Adios España - Hasta Luego Alcalá

I'm sitting in our flat on a white couch next to two big doors that are opened to the seemingly always talkative Calle Mayor below. There's a nice cool breeze today and the sun is shining and I'm thinking that its a perfect day to reflect on our time here in Spain. We're leaving tomorrow morning for Colorado and, according to the itinerary, should be in about 8pm! We’re pretty dang excited to see family and friends and our dog! It’s balanced though with nostalgic thoughts though. Having been here 9 months and getting situated with life it's one of those times where Cor and I keep saying, "I can't believe we're leaving tomorrow!" When you've gotten yourself established somewhere it never seems real when a big life change is about to occur, you know?

We've seen so much of Spain and feel satisfied with our travels in Europe. We haven't been able to get over the history in this area of the world. All of the ruins, art, architecture, customs, food, on and on, have roots in 100s of years of history, something you don’t really realize until you get out of the States. Its totally overwhelming and since I never loved history growing up, trying to soak everything up while we've been here has been incredible. We're not leaving many close relationships, mainly Karin (you are part of our hearts now, Guapa), a couple of students and people in Madrid, and one of Cor's professor here in Alcala (besos a Sonia!), which makes the transition a little easier leaving here. But we're going to miss a few things for sure:

The Food (anything jamon, olives and cheese (manchego is tasty), café con leche, tortilla española, cheap, quality wine, seafood (calamares y pulpo y mejillones), pimientos de padron, croquetas, napolitanas, chocolate and churros, and more)

The People and Culture (language, loud talking, kisses on the cheek, personal space, hand gestures, shaking your finger, staring, dress codes, old people strolling – women arm in arm, men hands behind their backs, walking everywhere (paseos) and public transportation, and more)

The Landscape (olive Trees, vineyards, graffiti, wild poppies, the coasts in Galicia, Asturias, Girona, and near Granada, ruins everywhere, bull billboards, and more.)

In all of these experiences though, one things been missing…all of you! What’s life when you can’t share it with people? And there’s been many a time when something random has reminded us of one of you and we’ve said, “oh, it be great if ____ were here!” There is sweetness in community that nothing else in life can bring, not even an adventure in distant lands. We crave to just share life with people, to love and be loved, and to continue to be challenged by what community confronts us with. Hopefully, though, in these friendships we will have the opportunity to adventure to far-off places once again in the future.

We made it work this year and because of it we can tackle our Everests in the future. It’s been successful in so many ways (and difficult in just as many), but we’re stoked we did this and encourage anyone else who’s thinking about picking up and moving from the States to definitely do it. I agree that there’s nothing better than a change in perspective and getting out of the States will do it. Para terminar, I’m reminded of something a wise woman told me recently. She spoke of desperation, desperation in the sense of desiring something more than just making it work, more than settling for security and comfort, that to be desperate puts us in a place of need. I think need is hard to come by as most often it’s associated with weakness, but I’ve been learning for a few years now that life can be seen through a whole lot of different lenses and that the whole weakness issue is something everyone deals with, it’s just too bad we’re not more honest with ourselves and one another.

So, to those of you faithful readers, thanks so much for being a part of this and we look forward to speaking with you face to face over a coffee (if you’re cory) or some tea (if you’re tim).

QUE TE VAYA BONITO (May it go beautifully for you),

timothy and coricito

Euro Finale

All of the sudden it's June! EuroCup 2008 has started and most of the teams I picked for my bracket are losing except Spain and the Netherlands. I'm loving all this futbol and realize that my choice to watch it 24/7 will quickly be limited to like 1 or 2 matches a week (or less) when we return to The States. So, I am really trying to overdoes before we leave. Apart from this European country showdown, June also marks Cor's and my last traveling bonanza and, boy, has it been a blast!

EasyJet took Karin, Cor and I to Berlin early, early on Wednesday, June 4th. We arrived in Berlin at 8am and had until 8 that night to catch another flight to Tallinn, Estonia. Fat Tire Bike Tours (no affliation to the New Belgium Brewery) gave us an awesome four hour bike tour of the city. Our guide, Enda, gets props for his history lessons and storytelling which kept of group of 25 feeling light and humored. As in most European cities, there is important history around any block, and Berlin was right up there with the notable Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie. I'm totally sold on bike tours. It was so fun!

Berlin was great, but we were happy to leave since it was a bit hot and Cory and I were getting tired of hearing Karin sneeze. Actually, I was struggling too in one of Berlin's worst allergy seasons in years, but poor Karin had probably sneezed a couple hundred times during the tour. So anyways, we made it to Tallin that night and were greeted with cool temperatures, Scandinavian daylight hours (@1am), and the smiling faces of some of Karin's friends. You might be asking, "Why Estonia?", and I would answer that Karin has raved about the country the last eight and a half months we have lived with her. And for lack of a better reason, to see the country where Link, Encino Man, is from!

Karin actually spent 6 years in this small country sharing the good news of Jesus before moving to Spain. It was super fun having her show us around and the people she knew were incredibly hospitable. We split our time between the Mason's, who live in the capital city, and the Jurgens, in Tartu, a city South of Tallinn a couple hourse. We were spoiled in Tallinn with a beautiful old town center, Estonian garlic bread, Saku beer, green thick forests, Wendy's amazing cooking, anf four entertaining kids who showed us up on a trampoline and swing that swung from the upstairs balcony. Oh, and I can't forget the really comfortable, fresh-lilac smellling bedroom! Tallinn has a population of 400,000, which felt SOMETHING...to Madrid's 3.5 million , and we were so refreshed with the size of Tartu's 100,000. There we stayed with Kristal and Hermann Jurgens, a super cute Estonian couple, and their three kids - Tobias, 5, Mattias, 3, and Brita, 3 months. Cory loved their neighborhood because it was called "Soup Town" (Trans. to Eng.) and had streets named Carrot and Cabbage. We stayed on the corner of Pea and Melon...Cory's dreamland. The highlight of Tartu ended up being the Estonian Swing - a crazy, physics-minded swing, that I can only explain to you through pictures. I was pretty freaked out at first at how high this thing went. I am sure that our friend Zech will build one of these things some day. They are a blast!

