Christ on the Cross and other Images

So, we're here. My anxiety was needless; even with a flight diversion and the usual small delays, we made all our connections and landed in Seville at midnight. We're in a great location--tapas and beer at our door, a typical Seville square a block away, and a sunny patio to boot.

Our neighborhood looks like most of the central Seville neighborhoods--elaborate wrought iron and full of churches.

We are still a bit jet-lagged but have managed a few cultural experiences--five rooms of the Musee de Belles Artes--all full of Christ on the Cross variations, Virgin Marys, and incredibly detailed depictions of hell.

We have also connected with some Maritimers (thanks to my sister Vicki for the virtual introduction), and they're great--generous, easygoing, fun-loving. I think we now have happy hour companions for the duration of our trip. Most of them are here for a month or more.

Just to close--a typical travel story. From Lisbon, we took a train to Faro and then had a couple of hours to connect to a bus to Seville . The best laid plan was to grab dinner during that time. We disembarked at the train station with the totally not portable bike box and our other luggage in tow, strategizing that we would get to the bus station first and then eat. Except. There wasn't a bus station, just a stop, in front of a methadone clinic and across from a jail. Not even a Burger King within walking distance, and certainly no place to leave luggage. So we waited there for two hours while the sun set, only the peacock watching over us, nibbling on beef jerky and almonds from our stash of airplane snacks. Maybe we will lose our Christmas bellies on this trip!