Easy Breezy

After an early afternoon nap we ventured out in Pamplona in a direction we had not gone before. There were still a lot of people, but manageable. More families and less rowdy. This town like so many European cities is made up of squares or plazas. Every few blocks you happen upon one. Some might just have a few benches under shady trees, others will be lined with cafes, bars, and shops. Still others will have a small playground for children. We love these spaces and take time to sit, have a drink, and just people watch. In the evenings we usually take our nightly ice cream in a plaza. Some of them have elaborate fountains or other forms of public art. They are lovely places to pass the time. Anyway, we spent some time in a plaza this afternoon made some friends. Then we happened upon a park that had venders selling street food and National dishes like paella and lots of items with some form of pork. There was a stage with a large band playing music, songs which all the Spaniards knew the words to and the crowd was singing along. There were large shade trees and under them tables and chairs just begging for us to sit in so we got some food, beverages, and stayed awhile. We ordered way too much food due to language difficulties . Keith ordered chicken with potatoes and I got these little fishes that were fried whole. You just popped the little guys in your mouth, bit off the tail and chewed the entire thing. They were very tasty. They were so small the bones were no problem and the heads were surprisingly good, softer than the body. I tasted Keith's dish and the chicken was good but the potatoes were great, fried tender chunks. We took our time walking back to our hotel cause it was hot as hell. We were pooped so Keith took his second nap of the day, the beer and excitment of the run caught ip with him and I read. At this point I was done with the crowds, the festival and all that went with it. I had a great time but I was done. 

When Keith woke up he wanted to go out one last time. He went solo. Let me just summarize by saying he ended up playing drums with a band, got lost even though he was only a few blocks away from the hotel and I assisted him to bed. Enough said. The boy had a good time, all was well.

As I write this we are back in Barcelona as we fly home tomorrow. We drove 300 miles from Pamplona through the Spanish country side. It was very relaxing, very little traffic and we only made one unintentional 30 minute detor in the beginning but got back on track. We made several stops and had a great lunch, lamb shanks that were excellent . Well seasoned and the meat fell off the bone. So good. Keith returned our BMW Countryman Sporty car that we put 1750 miles on in 16 days. It had 6 miles on it when we got it. We broke it in properly. He also purchased another suitcase because ours were too stuffed well over the weight limit 

This has been a trip of a lifetime, spending time with family, a beautiful and joyful wedding, visiting new places, making new friends, eating food that will wreck us for what we have at home forever. Most importantly, spending time With Keith. People often think that we are  so different but what they don't know is that at the core of who are as people we are very similar. We enjoy each other immensely, we are kind and considerate of one another . He gets me and I get him. So, to have him to myself  for almost  3 weeks is a gift. 

I am happy to be going home. I miss my friends, my dogs, my bed, and even American TV. I want a taco and figs from my tree. I look forward to not living out of a suitcase and lugging stuff around . We leave for the airport at 4:30 am tomorrow  and will land at LAX  at 1:30 pm Cali time.

I will do a  wrap up blog on Tuesday or Wednesday. Thanks for joining me on this trip. As always, I love you Mom and will see you soon . Peace Out.

Bucket lists, Bulls, and more Basque

We arrived in Pamplona yesterday afternoon. The street in front of our very nice hotel was filled with folks of all ages dressed in white all with the requisite red scarfs around their necks and hips. This place is totally immersed in the Festival de Saint Fermin' that's Festival of the Bulls to you and me. The streets are packed and everyone has a drink in their hand. As we checked into our room I inquired about acquiring a balcony space where I could see Keith Run With The Bulls. When I checked online in the US I saw spaces available for about $200 dollars, I had resigned myself that I would have to pay this ridiculous fee as I was not going to miss this once in a lifetime experience. I was so happily stunned when I was told a space could be procured for $35 Euro, about $50 US. Perfecto. I was given an address, a name and instructed to arrive at 7:30 am as the bulls run at 8. After we dropped our bags in our suite, which is really very nice we headed out to get the lay of land. It was chaotically festive. There were brass bands on every street as well as drummers at every turn. People gathered in groups singing Spanish songs. Everyone in white and red. It was very warm out which was an excuse for everyone including us to have a drink. Keith wanted to walk the route he would be running the next day and I wanted to find the apartment I was to report to for my balcony space. We did both and got a bit lost on the way back from the hotel. I was hot, tired, hungry, and thirsty. Not a good combination. We opted to split up for a few hours, a good idea for sure.

