July 21 - A Long Walk

I decided that today I would make my way to the northern part of town that I like to think of as "Little America".  It contains a Costco, McDonalds, Burger King, and KFC.  It is a little over 4 miles from our house.

On my way there, I chose to walk along the road close to the river.  It is pretty direct but does pass through a relatively industrial (read ugly) part of town.  After a rather unfortunate encounter with a very drunk man and a very positive encounter with a young couple who stopped their car to make sure everything was ok - I made it to Costco.

No surprise, it is very similar to the Costco at home.  Lots of the products are sold in quantities that are a little smaller than the ones at home, but still too big for our situation here.  Of course, the stock is not identical, there are some things not available here and some things that are pure southern Spain - like a whole isle of olive oil.  Not to worry though, if you need a HUGE birthday cake with raspberry filling or a 2 pound bag of peanut M&Ms while visiting Sevilla - I can help. 

I took a much longer, but much prettier route home.  More beautiful buildings ....

and interesting stores.  In one bakery window, they had cake toppers for first communion cakes,  baby shower cakes, and of course wedding cakes.

After my long walk, I came home and regrouped for a while before going out with Albert to pick up a few things at the market to make sure we had food for Sunday when everything is closed.  Luckily he had been out while I was on my walk and had already bought most of the heavy stuff! 

Tonight - the Triana festival officially begins with the lighting of the bridge at midnight.  We went down a little early and admired the HUGE crowds.  

Then took a few photos of the lights before heading home.

Now to bed to rest my weary legs!  

June 20 - A New Desk

This morning, Mario and Palma came by with a desk for our second bedroom.  We have done fine working on the dining room table, but when they offered a desk so that we would have a second workspace, we said yes.  The desk is HEAVY and beautiful.  Palma's father made it with the base coming from her grandmothers sewing machine.  Albert worked there for a long time today - and really likes it.

When they came by, they also brought a paper copy of the schedule of events for the festival (which officially starts tomorrow).  There was a night regatta in the river this evening that we went down to check out.  During the races, a safety boat road alongside - since the normal tourist boats kept running, I was glad that the racers had some protection.  

With one more week under my belt in Spanish, I feel like I am making slow but steady progress.  I registered for four more weeks.  My classmate who attended the Bullfights last night confirmed that they are awful and gruesome.  I did not require much convincing - attending a bullfight was never on my "must do while in Sevilla" list, and after hearing her talk about it, it dropped even further.

After class tonight, I took a meandering walk home.  I found a square that I don't think I have been in before.  It houses the Bank of Spain.

Of course, in addition to the beautiful and interesting bulidings, plazas, fountains, and statues - there are about 1 billion (give or take) touristy shops in the down town area selling Flamenco dancer costumes for children, nick-nacks, post cards, and of course T-shirts.

Tomorrow at midnight, the festival lights will go on for the first time.   I am looking forward to seeing everything all lit up.

July 19 - First Package

We got our first package today.  It was a new tripod that Albert ordered for his phone, and the delivery required only a short (thankfully not complicated) exchange with the delivery guy.  WooHoo!

This afternoon, we went to the Immigration Office to apply for our residency cards.  It was relatively quick and totally painless - all of the preparation paid off.  Now we just wait until then end of August to go back and pick them up.  

After our appointment, Albert rode home and I walked to school.  

My teacher is convinced that she can't learn math.  I offered an Intercambio - where I taught her math and she taught me Spanish, but as she doesn't actually have any interest in learning math, it was not an enticing offer for her.  It continues to be an interesting class.  The teacher does not speak English, so even though everyone else in the class does (although not all as their first language), everything happens in Spanish.  The Russian woman and her family are going to the Bull Fights tonight - I am interested to hear what she thinks.  The younger four students go to the bars together (and with a few students from another class) almost every night, I don't really need to hear about that.  One of them is leaving after this week.  So, six of us are returning.  I am not sure if any new students will join the class next Monday or not.

After school and dinner, Albert and I went out for Chocolate with Churros.  With weather today in the 90's, most people looking for a nice dessert this evening were opting for gelato.  Since we know that anything below 100 is not actually hot, we were good with a warm cup of chocolate sauce and hot churros straight from the fryer. 

We finished eating at about 10:30pm; the street cafes were still full of people and the bars were just getting started - it is Thursday night after all.  With the new energy burst from our dessert - we set out to take a few night photos with Albert's new tripod.  I took a few of my own - just pointing and clicking, but mostly I just enjoyed the lovely breeze and the bustle of nightlife going on all around us.

Then it was time to head home.

July 18 - Corn Syrup

After a morning of Spanish and laundry, Albert and I set off on a quick walk before school.  The idea was to look around in the "Taste of America" store near my school.  We don't really need anything American, but we wanted to see what they had.  I mean they have oreos in our regular market; so it is not like we don't already have a "Taste of America" if we want it.  Sadly, we arrived around 3 o'clock and the store had closed up for siesta time.  So, we just walked around the area enjoying the buildings and small alleys and interesting stores.  We did happen upon a tea shop that also sold spices.  They even had crystallized vanilla.  I didn't buy anything, but it is nice to know it is there for future cooking plans- and they even have English translations on the signs!

