Wednesday, April 1

Happy birthday Joseph - April Fool's Day baby!

Wednesday was another hot day.  I needed to get cash, and our two closest bank branch ATMs are about a 25 minute walk with the kids.  We chose to go to the ATM by Plaza de Armas since it's in a direction we don't regularly go.  On the way back I stopped for coffee around the corner and had it standing outside.  This is a typical mode for drinking a quick coffee or a small beer.  Then the kids were great helpers and helped with the grocery shopping at Mas.  We each carried a bag home and then spent a few hours just relaxing and playing.

In mid-afternoon our American friends came over and we continued to play and snack.  Scott came home from work and the 8 of us set off for the nearby playground, the one with the pirate ship by the river.  Scott was generous enough to offer to watch all 5 kids so that Jennie and I could grab a drink.  We took him up on his offer and we sat outside on Torneo.  Then we all headed to our nearby corner of Calle Goles and Calle Banos to see a procession.  While there were a lot of people, it was nothing like the crowds in more central Sevilla.

Here's the first paso.

I thought it was so neat to see it being lifted.  There's someone in front of it who leans in and looks in the holes and talks to the men.  Then he uses a knocker on the front of the paso and he yells out commands to lift the paso.  And then the music begins.  The people carrying the paso march in step to the music (left, right, left, right).  It's a very slow march.

Tight squeeze making the corner.  What's already small steps become smaller to squeeze around.

Paso #2 from this church

The temperature.  That's about 100 degrees.  And it's April 1st.  And it's 7:45pm.

Paso #3 with Mary.  Notice how the guides to this paso are wearing white and the flowers on the paso are all white.

After the procession finished going by, we started walking to Alameda de Hercules.  But, just a few blocks from our apartment we found Bar Rodriguez for dinner.  We sat in a plaza across a quiet street from the restaurant.  We placed our food and drink orders in the restaurant.  Then we carry our own drinks to the table, but waiters bring the food.  We had great food to eat, plenty of it, and 4 drinks, and the bill came to 22 euros (~$24).  Yes, 8 people were happy and fed and perhaps a bit tipsy with just a $24 bill.  Have I mentioned how much I'm enjoying Spain?  

The boys were exhausted at dinner, so we all walked back to the apartment to take them home.  Then the American friends, Rosa, and I took off to walk the American friends home and see if there were any processions going by their place.  

We waited about 1/2 hour to see if any processions were about to go by.  The girls spread out on the opened up living room sofa bed to watch a cartoon and Jennie and I chatted.

At just before midnight, without having seen a procession at the apartment, Rosa and I headed for home.  The streets were packed.  It was incredible.  And we ran into 2 or 3 processions.  Rosa is amazing weaving through them.  She'll be great in crowded bars in the future.  Agh - scary thought!