Sunday - August 2 - Doyle family visit day #2 - Plaza de Espana

Scott made French toast to breakfast and then it was off to the hotel to meet with the Doyle's.

Suzi treated us to homemade snickerdoodle cookies.

The kids and Scott (who's just a big kid himself) loved munching on them in the lobby while the Doyle's put on sunscreen.

We walked across the street to catch a bus down to Plaza de America.

While waiting, Rosa read a book to Anya.  So sweet!

Cody checked out maps.

Jessie relaxed.

Phil and Suzi hung out.

Scott smiled.

Devon sported a minions shirt and his murse (bag from our Iberian flight over to Spain).

At last at the Plaza de America.  This plaza and all of Parque Maria Luisa are probably our favorite place to go in Sevilla.  We've likely been at least 6 times during our 5 month stay here.

The archaelogical museum.

Devon, Anya, Rosa, Cody, and Scott looking at a lily pond.

Need shadows on the bench.

Scott hanging out in the shade of a tree.

Rosa with a palm frond.

Rosa fanning Jessie.

Devon checking out the palm frond.

Jessied chilling out in her stroller.

Anya and Phil.

And Cody.

A swan.

A lake in the park.  This may be where we saw some turtles.

And onto Plaza de Espana.  Love it!

Could you imagine if this is where your office was?  I'd almost want to go to work at a place like this.

Rosa pushing Jessie and a horse and carriage.

We went to lunch at the same restaurant we'd eaten at with the Graeber's - next to the University of Sevilla.

Jessie was happy to run around.

Phil's nephew Robby joined us.  He'd been working on an archaelogical dig in Romania, and he had a few days before he needed to return to the states.  It's been a pleasure having him with all of us in Sevilla.  The kids especially adore him!

Devon wanted us to do a selfie.

Probably my other favorite building in Sevilla.  Scott and I are hoping to get a professional picture of this building to hang in our house and remind us of our time here.

An outdoor "hallway" = Scott's term for the some of the super narrow Sevilla streets.

After lunch, Suzi pushed Anya in the stroller and I walked with them back to their hotel while the rest of the gang travelled via taxi to get some AC and a siesta.

After dropping off Anya and Suzi at their hotel, I took one of the back streets to our apartment and I saw this cat weathervane. 

And this take out place is on Calle Banos, a block from our apartment, but we only noticed it a few weeks ago.  It has limited hours and a limited menu, but still neat to still be finding new things so close to home.

After siesta it was back to the hotel for a swim on the rooftop.  Here are some of the views.  This picture shows the tallest building in Sevilla - just on the other side of the river.

That evening the Doyle clan and Robby came to our apartment for snacks and drinks and then it was off to dinner.

On the way the kids played at the "broken now fixed" playground.

Devon and Cody having a blast on the seesaw.

Anya, Rosa, and Jessie then had a chance for fun on the seesaw.

All 5 kids at this minimalist playground.  Shockingly, this is one of their favorite playgrounds, and yet this is all there is to it.  

Dinner was a return visit to the "magic dessert restaurant" Az-Zait.

And here's a magic dessert being made.

Cousin Robby looking on as the other one is being made.

Our Scottish waiter.

The gang at the table.

Saturday - August 1 - Doyle family visit day #1

Time's ticking away with it being the first day of August and just 2 weeks until we leave this marvelous pueblo Sevilla.

In preparation for cousins Anya and Jessie's visit, we cleaned a bit.

Devon did some sweeping and he mopped the bathroom floors.  Cody mopped his bedroom floor.

Scott drove off to pick up the family at the airport while I did Rosa's hair.

Yay!  The Irish cousins are here!  We took them to lunch at one of our favorites, Taberna El Panduro on bathroom street.

Rosa, Anya, Phil, Suzi, Jessie, Scott.  Rosa's hiding behind 3 chalkboard menus.

Pictures all around the table.  Scott, Cody, and Devon in this one.  

Jessie on Rosa's lap.

After lunch, the Doyle's went back to their hotel for nap time and we cooled off in our apartment.  Plus, we devoured the 3 chocolate brownies filled with chocolate sauce and covered with chocolate sauce that our waiter gave us as a treat.  They'd just come out of the oven when we'd left the restaurant.

After siesta it was time to swim in the rooftop pool on top of the Doyle's hotel.  Cody's getting ready to go in while Scott holds onto Rosa and Devon.

I liked this door knocker I saw while walking to dinner on Calle San Eloy.

Shade covers over the pedestian only streets.

Outdoor cafes.

