Sizzling Seville update

After braving the high summer temperatures of Seville last week, I have to report the journey went smoothly and without a hitch. And what a fantastic job the powers that be have made of the Maria Zambrano train station in Malaga. Last time I took a train from Malaga the station looked old, somewhat decrepit and badly in need of a facelift. The new station is bright and breezy, modern and is built around a shopping centre with some great outlets, cafés and bars where you can relax before the train arrives. We booked our tickets online from Malaga to Seville, took the journey code with us and it couldn´t have been easier to obtain the tickets. Apart from the main ticket office, there are several ticket machines dotted around where you can press in the code number given over the internet and your tickets are printed from the machine immediately. A highly efficient way to get tickets and you don´t have to queue. The train was comfortable, clean and cool, with a lot more leg room than you would find on Easyjet (yes I know a train is not an aeroplane but still ...........). There is a drinks and snack machine on board, and the journey was pleasant - arriving in Seville two and a half hours later. The local friendly bobby pointed us in the right direction of the Hotel Sevilla Center, and we checked in about 20 minutes later. Seville´s station is also modern and airy, and offers travellers plenty of places to eat and drink before the journey. All in all a great trip - and the tapas in Seville are better, and cheaper than most of those in Malaga. Try some of the bars around the Santa Cruz area of the city (close to the cathedral). We ate twice at the Tapas Robles Restaurant which was superb - artichoke hearts and smoked salmon, assorted wild mushrooms with garlic and fresh herbs, rosada provencale and the best tortilla española we have ever tasted. If you fancy a bit of home from home, there is also a superb Irish pub - Flaherty´s -round the corner with Guinness on draught! Oh and a word of caution - if you are taking a horse and carriage ride around the city don´t pay more than €40.00 - he told us the price was €50.00 when we had already been quoted the cheaper price round the corner. Not a massive deal but you will save a tenner to spend on more delicious tapas.