Magical Seville with Andy and Amanda, interviewed by TVE, a visit to Jerez where the Volvo broke down. Staying at the Parador de Mazagón in Doñana, the biggest nature reserve in Europe, visit to El Rocío, a night in Mérida on our way home, David Attenborough turns 100, Hantavirus struck cruise berths in Spain and other stories of the week.

Mérida, capital of Extremadura, Sunday 10th May, 2026

One of the highlights of our trip, visiting the Royal Palace, El Alcazar de Sevilla.

Good morning everyone. What an amazing week. Our trip is over. How can it be over? Well, it's not quite over as we have stopped half way home in Mérida, choosing, of course, to stay at the Parador here.

Just last Sunday our much awaited and beautifully planned trip with our friends to Seville, Jerez and Doñana was about to begin. We had so much to look forward to and we had a marvellous time. Our friends arrived that night quite late but not too late for a bit of supper and banter before we all went to bed. Before I go on, just let me include a photo of Andy and Amanda trying on Eladio's now iconic Panama hat.

Amanda and Andy trying on Eladio's Panama hat

We slept very well in our lovely and spacious apartment although poor Amanda woke up on Sunday morning with terrible back pain but she is a champion and refused to let this spoil our programme. That morning we walked along the now very familiar San Jacinto street in Triana to the main bridge, Isabel II where we stopped for photos of the view of the city and River Guadalquivir.

On the bridge that separates Triana from Seville

Our aim that morning was to visit the famous Maria Luisa Park and the even more famous Plaza de España probably the most beautiful square in Spain. The Park belonged to royalty until it was opened to the public in 1914. It was the venue of the 1929 Ibero American Exposition. All the beautiful pavilions built for the event are still standing today and a treat for the eyes. To get there we walked along the Paseo de Colón and stopped for photos by the Moorish Tower of Gold.

By the Tower of Gold

It was quite a trek to the park but we saw such beautiful buildings and flowers on our way. Just look at the bougainvillea on the walls of the Seville University which was once the tobacco factory back in the days when all trade with America went through Seville. Seville has quite a history. Founded 3000 years ago by the Phoenicians. It was then governed by the Visigoths and the Romans after which the city was known as Hispalis. Then, of course came the Moors who ruled for 500 years until the reign of Ferdinand the Catholic King of Aragaon and Isabela of Castille. Ferdinand conquered the Moors and set up his palace at the Alcazar palace. He brought with him influential and rich Jews from Toledo. So soon, Seville and Andalucia were a melting pot. And then came the Spanish Inquisition (1478-1834) to maintain Catholicism in the Kingdom of Fernando and Isabella. It primarily targeted Jewish and Muslim converts, who, by the way, had been forced to convert to stay in the country. They became known as conversos and moriscos and the Jews were often called "marranos" meaning pigs. Eventually both groups were expelled from Spain in 1492, the year "Colombus sailed the Ocean Blue". The remains of all three faiths are to be seen everywhere in the city of Seville. A mosque became a synagogue and was then torn down to become a Catholic church. So quite a history. And now back to the bougainvillea flowers.

Seville and its flowers

The whole of Seville was blooming with bougainvillea and the more exotic blue jacaranda trees which are in flower at this time of year.

We finally found Maria Luisa's park.So who was she? None less than the daughter of King Ferdinand VII of Spain and sister to his successor, her older sister Isabella II of Spain. The Infanta María Luisa was born in 1832 and donated the park to the people of Sevlle upon the death of her husband.

The park is ornate and beautiful and a wonderful place to escape the heat of Seville. We appreciated it but like everyone else navigated towards its main jewel, the amazing Plaza de España, the Spanish pavillion. Designed by Anibal González for the Exposition it is a place of wonder. To think when I worked for Nokia we used it for a huge skate board event and hired it privately. It is a semi circular complex which blends Renaissance and Moorish revival styles (Neo Mudéjar) with iconic tiles that depict the towns and provinces of Spain. It has canals and two majestic towers. I later read it has been used in numerous films and series including Game of Thrones. It is truly a magical place and the photos we took do not do it justice.