Before this gets too long, I'll fast forward to our last stop on this trip, Norway. Karin had been so excited seeing old friends in Estonia that she forgot to double check her itineary and missed her flight back to Spain, so after a few laughs and another night together in Estonia, we parted ways and Cor and I continued on to Oslo. Flying in, Norway seemed comparable to Estonia's lush greenery, only it had mountains - a purposeful destination after living in the 'burbs of Madrid. I can say two things about Norway: 1) 100% incredible scenery 2) Crazy expensive. We mad a big loop from Oslo, going West to Bergen by train, and then northeast to Skjolden by boat and bus through the Sogndal and Luster Fjords. Everywhere you go in the fjordlands is breathtaking. Emerald waters, tons of waterfalls, dense, green forests, steep mountains, glaciers, and on and on. It is such an incredible place! We stayed at a friend's hostel (Mr.D's place for the former CSCSers out there) in Skjolden, which is honestly the most incredible and beautiful hostel spot in the world. We saw our share of waterfalls, camped, fished, read, and just enjoyed a reflective time together, preparing for our return home to The States. Hanging out with the Dooyemas and being challenged by their questions was also really great for us!

Cor and I spent our 2nd anniversary on this trip as well. Feeling a pinch of the Norway exchange, we decided to go cheap and camp while in Bergen the day of our anniversary. It was a memorable one for sure: lots of rain, lots of slugs, and camping in the city next to a Friele coffee factory in some dude's backyard - the same guy who ran the "campsite". It was really funny, and I am grateful for a wife who doesn't demand she be lavished on her anniversary - although I know I owe her! So, that's it, only one more blog in which we'll part from you all with a few last words. This trip to Estonia and Norway has been one of the best. Closure is near, and our traveling toes and change purses are weary from being on the move. Thanks for reading and excited to see you soon...

From the fjords...
tcl

Berlin Pics Here
Estonia Pics Here
Norway Pics Here

Ana Italiana Surprisa Fora Nicholassinni

You might have read in our last entry that my family was out visiting us here on the Iberian Peninsula. A few months before this, Tim and I were trying to think about the upcoming weekends with visitors and on our minds specifically was the weekend that only my brother, Nick, was here. So, we hopped on our frequently visited low airfare sites and found a great deal on tickets to Rome. Perfect! However, we didn't tell my brother about the purchase until a few days before the Italian adventure, leaving it as a true surprise (this was an early birthday gift!). He was shocked and elated as we told him the news of our plans to combine forces power as a team of three to take on The Eternal City.

We spent three glorious days in Rome - FEASTING on glorious Italian food...pizza, pasta, wine, gelato. Oh, it was sinful! We aren't lying when we say that it is some of the best food we have ever had, uh, it's that good. We don't know how the Italians do it, but we are glad they are so damn good at it! Confession: all three nights we went to the same restaurant. Cheap, charming patio seating (in Trastevere, for those of you who have been to Roma before), and delectable. We kept saying, "We're just so happy!" God bless those Italians.

We visited all of the city's highlights: The Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica, Roman Forum, Colosseum, Pantheon...this place wreaks of history; so much began there. My favorite spot was Appia Antica, the ancient road that lead to Rome. It was a long quiet street that was lined with ruins, old churches, and catacombs. It was even said that the Apostles, Peter and Paul, were buried here at one time. Gosh, the US is just a baby!

We had the privilege of staying with a real Italian grandmother, Rosanna, who really talked with gesturing hands and said "a" after every English word she spoke in her Italian accent. A real treat to spend time there, and we highly recommend it!

Ciao...
timminono and corigiona (and nicholassinni)

Lots of Pics, Here

Spain Fergie Style

It has been one fabulous, busy month here for us - lots of visitors! I am currently writing t a bus somewhere in the middle of Norway; right now traveling through the rather cold, snowy tundra - wild and uninhabited. I am also watching my husband sleep with his head back andhis on mouth wide open snoring - also wild and uninhabited;) We are attempting to bring some closure to our time here abroad as we share our experiences with you via blog. So, backing up about a month ago...

My parents, brother and one of his friends (Dan) came to visit us, which of course was a rocking good time. We did the normal touristy destinations in close proximity, but then also headed to the South of Spain for a weekend to visit the city of Granada. Granada is said to be one of Spain's highlights, so we saved it for the family visit.

Because of Granada's high-heat summers, people of old would build their houses into already established caves as a way to keep cool. We actually were able to stay in one of these old, musty but cool, cave dwellings, and it was very, very sweet! The owner told us that it was between 700-800 years old! The city also has a mysterious, Moorish (Muslim) influence and many of the old structures reflected this time period and culture. The main attraction to be seen in Granada is The Alhambra, a 12th century Moorish castle. This proved to be our favorite castle we have seen through out of travels - unique, colorful and had insanely intricate detail in writing on the inside.
We also managed to escape a little bit to the Mediterranean Coast near a town called Nerja, where the Med Sea is ice cold and the feral cats outnumber the people (according to us). Still it was a beautiful beach, and it's always entertaining to see akward Colorado people outside of their element next to a big body of water. The time with the Fergie fam was rich and fun and packed with great food (thanks for the generosity of the folks!:)) and laughs.

Quick crazy story...my brother's friend, Dan, went out early one morning in Granada to take some photos of the city. As he was winding through the tight old quiet streets, he came upon a great shot. While he was readying his camera, he heard something behind him...turning around to see a man with a hoodie and a bandana over his mouth (six-shootin', Western style). The guy proceeds to pull out a knife and move side to side with his arms out like you see in the movies! Bad thing about this situation (other than, you know, the knife thing), was that Granada's streets are very tight with numerous dark corners and no easy-way-outs; good thing, however, was that one of Dan's corners was a 12 foot drop off to the street below. So, Dan the 6'3, built, hero-0f-a-man that he is, thought quick and opted for the drop off. He leaped over the wall and landed on the cobble stone streets in flip flops...getting some pretty decent bruising on his heel and ankle. He limped to a taxi and made it back to us all safely before we had even woken up! But, heck yeah, GO DAN!

Hasta Pronto...
tml/cbl

**Lots of Pics, Click Here

Atleti, Atleti, Atletico Madrid!

It's just completely ridiculous how long it took us to get to a futbol match while we've been here, but my dreams finally came true a few weeks ago. La Liga, the top Spanish league, has two strong teams in Madrid - Real Madrid and the little brother Atletico de Madrid. Tickets to Real Madrid will put one back about 100 euros, so we decided to go to an Atletico match with one of our friends Chris who really loves this team. The game we saw was pretty special as Atletico was trying to clinch a spot in next year's Champions League tournament as well as play their last home game for the season. Estadio de Vincente Calderon was packed to the gill and the fans, well fanatics is more appropriate, were in full effect with jerseys and team scarfs. They sang before, during, and after the game. It was so great! Atletico ended up winning 1-0, were 4th in La Liga, and received a spot in the Champions League. The Champions League is a European tournament that sports each country's best professional teams, so its awesome Atletico will be playing next year. The atmosphere will definitely be missed. There is seriously nothing like it in the States and my camera does no justice to what we saw. A packed stadium with crazy fans chanting their teams songs for hours, an immaculate, huge field, a high quality game with international stars, and some beer is probably the most beautiful thing to these eyes next to the natural beauty of the mountains. It was so great!!

