July 14 - Cookies

Now that we are able to check out bikes, we were able to see some new parts of Sevilla.  We rode a few miles north and checked out the big Carrefour Hipermarket - it was interesting in that it was huge.  It contained a cafe, a pet store (with puppies), a candy store, a bank, lots of household items, and groceries.  We probably won't do much shopping here - it is far away and doesn't have much that we need and can't get somewhere closer, but it was interesting.  There is a costco in Sevilla - it is about a mile out further than the Carrefour, but it is not near a bike station.  At some point, I may try to get out there just to see how it is different than the ones at home....but I don't anticipate buying a 48-pack of toilet paper, walking a mile with it, and then carrying it on a bike for 3 miles.  With just Albert and I and our small apartment and no car, we will probably stick to small store shopping.

On our way home, we stopped at a cafe and had sandwiches and practiced a little Spanish. 

We also made sure to do our grocery shopping (at the markets closer to home) since almost everything is closed on Sunday.  In addition to the things we needed for our regular meals (today I made Tikka Masala), we also bought things to make a version of chocolate chunk cookies.  Since the ingredients are not the same, it required some adjustments, but all in all a good first attempt.

I also managed to make one more small step toward preparing for our registration appointment on Thursday - I filled out all of the forms - ugh.  On Monday, we will go to the bank to pay the fee and have the forms stamped.  

July 13 - A day of firsts and lasts

This morning, I went online and registered us for a year in the Sevilla bikeshare - Sevici.  This evening, we took our first ride.  We enjoyed it and I think we will be using them a lot over the next year.

A large part of each day centers around food; shopping/planning, cooking, eating, and cleaning up.  Today was no different.  Since I am gone for school from 3:30-8:00 every day, we have been having our big meal at "lunch" time.  Today was Greek food.

Classes for my language school can be purchased in week-long increments that always start on Mondays and end on Fridays.  5 of the 6 six students in my current class will be returning on Monday - presumably with some new additions.  The one student who finished his studies today will be returning home to the south of France on Sunday.  He was the most advanced student in our class and I am sad to see him go.

During our break between the two 90 minute sessions, another student (Nik) was telling a harrowing story of locking himself out of his apartment unit but without the key being unable to leave the lobby of his building last night.  He had pictures on his phone of the "hook" he managed to build by tying (with a trash bag) a broom handle to a plant stake that he found in the foyer closet to wrangle his keys from his desk through an open window McGyver style -which, according to the story, took nearly two hours.  I have no idea about the actual facts regarding the tale - but it was hilarious.  He leaves after next week to return to running a bar in London.

Tonight, on our way home from our first bike ride, we stopped for gelato.  I didn't have any of my own, but Albert shared.  Mmmmm.

July 12 - Lots of Studying

The weather was very cool today for Sevilla in summer - with a high of 81 degrees (historical average high for July 12 is 97).  So after watching some baseball and bicycle racing on TV, Albert and I headed out into the city for a nice walk.

We started by finding a paper store where we bought index cards and a notebook for Albert and I to use in our academic pursuits.  We then took a meandering walk around town checking out the many shops and squares.

We came upon a Catholic shop that sold figurines wearing capriotes (canonical hats).  During the Spanish Inquisition, people who were arrested had to wear a paper capriote in public as a sign of humiliation (think dunce cap).  Later, Catholic brotherhoods in Spain kept the capriotes (now cloth) as a symbol of penitence - they still wear them during parades and holy week ceremonies.  The anti-Catholic KKK is thought to have modeled their own headwear (again, think dunce cap) partly in mockery of the Spanish priests who tried to curtail the French Catholics in their celebration of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. 

We also walked around the bull ring.  There was a NOVILLADA SIN PICADORES scheduled for tonight.  This is (I think) where bullfighters who have not yet turned professional fight young/weak bulls and the fights are done with the bullfighter on foot (as opposed to on horseback).  I must say that although I would like to take a tour of the bullring, I am not convinced that I want to actually SEE a bullfight.  On the one hand, the whole thing seems exceptionally cruel - on the other hand - I made hamburgers for lunch yesterday so who am I to judge.

After our walk and lunch, I started studying (and organizing my notes on some of my new index cards).  I got so involved that two hours flew by and I was nearly late leaving for school.  Luckily, it was still cool out and I was able to rush a little, arrive at class a few minutes before it started, and not end up a sweaty mess.  

Albert met me at school after class at 7:30 and we walked home together and then to the market to buy a few things for tomorrow's breakfast.  

Then, a little more studying and now off to bed hopefully to dream of Spanish verbs and not bullfights nor the KKK.

