Live and learn - and learn and learn

So we're sitting in the police station in the centre of town waiting to file a report about the theft of my wallet from my bag. It happened yesterday and I think it was likely at the Alcazar, where I was so fixated on taking pictures that I failed to zip up my bag at times.  I didn't notice that the wallet was missing until we got home from dinner last night. Sadly I had my drivers licence and both my credit cards in it, as well as about 60 euros. Happily Harry has his credit card and the bank card so we can continue to pay for things. I have cancelled the credit cards but we want to report the theft in case my drivers licence turns up.

We walked up to the Alameda de Hercules this morning and finally found the police station. We've been here about 45 minutes waiting to make the report on a special telephone to an English-speaking person. The room has been occupied by an Asian couple the whole time. Meanwhile several other people have come through to have their reports processed in Spanish. We asked if we could try to make the report in Spanish but apparently this is the protocol. Besides even if we were able to explain it is very unlikely that we would be able to understand the response. The Andalusian Spanish here sounds completely different from what we hear in Mexico.  And it's delivered very very fast.

Just now the door opened and the Asian couple came out so we enter the room with the telephone.


Later.
After making the report on the phone to a very fluent fellow I was directed back to waiting room to be called I to receive and sign for a copy of the denunciation report. That's the Spanish word for it. It's a very formal procedure involving many stamps and signatures.

I don't really have any expectations of having anything returned to me but just in case something turns up like my drivers licence or the lovely red wallet that my sister gave me before our first trip to Europe I will be happy. Meanwhile we've tightened up our security strategy and we carry on. I did know it was stupid to carry both credit cards together but just didn't pay enough attention. Live and learn--and learn and learn!


On a brighter note, I've been taking some photos of the people here in Seville. Despite the petty theft, it's a wonderful city, full of happy families enjoying life in its many plazas. The weather here has been very hot--up to 34 degrees C in the afternoons--and it seems the people disappear in the middle of the day into air conditioned restaurants or their homes for a siesta. But around about 6:00 pm they begin to wander into the streets with the kids and the grandparents.

The paseo goes on for quite a while. Parents drink a beer or a coffee while the kids play in the plaza.  Probably that would be frowned upon in Victoria but it works here in Seville.

In the evenings and on Sundays kids zoom around on scooters or draw pictures on the slate tiles in the plazas. Family life appears to be very important here in Spain. Dads spend Sundays with their children. Even the policemen at the station appeared to be family guys. The men are warm and gentle and seem very fond of their children. Spanish culture is really very appealing. People are invariably polite, offering us seats on public transit and smiling at us when we speak to them in Spanish. Travel here is really very easy and pleasant.