Things quieted down slightly in the town for a few hours, then it got crazy . Lots if very drunk people. During the day there had been families with children and grandparents, very sweet. The night brought lots of young men full of testosterone and beer as well as women. The bars were overflowing. The trash in the streets, plastic cups, broken glass ect was building up. We had a light bite, a few drinks and were back in our hotel by midnight, early for us. Just as well as we had to be up by 6am. 

The big day arrived. Finally. I was nervous , Keith was so pumped up. He put on his outfit, carefully chosen. White skinny jeans, white shirt, red sash, red scarf, red Basque Beret, Basque pendant, white tennis shoes purchased in France. He was set. We kissed each other goodbye, I wished him luck , and we agreed to meet back in the hotel when it was over. 

Off I went to an apartment in a great spot  to view the run. I arrived almost an hour early cause I was nervous about getting lost. The entrance to the apartment was on the far left Plaza de Castillo, a central party spot. It was disgusting! People had been partying there all night, Thousands of festival goers, many were still there. Men were peeing all over the place with abandon, I saw more than I wanted to. I saw more than a few Women puking. The ground was covered with trash and the smell was awful . I found a bench that  looked like it was ok and waited till 7:15 I was anxious about going into a strangers  home, I was afraid Keith would get hurt, I was a bit of a nervous wreck. I rang the bell and the door clicked and up the staircase I went. I was greeted by a lovely older gentleman who greeted me warmly.  He could not have been nicer. After I gave Javier my 35 Euros He showed me to his balcony and told me something in Spanish which I did not understand. Soon I was joined by a family of two little girls and their parents, all from Barcelona . We were all staying at the same hotel. The children spoke a bit of English and did the translating for me. It turns out that Javier was trying to tell me there was coffee and cookies set our for us and I should have some before the run started . I was too excited to eat anything just then, but how sweet of him, I mean really , very nice. 

It started right at 8am. First a hoard of runners, lots of yelling, then the bulls running    fast and furious. They were huge and looked justifiably pissed off. Lots of people stumbled and the runners kept coming. Then I saw him. The red beret set him apart. I called out to him and he heard me! He looked up, shouted my name, waved his newspaper at me and kept going. What a thrill. He looked out of his body excited. He was 12 years old again. I'll never forget it . I have it all on video. After all the runners went by all us balcony people ( 2 balconies, 10 people went inside and watched on the TV the bulls and runners enter the ring. There was a stampede and several were injured. Finally, I said my goodbyes and met Keith at our hotel. He was so hyped up and gave me a blow by blow of every twist and turn. He had a blast. We had breakfast as we were both starved, I had churros that were out of this world. and took a nap. More on the rest of the day later. Pics posted are of Keith, me and the Balcony people and Javier. I love you Mom. Peace out.

Last Day in France

Our last day in Biarritz was bitter sweet as we hated to leave. It really is a lovely spot and I hope we can return. We spent the first part of the day at their beautiful beach. Unlike Antibes, there are no private beaches in Biarritz, we bought an umbrella with a Basque design, a towel and we were set. It was perfect beach weather Biarritz is known for surfing and there were lots of boards in the water. We had so much fun playing in the surf. The Atlantic was warm, and the sand wasn't too rocky. Keith got a hot fog for us to share, nothing like an American dog. The sausage was long and thin and it was wedged in a perfect baguette. The dog was dressed with mayo, ketchup, and a  smidge of mustard. Yummy. 

