Apr 13 first Spanish lesson. Nervous! Private lessons cuz I can't figure out where I would fit in a group. Realize this morning that street Addresses not In order and even/odd like at home. Hmmmm. Takes me a while in spite of google maps. Holiday day so streets empty. Felt very alone.but love non tourist streets.
Apr14 off to feria.
Lots of colour- Nice day. Horses everywhere. The feria mud. So much spirit. Very exclusive. Taken seriously. Feels authentic. Kids and rides. Buying rebujito from box stand... Yes anyone seems to be able to flip over a box or setup a card table and sell you drinks... Along the midway... Happy people. Day one of "Sevilla beach" for Jordy and codi in our deck.
Friday April 15 2nd Spanish lesson and I love my cafe con leche and pastry on the way home. And now I've found a market there too. They have ballentynes scotch for Fred! And some weird fish parts on ice I can't even describe. Greg takes the kids to Parque de Maria Luisa so I can get a little work done for a few hours. Agh haven't had time on my own for a while now. Feels good. Mom and fred arrive this afternoon Yay! Happy to have them here. Codi and Jordy love to the couch and codi is off in a couple of days for the beaches of south Spain.
Saturday seems like a good day for the cathedral and codi really wants to join in. So off we go. Amazing. Beautiful. huge. 35 flights of stairs up the Giralda Tower but luckily they've made ramps instead that make the climb easier somehow. This would be a great workout every day with the most amazing views of all Sevilla. From up there you see rooftop decks and buildings you didn't know existed. Christopher Columbus tomb in the cathedral... For years it was believed to be him and then brought into question when the tomb was moved around a few times. But now DNA evidence proves it. Who was the poor soul stuck with that job?!
Olivia wanted to listen to every audio description of the cathedral. Jesse was (ever so slightly) impressed with Columbus' tomb.
Sunday was last day of feria and it ends with fireworks on the river. We promised kids to stay up late this night so off we go. Meanwhile Greg gets tix for him and Fred to bullfight. Ack! I can't do it but they want to see it for themselves. After the fight we meet up. They said it's a spectacle... The respect, the cheers and jeers, the emotion. But it was not pleasant and something they don't want to do again. "It was... Interesting". Greg told us about the 80-something lady behind him who wasn't afraid to break the silence of the crowd to voice her opinion of the fight. I'll bet she's been to a few in her day
Closing of feria for us was rides, but this time we knew to bring a few bevie bottles along for the walk. We were one of few tho. :(.
Rides for the kids, memorable Ferris wheel for mom fred and Jordy and codi. The rides are going strong into the night. They've been running 24/7 for the week. We hear the fireworks start and run for the street. Greg and I and kids run ahead but we lose the others in the crowd. Meet them at home.... Which was interesting. Streets PACKED with people.
As we were leaving the grounds at midnight already the casetas were packing up and closing for another year. Almost eerie!!! I guess sevillana are packing up their dresses again tomorrow.