An Englishman, an Irishman and Scotsman

Instead of picadors and matadors, we start to see dozens of middle-aged men men in kilts and sporrans. What is going on? The answer is a European Championship qualifier between Spain and Scotland. Unusually, instead of taking place in Spain's national stadium in Madrid, it's here in Seville. History has suggested that there could be trouble but thankfully, everyone we meet is cheerful and friendly. But it does remind me of the Monty Python sketch in which men all over Britain turn into Scotsmen and stream over the border, leaving England as deserted as if in lockdown. The irony is not lost on us as when asked by a tour guide where we're from, I declare Englishness but Russell is thinking of moving to Ireland and Alan often goes to Edinburgh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oXpc-59Cdo

Back to reality, we visit the Plaza de Espana, centrepiece of the Spanish Americas Fair of 1929. It's an outrageous concoction of neo-baroque, neo-Moorish and neo-various other things, and we love it. Administrative buildings on the other side of the historic centre continue the architectural excess.

The oldest quarter of the city, Barrio Santa Cruz, is a maze of alleyways and passages and we quickly lose the plot and the way. It's not helped by the fact that the city maps are sideways with north pointing left not upwards.
And that the Moors designed the street plan to protect the houses from excessive sunlight, and from intruders. And tourists. Some of the churches look more Arabic than European, and the houses face inwards with enticing courtyards, as is the way in the riads of Morocco. The weather is North African as well, with a plume of hot air pushing the temperatures above 30C.

The bus station with its elegant wall paintings is a consolation for leaving this fine city. And the scoreline? Spain won 2-0 but Scotland are still well placed to continue to the Euro Championship finals.Read more