After the beach we split up to do some shopping. I'm not into shopping at all but I gave it my best shot. Because this was our last night we really wanted a special dinner and we certainly had one. We found a place near the water. We saw these two men with this tower of seafood at their table and we told the waiter we wanted the same. It was so extravagant . There was lobster, crab, prawns, mussels, oysters, clams, a few kinds of shrimp I had never seen before as well as sea snails. We did our best but could not finish it all . But we tried, we did. It was fresh and delicious, a bit messy too. They do not serve drawn butter but instead they serve it with mayo. I remember my idol Julia Child   Doing the same. I'm a believer now. We washed it down with a bottle of Rosé , crisp and refreshing. It is very popular in France. For dessert we had this traditional Basque cake that

was so different. When it was presented I thought "crap I made a bad choice" I was very wrong . When I cut into it this creamy pudding like golden lava oozed out. It was almond flavored lusciousness, like liquid marzipan. Oh my. Very satiated we walked along the beach back to our small but charming hotel room. What a great way to end our stay in France. That was yesterday, today we are back in Spain, in  Pamplona . Tomorrow Keith Runs With The Bulls. Stay tuned. I love you Mom. Peace out. 

Will Climb for Food and Wine

As I write this it is 9am in Biarritz France and we are sitting in cafe De La Mer waiting for our eggs and bacon, our first breakfast of something other than a croissant in a long time. Very few people are up and about, the church bells are ringing so I imagine that many have just been woken up. Thankfully they were silent during the night.

We had a really special time last evening. Keith had promised an authentic non touristy Basque Restaurant and the boy did not disappoint. He had warned me that it was a 30 minute uphill hike but really it was a rather easy walk and the hills were much less steep than many we have traversed. I think he just built it up so that in the end I would say that it wasn't so bad. It worked. So we traveled through a residential area with large stately homes behind iron gates many with gardens. The hydrangeas grow beautifully here, purple and pink ones, large shrubs of them line the streets. It reminded me of Nantucket where they are also abundant. We arrive at the restaurant which is rustic but much nicer than I thought it would be. There were Long tables in dark wood with benches where guests were seated together. Wood beams lined the ceiling  and colorful artwork on the walls. It was clearly a place frequented by locals. We shared a table with a couple in their mid sixties and there 92 year old mother who did not look a day older than 70. They were Basque and only the husband spoke a bit if English. Keith shared his love of all things Basque and we all managed to communicate quite well. We also made new friends with 2 gents at the table behind us from England. They were engineers who worked for Rolls Royce and were here on business. 

The food and wine were very good . I had a steak with a peppercorn cream sauce and Keith enjoyed cod with white beans. Sides included pimento, which is basically roasted red pepper, typical Basque fare. The evening ended with the Basque couple buying us and the Brits a round of shots of this apple liqueur . We all kissed each other goodbye and left. A great memory for sure. We took the long way back to our hotel. It was a beautiful clear night with a nice sea breeze. We strolled along the sea wall, it was all downhill..sweet. There were many benches along the way where you could sit and gaze at the sea, snuggle and kiss .  We had our customary vacation ice creams, me strawberry and pistachio, Keith 2 scoops chocolate . That was our first day in Biarritz. I love it here. I love you Mom. Peace out

Basque Lands

This morning after a quick look 

At the market in the  open air plaza We began our trip to Biarritz about 3 hours away. We drove through the hills of the Pyrenees mountains, simply gorgeous . It became more forested and horses replaced cows. There was still a great deal of farm land, still many grapes as we were not far from   Bordeaux . We passed by Lourdes, which seemed to be a sizable city. I didn't need any healing so  we kept on going. We stopped for a quick lunch and Keith bought a beret. It was inevitable. We arrived in Biarritz a bit past  2pm and found our hotel without too much trouble. It is close to the beach and directly next door to a church which means I get to hear the bells chime every hour. I don't mind during the day but at night it could be an issue. Keith went out to do his recon and get the lay of the land and I opted for a nice nap. He returned after finding what he said was a "bitching beer bar" . Time well spent . He also found out about a Basque restaurant off the beaten path for tonight. Of course it is about a 30 minute uphill walk. Everywhere we go requires an uphill climb I'm not kidding. Makeup is out of the question because I just sweat it off. Whatever. I hope it helps work off the   croissants. 