July 11 - World Cup Fever

I must admit that when Spain was eliminated by Russia in the first round of single elimination play in the 2018 World Cup, I was a little disappointed.  I had visions of celebrating great soccer success with the locals as the whole country cheered on their national team.  With Spain out, it is still possible to see signs outside of bars on nearly every street offering TV viewing of the games - but only the extreme soccer fans and the expats with teams still in the tournament are really excited.  Well today, England is playing Croatia in the second semifinal- and with 3 of my 6 classmates from England and one other an extreme soccer fan - I wasn't sure we were going to make it to 7:30 (the game started at 8).  After class, the four of them nearly sprinted out of the building in an effort to get a good seat at one of the bars at the Alameda de Hercules where the game was being shown on large outdoor screens.  Hundreds of 20 somethings drinking cheap beer and cheering on their soccer team probably would have been fun, but not as fun as going home and hanging out with Albert and watching the game in our living room.  There is a square right up the street from us that has a large outdoor screen - it was full as well.

As I write this, Croatia has just scored a goal in the second overtime period.  Unless something extraordinary happens, I think the England fans may be finished with their World Cup excitement as well.  

July 10 - Language Exchange

After a morning of homework, we went for a walk.  We found the Plaza de España today.  This ornate building with a moat (that has small boat traffic), lots of incredible tile work, LOTS of staircases, bridges, towers, decorative benches ..... is also the home to all of the national (Spain) government offices and maybe most important for us the Immigration Office where we have to go for our registration appointment next week.  So, we were able to take a nice walk (breezy and mid 80's), see a beautiful building (and some Flamenco street performers), and check off FIND PLACE FOR REGISTRATION APPOINTMENT  all at once.

We had lunch in an Italian restaurant.  This was probably a mistake.  The food was good and pretty inexpensive, but  I tried to figure out what every sign says and only after some struggle did I realize that the signs are not in Spanish but Italian.  I am not ready for any other languages!

This afternoon's class was good.  It is slow going, but every day I understand a little more.  Maybe more importantly, after class, I went with a few of my classmates to a Language Exchange.  There were a few Spanish people who are enrolled in an English class and a number of us who speak English (although most are from the UK and not the US) who are trying to learn Spanish and a few teachers from both schools.  We spent nearly two hours trying out our language skills.  The conversations were pretty shallow and slow - but I think it was productive.  However, class from 4-7:30 and language exchange from 8-9:45 and I am finished with Spanish for today.

The walk home this evening was very nice.  The sun had set and the lights had started to come on over the city.  The bars and cafes near home are still hopping!  

July 9 - First Day of School

We made another small step of progress towards registering with the government.  Our list of things to do is pretty short before our appointment next Thursday  - and the first thing on the list was get photo's taken.  Unlike getting a driver's licence in the US, where they just take your picture when you come in, to apply for our Spanish ID cards, we need to come with two copies of European size passport photos.  Luckily, we found a nice shop on the other side of the canal that took and printed and cut them for us.  It was quick and inexpensive - clearly not a government operation.  No glasses, white background, no smiling.... yikes.

Then our daily trip to the market.  We have started to keep track of which store has the rolls we like, which store has the right cheese, which store has good tomatoes, .....  

This afternoon I had my first language lesson.  Since it starts at 4 and I was supposed to arrive a little early on the first day, I left home at 3pm.  I was smart enough to bring a fresh shirt in my backpack.  It was in the high 90's and the mile walk to school left me a little sweaty - and I was glad to have a change.  One nice thing is that many of the big streets have white sheets draped between the roofs of the buildings to provide some shade.

Class was great.  My class has 7 students - almost all speak English but it doesn't really matter because everything is in Spanish.  I assume the teacher speaks some English, but I am not sure - in class she only spoke Spanish.  By the end of class, I was exhausted.  The walk home was cooler.  It is always nice to walk over the bridge into our neighborhood of Triana.

Our mailbox is fixed.  When I got home this afternoon I put the label with our names on the box.  It is official - we have a home.

July 8 - Nature and Battling Culture Shock

Today we did laundry - turns out that the hot and dry weather makes for fast laundry drying on the roof. 

Albert decided to join me on my afternoon walk - everything was a little quieter because it is Sunday and many of the side street shops and cafes are closed.  We spotted a few oranges that were actually orange on one of the trees along the street.  There are 25,000 orange trees in Sevilla - you wouldn't want to eat the oranges-too bitter, but according to our landlady, the entire city smells like oranges in March. 

We walked down to the river - lots of birds and flowering plants and of course snails in the park.  Not much of a view of the river, but it made for a nice walk.  The season for eating snails in Sevilla is May/June - not sure I will talk Albert into trying them, but I figure I have 10 months to work on it.

Our neighborhood has a number of gelato shops.  Gelato is similar to ice cream but is a little softer and lower in fat.  So, it is close to soft serve but not quite the same.  Albert has been craving this taste of home, so on this evenings walk we found a McDonalds and he had a caramel sundae.  I gave it a pass.  I am still holding out for some of the beautiful pastry or gelato or both.

The McDonalds is in a large building across the street from the main Bus Station.  There is a movie theatre (might have to wait until our Spanish improves - a lot), lots of art shops, a few small restaurants, and a touristy dance school.  Maybe I should take some Mambo lessons?