The magical Plaza de España which was the Spanish pavillion in the Ibero American Exposition of 1929

We had a bit of fun while we were there. I got talking to a group of Portuguese football fans of some Portuguese player I had never heard of and it wasn't Ronaldo. They jumped at a chance of a photo with Amanda and I and thus we posed with them for the camera. What a laugh that episode was.

A bit of fun in Seville

It was there we decided to take a horse and carriage ride - so typical in Seville. And thus Juan Carlos the driver and his horse "Caprichosa" took us all around the park showing us the pavillions built for the Expo.

On our horse and carriage

And here is a lovely little video clip of Andy and Eladio.

Eladio and Andy on the ride.

From there we walked all the way back to Triana. I had booked a table at an iconic bar called Las Golondrinas (the Swallows) in the ceramic quarter of the neighbourhood. We were not impressed with being given a table in the bar across the road and didn't like the choices on the menu until we started eating and then we had the most stupendous food. It was wonderful and to be remembered.

Tired and in need of a rest, we walked back to the apartment and had an hour and half until the next item on the agenda. I had booked a tour with White Umbrellas belonging to Guru Walking Tours to see the famous Jewish Quarter and next to it the iconic Barrio Santa Cruz which is a total labyrinth. Everywhere you look there is history and beauty and it is totally unspoiled. Here are some pics to remember that walking tour with Paula our local guide whose English could be improved hahaha.

Snapshots from our walking tour of the Jewish Quarter and Barrio Santa Cruz

When it was over, we went to find a bar to have a drink. I tried the local "manzanilla", a dry fortified wine so typical in the region. I loved it so much that from then on I had one glass (or two) every day. We came home by Uber this time and I made a quick cold buffet for everyone. That night I had my best night's sleep in a long time.

I was up at 7 am on Tuesday morning. While our friends were getting ready, Eladio and I walked to the famous Triana Market. On our way, a camera team from TVE, the broadcaster our daughter works for, approached us and wanted to interview both of us. Gosh we thought, TVE, what a coincidence. It was even more of a coincidence when it turned out the reporter, José Carlos, knew Olivia and that they had worked together in the past. He had a team of students with him and they were going round asking for opinions from people on the street about a political debate on the regional elections to be held that day. Well, we had to have a pic with the reporter. I sent it to Olivia and she immediately said: "José Carlos".

With José Carlos the TV reporter in Seville who knows Oli

And here is Eladio being interviewed. Unfortunately he didn't take a photo when it was my turn.

Eladio being interviewed in Seville by TVE, our daughter's TV station

Later Jose Carlos sent Oli the link where we come out just for a few seconds. It was on the local news in the whole region of Andalusia. Such fun and what a coincidence.

We continued our walk to the superb market and took more photos, of course. Here I am entering it and below Eladio at the stall where we bought a Gala melon and some wonderful apricots.

At the Triana undercover market on Monday

The next item on the programme was a visit to the Royal castle called "Real Alcázar de Sevilla", perhaps Seville's greatest gem and honestly on a par with the Alhambra. Originally a 10th century Moorish palace and fortress, it became a Christian palace after the "Reconquista". It evolved into a stunning mixture of Islamic, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture. It is the Spanish Royal family's Seville residence making it the oldest royal palace still in use and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It took our breath away. By the way it is another Game of Thrones location in Seville, not that that matters to me. We enjoyed every minute of our visit and here are some pictures which do not do it justice but serve to remind me of our visit.Wow, what a place, a place of wonder.

Just some of the pictures we took on our visit to the Royal Palace of Seville.

The gardens too were a magical place.

After all that culture we were in need of nourishment and that day had our best meal in Seville. Rocío who lives in Seville and is the niece of our friends Benito and Loli had recommended La Barca de Calderón right on the bank of the river. We had a table on the terrace in a lovely quiet area of the city. And here we are enjoying the moment.

At the restaurant La Barca de Calderón on Monday where we had the best of all our meals in Seville

The food was fantastic, especially our starter, a prawn concoction impossible to describe. But just look how marvelous it was.