Biarritz is a very pretty. It is where the Pyrenees mountains meet the Atlantic Ocean . A resort town but not as high end as Antibes, definitely has a Basque feel to it. Keith loves everything and anyone Basque. I'm sure he was Basque in another life. Tonight we eat the food of his people  I will let you know how it was. Pics are of the church next door, ocean view from our balcony, and Keith with his new beret. Tomorrow the beach here in Biarritz .  I love you Mom. Peace out.

   

Pictures

French dinner

divine

Monaco, a fantasy wedding, Keith is naked again

For several reasons I have been a bad blogger. First off we are having an obscene amount of fun and we often do not get back to our room until well after midnight and we are not as spry as we once were. Then there is food and drink, too much of both. Wi fi has been a big of an issue too. But mainly I have been way too lazy to blog. When I have a little down time a nap always seems to win. I will attempt to catch y'all up on the highlights. 

July 5th we went to Monaco. It was just like I imagined it..elegant, French, and it smelled like money, it dripped in extreme wealth. We spent much of the day at the Palace area. We took a tour, walked through the gardens, the usual stuff one does in Monaco. The yachts were spectacular, mini cruise ships really. My only complaint was that there was not enough about Princess Grace. I mean really she was the best thing about that family. There was a cheesy portrait and that was about it. I was kind of pissed if you want the truth. They did not deserve her. We were traveling with my brother Paul and Nada going through a very long tunnel and in front of us was this electric blue Ferrari and we were very excited to see it and as we came out of the tunnel there was another Ferrari passing the blue one. All of a sudden they seemed to be everywhere. It was wild. Later that day we went to lunch in Nice where I enjoyed mussels and fries. Very garlicky, oceany, and good. As Keith has been saying "the food here is going to ruin us for back home". It is true, things taste better here. 

The main event was July 6th the wedding of Delphine and my Nephew Jared. I have been to

Many weddings and all are special this one was very memorable. The ceremony was in a Catholic Church a block from our hotel.  The guests were evenly divided about half French and half American.  The ceremony was mostly in French as the priest was French. Once the deed was done we took open air shuttle buses to the reception. We passed massive mansions, some owned by wealthy Russians, others by Arab sheiks, and one once owned by Ms Elizabeth Taylor. The reception was at a hotel / restaurant on the water. The attached pier was set up with a bar for us, I enjoyed many glasses of champagne , appetizers were served and everyone was happy. It was very international. I spoke with Italians, French, Germans, Slavs, and a Russian. The reception itself was held a few feet from this exquisite beach. The first course was the most extravagant buffet . There was crab, oysters, sushi, scallops, prosciutto, prawns, several salamis and marinated veggies, it went on forever and if was s top notch. I would have been very happy with just that but later we were served filets of beef in a chantral mushroom  cream sauce. Heaven. We danced all night to great music. At one point I went to the ladies room, came back, looked for Keith on the dance floor but he wasn't there. I saw a crowd gathering on the beach and everyone was pointing towards the sea. I was informed that Keith had gotten naked and was going for a swim. He was also doing back flips and hand stands. His white white bum glowed like the moon herself. Later in the evening he convinced others to join him. The groom Jared said    his uncle Keith started a revolution . It was a great night, one few will forget.

