Love Sevilla so much we are staying another month! Wait for it, other happenings first

NO8DO is a sign you see absolutely everywhere here and following is an explanation.

SEVILLE´S SIGN OF THE TIMES

Visitors to Seville will notice a symbol on many signs around the city, from taxis and buses to sewer covers, consisting of the letters ´NO8DO´. This is the city´s logo, and legend says that it originates from the 13th-century coat of arms awarded to Sevilla by King Alfonso X the Wise. He bestowed it in gratitude for Seville´s support in his battles against his son, Sancho IV of Castile, who wanted to usurp his father´s throne during the Reconquest. Between the ´NO and ´DO´ is an 8-shaped bundle of wool (madeja in Spanish). Add the three together, speaking in Seville´s fast, elliptical accent and you have ´no-madeja-do´, more correctly, ´no me ha dejado´ which means ´it (the city) has not abandoned me´. The motto was his reward to the people of Seville for their loyalty. From the website http://www.andalucia.com/cities/seville/fascinatingfacts-3.htm

  

Parade of a different sort. We walked to the Alameda da Hercules. Before getting there I could hear clapping, there was an ambulance at the end of the street and more people than other times we’ve been there. People were clapping to urge runners on, it was a marathon!  The racers kept coming and coming for an hour! We didn’t think there were that many runners in Sevilla, but also know there were people in it from Portugal and who knows where else. Googling it says there were 9000 runners registered. No wonder it took so long for them to come through!  It’s longest is 30 kilometers, but one can do smaller distances also. http://runinfinity.com/race/maraton-ciudad-de-sevilla

A few were dressed in costumes, some rode bikes or roller bladed. The route has been designed to avoid cobblestones and is flat, through the city. There were many support crews, ambulance and police along the route. It has been running, pun intended, since 1995. February here is a warm month but not hot like August so runners seemed relatively comfortable. Anyway it was fun to see and certainly no high heels or hats were visible.

Ivan said it is a fairly recent phenomenon, jogging in Sevilla he thinks brought on by American students who come to study here.

There is a 24 hour relay marathon in Central Park every year which I lived next to in Burnaby for many years. People pitch tents to sleep in, being a relay they run in teams with many corporate sponsors. There are volleyball games, food stands, vendor stands all matter of things to keep people interested while waiting their turn to run. It’s a 24 hour party basically but because people are running many, not all, are careful of alcohol consumption. I would freeze a bunch of wet face cloths and throw them at friends to cool them off. It was much appreciated!

Many bodegas bring out a free appetizer, usually olives and garbanzo beans. We had one today, totally different. Shredded white cabbage covered with olive oil and some sort of red spice, (we think it's dried red pepper) it was delicious! Another, same place, pickled beets with onion, yum! We just marvel over the food here, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, mentioned many times.

Big Decision

We’ve decided to stay in Sevilla another month! Both Ivan and Pepe said you’ll get to experience the orange blossoms!

Now we are spending a couple of days re-booking flights, hotels and accommodation for end of March.  Decision made Monday evening, wake Tuesday morning – yes, still serious about it. We are supposed to be leaving Saturday so you get the picture. Sort of feels like a Shirley Valentine moment.

The day included emailing our partners of the change and Pepe coming to visit to ensure we still had a home for the next month. He also gave us a new dining table and put light bulbs in a couple of places, much better. Sunlight comes in now around noon so really brightens up the place. He also re-booked our flights for us, beyond our Spanish speaking abilities. Thank you Pepe!

We both feel so happy about this decision! Miss on seeing our partners in the Freiburg flat and that is sad, but they are happy to stay for March as well! Bonus for us all! And isn’t it funny, a good reason we are staying is to experience the orange flower blossoms with incredible smells; they are staying to see the Rhododendrons. Flowers are a powerful motivation as my florist friend would attest.

Ivan's picture of a soon to come orange blossom

So that's our current news. What I appreciate most is Bruce and I just "feeling" it's not right to stay or go, we're in tune that way. Makes for an easy, fruitful and wonderful time together.

Cheers, Bev, Bruce and Lexi cat who, smart cat, she is was already figuring out something was up by our bringing boxes home to ship stuff to Freiburg but has settled back in again, as we have.