Pics here and vids below

Atleti, Atleti, Atletico Madrid! More Chants!

Galicia with Kelly Rose and Karina!

The Northwest part of Spain is much like the Northwest of the States - green and lush, cloudy skies, and fantastic seafood. Some have even compared it to Ireland with its landscape and Celtic feel (music and history). One of my dearest friends, Kelly, flew out to see us and journeyed with Karin and I up to Galicia for a girls weekend that proved for all three of us to be very refreshing time for our hearts. Timmy stayed behind with the hopes of kickin the ball around and catching up on some reading and regaining his manhood after 8 months of almost all female companions. Incredible and memorable weekend for all...

The roadtrip was beautiful. The great thing about being located in the middle of Spain is that we can get to pretty much all of the coasts within 6 hours, give or take. Our first stop landed us in Baiona, where we walked on the shores and visited the Parador there. (Paradores are historic Spanish sites like castles, monasteries, etc. that the government so wisely converted into nice hotels). We never stay at these pricey Paradores, but we always tour them because they have proven to be worth a look. We then headed to O'Grove, our home for the weekend, where we stayed right on the shore and got to see people clamming every morning! This place perfectly suited us for some heart to heart girl talks, quiet mornings reading by the ocean with cafe con leche in hand, and 1am Spanish style meals...man, what a sweet time in life! And what amazing women to travel it with.

Much of our time there was spent in the car as we buzzed around the province seeking out places that caught our attention. Such places were Pontevedra (chowin' down on delish mussels and tortilla espanola), Santiago de Compostela (famous for being "the location of the apostle James' bones" and the place where thousands pilgrimage to each year on a spiritual quest), Cabo Ortegal (a GORGEOUS lookout on the capes, waves and hills covered in yellow flowers), Ourense (home to some hot springs and dirty old men in trunks), and Canon do Sil (we had lunch on a path near a monastery turned Parador on the top of this vegetated canyon). That is it in a nutshell.

Kelly is a professional photographer, so I think her pics will do more justice to the scenery and experiences than my words. The time with these honeys was a breath of fresh air for me - as they encouraged me and loved on me - and getting to do this with breathtaking surroundings was a true gift. Thank you friends. I need you in my life!

Check out Kelly's amazing pics here (there are more pics to come. Kel took a few too many good ones; I didn't have time to filter through all it's coolness as of yet).

Amor...
Cor

Visitors and Mucha Caca!

Since writing last month, Cor and I have entered the time of visitors while here in Spain. This means two things: 1. Tons of fun and ham eating! 2. An indication that we're leaving for the States in just 5 weeks! Wow!

Two weeks ago already, my sister and her family arrived in the southern Spanish town of Cadiz, but after a lot of effort. Chris, Jen, and Cole had hoped to catch a military hop on Sunday, April 20th, but didn't actually get on a flight until Tuesday. We didn't see them until Wednesday after they drove 6 hours from Cadiz. My bro-in-law is in the Air Force. Anyways, they were troopers to say the least...flying, driving, running in/around Madrid, returning to Cadiz the following Sunday and flying back to Virginny Monday morning at like 3am. All this finishing with a sick nephew and pukey puke for 15 hours while they made the trip home.

Our 4 year old nephew, Cole, was mesmerized by the language and did his best playing with some kids as a mute, shaking his head and smiling to everything they said. He was in heaven grubbing on churros and chocolate at the famous Churreria in Madrid. He's possibly the cutest nephew in the world. No longer a baby though as he's quickly turning into a little boy. It's amazing how fast they grow up.

We visited a castle in Segovia one day and were confronted by this conspiracy of birds. It all started when checking out the surrounding views at a nice vantage point in the castle, when this giant bird dropping splattered on Cor's head and ran down her face. It had to have come from a condor or something because it was huge and disgusting. The look on her face was hysterical. A couple from Germany was cracking up with the rest of us. The conspiracy continued that afternoon while we were having lunch at a cafe in one of the many plazas. We were taking in some sun and cerveza and another dookie dropped on Jenny's hand, the same hand she was holding her fork with and eating salad. At that moment it seemed we were all hyper-aware of everything coming from the sky and it seemed like things were falling every couple of minutes. We realized eventually that the awning above us was acting as a gutter for bird nuggets, directing all the goodness right near Chris' head. It was pretty gross. Continuing with conspiracy fact #3. Cole was devouring his cup of chocolate (well we all were, but he was funny to watch) and, again, we were enjoying some sun in a secluded part of Madrid, amid the high-rising pisos and tricky streets of the area, minding our own business, and "splat", another bird bum nugget! This time on Jenny's arm...check out the pic link for proof. Unbelievable. At this point we just shook our heads in disbelief. The conspiracy has continued since the Kretsingers left...I was sitting in a park last Monday afternoon, eating my lunch in a park on the only park bench that was shaded by some trees, and burning a few minutes until my next class started at an office building nearby. I had just taken a bite of bread when more caca (Spanish for poop) found its way to the middle of my head. I sat there in disbelief, using a piece of the bread wrapper to wipe the splatter off my head.

Overall, their trip was quick but full of a lot of experiences. Chris and I loved the kebabs, we ate our share of aceitunas, had an amazing lunch in Patones de Arriba, and checked out Retiro Park on a super warm day. It has since gotten rainy and cold again! It was great to see them and we were grateful for the determination in coming out to see us. The bird conspiracy has become something to laugh about for sure. The weather has been pretty fickle in April and May, but the fam lucked out with some clear skies and warm days. We're hoping for the same when Cor's parents arrive.

A few pics here!

Medio Maraton de Madrid!

Last weekend Team Calle Mayor (Tim, Cor and Karin) ran the Half Marathon of Madrid! Karin and I (cory) have been training for the past 2 1/2 months or so for the event, neither of us having run a race before. As far as Tim's training was concerned, well, he played a little bit of soccer and a little bit of tennis...called it good...ran 21 kilometers with no problem (such a dork!). We had tons of fun as we were cheered on by the Madrileños (local Madridians) - hearing them say, "Animo, animo!" (Basically, "Go for it! You got it!") and "Venga,venga!" (Maybe like "Come on, come on!"). There were 13,000 others there participating in the race with us as we ran through this streets of this metropolis.
We started, ran, and finished the race all together - truly memorable for all of us and a great accomplishment. Tim and I were especially proud of Karin; she had never really ran before, but took this race on like a total champ!