After another day relaxing, eating, and swimming in Antibes we bid adieu and headed  for Montpellier. It was a beautiful  drive through Provence about 200 miles. It was like dream. Very green fertile land, lots of vineyards, dotted with country estates and an occasional castle. Just what you would think it would look like. I could not believe we were there. We kept looking at each other with our " can you believe this" faces. We know we are lucky, we really do. We wish everyone could have this experience. We stopped for a bite along the way, took our time and arrived at our hotel in the early evening. We got very lost finding our hotel. Very friggin lost. But we made it. Our hotel was charming and we had a nice suite. It was an old French building with high ceilings with some years on it but elegant and a touch opulent. Keith likes that. It was in the historic district and we could walk everywhere we wanted to go. Montpellier has the oldest medical school in the world and numerous universities. It is the most culturally diverse place in France we have visited this far and a bit gritty. I liked it a lot. We went to dinner at a place recommended by the hotel . Les Baines de Montpellier was located in what was a city bath In the 17th century. The dining occurs in a lovely outdoor setting. I had fish, Keith filet of beef. It was so pleasant there, mostly locals and very relaxed. I ended with the tastiest strawberries with Chantilly   cream. 

 This morning we headed for Toulouse about 180 miles west. Mid way there we stopped at a Carcosanne, an awesome midevil, roman rampart( castle)  Keith discovered that the origin of the word loophole comes from the ventricle slits in the castle walls where the archers placed their arrows to fend off attackers. In any case it was some castle, like a fairy tale. We took a tour, shopped a bit, and had a great lunch. I had a salad with duck, goat cheese and fruit which was refreshing and deeply pleasurable. This region is known for duck for good reason. It was succulent and perfect with the fruit. Keith had a huge caprese salad that was very good too.  We are now in Toulouse finishing dinner. While I'm blogging Keith is talking to other diners, making friends everywhere. There are no strangers when Keith is around. It is only 9:45 still light out and we are headed back to our room with our gelatos, the earliest evening of the trip so far. Usually we don't sit down to eat till 10.  Tomorrow Biarritz..I love you Mom. Peace out

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Lots of Boobs, a Few Ferraris, and our First Fourth of July in France

Our dinner at the Lesieur's was lovely. It was very generous of them to host 30 Americans.Their home was beautiful, I could picture it in Santa Barbara or La Jolla. It was strange being with people I normally only see in San Francisco in the South of France. Just weird but wonderful too. We all kept saying "can you believe we are here together ?"  Anyway it was a fun night. On Wednesday I HAD THE DAY TO MYSELF! Much needed I might add. Keith and I are getting on well but it was time for a break. I spent the morning shopping for a straw hat in the boutiques by the beach. The irony being that I left my favorite straw cowboy hat at home cause I didn't think it would work in France and all they have here are straw cowboy hats. I found one that was relatively reasonable. Let me just say that everything is so  so expensive, shockingly so. It is double of what it was eight years ago when we were in Europe. I expected the French Riviera to be pricey but it is crazy how much everything is.  A casual lunch for two is easily $ 60 US dollars. A pair of sandals that back home would go for $30 is $65 here. But as Keith says a hundred times a day " there is no practice life we might as well enjoy it". After my hat acquisition  I had a delicious omelet at a little bistro followed by a day at the pool. While I was relaxing Keith was playing golf in Cannes at a course the European Open is played on. He said it was beautiful and completely enjoyed himself. Later that evening we had a very French dinner at Le Jardin which was recommended to us by the Lesieurs. I started with a sea Breen tar tar, followed by a very fine veal stew. For dessert I had chocolate mouse wrapped in sponge cake with more ganache on top. All were accompanied by champagne. We supped with my sister Judy, her husband Joe, my cousin Tina and her son GianCarlo. Afterwards we walked about 30 minutes back to our hotel. 

I have not mentioned it yet but the weather has been terrific, sunny but not too hot and not very humid either. This is the best weather I have ever experienced in Europe. We got lucky.

