This was another beautiful sunny weekend day in Seville.
In early afternoon, it was time to join the locals in one of our favorite plazas, Plaza del Salvador, for a long leisurely lunch. Orange trees line the perimeter of this popular spot.
The younger crowd seemed to prefer the beer and chips for appetizers, standing at the bar tables in the background, talking, eating, drinking, seeing and being seen.
We opted for a ringside seat at a table to eat, watch, and listen to this vibrant world for a couple hours in the warm sunshine.
Some preferred the shade of an umbrella.....
......but we experienced New Englanders know better than to waste outdoor table weather in early March by sitting under an umbrella. Likewise, many locals thought the same thing and were in no hurry either. Once you sit down, it's your table until you leave. There is never any pressure from the waiters to hurry up, or finish up, or leave. You can nurse one drink or ten drinks for hours.
This group of friends we met had gathered from different parts of Spain to be together in Seville. When we all lined up they remarked that I was "muy alto." (They meant "very tall" not "very high," though the translation could be either - honest, I only had a tiny bit of wine).
Lunch was a delicious plate of verduras a la plancha, or parrillada de verduras - different ways of saying basically the same thing - grilled vegetables. At least it was a change from the ubiquitous spinach with garbanzo beans I often order in this ham, meat, seafood, and chicken focused culture. Did I say they like ham?
Wandering musicians stroll by hoping for some spare coins after a song.
The church in the plaza was just finishing another wedding and the hats were on display.
The ladies we have seen so far at weddings "dress to the nines" and almost all are sporting visually spectacular hats. (The gentlemen dress stylishly also but without the hats).
We also see many hat stores during the nightly paseo selling both completed hats and other stores with thousands of doo-dads to design and embellish your own creation.
Hats are BIG business here and the women wearing them sometimes look almost theatrical.
Sunshine, palm trees, orange trees, and an outdoor table with a view - my kind of place.
Time to head home and rest a bit before tonight's paseo. (More orange trees above - they are everywhere in this town). Quite a nice place - Seville.
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