A few weeks ago my, very persuasive, friend asked me if I wanted to go and visit some of his family in Spain with him, at first I said no because I only had a few months left on my passport and 3 weeks to get a new one was just cutting it too fine for a massive stress head like me. I really wanted to go though so I slept on it and talked to another friend who told me to just go, so I did and I am so glad I decided to be so spontaneous! I feel like I knocked a wall down that I put up alot when it comes to spending money, my nearest and dearest will know im the worlds worst shopper, I pick things up in shops walk around with them and talk myself out of buying them and come away with nothing because I some how convince myself I dont NEED things, but I definitely needed this holiday so it was money well spent!
I had met Noreen and Tony (Carls Nanny and Pop) briefly at Christmas but I was a bit nervous about being in their home and obviously I just wanted them to like me and to have a nice time with them. I can honestly say, I have never met a more interesting couple in my life, we spent alot of time sharing stories about Tony's time in the Navy and the trips Noreen went on with him whilst he worked on them as an engineer. The stories about the sailors getting drunk and jumping in the sea in their white uniforms aswell as one about Tony being stranded in Nigeria were amoung my favourites.
From my previous blogs you will know how much I loved my own grandparents and it was so lovely to spend time with Carls. I felt so welcome and I had one of the best weeks of my life in their home.
We visited a couple of markets one in Albox and one in Fines and sampled some amazing olives, my favourite were green olives stuffed with almonds, the crunch and the flavour together were absolutely delicious! The fruit and veg stalls were full of amazing colours and the strawberries were pretty awesome too. A huge box for 3Euros! It would be rude not to!
I feel as though I ate my way through most of the days but I guess thats just what you do on holiday!
On the first day we stopped for a "Tostada" which was the most simple snack, a piece of french bread with tomato on the top, seasoned with salt to bring out the flavour and some garlic oil, I couldnt get over how flavoursome something so simple was!
We visited the coast, Mojacar Playa, a couple of times for lunch, the first time we went down there we had passed a place called the Dolce Vita, It looked beautiful so a few days later we decided to go back and treat Noreen and Tony to a lovely lunch on the veranda right next to the sea. Carl and I supped champagne (who do we think we are) and we all enjoyed some fabulous food and a pastry for dessert! It was such a perfect afternoon and probably one of my favourite days even if we were a little tipsy and sleepy on the drive back to the villa! Sun + Champagne its a hard life!
Whilst I was there I took the book Eat Pray Love with me to read and I found myself really enjoying it, its really well written and insightful. I feel as though I can really relate to it. I will share one of my favourite snippets with you which really stuck in my mind. "When I get lonely these days I think: So be lonely, Liz, learn your way around loneliness. Make a map of it. Sit with it, for once in your life. Welcome to the human experience. But never again use another person's body or emotions as a scratching post for your own unfulfilled yearnings."
Im really enjoying learning about meditation, yoga and gurus aswell!
Whilst I was away I was introduced to Ponche, oh I love this stuff! Ponche is delicious! I urge you all to try it, if you cant find any, I have a big bottle I will share with you! Ponche is made from a delicious mix of Spanish Brandy, andalucian oranges, plums, sultanas, dried fruits, syrups and powdered cinnamon! My mouth is watering!
Noreen and Tonys neighbour Richard has a bar/restaurant nearby called the Yellow Stone Bar, the food was excellent, I even got strawberries on my salad! The choice on the menu was pretty good and their themed food evenings look marvellous!
I also had to sample some Spanish Rioja which went down very well with the Olives!
Another splendid evening was "Steak night" we were joined by their neighbour Gwen. Tony and Carl cooked some massive sirloins on the BBQ accompanied by salad and potatos and a delicious sweet mustard salad dressing which was Tonys mothers recipe. I chipped in a did my bit and made a bread and butter pudding for dessert which went down very well indeed!
Something else I loved about being at Casa De Vista was the stars at night. The villa is in the mountains and there isnt alot of light so the sky is covered in the brightest stars I have ever seen. I enjoyed spotting the plough, orions belt and some of the other clusters which are famous and seeing stars ive never seen before. It would probably be a very interesting place to own a telescope!
I was so sad to leave on the last day I spent the day listening to the sounds of the birds and feeling the heat from the sun on my face and trying to soak it all up as a memory so that when I got home I could use the memory to remember how happy and relaxed I felt!
The main thing I learned from this trip is, If you need a holiday, BOOK ONE and if you have no one to go with, IM IN! haha
Hasta Luego!