In other recent news, I have just recently stopped teaching English to kids and have now started teaching adult English at Mercedes Benz, of all places. I don't think I can swing any insider deals on a car for me or any of you because it is a spare parts plant; so in that case, if anyone needs another radiator or special windshield wiper for your Benz - you know who to call;)

Finally, occasionally we have had the opportunity to hang out with some youth here in Spain through Karin's youth group ("youth" in Spain includes the ages of 12-28. Not kidding!). A couple weekends ago, we dressed up along with 8 others, as the teens searched for all of us in a super crowded Spanish mall. Tim was definitely the freak show of the mall...Spaniards NEVER dress like he was. I went as a very, very pregnant woman (which many of our friends are back home in real life!). Check the pic out below.

Here are some PICS of the race and other recent funness from Calle Mayor!!

TiMmYandCoR

OH! We didn't tell you that we actually won the race! Tim took first, Karin second, and I dragged in at third. Amazing, no?!

Here are your friends: super-pregnant Cor and grungy biker/hippie Timmy. People could not believe he was the father of "the baby".

Another link to the pics if you missed the one above (here)

Hit the Road Jackito

Buenas todo el mundo-

We saw some serious pavement two weeks ago, putting 1500+ km on our roommates' car in 6 days. Semana Santa (Easter Week) provided the perfect opportunity for Cor and I to get out of Alcala with Karin, our roommate, and a friend named Paz (which means "peace" in Spanish, and we affectionately called her "PazDog"). We decided on heading north to explore some of the Pyrenees, for a day of skiing, as well as, to the northeast coast to relax at a beach town in Catalonia. It ended up being an amazing trip, full of laughs, car sickness, beautiful, snowy mountains, Mediterranean villages, sunshine, and Karin's crazy driving!

We took off Monday morning and made our way 6 hours to the town of Torla, our first stop on the trip, and our base for a couple of nights. Ahh, the mountain air and majestic rocky cliffs that towered over us were a refreshing change to the traffic and city life of Madrid. Torla is small and super quiet and in the northern part of the region of Aragon, right out of Lord of the Rings. We found the keys to our place at the local butcher, a shop tucked away off the main cobblestone drag in this granite built town. The Pyrenean style of architecture made use of the abundant rock and blended well with the atmosphere of the mountainous landscape. It made us miss Colorado for sure. Torla fills up during the summer months as it sits at the base of a national park that is only accessible by bus. Fortunately for us, the bus season started the week following our visit so we were able to explore the park and some surrounding areas with Karin's car. Believe it or not, we even off-roaded a little bit and were glad that everything was still in tact with the car's under carriage. (To some this might bring back memories of off-roading my old subaru and losing a muffler on a trip to Capitol Peak.) Karin was more than generous with use of her car and we were rewarded with some amazing scenery.

I've been dealing with some depression this year due to the heavy snow falls in Colorado and impossibility of me enjoying it. But I had one day of recovery at a ski station called Formigal. The snow was actually pretty good for us even though Colorado has been selfish with the snow this year. It was a little unnerving driving up to the resort and seeing dry hills, but taking the lift up our perspective realized that there was much more to the mountain. We had a blast snowboarding half the day and skiing the other half. Cor was adamant about getting a pic of me with the snowboard, she was so proud.

So, after skiing for the day and exploring the mountains around Torla, we took off on what became a hellish drive through mountains 8 hours to our next destination, Cadaques. I say hellish only because we struggled with bouts of car sickness, Cor mainly, because of the continuous switchbacks we were on driving through the mountains. They just kept coming. We stopped along the way in a really cool historical town called Ainsa that had remains of a castle from the 10th century. We're always amazed at the history here. Back to Cadaques, classic Mediterranean, white-colored buildings welcomed us Wednesday night along with some serious winds. The town is tucked away at the base of some more switchbacks and lines a cove along the Brave Coast (Costa Brava). The water was clear blue and the totally white painted buildings were just magical. We strolled along the beach and because we were only an hour or so from the border of France, we heard and saw a wide range of people. The artist, Salvador Dali, had a house in Cadaques and left a presence on the town with copies of his strange work all over.

From Cadaques we explored other parts of northeast Catalonia and fell in love with the villages Pals and Peratellada. Not just for the names of course, I mean who wouldn't a love a village named Pals, they just had so much character. From beautifully gardened, green, lush courtyards, to romantic, vine-covered stone walls, castle cafes, and unique hand-made crafts they quickly became our Spanish favorites so far in this country. We left Catalonia Saturday morning and made our way back to Alcala with a detour through the medieval town of Girona.

All in all, this packed week was one to remember and full of those surprises you dream of when venturing in far off lands. It was so fun to stumble upon places with Karin and Paz, to have Paz, who is a native to Spain, to give us background information on certain towns and and translate when we didn't understand, and of course to sample different hams from each village. Catalonia is a must see! Tons of pics to enjoy at your leisure, links below.

Que tengan un gran fin de semana! (Hope you have a great weekend!)

tim and COR

LOOK AT PICTURES (here)

Class Party, Sigüenza, and Valencia

Hola from the Spainish front,

Updates from the last month include a movie night with Cor's classmates and trips to the towns of Sigüenza and Valencia. We feel a part of the lifestyle here and the last month has been fairly normal I suppose:

1. Get up around 9
2. Eat some copos de maiz (corn flakes)
3. Cor to her university classes
   
4. Tim to Madrid to teach
5. Eat a bocadillo or Turkish kebap for lunch
   
1. Bocadillo=two slices of dry French bread with tortilla espanola (look at previous blogs) or pork product
2. Kebap=pita like break with cordero(lamb), veggies, and special sauce - hmmm good
6. Cor has a break from 1-3, runs with Karin, meets with intercambio, or runs errands
7. Cor teaches English to little devils in Azuqueca (north of Alcala, 15 mins by train) from 3-8 (travel time included) at the South Downs English Academy.
8. Tim returns from Madrid around 9.
9. Eat some more ham or bread with EVOO (thanks to rachel ray for this time saving expression. And for those that no hablo in the kitchen, EVOO is extra virgin olive oil).
10. Catch up on the day and hang with Karin, our roommate extraordinaire
    
11. Waste some time on the computer
12. Plan a bit for the next day/Cor does homework
    
13. Dream about travel locations
14. Eat some more ham/Drink some wine/Chocolate
15. Go to bed around 1230 or 1

Slight variations do occur, like on Thursdays I play soccer or tennis with Cor's British boss' Spanish boyfriend, Antonio, or Cor helps at an English club in Alcala.

