Sevilla

March 15

It´s amazing to be back in Spain again. I felt at home the moment the plane landed and I felt the warm breeze and heard the lilting Spanish voices.

Predictably, I got lost on my way to my hostel, and even felt at home in that. How often I have wandered the streets in Spain, searching in vain for the elusive street names, guessing when left really means right and vice versa. Yet this time it feels comfortable ... this being lost, as I soften into it and observe the adventures. My Spanish is better now too, so I can seek help more easily. I was wonderfully lost most of the day yesterday, and it led me to a birthday party with 50 people in a 5x8 room ... laughing and singing.

On the plane on the way over, the movie Autumn Rush was playing ... of course I had to see it since it involved a cello. The message in the movie is to follow the music, so that´s what I did today whenever I was lost ... it led me to flamenco buskers, and enthusiastic accordions. And I followed the smells of orange blossoms and street vendors selling incense. I put my map away, and followed the music, and I did not get lost.

I have also picked up my credencial, so I am now officially a pilgrim, a peregrina. And I spotted the first yellow arrow that will lead me to Santiago ... and it was right next to a homeopathic pharmacy.