April 30 – Day 5 – We walked down the long dirt path toward the fountain under the shade of the tall palms and lined by lush green hedges. We sat down on a bench and made ourselves comfortable.

We watched the people walk by on their lunch hour or perhaps they were just cutting through the lovely park on their way to work after a quick snack. Although eating or doing anything quickly in Spain seems out of the question.

Our thoughts were on Seville and the reflecting ponds filled with fish at our feet. Our hectic lives at home were soon forgotten. People watching will do that if you let it.

Parque Maria Luisa was a gift from Infanta Luisa Fernandez, the Duchess of Montpensier to the city of Seville. The center of the park is done in the “Moorish paradisical style” with half a mile of tiled fountains, pavillians, walls, hedges, flower beds, palms and Mediterranean Pine trees.

The park is in the center of Seville with it’s Plaza Espana and Plaza America laid out in a very formal style. The bridges over the moat give access to the Ibero-American Exposition which was built in 1929 by the Architect Anibal Gonzalez. The moat adds a calming effect with it’s smooth water reflecting the sky and the trees.

The complex is a half circle with buildings running along the outer edge of the park. The park was once the gardens of the Palace of San Telmo.

The Plaza de Espana was the main building built at the edge of the park. It was placed there to showcase Spain’s industry and technology exhibits. This part of Seville was redeveloped in preparation for the exhibit.

The Queen’s Sewing box (costurero de la Reina) is a small castle in the grounds that was the queens retreat. It was built in 1893. It is the oldest Neo-Mudejar building in Seville. The architecture is very pleasing to the eye.