I was surprised by the turn out for Cor's "small" get together for a Spanish movie a couple weeks ago. She said a few classmates would be coming over to hang out and it ended up being like 15 people! It's always fun to get a taste of each other's lives since we are working/studying in different locations and with different people, so I enjoyed meeting everyone. The majority of her classmates are from Asian countries which is so fun because they're possibly the friendliest people around. Giving the peace sign for pictures is a popular thing for Cor's classmates. We're all giving the peace sign these days!

In other news, there were some hard feelings between our roommate, Karin, and I because of the opportunity she had to return to the States and enjoy the copious amounts of snow in Colorado. The only sensible way to reconcile this situation was for her to offer us her car while she was gone. I was momentarily happy but remained super jealous of her turns at Breckenridge. No, Karin was actually really generous by letting us use her car and Cor and I were quick to take advantage of it, making two different day trips. The first was an hour north of Alcala to the town of Sigüenza which sported a really cool castle. We sat in the castle's courtyard and had a storybook lunch complete with strawberries and coffee. It was a small town that was incredibly peaceful and quiet. The atmosphere invited us to run around as kids as seen in the pictures . A shout to Kelly Rose as she comes to mind in taking these pics of tomfoolery and balyhoo. (See pics here)

Last week we went to Valencia, located on Spain's eastern Mediterranean coast. Known for Paella, we walked along the beach, Platja Malvarrosa, and entered a restaurant to wait for this famous rice dish. 30 minutes later in large cast-iron skillet, our paella con pollo i mariscos was served hot out of the oven. It was pretty dang good but left our bellies full and our eyes wanting a siesta. If you're questioning the spelling of some words its because in Valencia they speak a dialect of Catalan. Catalan is the language spoken in the northeast of Spain, in the Barcelona region, and definitely different from Castillian Spanish which is Spain Spanish. In a nutshell, Spain has a number of different languages spoken depending on the region you're in. So, back to Valencia, it was 3 hours from home and, a part from the paella and beaches, has a really great bull fighting museum. We haven't been to a bullfight yet due to some issues of animal cruelty and schedule conflicts, but we made due by watching bull murders in a video that the museum showed. I wouldn't mind seeing one before we leave. Not sure about Cor though. Obviously, bull fighting has some deep roots in the culture here and there are a lot of supporters, but we didn't realize how many Spanish people are against it too.
See some (Pics of Valencia here)

We're heading north for Semana Santa, Easter week, (tomorrow morning actually) for a few days of mountain and beach time. Bloggity-Blog soon!

Us

Yo, Robot and Cups of Chocolate

We are getting pretty accustomed to this Spanish lifestyle. After staying out way, way too late last night in Madrid (3:30 to be exact...and there were still plenty of people out the streets), we woke up today at 1:30 in the afternoon!! Needless to say, today has been a little slothy. Is that a word? We just finished watching "I, Robot" with Will Smith...however, in Spanish it is called "Yo, Robot". Fun title huh? Better film than we anticipated.

<-----Chocolate con churros - the Spanish often eat this treat for breakfast and swear that it is the best hangover cure.

We stayed up late last night with an friend from Cory's high school, Elizabeth, and dined with her and her friends from an art program in London. It was fun to chat it up with these gals - they are art crazy and had a total blast here in Madrid at the Prado and other fabulous art history sights close at hand. We took them to our favorite restaurant in Madrid - an outrageous and colorful seafood restaurant, called Maceira Pulperia, where they serve wine in bowls! Who doesn't want to drink wine out of bowls!? Following this fine food, we headed over to La Chocolateria San Gines...where we got drunk off of cups of chocolate and used churros for spoons...it's like a dream we all had when we were kids. However, it almost never fails that when Tim and I sip down one of these cups of rich, dark cocoa that our faces have a breakout the next week. It's worth it though.

On Friday we traveled with our roomie, Karin, to a town southeast of Madrid called Cuenca. Las Casas Colgadas, "The Hanging Houses", are this town's claim to fame. It was another charming Spanish town that had some fun local art and is built on a series of cliffs...the houses were constructed in the 14th century. From there we went on our long weekend training run in some hills not far from Cuenca. It was great to be outdoors amoungst the trees and "mountains"... much of the Spain we live life in from day to day surrounds us with concrete.

Es todo para ahora...
Besos...

timothymichael&corybrooke

<---Us with "Las Casas Colgadas" and some really dry land in the background. Click HERE for a few more pics...

Que Pasa?

Echamos de menos todo el mundo!

So, you haven't heard from us in a little while? Well, that's because we are staying at home in our comfortable little flat, where we save money.

We didn't travel much in January because we were dealing with the woes of home ownership. A chunk of our travel money was spent on flaky tenants back in Montrose. But, no worries - things are on the upswing and we are still having a good time here in central Spain on these quiet weekends.

"Quiet weekends" here mean exploring more of Alcala and Madrid, watching Spanish movies (I highly recommend the Spanish film Mar Adentro), doing overtime on the language study, planning for English classes, kicking around the "futbol", going to local cafes and actually starting to appreciate the traditional fare; yeah that's right Jamon Serrano is really hitting the spot these days.

On our balcony in Alcala!---->

Recently, we started training for the Maraton de Madrid (just the half maraton) which is at the end of April. We had a really fun training run this past Friday in Parque de Retiro - Madrid's version of Central Park in Nuevo York. So cool! Our friends Kelly (from Ohio) and Keely (current Prague dweller) will be flying out to join Team Lyons and our roomie, Karin, for the 13.1 mile run around the city. It's gonna be a party and anyone is welcome to join in the fun - come run a half with us in Spain!

Some of our favorite things about this country are the holidays and parties and days off. These people celebrate whenever and whatever they can. So, last week, with the Lent season quickly approaching, Spain celebrated Carnaval! Carnaval is a deep rooted tradition much like Mardi Gras in New Orleans (except family oriented). The Spanish reserve this festive 5 day holiday as a time to party, dress up, eat-and-be-merry before Lent begins. Carnaval is actually very family driven with dozens of parades, music, dancing and dress up times for the kiddoes (and many adults). We attended a concert in our town's central plaza, Plaza de Cervantes, and smiled the whole time as we watched the lively segregated dance zone - under 12 in front of the stage, 12-60 on stage right, and 60+ on stage left, where we happened to be hanging/dancing. We attached some pics from this event and from the parade that was right out our windows - they paraded every night from Saturday through Wednesday.

We also thought we would take you on a virtual tour of Alcala de Henares, our home away from home. To see the virtual tour and some pics of our "quiet weekends"...click here.

These are a couple of videos from this year's Carnaval!

