Our first full day...

Thursday night from Bruce:

I’ll begin with a caveat, a Word of Warning for anyone who reads my posts: there will be Hyperbole.  Lots and lots of hyperbole.  I’ve dreamed of this trip for ten years, lived through the most difficult time of my life both personally and professionally, and to be here, with Deb and the boys, to actually be able to have this experience, to make these memories – there are no words to express my Gratitude.  But I will try, and in the trying I will use BIG, AMAZING, MAJESTIC, EXTRAORDINARY words…  Please forgive me in advance.

After 26 hours of travel, and a solid ten hours of sleep, we awoke this morning to the rolling hills of Andalucia.  Our little house is in the country, with hunting dogs and donkeys providing the soundtrack.  I chose Ronda because it was on a list of “top ten small towns in Europe,” but the fact that we’ve landed in the middle of the biggest festival of the year was just pure dumb luck.  Ronda greeted us with flowers, balloons, and so many pretty girls in flamenco dresses that we all felt a little light-headed.  The Moment of the Day was a spontaneous flamenco song and dance in one of the many small plazas, with women ages 3 to 73 singing and dancing.  It overwhelmed the senses.  And it was fun to see the boys explore the narrow, cobble-stoned streets of Ronda – they were constantly curious about what lay beyond the next twisty turn… 

Finally – Andalucia is beautiful.  Mountains, vineyards, orchards; greens and grays and yellows.  We saw lots of the horses this region is famous for, and I have a strong urge to gallop up into the hills and take on Franco’s forces…  Hemingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” is set in this region.  I understand now why he treats Andalucia so romantically.