We had a lovely meal outdoors at Don Carlos Restaurante.

Friday, July 31 - Isla Magica

After a delicious snuggle with Rosa and Cody this morning (Devon was still sleeping), I became a short order cook.  Egg in the middle of the bread, fried egg, egg souffle, scrambled eggs, and then more of the same.  We finally made it out of the apartment a little after noon.  First stop was the fruit store - quite busy.  Only one person (out of the usual three) was working.  When a second joined him, the customers started clapping.  We bought a bunch and scheduled for a delivery later in the day.

Then we went in search of Movistar since my phone wasn't working, again.

These are additional shade covers up on one of the pedestrian only streets.  Cody's about to walk under them.  They make a huge difference.

Turned out that the data switch button had been pushed and so I'd set my phone up to not work.  Luckily after much laughter from all of the patrons in Movistar, my phone is once again workin.

On our way back to the apartment we stopped at the Plaza del Duque playground that's not in the Plaza del Duque (our name for it).  Devon and Cody having fun.

Rosa having fun.

Even more fun when brother Cody joins her.

Cody's tongue is sticking out as he concentrates on making it a great ride.

Devon.  He's wearing his Futbol Club Sevilla necklace.  He wears it non-stop.  We think it's a nice look on him.

He's also sporting his new hat.

We had an hour or two of downtime before Scott came home and we headed out on a mystery ride / walk.  It was our one day this summer with highs below 90 - at 89.  And what a treat it was.  We walked down the street along the river and surprised the kids by taking them back to Isla Magica, an amusement park, about a 20 minute walk under tree cover.

Here the kids are looking over a wall at a ride they want to take.  Couldn't resist this picture.

Rosa and Devon were willing to go into the crocodile mouth.

And then Maria and her parents arrived.  It made for Friday night #4 in a row with her.  The kids strapped themselves into this ride.

And off they went.

Onto riding caymans.  Devon and Rosa.

Maria and Cody.

Awwwww.

Rosa sitting on a bunny statue.  She loves bunnies!

Cody, Devon, and Maria on a turtle.

Then the kids went up in a mini ferris wheel.

We continued to ride rides (some were parent-sized) until all of the rides closed for the night.  Then our 2 families walked back across the river and ate outside at an Indian restaurant.  A super fun night for all!

Thursday, July 30

What a nice morning we had.  Our first stop was to drop off outgrown/old clothes and shoes in a bin.  Hopefully it'll motivate all of us to do more of this decluttering before we finish packing up and head back to Denver.

Then it was off to my "corner coffee shop", Cafeteria Las Baleares, for a return visit for excellent toast, hot chocolate, coffee, jamon, and service.  Both of the workers were there, and it's been a fun 5 months seeing their friendly faces about once every week or two.  One even lives in our apartment complex, so I occasionally see him out walking his dog.

After a leisurely breakfast, we strolled to Mas for milk and then back to the apartment to stay cool during the heat of the day.  Luckily we had a bit of a break in the weather on Thursday.

It was Devon's date night, and he'd selected Scott to take on his date.  They were both so excited for their date!

They returned to Via Birra, where Scott had taken Rosa earlier in the week on her date.

Selfie

Devon had pesto pasta.  Scott had steak.  Apparently Devon spoke non-stop throughout dinner.  He just thrives when he gets alone time with an adult.  He has so many neat things to say.  One key thing he told Scott was that if Scott needs to return to Sevilla for work after we're back in Denver, Devon wants to join Scott and he wants to go back to the school here.  It's great for us to hear that Devon likes it so much here.  Hopefully Scott will only need to make one return trip, and a short one at that.

After dinner, Devon had a play date with Clara, his Spanish best friend, in Plaza de la Gavidia.  She plays there most nights.

Hanging out by the statue.

Back at the apartment I was reading to Rosa and Cody when I checked my texts and saw the pictures from Scott of the play date in the plaza.  It was past 9pm, yet still bright outside, and Cody and Rosa immediately said that they wanted to go there to play, as well.  Off we went with jump ropes and soccer ball in hand.

Rosa lassoed her jump rope over a tree branch in the hopes that she could use it to help her climb the tree.  Smart approach, though it didn't help.  

Using the knobs of the tree did.

Such a sweetie.

Close up.

And Cody and Devon had fun while Scott and I sat on a park bench looking on.

The sun eventually set and the plaza became more and more crowded as people passed through it or stopped for a drink or food at one of the four restaurants that are on the plaza.

We finally left around 10/10:30 so that Scott could get a good night's sleep before heading off to work in the morning.