Arbeit Macht Frei

During our time in Eastern Europe we jaunted to Poland for a 3 day look at Krakow. We began our journey across the chilly landscape in another train ride where we had a great time with our "cabin mates" - the Chladek Family from the Czech Republic. They practiced their English with us and taught us a few words in Czech...it was nice to be around a family. Following that train ride, we hopped aboard another to finish off the rest of our route. Aboard this train we met Jennifer, a grad student from Seattle studying sustainability in Sweden (sounds like a tongue twister). It was a great trip over to Poland - we made some friends!

We made it to Krakow and were welcomed by the Polish Policie...they spotted us jay walking across a quiet street and asked to see our passports (we have jaywalked in every city thus far). Fortunately we weren't ticketed due to the fact that one of the officers had a relative in Chicago, which was his slim connection to us being Americans. We later heard that the Polish cops are often pretty strict and rough, so we were glad to get out of that ticket.

We got to our place, a sweet, old one room flat that was used by the building's doorman. Our shower was built around the "check in window". Fun! Once we settled into our place, we headed out with Jennifer, Sustainable Seattle Gal:), and dined on fabulous Polish food - dumplings, sauerkraut soup, sausage and beer. Then we headed back to bed, feeling the effects of the long train ride.

We woke up early the next morning and went to Auschwitz. Auschwitz was, of course, one of the many concentration camps used by the Nazis during WWII. How can we adequately describe our experience? This quote caught our attention, "Few place names have more impact than Auschwitz, which is seared into public consciousness as the location of history's most extensive experiment with genocide". It was overwhelming and surreal arriving at this place that we have studied in school and heard about for years - the largest Nazi death camp. It was chilling to walk the streets of a place where millions suffered and died - to read details about the mockery of the prisoners, the torture, and the intentional misery the Nazis put the people through. Walking under the camp entrance gate which read in German Arbeit Macht Frei (Work Will Make You Free), was the beginning of our intense experiences at Auschwitz I. We continued to Auschwitz II, called Birkenau, where we were most surprised by the shear size of the camp; it was enormous. We were shocked. There are actually three different parts of Auschwitz, which are situated a couple kilometers away from each other. The part of Auschwitz, called Birkenau, is what I normally picture a concentration camp to look like. Birkenau was a mile long by a .6 of a mile wide; the property was filled with 300 barracks, each of which held 400-700 people. The devastation was incredible. Our words really can't do justice to what we experienced, nor to the gravity of Auschwitz itself. This was an incredible example for us of the brokenness of humanity and of the capacity we have to be so cruel. I can't imagine walking in the shoes of those that suffered this cruelty, the cold, frigid temperatures, the loss of loved ones and the loss of dignity. It is a memory that will never leave us...

We returned to Krakow seeing the city in a different light after having been to Auschwitz. We couldn't help but think about the city and how it looked 65 years ago under the Nazis. We discovered a little while we were there about the Polish people, and how they suffered much doing those years. The Nazis were racist against them as well; and after talking to a local woman there, the affects of WWII and the Holocaust still linger in the culture.

The next day we spent our time strolling around the streets of Krakow, which is beautiful city. Probably a lot more beautiful during the summer with green trees and flowers, and without the super cold temps. And did you know that it is the home of the bagel? Yep, rumor has it that it began with the local Jewish community years, years ago as a way to keep pregnant women healthy. We aren't so sure about the health thing, but we thank them for the bagel!

The highlight of our time here, apart from Auschwitz, were our evenings spent with a beautiful young polish woman named Joanna (Asia) and her son, Schmek (Simon in English). She was our hostess more or less, and was eager to practice her English. This gave us the opportunity to learn more about Poland. Her bright and wise perspective on life was a welcomed change to the cold, gray weather in Krakow and the inhumanities we learned of at Auschwitz. We hope to see her and spunky little Schmek again some day:) There is something about a 4 year old speaking Polish that is super cute!

Do widzenia and do zobaczenia wkrótce!

tim&cor

Pics of Krakow (here)
Pics of Auschwitz (here)
And don't forget to click the (i) which shows up when you move your mouse on the picture in the slideshow for our comments.

Happy 2008

Happy New Year!

Much love in 2008.

We took a 4 day trip to Poland, that we'll write about in the next entry, and returned to Prague to take in the new year. 2008 will be the year we'll remember taking it in through our ears. The Czech people are nuts about fireworks and our ears paid because of it. It was obviously legal to buy and light fireworks in the streets as we saw people selling them everywhere in the town centre. They weren't pansy either. Honestly, they were the loudest, most explosive ones we've ever been around. Coming out from the metro was like entering a war zone. Cops in riot gear, people yelling, running, laughing, and lighting off fireworks all over the place, even at our feet, which Cory absolutely hated! I read that Czech hospitals see a spike in patients during New Year's because of firework-related injuries! Now we know why! Yeah Fireworks!

New Year's on Charles' Bridge. Go on 2008! Prague Castle in the background on the hill lit up with fireworks as well as the bridge and other sites.

Czech version of "Raining Men", special appearance - Cory Lyons

It's probable this firework was set off by a ten year old kid, no kidding! Below that firework was the war zone we entered from the metro where hundreds of people were strategically positioned, lighting their fireworks at unassuming tourists like us. The area in the foreground was a protected area (no firearms, fireworks, or alcohol) for the concert and the only place Cor felt comfortable.

Her face says it all! The look of terror was on her face all night after running through the war zone. We made our way to Charles' Bridge for the countdown.

Cotton in the ears and Happy New Years - I'm a lucky guy and a poet!

Fireworks from the night of January 1st believe it or not. The firework show was even better this night because the Czech people celebrate their independence on this day! These pics were taken from Keely's amazing apartment on the hill. Thanks again Keely!

Love you all - COr and TIm

Praha, Praga, Prague

Oh, how I miss the land of hot wine, turtlenecks, sauerkraut and sausage already. For the holidays Cor and I skipped town and journeyed east to the Czech Republic. Through the great network of friends we were able to score a place overlooking the beautiful city of Prague. A quick shout to Keely - Yeah Keely! It was ridiculous how hooked up we were this apartment and it truly made our visit to Praha the amazing trip that it was, especially with it being just Cor and I for the holidays.

The trip began with a $0.01 flight on Ryanair from Madrid to Frankfurters, Germany. Yea, that's right $0.01 fare! We didn't have a plan to get to Prague, so after a quick kielbasa, we checked on bus and train tickets. It was the 21st and due to our lack of planning (dang language barrier) we had to shell out what we would have paid for a direct flight to Prague from Madrid in Train coal. Cor and I discussed the illusion we had about "all these cheap trains we could use to get around Europe" when really its pretty expensive. But, none the less, we made it to Prague safe and sound after an 8 hour overnight train ride with some swollen eyes and furry teeth. We drank some tea and tried honey cake, got some Czech Crowns, and started the search for our friends place. We were happy to see at our first stop the holiday spirit in Old Town Centre. A gigantic, real Christmas tree, an outdoor Christmas market, hot wine, and of course the amazing backdrop of ancient baroque architecture seen in churches and other buildings. Týn Church was a real treat to see everytime we saw it. We roamed the streets for a while to get our bearings and later cozied up in the great apartment we were staying at. A great first day!

