Skyscrapers and Monkeyfish

MORE LATER ON THIS DELICACY.

TALL BUILDINGS
Sevilla's first skyscraper is under construction and should be completed the first half of 2013. It's going to be a whopping 40 stories tall (180.5m or 592 ft). Not exceptional if you compare to other modern cities around the world. (The Empire State Building is nearly twice that height at 360m. The Shard in London is 309.6m.) But, in a city where you can see most of the rooflines just by climbing to the top of a 4-story building, it's impressive. Currently, the Giralda (the Cathedral's bell tower) is the tallest building in the city at a height of 104.5m (343 ft). I haven't heard any public outcry now that it's being surpassed.

THE SKYSCRAPER. VIEW WEST-SOUTHWEST FROM OUR ROOF.

ANOTHER TOWER. VIEW NORTH FROM OUR ROOF. CHURCH OF SAN LORENZO.
(BUILT IN THE 14TH CENTURY, MODERNIZED IN THE 18TH AND 19TH CENTURIES)

At this point the new tower is called the Torre Cajasol (Cajasol Tower) and is intended to be the bank's headquarters with much of the space left for other businesses. The architect is Cesar Pelli of Argentina. The tower gradually narrows from bottom to top. Flanking the tower itself will be two 3- and 4-story curving office/retail buildings. Initially, I thought those ramp-like structures were the carpark. (The carpark will be underground, beneath the tower). I've read that the plaza between the two smaller structures is supposed to imitate the look of a typical street of Sevilla. I'd like to see that. I do love the contrast of the modern with the antique, as long as it's done with respect to the antique.

WALKING ALONG AND LOOKING NORTH. CENTER FOR CONTEMPORARY ART.
(THE 14TH-CENTURY MONASTERY AND 19TH CENTURY CERAMICS FACTORY.)

SAME STREET, LOOKING SOUTH.
YOU CAN SEE THE TWO CURVING (RAMP-LIKE) BUILDINGS FLANKING THE TOWER.

There will be a rooftop restaurant with outdoor dining, and year-round gardens open to the public. The construction is going on at the edge of the Triana neighborhood on the Island of Cartuja, home to the '92 International Exposition: a collection of contemporary buildings now used for the government of Andalucía, botanic gardens, the Center for Contemporary Art, a research and science complex, and numerous other things. From the tower you'll be able to see all of Sevilla, including the Giralda. The building's color and shape is supposed to complement and reflect the Giralda.

NEARBY TORRE SCHINDLER (VIEWED FROM MY "DIVING" BRIDGE).
(THE 18-STORY, 65m, VIEWING TOWER WAS BUILT FOR THE 1992 EXPOSITION.)

I wonder if I'll be able to get San Geraldo up on that roof. Whenever he's gone beyond the 20th floor of any building, he says he can feel the building sway. I may be dining alone.


MONKEYFISH
We went downstairs to Dos De Mayo for lunch today and had our standby order of Ensalada de Gambas Tropical and Taquitos Fritos de Rape (pronounced RAH-pay). The restaurant manager, Paco, loves to practice his English with us. Our agreement is: I speak Spanish and he speaks English. The process at Dos de Mayo is that you place your order at the bar and your name (or order) is called out when it's ready for you to pick it up. We sat outside and Paco called out our dishes in English. "Shrimp Salad Tropical," although not said in the correct order, was no problem. Rape is what you might know better as monkfish. Paco called out, "Neighbor. Please to pick up your Monkey Fish."

TROPICAL SHRIMP SALAD (WITH CRAB AND PINEAPPLE).

TAQUITOS FRITOS DE RAPE. PACO'S MONKEYFISH.
I THINK THAT'S AIOLI,  MAYONAISE, AND MINT... BUT I WON'T SWEAR TO IT.
(HOWEVER, IT DIDN'T TASTE LIKE UNCOOKED LIME JELLO AND SHAVING CREAM.)