The Story of SevilleGallichan, Walter M. (Walter Matthew)
History
The Story of Seville
Gallichan, Walter M. (Walter Matthew)
Seville (Spain)
Most English visitors to Seville travel by way of Paris, Irún, the
Spanish frontier town, and Madrid. By this route the interesting towns
of Vittoria, Burgos, Valladolid and Segovia may be visited should the
tourist's time permit. Many travellers break their journey at Madrid,
spend a day or two in that city, and proceed by the night-express to
Seville. For comfort, it is advisable to take the south express _train
de luxe_ from the Quai D'Orsay, Paris. This train is made up of
first-class carriages only, and provided with sleeping berths, for which
there is an extra charge. By the ordinary express trains the journey is
slower, and the traveller has to provide his sleeping accommodation in
the shape of rugs and pillows. A pillow may be hired at most of the
large Spanish railway stations for one peseta, _i.e._, sevenpence
half-penny in British money.
Railway travelling in Spain is not luxurious. The first-class
compartments are usually stuffy, and at night they are ill-lighted,
while the second-class carriages will not compare with the English
third-class. Compartments of the _tercera clase_ (third-class) are
uncomfortable and cushionless. They may be used for short day journeys
in Spain by the stranger who wishes to come into touch with the people.
As a rule, the third-class passengers are quite orderly in behaviour,
and the foreigner need not fear to travel with them. Still, from the
point of view of comfort, the Spanish third-class cannot be recommended,
especially to ladies.
The journey by rail from Madrid is across the monotonous plains of La
Mancha, made world-famous by the exploits of Don Quixote, through
interminable olive gardens, wide grass meadows, and by groups of bare
and fantastic rocks, to ancient Córdova. Thence we reach the fertile
land of Andalusia, follow the windings of the clay-stained Guadalquivir,
and come into the district of the cactus and almond tree, and a
semi-tropical climate.
Before leaving the railway station square, the stranger must submit to
the inspection of his luggage by the customs' officers (_consumos_), who
are on the watch for taxed articles. Usually the search is a mere
formality, as English visitors are rarely regarded as 'suspects.' Assure
the officer that you have nothing to sell, and he will in most instances
refrain from overhauling your baggage.
Hotel omnibuses, cabs and outside porters await the arrival of every
train at the Estación de Cordoba. The fare for a one-horse carriage to
any part of Seville, with one or two passengers, is a peseta, and for
each piece of luggage the charge is from half-a-peseta to a peseta. The
driver expects a _propina_ ('tip') of at least half-a-peseta. Avoid
hotel touts and loafers who crowd outside the railway station.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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