I forgot to mention that traveling east in Europe gets colder by the mile, a huge difference from the temperate weather we've been experiencing in Madrid. It was stinking cold in Prague and we were glad to have our down with us.

Some highlights of our time in Prague:

• Tim turning 28 - breakfast in bed, Chili, casual stroll around town, and Vienetta (some of you may remember these treats from the 80s. Awesome.)
• Toughest Chicks in the World - carp killers (see pic)
  
• Keely's Apartment - amazing view of the city, cozy, LOTS of time spent just hanging out catching up on some good reading and watching videos on youTube.
  
• Prazsky Hrad or Prague Castle - fortified city on a hill, iconic Gothic church, surrounded by charming, pastel-colored buildings
• Old Town Centre - Christmas tree, Christmas market, Svařené víno (hot wine), trdelník (turtlenecks as we said it - dry sweetbread covered with cinnamon, nuts and sugar in the shape of a bracelet)
• Our own adorned Christmas Tree (lemon, orange peel, cut plastic bag, cory's necklaces)
  
• New Years Eve, New Years Day (Czech people are crazy about fireworks)
• Karluv Most (Charles Bridge) - great view of the Vltava River and City, great fireworks display
• Czech language - we knew absolutely nothing when we arrived and left with only three phrases: Do you speak English, thank you, and hello/good day. Czech has 10 vowels and there are a lot of "Ch" sounds. It was interesting to listen to.
  
• Sausage and kraut
• Really good BEER - pilsner urquell or Plzeňský prazdroj

See pics (here)

timANDcor

Merry Christmas - Feliz Navidad - Veselé Vánoce

Merry Christmas to you all. We are cozy in Prague, Czech Republic, loving this time with one another but missing our families. Wishing you the peace and joy that only Christ offers! More updates on our travels to come...

Feliz Navidad from our flat in Alcala de Henares, Spain

Veselé Vánoce from Old Town Centre, Prague, Czech Republic

Veselé Vánoce "Eve" from Prague - Thanks Keely!
(Check out Cory's amazing decorations on the tree - we didn't have to buy a thing

Obrigado Portugal

So, the posse of four continued on to Portugal the next weekend. We left Madrid in another diesel supercharged economy car (we love Europe) with two bags of Jamon (ham) flavored chips, some donuts, Fanta, and Ryan's black licorice candy...only the best road snacks. The road trip was about 6 hours and full of ham scented burps that no one fessed up to. Half way through we stopped at Antonio Jesus Ramon Rodriguez 's, or AR Cerveceria as the sign said, for a quick lunch. Fifty eight euros later ($90), we found our selves with more sausage and ham in our bellies than we had planned on, and a lot less money in our pockets. Antonio, with his super fast Spanish and jolly smile, suckered us into numerous sampling plates of "the best cured ham in Spain". We left nauseous and grumpy...

We continued on our journey to Lisbon; where we found out that our magnificent cook, Ryan, is a animal at the wheel, cutting off Portuguese drivers and running through tollways without paying. We set off the tollway alarm just as we entered Lisbon..."Well, none of us speak Portuguese, we can just play tourist if we get in trouble." Our tollway adrenaline rush lead us through the windy maze of the Bairro Alto streets in Lisbon. Ryan narrowly missed hitting cars, spoke French to get directions, peeled rubber after stalling the car a few times up a crazy steep hill...and finally...parked the car in a SmartCar sized spot right outside our flat. Phew...ding free! Go Ryan!! We were all glad he was driving.

Lisbon treated us to cheaper food (yummy custard tarts), a world class oceanarium, a mix of ancient tiled buildings in the area of Bairro Alto and super modern architecture along the Tagus river. The night time brought us back to our rented bohemian decorated flat for a homemade dinner and a round of Loaded Questions (classic fav of the Lyons). Tim hit the sack early each night because he is allergic to Portugal! My husband has chronic allergies. Those of you who know him, know what I am talking about (however, he is pretty sexy when he comes to bed with those little kleenex balls in his nostrils). Poor guy.

The next day the troops were roused for a Saturday on the beaches of the Atlantic. We Colorado kids acted like we've never been to a beach before! We played this amazing game called "Chase the Wave". Feeling like we were ten, we ran after the water as it receded, and then retreated as quick as we could as the wave formed and crashed down. Cor got a little too cocky and was the first unfortunate victim to get her jeans soaking wet. All in all, the beach was amazing and we had a great time being kids with Jess and Ryan. We were slowed down on our way back to Lisbon because Allergy Tim got the car high centered in some deep sand...

A quick note about our last stop in Portugal - a town named Sintra, just northwest of Lisbon...first off, go there. Amazing. Really cool castle, lush forest and great (but expensive) food. We need to give a shout out to our waiter who was full of coarse joking and funny stories. He had a bad case of the poopy mouth, but did speak amazing English.

We returned home with leftover ham chips and black licorice candies.

See some fun pics (here)...get comfy, this is a long slide show thanks to Jess' nice camera and her skills. If you'd like to speed up the slideshow, click on the link in the lower left of the slide show screen. Don't forget to click the (i) in the middle of the pictures during the slide show for a comment.

TIMandCOR

The Travelin' Posse at the palace in Sintra



Looking out our bedroom window in Lisbon...LOVE those tiles!

Chase the wave! So fun!

Barth...Colorful Barcelona

Last month, our friends, Jess and Ryan, arrived in Madrid to taste the Spanish life and be our travel buddies for three weeks. We’ve managed to do a lot with these fellow Coloradoans, and have had a total blast sharing a bedroom and life with these friends. It has been the highlight of our time in Spain so far…

We took our first trip to Barcelona (or Barthelona in Catalan) in the Northeast part of Spain. All of us agreed in loving the city, the mixture of Mediterranean beaches, seafood, and warm air, and the art and culture. We stayed in Barrio Gotic, a historic part of the city near the old town of Barceloneta where we found grilled squid our first night. Tasty. The street we stayed on was forever shadowed by the buildings that practically touched, a site we’ve grown accustomed to in Europe, but nevertheless amazing. Our studio apartment looked like it had been designed for a Pottery Barn magazine, and served as a place for tons of laughter, playing of Settlers of Catan (our new favorite board game) and fresh homemade seafood dishes (Ryan is a amazing cook…rock on.) We found plentiful mariscos (seafood) for cheap prices at an indoor market off one of Barcelona’s main avenues, Las Ramblas. Mussels, crab legs, clams, and shrimp. SO GOOD!