On Thursday we spent the day at the beach. All the hotels have private beaches and for about $35 a person you get set up with a very comfy lounge chair, and you can have food and drink brought to you if you wish. The water is perfect, very refreshing but not too cold, and it is very clear and clean. It is great fun to people watch here. First off there are tourists from all over the world and you hear so many languages. Children laughing and playing in French, Italian,German, Dutch and even Russian is so adorable. Then of course you have women of all ages sun bathing topless. From young to old, boobs are everywhere.  I think this is marvelous. If men can why can't we? It so prudish to insist women cover up.  Late in the afternoon we got this weird fashion show. This young woman and man came to our little beach with bags of bathing suit cover ups . She would try one on and model it up and down the beach, then change into another one and do the same. He would instruct her on how to wear it and how to pose. We were cracking up. They made only a few sales but it was very entertaining. After a very relaxing day we packed it up and headed back to get ready for a Fourth of July Party hosted by Delphine's Grandparents. We were asked to dress in red white and blue patriotic stuff. It was about 6 blocks from our hotel to their home and there were about 30 of us, it was like a Fourth of July Parade !  This home was fantastic and they could not have been nicer. We all had a good time. At the end of the evening Keith led us all in singing the National Anthem. It was surprisingly emotional , many folks had some tears. It was touching. 

More later on about our day today and hopefully my pictures will load. Right now my Brother Paul and sister in law Nada have arrived in our room with a bottle of wine which is calling my name. Love you Mom.

Peace out.

Viva la France

We left Spain for our 400 mile drive to Juan les-Pins, Antibes France which is right on the Riveiera next to Cannes past Nice. The miles flew by as we drove by the Pierrenes Mountain range and through Provence. Much of the drive reminded me of Northern California, green and lush, lots of vineyards and farmland. Some noticeable differences were an occasional castle or two on top of hills, very polite drivers and rest stop stores that looked like specialty food shops. We stopped for breakfast and had delicious sandwiches with prosciutto and cheese. There were many choices, all freshly prepared, and the pastries were very tempting. The bathrooms were spotless and everyone had toilet paper thank you very much. 

The entire reason for this trip is that we are here for my nephew Jared's wedding to the lovely Delphine. Delphine is French and her family lives in Antibes. We are thrilled for them and would not miss this  for the world. It was a great excuse to come to Europe. 

The trip took a bit over 7 hours, we stopped about five times. All the roads are toll roads and we probably spent $ 60 in tolls alone. Antibes looks just like a movie set. The beaches are beautiful, lots of yachts in the water. Keith surprised me with a suite for our 6 day stay which has two little patios, a small living room separate from our bedroom and a walk in closet. I may never leave. Tonight we are going to the home of Madame Lessuer's, Delphine's parents, for dinner. Tomorrow I chill. Posting an apricot pastry purchased at a gas station market and wine we did not purchase, plus our little patio.

Love you Mom.

Peace out.

There are very few virgins left in Spain..

"There are very few virgins left in Spain, and you are going to see one of them" said the hotel clerk as we were leaving for the day heading to the Monastery in Monteserrat located in the mountains about 30 minutes outside of Barcelona. We had just had that wonderful breakfast, but with the addition of the most delicious churros. However I later found out that the breakfast cost about 50 American dollars each ! I'm glad it was good.  Anyway, on with our trip to the Monastery we were told by our good friends and world travelers Paul and Monty that this was a must see partly because the monastery has one of the worlds few Black Madonnas. So we got directions and went on our way. We were told it would take no more than 40 minutes to get there. WRONG. We managed to get lost 4 times along the way so it ended up being a 2 hour adventure. No one died, it was fine. It was totally worth it. The monastery is built into this very unique mountain with really interesting rock formations. The mountain itself is said to hold spiritual powers and there have been numerous UFO sightings there. We took a funicular up the mountain, it was a very steep climb, made me a bit nervous. After coming back down we went inside the church, yes I did Mom. We saw the virgin, asked her to send blessings to my Mother before we left. It was a beautiful church, as grand as any in Italy. We had a little snack before we headed back to our hotel which took about 35 minutes. We spent a quiet night at the hotel as we wanted to get an early start in the morning for our 400 mile drive to France. I even skipped dinner, that might not happen again,especially in France. I am posting pictures of our day at the monastery, the $50 breakfast, the view from the funicular, and us at the top. I love you Mom. Peace out.

