Monday, July 29, 2013

Spain--part 2

From Gallicia we flew to the Basque country into Bilbao.  Bilbao is gorgeous and somewhat modern.  One of the Guggenheim Museums is there.  We did a 30 min dash through the museum.  Modern art is crazy! We then drove almost 2 hours--kind of through the Pyrenees to Rioja.  Rioja is gorgeous.  They grow temperanillo grapes to make Rioja wines.  You're welcome!

We were only here 1 night and 2 half days.  Wish we had more time.  We explored Bilbao, toured a winery, and we visited the largest wine museum in the world.  It was cool, but we were all so exhausted it was hard to fully appreciate it.









Leaving modern Bilbao--on to Rioja--sorry for all the photos.  It is breathtaking



























Spain--part 1

There is really too much detail to go into or that anyone would care about, but here are the highlights

We traveled all over Northern Spain from West to East.

We took countless planes every couple of days.  We rode a bullet train--yes the kind that crashed last week; we rode a bus every day; and we took a boat ride.  I think that covers transportation.

We drank A LOT of wine.  I mean a lot.  I have no idea how much.  There was always someone refilling your glass at lunch and dinner plus all the tastings.

We ate the best food.  If you like seafood it was a dream trip.  If you hate seafood or are a vegetarian it would have been miserable.  We ate the Spanish delicacies like barnacles and baby eel.  I like the barnacles but hated the eel.  The eel are whole.  We had them fried.  I so did not want to try them.  I ate one, and about gagged.  I also tried sardines and roe for the first time.  The sardine was good the way it was--I hate roe.  The texture is disgusting to me. I hated the popping feel.

It is absolutely beautiful country.  The north has diverse countryside and the people in each area are very unique and proud.  They identify with their region more than their country.  For instance Barcelonians are Catalonians before Spanish.  Those from the northwest are Gallicians before Spanish. They even have their own languages.  Very strange.  Spain has crazy unemployment.  It is really better to just draw the unemployment than work in some areas.  It is very clean overall.

The following photos are from our time in Gallicia.  We were in Sanxenxo, a small beach resort town and the outlying areas. You could pretty much see the Bay at all times in this region.  This is where we stayed for 2 nights.  We had a view of the ocean from our room.  I need to get a pic off Scott's phone for that.  We visited the Martin Codax Winery there.  They treated us like VIPs.  We had a fun dinner on their property the last night, where they treated us to a fun ceremony that stems from their Celtic heritage.  Yes I said Celtic--not Spanish.  We got to grab fire--let's say I was not so good.  I made them all laugh b/c I couldn't figure it out.  I wish I had taken photos of it. The last 3 photos are from Santiago. We visited Santiago right before we left the region.  It is the largest town in Gallicia. This was once considered the end of the world from the West.  As in Christopher Columbus thought there was more.  It is a beautiful area.  My pictures don't really do it justice of course.  They grow Albarino grapes here in case you are wondering!















The following are Santiago--Thousands of people enter Santiago on foot each day for El Camino--the pilgrimage.  Catholics believe (b/c the Vatican says) that St. James is buried there--but there is no actual burial site--so who knows.  


This was once a hospital for all the pilgrims. It is now a 5 star hotel. It was built by Isabella--again with Christopher Columbus, I know!


Signs of the Camino



The Cathedral for all the pilgrims



C turns 5

This was the most thrown together party.  Thankfully C didn't mind.  He didn't really have any friends he wanted to invite, so we ended up just having family, and at the last minute (as in 24 hr before) moving it up a day to combine with 4th of July.  I think I am more let down by the smallness of it than C.  He seemed to enjoy the lack of craziness that have been his last 3 parties.  He liked feeling special, and that was enough.





tank cake i made--the only request C really had







More summer fun


zoo time with Cobbs and Snyders--We have an almost identical picture of the boys holding hands at the zoo the year before.  Such sweet memories.

Our free ride on the carousel during free hour at the zoo


trying on his Barcelona jersey


Another pic of the tank cake--it kind of looks like a Koopa trooper from Super Mario Bros.

His door the night before the big day.  We had army men everywhere for him to find as well


Little Miss E

The girl can get those toes


Slacking

Wow...I just realized I hadn't read blogs--unless I caught it on FB in over 2 months.  That is sad.  I think i got 90% caught up--at least with the Cliff's Notes.  I have been terrible about posting pics b/c it isn't convenient on here like the ol FB or instagram.

So here's a few random photos and a quick recap of last 2 months.  The end of May was a blur--C got to spend time with his cousins and my parents in Memphis. Then June was full of camps for Mr. C to keep him occupied during those hard moments of the first 3 months of little Miss E.  We got to see the Lauers.  Huge excitement.  Then onto July we got to see the Cobbs--again tons of excitement.  Both visits were just too short.  July has been crazy. We did a combined 4th of July celebration/C's 5th bday since we were headed to Spain 2 days later, missing C's actual bday.  I will do a separate post on both birthday and Spain.  Now July has been a super fuzzy blur after returning from Spain.  I feel like I have accomplished nothing, and now summer is over.


At some point this little boy became a big boy!  Sniff

this little one rolled past 3 months


an early bday present the morning of the 4th


getting ready for fireworks--doesn't she look like a sailor?



the grossest/funniest firework: Dookie Dog


Me with E and G (sweet cousin of E's)


Showing off his firework collection


So tired from the party


Ready for the fireworks and enjoying a snack while we wait for the festivities in Chesterfield