Catching up - pictures from Spain

We have been having so much fun that we have not stopped to post pictures. Words cannot accurately express all that we have experienced and the pictures just do not do it justice. It has all been amazing! But most of all, I want to express my heartfelt thanks and love to David and Christine . Thank you for opening up your home to us and your heart . Leaving you both , was one of the hardest things we have ever done. Even after days of traveling, thru Spain and Italy- dinner at your home is still tops!! We love you and cannot wait to come back.

More pictures from Day 2

Day 2 - Rock Of Gilbraltar

The Hotel Hermitage was about an hours drive to the Rock of Gilbraltar and when you drive over the border you are in a British territory. We circled around the territory first by car stopping at the lighthouse, the beach and thru a few tunnels before we went to the base of the gondola to ride to the top of the rock. At the top of the rock we saw the Apes Den, St Michael's Cave, the Great Siege Tunnels, the ruins of the Moorish Castle, and the upper rock Nature Preserve. By far - our favorite part was the monkeys. They walked right up to you and if you held at your hand they would walk right onto your shoulder. We hiked for about 4 hours on the top of the rock , straight up and then straight down and straight up.... you get the idea. The only one that was not sore was Bill. If he wasn't driving the car, we might have thrown him over the cliff!!

To finish off our day , we have fish and chips at the oldest pup on the island-The Star Bar established in 1889. It was a beautiful day but very warm. The cold beer in the Pub was just the thing to take the heat away served with authentic fish and chips. Yum!!

Driving back to our hotel- we visited the lovely village of Casares. A quaint Spanish town untouched by the British influence . The local people start gathering around the town square around dusk to talk, play dominoes and eat ice cream. Everyone knows everyone.

We ended our day having wine on our balcony and watching the sunset. Ahh...

First Day in Spain

After flying from DC to Madrid and then from Madrid to Malaga , driving to Casares- we have finally arrived. The flight was great but none of us slept so after 24 hours of traveling- we were pretty tired. Out little hotel is fabulous but when we were driving up the dirt road for several miles twisting and turning as we climbed the mountain- we did wonder where we where going. After we got here- we decided heaven!! So quiet and peaceful! The first thing we did was order a bottle of wine and took our naps by the pool. Dinner was at the restaurant at the hotel and the staff here could not be friendlier. Lydia is our server and she has already figured out what kind of wine we like. Her suggestions for red and white have been incredible- love Spanish wines!! I am sure we will all sleep like babies tonight and tomorrow we plan to visit the Rock of Gilbraltar . Having a blast and relaxing and enjoying the moment. Love to all of you! Debbie, Bill, Richard and Jodi

Last minute details.

We leave tomorrow morning and we are almost ready to close up the suitcases. Bill and I each have a carry on bag and I have a back pack for the second leg of my trip for when I will be back packing with Gigi on the Camino de Santiago. The first leg of the trip we will be with Jodi and Richard . We have been friends for 20 + years. We met when we both started a new job at Warren's Florist and Gifts where she still works ( only now it is just a boutique). We have worked together had babies together, shared sorrow and joy . She is a true friend and a blessing. She also has never been to Europe and this will be her first stamp in her passport. I have kidded her for years that I have a bucket list planned for her designed to take her out of her comfort zone!!! Despite all of her original fears- I think she is more excited than I am . When we land in Madrid , we will wait for our next flight to take us to Malaga- pick up a car and drive ourselves to Casares . We will arrive there Monday afternoon and our first hotel is at www.hotelhermitage.es It is a beautiful small boutique hotel nestled in the hillside overlooking the Costa del Sol of Spain. The most common question I have been asked is how do you pack for a 5 week vacation. First there are more restrictions to fly with in Europe- Each bag cannot weigh more than 35 lbs and if you carry two bags - they cannot weigh more than 50 lbs together- or you pay 10.00 a lb that you are over. Pretty steep incentive to stay under the weight limit. My bag for the first leg is 28 lbs and my back pack is 18 ( 46 lbs total) . So I should be good. I try to scale down a little more each time I travel. Would love to get it down even more but it is the shoes that always get me in trouble !! I currently have 5 pairs packed!! Jodi said she doesn't feel so bad now- she packed 7. Completely reasonable- lol! Last night before our big adventure- printing boarding passes, going over the house rules with James and cleaning out the refrigerator. Almost time to leave all that behind and just be. Can't wait!!

5 More Days to Spain!!

Every trip has a beginning and ours really started a couple of years ago when Jodi said to me that Richard and her wanted to go with us the next time we took a Mediterranean cruise. Anyone that knows me, knows that all you have to do is suggest travel and I start looking into how to make it happen. What started out as cruise has now expanded to a week on land , the cruise , several days on the beach in San Sabastian , and the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona. I really should not be given so much time to plan , because we are going to do it all!! After three weeks of fun, I am going to stay and walk another part of the Camino de Santiago ( the way of St James) . I have always wanted to wander Europe for a month and this year is the first ( I hope of many ) that I will be gone 5 weeks. I could not be more excited!!

Preparing for a trip for me is part of the experience and I have had a ball researching small B&B's and what to do and where to eat. I keep a travel journal so that if I want to visit again, I can remember how to find it and to also write down the unexpected things we find. I am blogging about our experiences, so that I can share our pictures and our thoughts with you , so that you feel like you are there . I travel because I have to see the world, to taste it's flavors and to see the history. It recharges me to know that others have come before me and I am awed when I walk the cobblestones of cities like Pompeii and imagine how it felt to walk those same streets so many years ago. So , I hope you will follow our journey and enjoy places you may not have seen before. We fly from Tampa to DC on Sunday and then from DC to Madrid. I have been counting days and now I am counting the hours!!