During the break at school, I made the short trip back to the "Taste of America" store that was of course reopened by 5:30.  They have a very small inventory mostly of things that I was not interested in - pop-tarts (yuk), hershey bars (yum, but we have plenty of great chocolate options), root beer (again, yuk), sriracha (yikes), and lots of other fun reminders of home that I don't anticipate wanting or needing.  But there was one item that I had been keeping an eye out for (we never found it in Hungary - not even in the American store) Corn Syrup.  Now I know this is not a big deal for most people, but we like caramel corn.  And although I don't make it too often, it is nice to know that I can find all of the ingredients if I decide to.  Everything else is readily available - so now we are good to go.  Of course with all of the other good desert options, I may never go back for that either.  I do, however, like knowing that I could.

Albert came back and met me after class, and we walked home together.  The decorations for next week's festival are starting to take shape.

Tents and Lights on Road By the River

Strings of Paper Lanterns Across the Bridge

We had dinner in a cafe near our house - mmmm tapas.  Then we went out for a nice walk to the Alameda (an area that used to be famous for the number of brothels, but now just bars and restaurants).  Yes there is also a bit of history to be learned there... but that is true of every plaza in the city - so I will leave that to those of you with guide books.

Tomorrow is our appointment to apply for our residency cards - fingers crossed.

July 17 - HOURS of Spanish

With no baseball and no new stage of the Tour de France to watch this morning, I was able to do a little AM Spanish review. 

Then it was off to complete the morning errands.  First, to the copy store where we got copies of all of the documents for our meeting on Thursday.  Yahoo, I think we are ready.  At only 0.80 Euros, this was certainly the cheapest of all of our "steps to residency".  Thanks Andalus Copi!

Next a little shopping and then home.  Then about 2 half hours of Spanish studying and off to school.  Then class (with a quick trip to the market during the break to pick up basil) and then to Intercambio for a couple of hours of language exchange - a few familar faces from last week and a few new ones.  It is a good place to practice speaking.  But, by the time I left, I was glad for the walk home - I didn't even put in my headphones with the Spanish music tonight.  I did see some fun things.

I like this painted door on an industrial supply store on my way home.  Not sure what Rome has to do with anything, it is a Spanish company - headquartered in Sevilla - serving customers in the Sevilla region...but it is fun.

I always enjoy listening to this guy play the accordion as I cross the bridge.  It cracks me up a little how much it reminds me of the music that plays in Busch Gardens.  I also like the plastic shopping bag that reminds you to recycle - very old world.

And tonight, at the base of the bridge, next to the Castillo de San Jorge, a group of young men practicing their rapping and dance moves from the video game Fortnite.  Maybe if I really wanted to be able to communicate better, I should skip the Spanish practice and work on my Floss.

July 16 - That Waffle in the Sky

The day started like many others with a little early morning baseball (heading into a break in routine with the all-star break) and a little bike racing (one week down in the Tour de France).

Then it was a trip to the bank to pay our registration tax.  WooHoo - it worked and we now have all of our filled out/stamped paperwork and our photos.  Tomorrow, I will try to negotiate getting copies at a copy shop and then we will be ready for our appointment on Thursday.

Next, a trip to the market - which is always busy on Monday after being closed on Sunday, and then home to cook, eat, study some Spanish, and off to class.

There were two new students in my class today  - a Russian woman and her daughter who have spent the last two years in Dallas and are now in Sevilla for her husband's work - I don't know what he does.  I do, however, know that he has a garlic allergy.  It is amazing what you do and don't learn about people who you only see in a class where the entire class takes place in a language that none of you are terribly good at.  I must admit that it is nice to have another person in the class who is (although still younger than me) not a 20-something.

After a quick dinner, Albert and I made our way to the Metropol Parasol - a 4 story structure that some say look like mushrooms - but I think look like floating waffles.  We decided to take bikes on our way there, but after Albert led us on a trip of rough cobbles and dodging crowds through small alleys - we decided to walk home.  I would like to observe that the stage of the Tour de France that we watched this morning had many cobblestone sections - coincidence that Albert chose the path he did - I don't think so either! Neither does this cow on wheels.....

The Metropol Parasol was cool.  There are Roman and Al-Andalus era ruins in the basement.

Markets, cafes and meeting spaces as well as some open air space with lots of skaters and break dancers on the middle floors.  And, a cafe and walkway that you can only get to by elevator on top.  The view of the city is great from there.   We were far from alone in using the top floor as a place to catch the last of the sunset.

It was time to head home, and it was a lovely cool walk.  There were still many people out and about.  It is also nice to see how the city views change after dark.  

Goodnight Moon - and Venus?

July 15 - Getting Ready for Next Week and a Long Walk

This morning there was an athletic event held near our house.  It involved a 2.5 km run, a 600 or 1000 m swim (depending on the group), and another 2.5 km run.  We went out and watched some of it. 

The Start

The Transition

The Swim

The Finish

I would like to say it inspired me to get out and do some serious exercise, but alas - that was not the case.  In fact, after watching for a while, I went back in and basically stayed in the apartment most of the day (doing laundry, cooking, eating, reading, doing HOURS of Spanish...) until I was finally feeling so gross, I went out for a long walk.  Albert and I walked together for a couple of miles (then he headed back on a bike from one of the many stations around town) and I continued on walking for a total of about 8 miles.   Although I have covered many miles, each day I come upon something new and interesting.  Here are a few shots from today's walk. 

I realized while writing this that my Spanish and my walking are very similar.  I invest a lot of time and my progress is slow.   But, I also enjoy both very much.  Tomorrow to the bank to try to pay our "registration tax"  - fingers crossed.