Leaving Spain

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The other night over dinner, just before we were to leave Spain for Italy, we asked the kids to help us make a list of what they would most miss about Spain (i.e. the best things) and what they would not miss at all (the worst things). Here, in the order in which they were mentioned and with only minimal editorial embellishment, is out list:

What we’ll miss:

topless beaches; Serrano ham; siestas; sangria before the siestas; paella; drinking wine with lunch; all of the flowers; the beaches; the mountains; friends; finding garnets at the dormant volcano; the double kiss upon greeting friends; the history and architecture; the sunshine; almonds; tapas; football on the streets and on TV; the school bus with comfortable seats and a video system playing cartoons; ice cream every day; late bedtimes; fresh squeezed orange juice; plaza nueva; tortilla espanol; gazpacho; great olive oil with every meal; fruterias; bullfights on TV (only Ryan); olives; flamenco dance; cheap airfares; high speed trains; outdoor book fairs; funky beach towns; Parque Maria Louisa; meeting people from all over the world; the view from out terrace in Sevilla; church bells; feria and other festivals; newsstands with candy; paseos.

What we won’t miss:

Collegio Highlands; the lack of recycling and trash in the streets; smokers everywhere; nothing opened on Sunday; car sickness; the absence of familiar music; getting yelled at by the neighbors for playing football in front of their houses; t-shirts with English sayings that don’t make sense, like “mango touch”; loud motorcycles; homesickness; cramped hotel rooms; losing our car in Almeria; not understanding the menu; siestas (only the kids); stray cats.

I'm sure a psychologist somewhere could make some sense of these lists, but I won't try. Instead, I'll say that I'm glad the list of good things is longer than the list of bad things, and that I'm very grateful for our time here. And that we will certainly be back to visit some day. Hasta luego, Espana!!!

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Photos

Roquetas
On the beach eating paella with Leo and Sophie.

Snorkling
At one of the beautiful hidden beaches near San Jose.

The surfers
The kids had lots of fun body-surfing and boogie-boarding.