Saturday, March 28

Saturday morning we woke up, ate Aunt Jemima pancakes for breakfast (thanks to the base selling quite a number of US products), and then set off on foot.  We travelled via a block just east of one we've travelled many times before, and we were thrilled to find so many new things to look at and admire.

Here's yet another magnificent church.  No shortage of those around here.  In fact, isn't that what the guidebooks say about Europe, that there are loads of churches?

This is City Hall.  This side of the building is in the neoclassical architecture.  Around the corner and on the other side of the building, you can see that it's been built and added to over time showing also the Plateresque style.  And if you look closely enough, you'll see that on the Plateresque side that it's not finished - since the money had run out.

Some of these pictures were taken to show some of the beautiful buildings around the city that we love to admire.

Another view from Plaza Nueva of City Hall.

Just past city hall the setup for Semana Santa was in full swing.  Locals buy seats ahead of time so that they can have a deidcated place to stay and watch the loads of processions that take place during Semana Santa.

This is one of my favorite buildings that I've seen.

Devon, Rosa, and (hot) I walking down Avenida de la Constitucion.  This street goes along the cathedral.

There are many touristy places to hop on a horse and carriage ride - something we haven't yet experienced.

Cody with one of his many water bottles.  He's currently enfatuated with them.

Looking up at part of La Catedral.  

Tourists, tourists, everywhere.  We hear a lot of  English when walking around this part of town.  

Cody chilling out

After walking around town for a while, I stopped into the phone store where we'd bought our Spanish phones, as I'd left it there the day before because I was still having problems with it.  Sure enough, phone #2 was a dud and I had to pick out a 3rd phone.  Cody stayed with me (he LOVES electronics) while Scott, Rosa, and Devon popped into H&M for a little treat.

Here's Rosa wearing the shirt she picked out.

Devon (here) and Rosa and Cody in the pictures flanking this one are at "The English Club" in the close suburb of Bormujos.  We went there with the American Women's Club of Sevilla for the family-friendly monthly gathering.  Late March's theme was Easter.  So, you can see Devon concentrating as he paints an Easter egg.  Next to him is the Easter basket he created and decorated.

This is the shirt that Devon and Rosa picked out for Cody at H&M.  

Here's everyone leaving the English Club to go across the street to the park to hunt for Easter eggs.  There were 25-30 English-speaking kids (+ parents and grandparents) at this event.  Most of the accents were American, though there was also British, South African, and Spanish.  

After returning back to town (~15 minute car ride), we headed off on foot to find a place for dinner.  Here's a church that we pass by quite a bit.  It's doors were open, so we decided to peek inside.  

Inside the Paso (float for Semana Santa) was available for viewing.  More on these floats in another post.

From the church we walked to Alameda de Hercules, a large, public promenade that we've visited multiple times.  Cody was deciding whether he wanted to get wet in the spray jets.

Scott, Rosa, and Devon had already done it and were waving Cody over.

We chose an indoor/outdoor restaurant/cafe by one of the two playgrounds at Alameda de Hercules.  The menu was a Spanish twist on TexMex.  Inside there were throwback billboards.  Check them out...

Here's a picture of the playground that kept the kids occupied.  At this point it's probably 10:30pm.  Check out how many kids are still at the playground.  This is a common theme.  

LOVE this picture of Cody!

Here's Rosa negotiating our departure from the playground.

Devon and Cody having fun.

Cody is usually the least likely of our 3 kids to pose for pictures.  Yet, this night, he gave us his gorgeous smile numerous times.  It's possible it was due to me using my new phone for the first time.  

Check out the super slim juliette balcony and the bike tucked into it.

Maestra and artist and dear amiga Michele - this sign reminded me of you and your art.