I have lived in Seville, Spain (Sevilla!) for almost three years now. When I recently found out I had to leave, I did not know what to think. I still don’t. All I know is this is a huge loss, and that I will miss this place forever. I leave behind a rich, beautiful place full of people who greet each other with kisses on the cheek. Sevilla is warm, both in weather and emotions, and brimming with celebrations.
I don’t want to write much more. I will just say it in pictures.

People:

Below are friends at a party at a cortijo en Sevilla. José Luis, the guy standing closest to the paella pan, makes the world’s best paella, including the one in the picture, which I should have taken before we ate most of the paella. His wife, Conso, a dear friend of mine, is standing next to him. The other guy by the paella is my husband. I won't miss him, because I have to take him with me. The one sort of stepping into the picture, Jaime, is not Spanish (neither is my husband) but considers himself now to be 100% Andalucian.

More friends below:

Below is a photo of some nice people I know, eating tapas at a local bar in Las Pajanosas (the town where I live for eight more days):

Below is Pepe at the Peregil, a bar I wrote about a while back. Pepe has nothing to do with the above pictures, but this is just my all-time favorite photo of the great people in Sevilla and the beautiful bars.

Stuff to see:

One of the first pictures I took in Sevilla, probably as 49 billion other people also have, was of the Plaza de España. You'll see why me and all my other tourist buddies find this to be yet another Kodak moment in Sevilla:

I've taken so many pictures of sunflowers while here in Sevilla, and I am still lamenting over not have purchased a better camera three years ago. Nothing I can do can capture the beauty of a field of sunflowers as far as the eye can see. Here's an attempt to photograph the sunflowers at sunset, in a rural area just outside my town:

And here is the Rio Guadalquivir, which runs through Sevilla. I will miss this river:

Speaking of the Guadalquivir, next to it, in Triana, you'll find the Mercado de Triana. There is lots of stuff to see there. I tend to gravitate towards the fruit when I take pictures there, so all I really have to offer here is a picture of fruit and veggies. Everything else is there, of course: fresh fish of every kind, coffee, bread, spices, even gifts, but hey, I need my five a day: 

I guess those are all the pictures I'll put up for now. I could go on like this forever. Just one afternoon here provides enough photo ops to fill any memory stick. However, I have to go pack some boxes. I'm leaving, you see. I'm leaving. I cannot believe it and I don't want to believe it, but I am leaving. I'll see you in other places soon, though. I'm off to Utah (woo-hoo! --I'm from there, so it's reaaaaaaaaally boring) and then to the Dominican Republic. I'm buying a better camera, too. So there's hope, I guess. Yes, there is hope. There is always hope.

Cheers, Your ex-Spain editor.

P.S. Traci Abraham, aka lasevillana, is still here, though. Thanks, Traci. I'm jealous, but I still like you!