Amazing food at La Barca de Calderón on Monday

That day we walked a lot again but often we took Ubers when it was too far to go on foot. Uber is so cheap there. After that amazing culinary experience, we walked home for a short rest before we were out again. That afternoon I had booked tickets to see the Cathedral, another UNESCO World Heritage site and the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world and where Christopher Columbus is buried.

Seville Cathedral and bell tower known as "La Giralda"

It took over a hundred years to build and was finished in 1506. It was built on the site of a 12th century mosque and is an opulent symbol of the city's past wealth. It's so large and there are so many chapels, it feels like a huge cathedral with lots of other churches inside. I was keen to see the burial place of Columbus, so important in world and Spanish history.

The tomb of Christopher Columbus in Seville Cathedral

We loved the Orange Tree courtyard but were disappointed to find that the Giralda bell tower was closed as Amanda and I really did want to walk up its 35 ramps, built so the Sultan's horse could walk up it.

From the Cathedral we made our way to another church included in our tickets, The Church of El Salvador. It was closed too so we sat in the beautiful square of the same name and enjoyed being together in such a magical city with no responsibilities other than having a good time.

The three of us that day. A photo I particularly like. Thanks Andy

Amanda took the opportunity to have a Spanish lesson with Eladio. She did Spanish A level years ago and is keen to practice. When Ngobe, a young man from Senegal approached us to sell us his wares she got another lesson. It was another fun moment and interesting to hear his story. We bought belts for Eladio. When we were leaving, suddenly we saw the church was open and in we walked. Everything was so baroque inside, it was rather over the top but beautiful too. We had a long walk home and by coincidence stumbled upon Seville's most famous street, Calle Sierpes. That was where my mother was robbed of her handbag so many years ago. But that is another story. We went into a few shops but the only thing we bought was a game of parchis (Spanish ludo) which Andy, Amanda and I love. It was getting late and we were tired so got another fantastic Uber home We had walked at least 10km that day. A friend, Mari Carmen, once commented to me that tourism can be hard work. Hahaha, it can. To wind down later Amanda and I played "parchis" until it was time for bed.

Time was racing by and suddenly it was Tuesday 5th May. On the programme that day was a day trip to Jerez, the sherry capital of Spain, about an hour away from Seville. We took our car that day and had no idea it would fail us at the end of the day. We got to the Royal School of Andalusian Equestrian Art on time to validate our tickets. This would be one of the highlights of the trip as it is one of the 4 best equestrian academies in the world. We were going to see a spectacle called "How the Andalusian horses dance" and were in for a treat. The Purebred Spanish horses, also called the Andalusian horse, are considered the best in the world for dressage and for their intelligence and spirit. They apparently have a sort of willing to please attitude and are noble, loyal and generally docile. We were going to see some of the best specimens in the world. Very prized too are the Lipizzaner horses to be seen at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, but I didn't know that the Lipizzaners are actually the "Austrian cousin" of the Andalusian horse as their lineage is intertwined, the latter originating from the former. As soon as I walked into the grounds of the Royal School of Equestrian Art, I knew I was in a special place and fell in love with it immediately. Beautiful buildings, beautiful grounds and of course beautiful horses. In Spain it is often referred to as the University of the Horse. Oh wow I thought. We couldn't take photos during the amazing performance so here are some pictures from everything else we saw including horse carriage practice and the stables.

Some snapshots from our visit

I also took a little video to give you the feel. This is it.

The Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art, what a marvellous place.

At the show the we spied the famous journalist and ex Minister of HM Government, Miguel Portillo who I had to greet. Quite a coincidence to find him there. But then we know he has a fixation for Spain as his father was Spanish and he has a house in Carmona near Seville.

I have always loved horses and consider them the most beautiful animals in the world. I love the communication between a horse and a man. They are so intelligent. This for me was one of the highlights of our trip and something I will always remember.

Next on our agenda was lunch at a "tabanco"; taverns unique to Jerez. The name derives from taverns that served local sherry and tobacco. I had booked a table at "Tabanco el Anticuario" which seemed very authentic to me. We ate the most amazing lunch sharing lots of delicious tapas.

