Waking up way early in Sevilla

I am very surprised when I wake up at 5.15am. Wasn't it supposed to be the other way around? It's 3 hours earlier in Brazil….well, nothing that a long soak in our bathtub won't cure, and then it's time for breakfast and Oswaldo's departure for the university.  After he's gone I head out into the confusing web of tiny narrow streets with something amazing to see at every corner, a beautiful roof, a glimpse of a steeple against the impossibly blue sky, a particularly charming penthouse, or a cute restaurant like this one:

 When I emerge on a bright square I find myself facing the side of the impressive Moorish-style cathedral covered in finely chiseled white-grey marble, and I see the first of many orange trees, still hung with ripe fruit.

I walk around the huge structure, but hesitate at the long line at the entrance and head towards the Real Alcázar, the oldest  Royal seat in Spain, originally built for the Moorish caliphs in 712, and later adapted for the Christian rulers. I spend a delicious couple of hours admiring not only the mix of architecture, the colors, tiles, and woodwork, but also the lush gardens, which everywhere has the sound of splashing water from many fountains. I can imagine the bliss to be here on a hot summer's day

Then I head down the Avenida Constitución in search of simcard - tarjetas sim :) - which I find eventually on Avenida Sierpes. I walk to a huge department store El Corte Inglés. The name fascinated me, but once inside I could be in Macy's. I return to the streets and find another road, Cuna, to walk back on, and where I see these beauties in a store window

(I used to draw dresses like this when I was a kid - the epitome of female beauty for me then).

With my new phone I manage to arrange to meet Carlota for lunch, and while I wait for her, back in front of the cathedral, I watch two young flamenco dancers dressed in swirling black and red skirts with well worn dance shoes. They move, unsmiling and perfectly synchronized, and take turns to 'zapatear' on a wooden square placed on the gorund in front of them. People stop to take photos and throw coins. I pass by later and see they have changed out of their performance clothes and are checking their change. They don't look like they made a lot of money.

Carlota and I share tapas for lunch with a glass of white wine, sitting outside the restaurant at the top of this post with the sun shining on us. Later we walk around the quaint Santa Cruz area and happen on the charming Herbolário Esencias de Sevilla where we buy tea and saffron. Then we continue our walk until we find our hotels and part to rest up a bit before our philosopher husbands return after a hard day at the university.