Review

 

None of this would have been possible with out Grandma (Bluemlein)

She was willing to leave her comfy bed and home to come and stay with our kids for 11 days. She walked the dog in gale-force winds. Comforted the lonely. Coordinating 2,555 schedules. Kept the house up. Reminded teenagers about their chores. Etc.

Thanks so much Mom. I love you!

In other news, I am continuing to learn new songs and tried to pedal two songs on Sunday. Good news, I technically knew the pieces, but got lost once, but caught up!

And look! A crocus came up! Happy March! It is suppose to snow tomorrow.

Love, Ann

Day 12 - home again!

 Yep, we got up early and packed up our bags. It all fit! If I had not lost my big backpack, it would not even be a full load. The hotel even had an airport shuttle! (One reason we stayed there). Got on it and Josh was so nice, holding my hand, doing the back glide (like when a guy puts his hand on your back and glides you into place, where you should go - he has been doing that the whole trip - I feel special!)

Make it to airport. Get a bunch of food for the flight, because it is not confirmed I have a GF meal. We wait for like 45 minutes in a line. I get a nice GF salad, yogurt and madalines! Then Josh tells me the Burger King (back in the airport) is GF!! So we go back there and I get my first Whopper in like years!! And the fries are GF too (the frier even says 'sin gluten' on it. 

Then we need to run back and are practically the last ones to get on the plane. It's an  11 hour flight to Atlanta. I decide to give up on the idea of sleeping, so I watch two movies, eat my salad/yogurt/treats ('Good thing you brought something the attendant says, there are three other people on this flight that needed GF meals too.")

Watch movies, think about life, talk to Josh. 

We make it to Atlanta!! Despite our asking (apparently you can not change the cheap seats), we are stuck for our five hour layover. Look, as I was walking around the concourse - I found the service dog pee area!

Then we finally get on our four hour trip to SLC!!

Watch some more TV. Talk to Josh. Eat some treats from the airline (GF granola-like bars - delicious).

We get home!!

Ashley and Ellie are waiting for us. I called to make sure they were at least on their way, and Ashley says "We are already here, and don't worry, I made you a sign!"

So here is the sign: Orphans looking for new parents. It was so good to see them! Ellie even let me hug her!

The hotel was suppose to have a pool. Josh even carried his swim suit across Europe. This is what it turned out to look like. 

Day 11 - headed to Madrid

 Got up early and walked down to the train station and got on the high speed train to Madrid. It was spacious, clean and interesting. Goes up to like 200 km an hour, but we didn't go that fast because it was very windy and raining hard and apparently that effects the tracks. Got to Madrid. Thought about going to the police station to see, if by miracle, they found my backpack (because they had called and left an automated message once). But decided against it. They had never called back. 

So VERY raining and cold. We were    walking around. Got into the GF churro shop and got a table! I loved some 'trainers' this color and Josh tried to find me some in the shopping part of town, but once we found some, they didn't fit with my foot supports. Oh well. Josh had one of these squid-sandwich things he loves. I  had a Fanta (LOTS of Fanta on this trip, because you need to order a drink to get tapas, and it is polite). 

Here is a sign to remind you that old/pregnant/babies/people with crutches get the seats in the subway. Also a sample seat to show my students and talk about NV space usage. 

We checked into our only 'real hotel' this trip. You had to put the key card in the slot inside the door or the lights would not turn on.  Went to dinner (the second time, the first time only the bar was open and they were not serving dinner). Not bad. (apparently not great enough to remember either). I remember it was cold. We were by a window in a big mainly empty room. 

Back home and to bed. Tomorrow home!!

Day 10 - Santiago de Compostela

 Raining hard - we can hear it on the roof top (since we are right UNDER the roof). Finally get up and go out to brave the cold (only 1/2 day I wished for a thicker coat)

 Had a delicious breakfast - me almond tart (famous here, only almonds, sugar (and I am pretty sure) eggs, (totally GF) and a big cup of wonderful hot chocolate. Josh has an 'American' breakfast - big piece of bread for toast, two eggs and limp bacon. 

Walked around and got postcards, etc. We tried going into various things that looked like churches/museums to no luck. Decided to go see free museum!  Santiago de Compostela is famous for being the destination post of following The Way. Like you can walk here from Paris, Madrid, Porto, etc. It is like a Catholic hajj. So there is lots about following The Way. Having it your Way, etc. The museum we went to was about The Way - very interesting. Lots of old art work - apparently people have been doing this for a LONG time. 

Went to the famous church, saw St. James (down a VERY narrow stair way, then up a very narrow stairway to see the guy up top.  Church had a  VERY ornate altar piece. Lots of little side rooms. I would like to go in there and see them better. It was interesting: signs announcing confession in different rooms in Italian, French, very accepting.  St. James had a very exciting life. According to various sources, his body was brought back to  Santiago de Compostela, he drove the Moors out of Spain, killed the Jews (you can realize these events are centuries apart). Anyway, the church was pretty. 