The city of Barcelona is a mix of both modern and ancient – ranging from the latest in architecture to old ancient Roman ruins to a variety of Antoni Gaudi’s works, the latter serving as the highlight of our time there. Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia, which has been in construction since the late 1800s, was phenomenal, breathtaking and the most unique church we’ve ever seen. We’re sure to return upon completion some day. Barcelona is also host to Park Guell, a showcase of Gaudi’s creative architecture in a number of different structures and arrangements. Park Guell also gave us a great view of the city. Perched atop a hill we saw how congested the city actually is, spreading through the hilly terrain right out to the Mediterranean Sea, La Sagrada Familia a beacon in the distance.

See pics (here) (and don't forget to click the (i) in the middle of the picture when the slideshow opens)

Our friend and professional photographer, Jess, composed these picture videos on a new site she came across. They give you a good 30 second glimpse of our trip. I feel like I’m in a photoshoot. Be prepared to dance while you watch…

Barcelona Flat (here)
Mercat de la Boqueria (here)
Gaudi (here)

On the beach...short sleeves in November!

Dining over a fabulous homemade Barcelona meal of seafood (thanks to Ryan!). This was taken at our way cool flat we rented for the weekend.

Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia still remains unfinished almost 100 years later, but it is spectacular.

Bonjour Mes Amis!

See Paris pics here.

So, I always heard that Paris was just a big, dirty city. Well, we completely disagree - we love Paris! As my co-worker from England said in her Brit accent, "There really is something special about it". We went to the City of Lights Nov. 16 - 19 and can't wait to return. We stayed in a studio apartment that we found on a super resourceful website called www.homelidays.com - great deals and full of fun places to stay. Anyways, the apartment was at the top (90 stair hike) of a 17th century building near La Porte Saint-Denis.

There was a metro/bus strike while we were there, a protest of Sarkozy's new plan to reform retirement rules for civil servants, so, we were forced to walk everywhere in the cold, cold Parisian Air. Compared to the warm, blue skies of Madrid, Paris was like Antarctica, seriously cold. However, this gave us the chance to really see the city. We, of course, saw the Louvre, Eiffel Tower all lit up, Musee d'Orsay, Norte Dame and St. Chappelle. The food in France was so great - we loved every minute of it: cafe au lait, patisseries, fromage, et vin - amazing (especially compared to Spanish food, which is not our favorite so far). Tim's life is now complete too after enjoying the beloved, un croque-monsieur, a meal he had a dreamed about since middle school French class.

Paris is lined with quintessential cafes and outdoor flower shops. And the people really do ride around on their bikes with a basket loaded up with bread and a bouquet of flowers! I know - I saw it! If you get the chance to go to Paris - go! But be prepared to spend an arm and a leg. It's incredibly expensive!

See Paris pics here.
P.S. We've commented on the pictures. Click the (i) on the first picture in the slideshow to read them.

Torre Eiffel (en espanol) - it was pretty sweet to see and a lot larger in real life.

In front of The Louvre (remember the scene from DaVinci Code?)

Flower market (they had fresia, berries and kale!)

Our Camera and the North

It's been a month since our last entry and there is plenty to talk about. First and foremost, there are pictures from our last entry about El Escorial and the beautiful vineyard we went to, to harvest grapes and taste wine. Crush them grapes! See those pics here.

In wondering about the Spanish ability to stay up late and rally the following morning for work, we learned some interesting facts. Although on the surface it appears that this beast never sleeps, we found out that it does, in fact, rest during working hours. Supposedly, Spain's workforce has the greatest number of working hours in Europe but has the lowest productivity, go figure! Now I understand. As a teacher of English, my classes are full of these slackers, showing up late, talking the class away with their friends, and often playing hooky. To make my job easier, Spain has a number of four day weekends they call a puente (bridge). Many holidays are on Thursdays and the mentality is "well, we had Thursday off, we mine as well take Friday off too!" Hence the puente from Thursday to the weekend. All that to say, Cor and I have had a chance to travel a fair amount because of this.

In early November we travelled from Madrid an hour or so to Toledo. As a former capital of the Spanish empire, it had many historical sites, but was most interesting due to it's coexisting Christian, Jewish, and Moorish cultures and the influence it had on the architecture. Thanks to Delta, though, we don't have many pics, just me playing with a sword, Cor's favorite marzipan snacks, and some new friends of ours from Arkansas, Chris and Melissa. (see those pics here)

We also made it to the Spanish provinces of Austurias and Cantabria in the north. For this adventure, we traveled with our French made Renault Megane, diesel, six-speed. Let's just say this road hog went 900 km on 50 liters of gas. You do the math and then go buy a Volkswagen TDI. Amazing gas mileage. We were equally impressed with the Picos de Europa on our way north. The Picos are an impressive mountain range near the coast. They brought us back to our Coloradoan roots...cool air, fall colors, down jackets, and hats. Fall was in full effect and so were the crowds. I think because of the puente, people headed for the hills for a holiday to see the beautiful colors. A two hour drive from the Picos we made it to the Cantabrian Sea and the coastal towns of Llanes and Poo. Yes Poo! We came prepared to camp and put up our little tent overlooking one of the many coves at a campground. Camping is definitely popular here but more in the context of car camping, manicured campsites placed over a large area by the hundreds. So needless to say, we had a few neighbors. It was still tons of fun and cheaper than staying at hotel. Llanes also treated us to some great cheese and cider houses. I can't really explain their cider-drinking traditions because I don't understand the whys, but it was pretty dang funny. Picture one hand holding the cider bottle at arms length above your head, the other hand holding the glass at arms length around your waist trying to match where the cider is falling. You want to create as many bubbles as you can in the glass and then drink all that is in the glass except for a small backwash portion that you just pour out on the floor. It sure was fun. We saw some interesting art from a local artist out on a pier in the form of 8-foot by 8-foot blocks of crumbled cement and moseyed around on the sand in the numerous, beautiful coves. We headed back to Madrid only to stop for the night in Salamanca. We didn't have much time here but did get to watch Barcelona beat up on Lazzio in a soccer match. Sooner or later we will get to a live game. Other adventures ensued in Novemeber but we'll write that in the next entry. Hopefully in the next few days. Talk to y'all soon.

pics of the north (here)

p.s. Pics were taken with a disposable, but good news, we have accessories for our digital camera now and will be uploading better pictures soon!

T*C