I decided to check out the modern area of Sevilla and crossed over the river to the Isla de Cartuja. Just before crossing the bridge, I turned on Strava since I intended to take a fairly long and brisk walk. In the center, it’s hard to walk fast given the crowds.

The tallest building in Sevilla is the 592′ Cesar Pelli-designed Torre de Sevilla, completed in 2015. The Caixa Forum, a shopping mall, is next door. Nearby is the massive tower of the Junta de Andalusia, designed after the Castello di Sant’Angelo in Rome. The last building is the Lyceé Français.

Beyond the commercial and corporate district is a busy six-lane boulevard, the Avenida de Carlos III. I crossed over to a wooded area and was shocked to see a miles-long expanse of what appeared to be an abandoned city with bare asphalt and a line of massive towers. After a little research, I learned that it was the site of Spain’s Expo 1992. I walked for a few miles to an isolated and empty high-speed rail terminus without encountering a soul. It was spooky, and my vivid imagination conjured up its repurposing as an internment camp in some future totalitarian dystopia. The area across from this stretch was a fenced-in enterprise zone with an adjacent, and eerily quiet, amusement park. I doubt that this area is on any tourist agenda; however, I’m strangely attracted to abandoned places.

On my return, I popped by the famous ceramics works, which is now the venue of the Museum of Contemporary Arts.

The tiles reminded me of the azuzuelas in Lisbon. From there I made my way back to my place across the river after a 5.26 mile walk. I bought an online ticket for 4:10 at the Cathedral and Giralda Tower which I’ll post later.