-L falling asleep in the car rental office in Madrid
-P getting used to driving a car again after 6 months (not just any car but a brand new car! The car guy looks at us as we drag our luggage and children in the car rental door and grins 'I'm going to give you a brand new car' he says. 15 kil. on that baby. 1500 when we dropped it off after 10 days).
-L saying 'airplane ride' over and over in her cute little voice
-finding our way to our Pension in the shadow of the Alhambra - with special permission for our vehicle in the old city
-discovering that a quaint cafe is attached to our Pension with great, simple Spanish breakfasts and a warm fake fireplace for the really cold days in Granada
-exploring the many cobbly cobblestone streets and Spanish buildings, listening to the church bells on our first Sunday (day) in Granada, eating gelato and shwarma
-really enjoying our three story pension apartment with cozy radiating heaters on all night
-visiting with an older couple in their home who has lived in the city for 8 years, meeting friends from the states
-a cold, rainy, even snowy day to visit the stunning Alhambra
-running through rain and sleet with Yibby to try to find a grocery on unfamiliar streets
-a sunny day to explore other parts of the city and a date from friends happy to watch our children
-L and S's chance to watch a fun cars cartoon several days in a row
-good health for our family during the whole trip!!!
-a beautiful drive around southern Spain to Malaga, ruins, mountains, olive groves, small villages, winding climbs to small village towns
-an unexpected chocolate factory in the mountains where they are wrapping the chocolate by hand in foil (so yum!)
-L and cats in the sun
-rugs woven on 100 year old looms
-vistas from the top of quiet mountains
-blustery drives in the blowing, snowy Sierra Nevadas
-lunch at a Lord of the Rings -esk tiled and raftered great room restaurant overlooking the mountains, fireplaces at each end, a hearty four course lunch, friendly locals
- beautiful green grass and sun in Malaga on the sea - the children yelled with delight and took off walking/running all over the grass. They didn't stop until we left 4 days later. From that time on S has walked more than ever, getting so independent - we can't even believe the progress in a week!
-beach walk at noon, at sunrise, playing in the gray sand and cold waves
-refreshing times of tears, laughter, sharing, good, good vibes between a group living around the Med.
-good times being a family
-quick trip to visit friends of a friend, new town, new scenes, lots of greenhouses
-return drive through stunning Spanish mountains and like-western-US landscapes, medieval castles on nearly every high point
-so much encouragement from people we met
-a crazy drive around Madrid to find our final night's stay, but finding it
-returning home.
