Granada and Cordoba

This past weekend we headed toward the South of Spain. Jeff had a 5 day weekend to celebrate Constitution Day and the Immaculate Conception, they get all kinds of days off here and I am not complaining about that!!

We decided we wanted to drive somewhere and thank god we did because on Friday when everyone was traveling Madrid airport traffic controllers chose to go on strike. A lot of peoples trips were ruined:(

We left Saturday morning and headed to Granada first. Granada is most famous for The Alhambra. It overlooks the city of Granada, is the most famous example of Moorish architecture, and most known Muslim construction ever. We also took the sight seeing tour bus around Granada, visited the cathedral, and ate way too much food! Our hotel here was pretty crappy, it was a four star, I have NO idea how, but we survived 2 nights in the fried chicken smelling box!

Monday morning we got up and head to Cordoba. When we arrived and pulled out our luggage we found the phone from the previous hotel hidden in Luca's stroller!! What can I say, the kid loves phones!

Cordoba is famous for the Mezquita (mosque) which was built in 600 AD. It symbolizes the many religious changes Cordoba has undergone over the centuries. The weather was very rainy during our visit here. However, we did enjoy a peaceful dinner which is very rare for Jeff and I. On our walk to dinner Luca fell asleep and stayed asleep through the rain, stopping for a glass of wine and dinner. This never happens, usually our dinners consist of trying to keep Luca entertained and eating as fast a possible. Which in Spain a meal out never goes fast!! So this was a nice change and I think we even enjoyed a few too many drinks! We cut our trip in Cordoba a bit short because it was pouring!!!

We really enjoyed driving and seeing Spain's country side. Luca behaved very well in the car and throughout the trip. However, upon our arrival home, we came into the house to find our little devil had turned on the stove burner before we left and it had been on for 4 days!!! I am not sure how our house is still standing!!We got lucky there.

St. Nick also made a visit while we were gone!

Enjoy our pictures..

The Drive


Granada



Cordoba



St. Nick

Message From Santa

http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/guest/xWT38nUM_ixCpjxrwSiPdQ

Chinchon

The day trip of the weekend.

A little history-Chinchon is a Spanish town 50 km southeast of Madrid. In the beginning of the 17th century, Chinchón was converted into one of the most important cities of its day, as Philip V of Spain was proclaimed king of the Plaza Mayor of the Villa during the War of the Spanish Succession.

Enjoy our pictures
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Safari Madrid

Over the weekend we went to Safari Madrid. You drive your car thru a path that is filled with deer, llamas, ostrich, zebra, giraffes, camels, monkey, and so much more. The animals are all free and can come up to your car. It was flipping hilarious!!! You are allowed to feed them carrots, and they will do anything to get in your car. The only way to get them out is by rolling up the window and pretty much smashing their heads. If you leave your window all the way down they will be right in your face giving you a big sloppy kiss!!! Luca also got to sit up front and "drive" the car. Here's some pictures from our adventure, Luca loved it and I haven't laughed so hard in a long time.

What's been going on in Spain!

Over the weekend we had planned to go to Safari Madrid, but it rained so we tried Micropolix. This place was really cool, it is a mini city. However, Luca was way too little and we ended up wasting a lot of money and 2 hours in line to get in. At this place kids can learn to drive mini cars, go grocery shopping, sign up for bank account,just about anything you would find in a regular city. It is awesome for older kids. We walked around and checked it out anyways.




Then we headed to The Apple Tree Halloween party where Luca attends playgroup and music. They had games, face painting, and arts and crafts for the kids. After we stopped at a fellow Americans for some Trick or Treating! "They" say they don't celebrate Halloween in Spain. THis is so wrong! We had more trick or treaters here than we have ever gotten in Geneseo.




We have also been experiencing some of this..



Seperation Anxiety

Moving here away from family and friends and being with his Mommy way too much I figured it was bound to happen. He was doing great, when we went home over the summer he would go to anyone, I could leave him with it not even fazing him. He has done fine here with babysitters etc.. Well, this past week I joined a gym and dropped Luca off in the nursery. He went in fine, was happy to leave me. Then about 45 minutes later the nursery lady came to find me. In Spanish she tells me, Luca is in the corner screaming and scratching his face. I almost didn't believe her. Scratching his face? What? Sure enough there he was.I have never seen anything like this from him. We are not letting this stop us. This is good for both of us. He needs some time away from me and I really need some time to work out! Each day he is getting better. Crying for the first few minutes only, but he is insisting on being held. Which is not like my crazy outgoing little boy at all!!

Other than that there is not much going on here. We continue Spanish class twice a week, which is our biggest struggle. Learning a new language is HARD!! I am enjoying my new freedom now that we have two vehicles and Jeff is adjusting to his new position he recently took at work. Six weeks and we will be home for the Holidays!!!