November- a month of field trips!

I can't believe it's already been 3 months that we've been here.  It's going by so quickly.  Also, I noticed that I haven't written in almost a month.  This is probably because it's been a very busy month and this past Thanksgiving weekend is the first one in awhile that we've stayed home.  

Last weekend we spent Sunday in Sevilla (2 hour drive from here) where we had the opportunity to visit with Isabel, Arnaud and baby Chloé; although I should say "toddler" Chloé since she's now walking around on her own.  When Isabel told us she was spending the weekend there, it was a great motivator to get us out there.  Our favorite spot in Sevilla was the famous "Plaza de España".  All the Spanish provinces are featured in tile around the plaza and there's a beautiful fountain in the center.  It's difficult to appreciate its beauty in pictures but I'll include a few anyway. You may also have seen it in Star Wars Episode 1 (#4 for us older people).

The weekend before that, we went to Córdoba for the day to visit Sally Baho from P.G. before she goes back home in December.  It was the only weekend she didn't have scheduled so we got on her calendar.  Córdoba was only a 1 1/2 hour drive.  We had an incre

dible day! We all agreed that Córdoba was one of our favorite field trips so far.  We went to mass in the Mezquita/Catedral.  Part of the Mosque was converted to a catholic cathedral.  Esteban and I both agreed that it was a shame to see the original Mosque restructured.  He said it was like painting mustaches on a famous artist's masterpiece.   But as I read the history of the mosque, I learned that the original construction was a Christian Visigothic church in 600AD.  When Cordoba was occupied by the Moors in 711, the Christian cathedral was suppressed and was reworked for over two centuries to refashion it as a mosque.  It was at one time the second largest mosque in the Muslim world.  In 1236, Cordoba was recaptured from the Muslim army by King Ferdinand and the mosque was reconsecrated a Christian church.  There is so much history here and I love it!  The Roman Bridge was also a sight to see!  I first went to Cordoba 20 years ago but I experienced it so differently this time, with my family.  We just roamed the narrow streets without an agenda and relaxed and took it all in.

The weekend prior we went to a small white village called Ardales, within the province of Málaga to do some hiking,  and visit Muslim ruins of the 10th century.  We went with Juan's parents, Carmelina and Pepe and Juan's sister, Ana and her daughter, Lena.  (separate entry)

The reason we've been taking day trips on Sundays is because Esteban started rehearsing with the Malaga Big Band on Saturday afternoons beginning in November.  We saw the band perform at "La Plaza de la Merced", where Pablo Picasso's Casa Natal is located.  Juan approached the band director to find out if there was a jazz band for Esteban.  He said there are not many jazz bands in the area.  Even though these are all college students from the local conservatory, the director invited Esteban to sit in with them and see how he felt about joining them.  Well, so far so good - he has his first performance around Christmas.  We also found a piano teacher for David in this group, a young lady who sings with the jazz band.  He has his lesson once a week at grandparents' house.  As much as I'm trying to keep things simple, it seems we're still quite busy - but it's all good.  

Trick or Treat: "Truco o Trato"

It was a cold and RAINY Halloween - but it didn't keep these trick or treaters from going out for candy.  I found some pumpkins at Carrefour, a Target meets Safeway - type of store.  They were the only pumpkins I'd seen around and so I grabbed them to continue our tradition of carving out pumpkins.  I picked up our niece, Lena after school and she carved her first pumpkin with us.  

Lena's mom, Ana and grandma Carmelina came in the late afternoon to help with the costumes. Carmelina said she's had trick or treaters come by her house in the last couple of years, so we decided

to go around her neighborhood, umbrellas and all.  We collected candy at four houses before it started to pour down rain and we decided to call it a night.  The houses that didn't have candy were very apologetic, it seems Halloween is slowly catching on.  Once we got home and had dinner (9pm), a group of neighborhood kids came by in costume.  They were so excited about the candy we had for them.  They said people had been giving them pears and mandarines or whatever they could find because they weren't prepared and were afraid of getting "tricked". Here they say, "Truco o Trato" which literally translates to "trick or treaty" - 

We had so much fun dressing up Pablo and David.  Pablo was a pirate!!  He inherited a costume from his cousin, Mateo and David was a girl flamenco dancer.  He borrowed Lena's dress and my shoes.  He's not quite 9 years old and already has my shoe size!!  David, as always, got into character.   We had fun, but we definitely missed our Halloween  community back home.

Viva Obama!

Wow!!!  What a great feeling to wake up to a new day with a new sense of hope and vision for a better future.  "I feel so proud to be an American!" I heard one lady say in Chicago after listening to his acceptance speech, and I felt the same way.   

Juan was up until 4am, on and off, following the election results on the internet.  I was so nervous when I woke up, hoping for the best but also trying to prepare for the worst.  I had been listening to stories of voter suppression on public radio and I was nervous that this could be another stolen election.  When Juan and Esteban told me Obama had won, I felt so relieved and so happy! We all sat around the computer in the afternoon, once the kids came home from school, to listen to Obama's acceptance speech.  What a truly remarkable speaker, what an intelligent and inspirational leader.  I was moved to tears as I heard him speak.  He has inspired people of all walks of life to get involved in our political process.  He has a huge task ahead, which he can't fix alone, so he challenges us to continue to be involved, to be that change which we seek.  He really makes you believe that anything is possible.  

Here in Spain, the cover of the local newspaper had a picture of Obama with the world behind him, saying that his triumph in the US is sending a wave of hope throughout the world.  One article here challenged its Spanish citizens to jump on the wave of hope and change that comes from America to create change here and make this a better society and a better world.  He's managed to inspire people all over the world.  Viva Obama!!  Viva OBAMA!