Lunch at a tabanco

I think I was the only one of the 4 of us interested in sherry. So I was the only one to have a "fino" with my lunch. In fact I had two.

From the tabanco we walked to the 17th century cathedral which is part Gothic, part Baroque and part Neo-Classical. A magnificent cathedral I must say.

The Cathedral of Jerez

Very close by were the bodegas belonging to González-Byass, famous for its Tio Pepe sherry. Unfortunately we could not go in as I hadn't booked a tour. What a pity. I think my friends were less upset than I was

The González-Byass Bodega in Jerez

Sherry became famous in England when Sir. Francis Drake - often referred to as a pirate in Spain - robbed thousands of barrels of the stuff and took it to the English court. The English Royal family thus became "influencers" of their time and soon sherry was very popular in my country. It was so popular that English business men travelled to Jerez to buy sherry wineries and today nearly all of them in Jerez are Anglo- Spanish. The taxi driver who drove us back to the car park to pick up our car, told us relations between the people of Jerez and the British could not be better. That was good to hear.

What happened next was not good. We had just set off and stopped across the road at a petrol station to buy some cold water. The car suddenly made a funny noise and would not start again. We soon found out the problem was that the cam belt had come loose. Thus we rang our insurance company and had to wait at least an hour for the pick up lorry to arrive. To cut a long story short, they took it away and will send it to Madrid to be repaired. Meanwhile they sent a taxi for us to take us back to Seville and when we finishd our 3 days in Doñana, this Saturday, they provided us with a rental car to get home. So how were we to get to Doñana and move around there? We booked an Uber to the Parador for quite a reasonable price and used taxis there. It was a bit sad to see our old Volvo being towed away, sniff.

The Volvo being towed away

We were all very relieved when we got back to our apartment in Seville. We had a light dinner after which I played ludo with Amanda and then Andy joined us for a game of cards called Sevens. I slept well that night, our last night in Seville.

Wednesday came, the day of our departure and we all had to pack again to continue our journey. I was up early to pack and once I was ready, I sat on the patio, the nicest place in the apartment. Andy, unknowingly to me, took a photo. I will remember our stay in San Martin de Porres always.

Enjoying my peace on our terrace in the flat in Seville just before we departed for Huelva

Soon our great big Uber arrived and we sat in it feeling very comfortable. Here is a photo Andy also took while Amanda and I were engrossed on our phones with our legs sprawled out.

In the Uber on our way to theParador de Mazagón

It was to be our third stay at the Parador de Mazagón since 2015 and Amanda and Andy's first and we were in for a treat. Paradors are a state owned group of luxury hotels renowned for being located in beautiful old buildings or in areas of exceptional natural beauty, like ours. Founded in 1928 they combine luxury with local heritage and very good cuisine. The Magazagón de Parador is located in the very heart of the Doñana National Park and although not modern the construction has a local flavour and is very pleasing to the eye. Paradors are synonymous with quality and good taste without being over luxurious. There are 100 and the first one was built in Gredos in Avila in 1928. The one in Mazagón was built in 1968 and has been refurbished many times, even since I was there in 2015. It was great to be back. Last night we slept at the Parador de Mérida, half way home and it is one of those oldie worldie settings, having once been an 18th century Baroque convent.

We arrived too early for check in which is at 15, so wandered around the grounds, had a drink and then lunch where I had booked a table. Here are some pics of the Parador, one I am always happy to come back to.

Our terrace with views of the garden and the sea

Our rooms were in this block overlooking both the garden and the sea

Lunch was at the main restaurant where I enjoyed a "fino" sherry to go with my food, almond soup and some more of those marvellous "tortitas de camarones".

When we had finished, we were given our rooms and they had been upgraded so we had great views of the gardens, the pool and of course the sea. Our rooms were all on the ground floor with a terrace opening onto the garden. We were in Room 4 and our friends in Room 1 so we could visit each other all the time. I remarked to Amanda how wonderful it would be if we lived next door to each other always. It would indeed. We settled in which always takes time, had a rest and then we all went to explore the grounds and walk on the beach.

