I bought a cashmere winter coats reduced from 700E to 200E : very handy for the Scottish summers.>>

normally I wouldn't be interested [normal winter gear in cornwall is wellies and a sou'wester] but after last winter, who knows.

Sorry Ann that should have been "coat".

I think they have shops in London and Manchester. Really "different" clothes.

I am going to sound really old now (42) but I can't see us going back to Seville. First time was in May 1989 when we were about the only English around and Tapas were Tapas. I remember them dancing on the tables in Triana and watching the faces of the crowd after they left the bullfight.

We used to sit in bars and look at peoples faces. The most interesting in the world. Still say Sevillian women are the most amazing in the world, the men look like they have just invaded a lost continent.

On the coast we went to Zahara de Los Atunes and ate Tuna off the back of the boat.

Young and in love in Andalucia.

Went back 4 years ago.

Never again.

Becoming another world city and Zahara has filled its 7 mile empty beach with wall to wall apartment blocks. The tour parties had appeared and it was beginning to look a lot like Florence.

Seville is still though one of the world's great cities.

yanumpty - I'm about 10 years older than you, [ok, 12, I lied!] and wish I'd gone to Seville [and lots of other places] 20 years ago. but kids got in the way and I'm trying to cram in a lot of places that I've missed now that I can leave the kids at home to house sit.

I love places that are untouched, but we live[almost] in the middle of nowhere, and have to go a long way for a spot of "culture". so for short breaks we go for cities where we can stay out late, drink more than we would at home as we don't have to drive, and eat the sort of food that we can't get within about 300 miles of home.

and spoilt or not, Seville was on the list!

God no Ann! It's not spoilt just not the same as our memories from long ago.

It's not spoilt just not the same as our memories from long ago.>>

ain't that the truth!

Couldn't you say that about almost any place you visit? I go back to the university I graduated from a couple (ok - maybe more) of years ago and come back with the same feeling. Or your hometown (if you moved away).....

Let me give my take on this...

Yes, you are all absolutely right. The Portugal of my honeymoon (20 years ago) is not the same anymore. The Granada that my cousin has visited, apparently has changed a lot...

So what to do, we are all the creators of this situation, willingly or unwillingly. More population, more capitalism, less space. That's only normal. Our memories will remain and we all will cherish them like treasures and our new discoveries today will be as cherish-able in a decade as our old ones are today...Vérité de Lapalisse, as the French say.

Build on the past, enjoy the present and never think about the future:-)

Cheers to all.

When you want something different than Sevilla and the other great cities, Andalucía has plenty to offer.

A couple of suggestions for an alternative route:
Montefrío (pop 6-7000)
http://www.andalucia.com/province/gr...efrio/home.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24emisHDMbw

Archidona (pop 10 000)
http://www.andalucia.com/province/ma...idona/home.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHEcExTT17I

Ardales (pop 3000):
http://www.andalucia.com/province/ma...dales/home.htm

I'm very fond of Antequera (pop. 40 000). Known as the "heart of Andalucía" with its dolmens (5000 year old burial chambers), Roman baths, a Moorish Castle, Gothic churches, Renaissance fountains and baroque bell towers. Antequera was the first of the Granada emirate towns to fall to the Christians in 1410.

You get a perspective on the regions history when you sit at the lovely and quiet plaza in front of the 16th century renaissance church Real Colegiata de Santa María la Mayor: 50 mtrs down on the one side there are newly excavated Roman baths, and just up on the other side is the Moorish Alcazaba.
http://www.andaluciacoastandcountry.com/antequera.html

Close to the spectacular El Torcal limestone rock formations.
http://www.andalucia.com/antequera/torcal/home.htm