First Time in My Life, Triana, Seville, Andalusia, Spain

This is our car. This is our car parked on the narrow, crowded streets of Triana in Seville. It is a brand new car. A standard transmission, diesel, Citroën C4. It has French license plates. I had read before the trip that a new and foreign car can make a good target for potential thieves. I am a bit uncomfortable parking it on the streets not really knowing the area but, I am also a cheapskate and the $20 USD parking rate in a garage is too much when free street parking is available if you pay attention to the road and curb paint markings and don't park where you shouldn't.



Today was the first rainy day in two weeks and we had no plans for tourism so I walked over to check on the car. This is what I found in it's place. A BIG TRUCK! I was sure I was looking in the right place because I had programmed the lat/long in my GPS in case I got lost. My worst fears were realized! IT WAS GONE!

I walked up and down the street four times to make sure I wasn't just a bit off on where I parked it.  I checked the curb and road markings.  No paint markings indicated restrictions. It was simply nowhere to be found. IT WAS GONE! I immediately jumped to the conclusion that is was STOLEN! My worst fears realized.

I walked the one mile back home in what was now a steady gentle rain to tell Amy and get her to come and look, too, (and to use her linguistic skills to make the police report). Maybe I was momentarily overcome with stupid and it was really there somewhere and she would find it and all would be right with the world again.

We both walked back to the spot. She confirmed that was the right spot and the car was GONE but, then, she promptly walked into a hole-in-the-wall bar nearby and asked the five locals drinking beer about the truck in our spot.



They pointed her to where I have drawn the red arrow. It seems that we were illegally parked in a one-hour zone and the sticker at the end of the red arrow was a notice from the city that it had been towed for illegal parking! There were no paint markings but, there were signposts we hadn't seen.



Here's the sticker at the end of the red arrow. I have never had a car towed for illegal parking in my life. Until now.

We stopped for lunch to collect our thoughts at a familiar restaurant, Casa Cuesta, and, of course, ate tapas and conferred with the waiter on where the impound lot was located.

It wasn't too far away, the rain was just drizzling so we decided to walk the 1.5 miles (2.5 kms). About half way there, the skies opened up and the wind began to howl. The rain blew sideways right into our faces, soaking our pants and shoes as we walked. And walked. And walked. Wetter by the moment. 

When I left home in the United States, I said to myself, "self, I don't need no stinkin' umbrella in sunny Spain." But at least I did have my new hat - but that's another story for another time......

Long story short, we got the car from the impound lot, drove home, parked in a garage for $20 for 24 hours and changed out of our wet clothes - once again warm and dry - but $180 USD poorer for the fine and towing charges.

There is a silver lining to every cloud. The good news is - I already have more than 12,000 steps for today! The sun is due out tomorrow and life is good in Seville - just a little complicated sometimes.