Exploring the grounds of the Parador

The beach below is the Playa del Parador which belongs to a 28km stretch of sandy beaches which I think is the longest of its type in Spain; virgin sand and no buildings. It's wonderful. Not so wonderful are the stairs going down as the Parador is on a cliff. Just look.

That dreaded staircase from the Parador to the beach

But once on the beach it felt well worth the effort except that later it did my bad knee in. I really should only walk on the straight.

The superb beach below the Parador where we went for a walk after settling into our amazing rooms

We came back to sit in the cafeteria and ended up having an early dinner. We particularly liked the "pavías de bacalao" which my English friends called "fish fingers" hahaha.

Dinner in the cafeteria on Wednesday, the day of our arrival at the Parador, somewhere we all loved so much we would have liked to move in.

Thursday came and my friend's back just wasn't getting better so we decided to stay at the Parador. As the house maid said, there are worse places to be.

Eladio settled down in our room with a view and surfed on YouTube, one of his favourite occupations.

Eladio enjoying his peace in our spacious room at the Parador this week.

I generally pottered around. We had lunch in the restaurant while our friends ordered that most civilised way of eating; room service. I have always loved room service. My knee was playing up a bit that day after the very steep walk down those impossible steps to the beach so I was grateful for a day's rest too. At around 7 pm, Eladio and I went to enjoy our complimentary drinks. Actually I enjoyed both his and mine and had two glasses of "manzanilla" a fortified wine like sherry but much lighter. It was a lovely moment, one of pure pleasure and happiness so I had to have a photo to remember another good moment. Life is made up of good and bad moments and I prefer the former.

A happy moment, enjoying my "manzanilla" wine at the Parador on Thursday evening.

Later we convened in Andy and Amanda's room and enjoyed room service together. In the evening we played Sevens after having played two games of ludo on the run before dinner. I went to bed early.

Friday came and we had tickets for a guided tour of Doñana starting at 8 am in the morning but in the end we didn't use them as Amanda's back was still playing up. Thankfully she felt better later and we were able to add a visit to the charming town of El Rocío instead. On our way out from the hotel we bumped into two men carrying a great big box of freshly picked strawberries. I think I mentioned earlier that this area is the strawberry capital of Spain. One of them was the Director of the hotel and the other a strawberry tycoon as it is his company that sells strawberries to M&S and Tesco in the UK. He confirmed what I had always suspected; that the best fruit gets exported and doesn't generally stay in Spain.

The Director of the Parador in Mazagón. Only the best strawberries are for Paradors and M&S and Tesco in the UK

We took a taxi to El Rocío. Before I continue, let me tell you about this unique little town so famous in Spain. AI describes it as: "a unique, unpaved village in Almonte, Huelva, famously known as the Spanish Wild West because of its sandy streets and horse-centric lifestyle. It is most renowned for hosting the Romería de El Rocío an annual pilgrimage that draws nearly a million visitors to honour the Virgin of El Rocío" - the Patron Saint of all of Andalucia. What AI forgot to tell me is that El Rocío sits in the heart of the Doñana National Park through which the gypsy like pilgrimage comes through. The little town with its stunning whitewashed houses, lies next to a huge marshland belonging to Doñana where you can see wild horses and all sorts of amazing birds and ducks. The place is well worth a visit for its uniqueness. We had been before but this was all new to our friends who fell in love with the place and especially the marshland as they are such bird enthusiasts.

Our first stop was the small church which houses the statue of the Virgin Rocío and saw it from the outside and the inside.

Inside the Virgin of El Rocío church

There were horses everywhere outside and I longed to go on a horse and carriage but no one else wanted to.

Horses everywhere in El Rocío

We had a quick look round the shops which mostly sold Flamenco clothes like these.

Flamenco outfits at the shops in El Rocío

We then turned our attention to the marshland (marisma) and walked along the promenade to the very end where we found the restaurant Toruño I had booked a table at for lunch, the best in town I was told by Mar our taxi driver.

The marshland in El Rocío which belongs to Doñana. I love this last photo where you can the see wild horses wading in the water.

