Monday, March 30

This was the first weekday of spring break.  Scott went to work and the rest of us took our time eating breakfast and getting dressed.  Then we walked the 2 short blocks to the grocery store (MAS) just in time to return for our American friends to come over to play.

We took them to our favorite playground, the one just across the street from us along the river.

Here are Devon, Cody, Brynnlee, Rosa, and Teagan busy playing together in the sand and water area.

Shortly after returning from the playground, Scott returned from his meetings in Dos Hermanas and he needed to do work at the apartment.  So, we took off and headed over to the American friends' apartment.

On the way we saw many nazarenos on their way to their churches to prepare for their processionals.  Here's a typical scene of nazarenos walking down the street.  We love how our girls are simply walking by.  

 

Here's Cody by a nazareno on a street.

Here are the girls all holding hands.  It's so nice to have met this family.  We've really clicked and have so enjoyed one another's company.

Here are Devon, Cody, and I walking down one of hundreds of narrow streets.

We bought some yummy snacks downstairs from the American friends' apartment and brought it upstairs to enjoy while the kids played and Jennie and I gabbed.  After a couple of hours, Scott joined us and then we headed across the street for dinner.

We ate at El Rinconcillo.  It was fabulous!  This is a restaurant that's recommended by a lot of tourist guides and after experiencing it, we know why.  The atmosphere was authentic and charming and old (the restaurant was founded in 1670).

Here's a view of the bar.  This is a typical scene in most restaurants, with the jamon hanging and ready to slice for so many delicious meals.

Our waiter (he told us he was Steven Spielberg's son due to his photography skills) took this picture.
There's Cody, Brynnlee, Jennie, and Scott along the left and Rosa, Teagan, Devon, and myself on the right.
We were seated upstairs and we were ridiculously early for Spanish time with an 8pm reservation.  By the time we left, the restaurant was starting to fill up and so was the bar area downstairs.

While at dinner we heard processional music.  Here's a paso (religious float) passing nearby.

Here are the kids on the restaurant balcony checking out the procession.

This restaurant had Scott's favorite food in Spain to date.  We'd both definitely go there again.

Brynnlee and Teagan called the day the "best day ever".  After dinner we said goodnight to our friends and started walking home.  Just 2 blocks from their apartment is yet another playground.  We stopped to play and ran into a friend from school.  Her name is Susana and her daughter's name is Simona.  Simona is just a little bit younger than the boys, but enough younger to be one grade behind them.  Scott and I chatted away with Susana and learned that she was born in Mexico, but her grandfather (or perhaps father) was originally from Sevilla.  She was mostly raised in Amsterdam.  And most recently she was living in Darwin, Australia where her South African husband is still working.  She's just recently moved to Sevilla and she's settling in and her husband will move here once his current projects is over (~18 more months).

At this point, it was about 10:30pm, the playground was packed, but we convinced the kids to leave and go home.  Devon told us that once he got home he'd put on his pjs and go to bed.  And sure enough, he did just that.  In fact, everyone was exhausted.