Seville!

Well, it's official, much as video killed the radio star, the smart phone has killed the internet cafe. I cannot locate a computer. So this blog is reduced to short stories typed from my iphone when i have wifi. So i claim no responsibility for spelling.

We are currently in Seville, Spain where the sun shines on the ubiquitous orange trees and the restaurants are not kind to vegetarians (my poor travel companions are surviving on bread, potato omelettes and brie). Everything you have heard about the spaniards' schedule is true--they eat dinner at 10 and it is normal to see families with toddlers walking around at midnight. Those of you who have lived with me lately know that i tend to go to bed by spanish dinnertime so this has been an adjustment (the siesta has not, i was born for midday naps).

Our first night in seville we went to a crazy tapas bar at 10:30 (so hip) and thoroughly pissed off the waiter behind the bar (who was juggling dozens of demanding customers) by trying to ask about meat in dishes and not knowing the routine of ordering, pickup and paying. It was much like what i imagine my surgery rotation will be like this year--i will get yelled at by the conductor of a highly ordered orchestra (the surgeon/waiter) as i try to fit in and survive (obtain food/learn medicine).

For my birthday we went to the museo de bellas artes--a converted convent filled with spanish art from the medieval period through 20th century. It was beautiful, inspiring and CATHOLIC. I swear 70% of the art was the virgen mary. The converted chapel had massive rennaissance pieces that soared up the walls to the high vaulted ceiling that was also intricately carved and painted. They had subtle choir music playing as you walked in so the effect was very other-worldly. The grand religious pieces were inspiring but my favorite works were paintings of ordinary Sevillanos from the 20th century.

That evening we crossed the river to Triana and followed a guidebook's advice to simply "follow our ears" to find traditional flamenco music in a local bar (but only after 12:30am). This sounded idiotic to me and i figured we would be three girls cold and wandering lost in a strange country at 2am but it totally worked! We found a bar with a great flamenco guitarrist and a few singers. It was packed with locals (we were lucky to claim a pillar to lean on) and we enjoyed the first part of a great show (we called it quits at 1:30--too late for us! Tho there were at least 5-10 people over 65 who were still there when we left...how embarassing)

We succesfully made it back to our apartment by 2am and felt super hip for staying out so late (and then slept till 12:30pm the next morning).

A few observations about Seville:
---the little kids are dressed incredibly well. So freaking fashionable--i've seen 6 yr olds with more style than me on my best day.
---it is okay to drink beer by about 11am by my observation. But it is also okay to be eating breakfast at 1pm
---the siesta is real. Stores close between 1 and 3:30 or even till 5:30. I'm really not clear when people work mostly because there are lots of stores that i have yet to see open. But then i've also seen construction workers repairing the street at 11:30pm on a saturday-wtf?
---seriously dont be a vegetarian in spain. Or lactose intolerant.