Lunch at El Toruño was excellent, one of the best places we ate at during our trip. We ate at a table overlooking the picture above; beautiful.

Lunch at El Toruño overlooking the marshland in Doñana

Before ordering a taxi back home we walked along the promenade and my friends pointed out the birds they recognised. It is such a pity we missed the tour of Doñana. They will have to come back another time.

We were back in our lovely rooms at the Parador, rested a while and then convened in the cafeteria for drinks and eventually dinner, would you believe. It was the last night of our wonderful stay in Doñana with our great friends. I am not sad though as we shall be seeing them in a month's time in Yorkshire for more good times together.

Before I move on to Saturday I must mention that on Friday, Sir David Attenborough, wildlife expert and broadcaster turned 100 that day. So many happy returns of the day Sir David. All sorts of celebrations were held for this man who is considered a national treasure in England but the one I liked best was King Charles' birthday card to him for which he enlisted the help of many English animals for it to get to him from Scotland. This is the video which is being called King Charles' Paddington moment. Not quite, but very good. I so admire David Attenborough and it's good to see him still going strong at the grand old age of 100. He had two brothers, Richard the Director (of Gandhi) and actor and John a high level executive. Their father was the Director of Leicester University and his mother a writer. They also had two sisters. Their parents took in two Jewish girls during WW2 via the Kindertransport and then adopted them after it was learned their parents had died in the Holocaust. Sounds like a great family.

I must mention too that on Friday Suzy was flying back from London after a great 10 days there with her friends Sara and Sandrita. I look forward to seeing her and Pippa today when we eventually get home.

Saturday came and all good things come to an end, as they always do. I was up early as usual and after our lovely Parador breakfast and all the packing, we said our goodbyes to Andy and Amanda and left around 10.15. A taxi sent from the insurance company took us to the Europcar offices in Huelva where we were given a brand new VW, a T-Cross I think. Just as we set off for Mérida, the capital of Extremadura and the half way mark to home, the heavens opened and it rained heavily on and off for quite a while.

We arrived at the Parador in Mérida at around 14.30 and made a beeline for the restaurant where I had booked a table. The Parador was busy hosting Holy Communion celebrations, so common in Spain in the month of May. These days they are like mini weddings. Soon we were in our room in this 18th century ex convent now a Parador and it didn't take us long to settle in.

Arriving with our rented car at the Parador in Mérida and our room here.

This trip has been like a mini road trip: 3 nights in Santa Pola, 1 night in La Calahorra (Granada), 4 nights in Triana (Seville), 3 nights at the Parador in Doñana and last night in Mérida. It will be good to be home.

There are people on a cruise ship called MV Hondius, right now berthing in Tenerife who must be very anxious to get home. The ship has been struck by a terrible strain of a virus called Hansavirus which has already taken 3 lives. 5 more are in hospital and countries are scrambling to find those who disembarked before the virus was detected to quarantine them and find their contacts too. The head of the WHO is on his way to Tenerife to supervise the very complicated transfer of all passengers who will not touch the ground of the island. I honestly hope this does not turn into a new Covid situation. It's the main story in Spain today and around the world.

Back to our stay here at the Parador. Yesterday afternoon we wandered out to explore Mérida. It is the capital of Extremadura and one of Spain's most historical Roman sites. Founded in 25 BC, it is often called the Spanish Rome. Today it holds UNESCO World Heritage status and has some of the best preserved Roman ruins in Spain, notably the Roman Theatre and the Roman Amphitheatre. That is where we headed to. Here are some pictures from our visit yesterday.

Visiting the 1st century Roman theatre and amphitheatre yesterday

We walked back afterwards to the Parador for our complimentary drink which only I had. It was another "manzanilla" wine.

We had room service while watching the news about the virus struck cruise ship berthing in Tenerife. Quite a story I must say.

I slept well last night and got just 7h sleep so woke up feeling refreshed. I went outside to write part of this post and to have my coffee and the heavens opened again. I think it will rain all over Spain today. Thus I am so thankful we had excellent weather for our trip.

And that's it from me today from Mérida. Wishing you all well,

Cheers Masha

Masha Lloyd's blog

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