Gaudi more Gaudi and the double decker bus

On Sunday, our first full day in Barcelona we got an early start which began with the breakfast buffet at our hotel. I do not understand why we cannot have this quality of food in the US. Really. Everything was so beautiful. The fruit, the Iberian ham, mortadella, salamis, smoked salmon, cheeses, breakfast pastries, quiches, and on and on. All of it fresh and appealing. Any day I can have mortadella for breakfast with a chocolate croissant is a good day. 

The first thing we checked out out was Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, a cathedral that has been in the making for over a hundred years and will not be completed for many many decades. It is spectacular and the number one tourist attraction in Barcelona. It was mobbed. Tons of people. We did not wait the four hours to go inside. Instead we jumped on one of those double decker  buses where you can get on and off and with the audio  tour get a good over view of the city. We have done this all over the US , in Italy and Paris. It is an efficient and pleasurable way to see as much as possible. 

The first stop we got off at was Gruell Park. This was a thirty five acre park designed by Gaudi who was very inspired by nature. It was whimsical, and seussical, I mean those two would have been soul mates. Gaudi was a dreamer and his architecture is rich in symbolism. This park was beautiful and there was something to see at every turn. To get there we had to walk up four steep hills. Not my favorite thing but good for me I know. It equaled out my mortadella consumption . There were these buildings that almost looked animated, colorful mosaic tiles imbedded in the walls, domes suspended by pillars and shimmering glass in unexpected places. It was wonderful. We sat at the cafe in the park and watched a flock of parrots as they flew from tree to tree. I heard at least 6 languages spoken and that was just while I was waiting in the Q for the ladies room, which by the way had no paper( note to self always have tissue on hand). There were different gardens throughout this vast park and we did not see all of them but we saw a great deal . There were musicians all over and Keith of course had to stop,hear, and introduce himself to each of them. He just cracks me up . 

After over 2 hours we left the park and got back on the bus. We spent the next 4 hours taking in Barcelona. If is a lively and gorgeous city. Ancient and modern coexisting in harmony. Buildings a thousand years old and lots of public art all very modern. They invest a lot in design and are very proud of their artists. Spain on the whole is going through a difficult time economically.  They refer to it as "the crisis".   I am impressed by how much better the general population is informed about the global economy and world politics than most Americans.This is true for cab drivers and waiters as well as university students. 

At about 3pm I hit a wall, hard. I just ran out of energy. I had only gotten about 6 hours of sleep in over 2 days and I was cooked . We were at a flea market and I just told Keith I had to leave and get to the room NOW. He is a guy who never browses, does not like nick nacks but he was really in to looking at military memorabilia. After some pouting on my part we left and I got a short nap before we headed out for dinner.

My brother in law, Joe Betro, one of my very favorite people and an excellent relative, made reservations at this restaurant he had been to years ago called Botofumiero. Judy, Joe , Sal, Linda, Keith, and I had reservations for 10 pm. People eat late here! It was a fine dining establishment where most of the guests are locals. Good choice Joe. We started with prosciutto and melon and cannelloni stuffed with crab bathed in a cream sauce. Really good. The pasta was delicate but not mushy and crab is one of my favorites . For my entree I had filet of sole with prawns in a cava sauce . Cava is a Spanish sparkeling white wine, much like Champagne or Proseco. There was also a ton if butter in this sauce, I liked it . Keith always up for a new experience ordered the Sea Cucumber. Neither of us had ever had it and it was so good. The closest comparison would be squid combined with crab. I highly recommend it. We finished off the meal with chocolate gelato, a few orders of wild strawberries , and then

they brought us a tray of cookies and the lightest most melt in your mouth pieces if sponge cake I have ever tasted.

It was a lovely and memorable evening. 

That's all for now .  Posting pics of the cathedral, Gruel park, dinner and a special   portrait of Keith. More tomorrow. 

Love you Mom. 

Peace out