final spring week in SVQ

Just before we left Spain for the summer, we got a surprise visit from friend Julie Maise-Ferry who was on a cruise stopover. She and Phil have been friends since 1970. We got to meet for a quick lunch before she was off to tour Sevilla 

then later that day, we were continuing on the farewell tour of our favorites before leaving for the summer. That night we ate at Augurio. Menu items marked. Still loving the pez mantequilla tacos and the steak tartare bombitas. All good.

Then the following day of our final week in the spring in Sevilla, we dined at Desacato.  It's May and the sunshades are going up over the pedestrian streets and the plazas. We headed out to dinner at Desacato, another stop on the farewell tour (goodbye to Daniel!) We couldn't pass up sharing their fabulous tarta de queso. Items marked on the menu except the special main Daniel had made up for us of tuna belly (marvelous) and the tuna cheeks (Phil liked it - me, not so much). The weather was perfect for an evening stroll.

 

So our final day in Sevilla we decide to go out for lunch- (no food left at home)

After a difficult Friday (taxi strike in the AM with resulting HUGE traffic jam) dealing with administrative tasks. The history of our first appointment this week (Monday power outage while we were in the waiting room.... rest is history) Wednesday return appointment  with one part accomplished but the second part (a different office) their computers still not working from Monday outage. Thursday a national holiday - offices closed. So Friday the last working day before we departed for the States on Sunday morning we returned (delayed by taxi strike traffic jam) but found that the files given on Wednesday were not complete regarding the second task. So lawyers sent an email to a nearby copy shop to be printed and picked up by us (Phil! who could walk faster.) The government office close at 2 PM. I was holding the guy at "Mesa 6" with an explanation of how my husband was coming down the hallway with the missing paperwork. He said NO can't do it. It's after 2 PM. Phil arrived at 2:01 literally.  Then, after much talking on the phone with the lawyers and the police officers talking to the lawyers and the lawyers calling the officers' boss he gave us the papers we needed in order to leave the country and return. It was, thankfully, a cool day because given the taxi situation we might have had to walk home for the second time this week. But because it wasn't a power outage we were able to take the tram to just steps away from our home.  

So all of this is a roundabout way to get to Saturday lunch. I wanted comfort food. We had eaten here before but never on a busy day - Feria starts tonight.  So bottom line, the meal was disappointing but it was quick. 

Now we are readying ourselves to BEGIN  the journey to Chicago. First leg - to Madrid Sunday noon, then an overnight there. Then the following morning, a flight to Chicago on Monday. Tonight, last toss of food from the fridge, beds stripped for the summer. All those "close for the season" tasks to be done before we leave.   Poco a Poco.......

Our final farewell tour meal was VERY Sevillaño. Jamon Bellota Iberico, served with toasts and triturado (grated tomatoes with oil and garlic). Followed by tuna tartare (not shown) and boquerones en vinagre. Finally we both chose the arroz seco de Ibericos. A last stop at MITO rounded out our evening. The restaurant was completely packed by Feria-goers shortly after ten o'clock. We headed out about 10:20 and over to MITO. Much to do before the car picks us up at the crack of 11AM tomorrow.  We haven't left yet and we are already missing Sevilla. 

a few more things in Spain as we had some surprises before we were off to Madrid and then we had a good time with Megan & Christian and Oscar & Candela in Madrid so keep reading---