For lunch I had pumpkin soup at a little vegan/health cafe. And I had (what I think was) an egg cream - egg whites beaten a bit and then chocolate syrup on top. Josh had a Spanish tart and a little salad. Then we went home and took a nap. It was still raining. Good thing we had Josh's little umbrella! (And he had been letting me use it so my hair doesn't get too crazy and he walking behind getting wet - I love this man! (and for more than that). Found a chocolate store! It was all out for display (wouldn't want anyone to sneeze there!)

Also this after noon we found this cute green thing (can't remember what and my journal left the last word off). Josh is so awesome, he just kept saying this whole time, "If you want it." I think it is because he knows I won't go crazy.

Dinner around 7, I had GF bread! (A little cute loaf on a cute little tray) - to go with our sausage platter.

Then  wild rice/white rice and shrimp and runny Spanish tortilla. And a  Santiago de Compostelato tart to take away. We should stop eating after dinner. 

Then sitting in bed watching American movies dubbed in Spanish. Tart for snack!  Walked 11,550 steps today according to Josh's watch. Tomorrow high speed train to Madrid.

Chocolate chickens, GF menu, a shell is the sign of  The Way, church/museum stuff

Day 9 - headed to Santiago de Compostela

 Got up to some more GF cornflakes and yogurt (a good combination). Packed up and went to the metro/bus station. It rained. Got on the bus up to Santiago de la Compostela. This is famous because allegedly the bones of St. James (the apostle) are buried here. You can go and see the casket his bones are in and then touch (kissing not recommended) the big statute of him (or the big statue might have been of Jesus - it was unclear). 

Anyway, we get there and walked up a big hill to find our hostel. All you needed was  a  key code! We never saw anyone else there. We had a room on the third floor with a very clean room and bed, a skylight over the bed and a semi-small bathroom. Cozy because it had two heaters! Setes Artes (we were cinema).  very tucket into the rafters room. Dump bags and head out!

Went to lunch and walked around as we usually go. Walked by a fabric store and went in. The two ladies there were glad to see us and by pulled my hands around to imitate stretchy fabric (which Josh didn't know the name for, obviously not using it on the mission). I got some fabric to make a skirt on my new surger. We talked a while. They recommended a place for lunch. Much laughing. Good think Josh is so fluent!  They told him that he speaks great Spanish. 

We walked around some more and got some candy from this store. Everything was marked GF or not!W Went to the recommended restaurant and had grilled octopus, or course in olive oil. Batatas fritas with mayo and garlic and a huge salad with corn and some unknow tentacles. But it was all good! Came home and ate our treats. Bed only a little hard. I sat home in Josh's last clean shirt while he went to the laundry mat. I watched Supernanny (my new guilty pleasure). Spanish contacts are holding up well. But they are not bifocals. Sleep good. 

We have developed bad habits -  sleeping in until 8-9, breakfast. We walk around til lunch around 1-3, , siesta til like 5 sometimes, then walking around, dinner 6-9 and then more passarring (walking around). and bed while eating snacks. Sleep 11-12ish. Totally a vacation!

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Day 8 - in Porto - Wednesday

 Another bowl of delicious GF cornflakes starts my day. Off we go to see the beach in Matazenios (?)(Portugal is very famous for its beaches.).

We take the metro up to a northern beach (  I have never been north of Porto itself). Nice day, sunny, stop for a pastry for Josh and a glass of fresh squeezed OJ for me (I could drink fresh squeezed orange juice all day long). Then, the beach!

We walk along the promenade and it is lovely. Ships out at sea coming in to unload. Hand in hand, so nice. Then we head to a restaurant Josh read about. It looks nice and opens right as we get there. One guy there. And us. Another successful Portuguese transaction takes place as we ask about the GF options. He cooked me a whole sea bass which he showed me before cooking (quite delightful) and made Josh sardines. He also brought me out two little patties made of egg and fish (GF) just for me while our food was cooking! (Cause Josh always got the bread! Except one place had GF bread for me! Just one place). 

Went back to Porto and had our siesta. Got a GF nata again. For dinner, Josh is like, 'let's just get a hamburger' - so we went to the famous art deco McDonalds in Porto! Feeling fortified, we walk down to the Riberia (by the riverside) and saw all the tourist stuff down there. Then we walked back UP the hill (good for the heart rate). Had snack.  Pillows lumpy.

Silver snail. GF bakery. Random shop's fruit display. Pictures of the Se - very famous church by the riverside. LOTS of steep stairs. Very pretty chapel. Good museum. You should go.