influenced by the tides, which were pretty low as we left.
We must have behaved well because at the restaurant we were treated to fresh oysters as an appetizer!
The seafood options were varied and excellent, testified by consuming it so quickly not many photos got taken!
On the walk back to the van, we passed a lovely tile mural on the wall of an ice factory. I don't understand the symbology of lance welding cherubs riding on the backs of giant fish, but I expect I will soon resemble one given my recent consumption rate of so much native food. Zoom in.
We had an hour and a half drive to Seville, during which time the clouds closed over the remaining holes of sunshine. Once in the city and somewhat near our hotel, the plan was to fill a smaller SUV type taxi with all our luggage for transport to the hotel because our van was too big to drop us off. Then Jim was to lead us into the heart of Seville on a jaunty walk down beautiful boulevards while Antonio did some magic shuffling with the van and car. I really wasn't prepared to say goodbye to our happy little Caspin bus and it could have been a mildly teary situation... if it hadn't started raining.
Three blocks into the walk any hesitation to unfurl one's umbrella vanished (I've never used the words furl, unfurl, and umbrella so much as on this trip).
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| Strange tree inside the closed park |
A quick photo of a fantastic tree was all I had time to capture along the way as Jim was now speed-walking us onward. The beautiful garden/park we should have been walking through was closed off at all entrances due to, I kid you not, "heavy rain and the chance of large, falling branches". The sound of rolling thunder above the noise of traffic quickened our pace even more. Just like motto of the US Postal Servive, "through rain and shine", Jim delivered all thirteen soggy, sauna-suited souls safely to the hotel.
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| Walk to dinner between drops Cathedral tower in background |
After a nice rest and a good dryout at the hotel, we were suckered into walking to our evening dinner sans umbrellas and in non waterproof footwear. We refilled our bellies on top sirloin etc., ect., and almost made it back completely dry. Almost.
Good night, I love you.
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