This morning under dark clouds and pouring rain I desperately tried on various kinds of fashion outback and fake hiking boots, of cheap quality with P.R.C. on the label. I tried on lots of nice rubber boots too. Amazingly many of these boots almost fit and some fit good enough. Never happens at home.

Manuel had told me my feet would go loco in rubber boots, even though we are expecting it to rain a lot in the next while. So I tried desperately to think how I could put vaseline on a pair of thin leather fashion "hiking boots". Finally I found a shop that had better quality boots and after my second visit there, told the girl I was going to go work in the campo.

For the second time in Sevilla I was extremely happy - unjustifiably so. By 2:00 (the bewitching hour when the stores all close) I had a pair of really good work boots that basically fit, and a bag of other ugly clothing: a Shiyu "high quality fashionable clothing has the sleeve raincoat", a shiny burgundy waterproof hat from the same venerable purveyor (the "Chino") that made me feel like an older Asian lady, and a 2 Euro crappy red toque with crappier "diamond" thingys pasted all over the front.

I have spent since 2 running around putting stuff in my suitcase and cleaning up. Finally I am sitting here looking at the Giralda which looks 10 times more stunning in this weather, with this light. It if sunny now but there are a lot of big white puffy clouds.

It is surprising what a change of light can do to a landscape. I have never noticed it so dramatically before. Probably because Vancouver changes back and forth all the time, so you don't really get shocked after 6 months of nothing but blue sky with no clouds ever, like has just happened here. I have used my umbrella probably 3 times since January. But I do believe I am in for some rain and probably would be better off with a proper Traje de Agua than a number one fashionable has the sleeve raincoat. I am desperately wishing there were such a thing as a de-materialiser that could send my goretex jacket and MEC rainpants over here without bothering my mom to send them. Besides, I will need them tomorrow, and not 2 weeks from now. I could probably have done with thick wool socks, some sort of other jacket beside a pretty pink one or a black one with beads on it in a decorative pattern. Something like a Macinaw. Anyways, I have the absolute necessities - boots, 5E worth of work clothing and something for the rain.