A Bad Blogger

The latest happenings in the world of this blogger:
- A "getting reacquainted with America" road trip to Utah and back to pick up Harper, our dog
- Moving into the apartment and finding stuff in boxes that we wish we'd forgotten to pack in the first place
- Starting full-time employment
- Getting a part-time "fun" job at the newspaper for the sports section (something which I know nothing about)
- Eric starting his part-time "fun" job making coffee and trying not to spill the milk
- Getting rained on in immense proportions, resulting in those we care about to send us messages that read, "We hope you didn't drown."
- Family coming and going = one non-stop party

Ready or Not

Well, I finally made it home. Life has been a crazy whirl of readjusting to life in America, picking up our big brown dog in Utah, finding a new apartment and moving in, although we can't quite move around in the apartment yet. Rebuilding everything from the ground up takes a little while.

During the midst of it all a major bridge in my city, Minneapolis, collapsed. A bridge I used to drive on everyday. Living in transition means that you aren't in touch with real world, so I found out about the calamity from the worried and sweet phone call from my Mom. I feel grateful that so many people cared enough to check on us. Thank you.

So now the fun part. Rebuilding and readjusting and regrouping. Sorting and organizing and working. I think I'm ready to get started.


P.S. Since I was remiss in recounting the wonderful experiences I had while overseas, I will attempt to share more photos and memories of my time in Europe on this blog over the next little while. It should be fun.

Capital City: Madrid

Quaint Cordoba

Here's my attempt to redeem myself for the lack of blogging along the trail...

Cordoba was the second stop on our most recent voyage, this one with a focus on Andalusia (southern Spain). It was small, it wasn't run over with tourists, it was charming. We stayed at a great family-run hostel managed by an older gentleman who called himself Fernando El Guapo (translation: Fernando the Handsome) and performed a series of parlor tricks for Eric's younger brother (who is 23 years old).

We fell in love with this little town that is home to La Mezquita, which we saw in the early morning hours before the tour buses arrived. We ate fresh churros, enjoyed a beautiful sunset on the river overlooking the giant mosque/cathedral and strolled along the narrow whitewashed alleyways peeking in doors and gardens.

We'll definitely be back.

P.S. For a larger view of our trip there, just click on the photos below.

Coming Tomorrow: Madrid

Volando voy, Volando vengo

Eric and I just got back from a 10 day tour of Spain where we visited Madrid, Cordoba, Granada, Sevilla, Tarifa and even made it across the Straight of Gibralter to the African continent to visit Tangier, Morocco. Highlights include:

* Buying a bunch of great crap I don't need in Europe's largest flea market, El Rastro, in Madrid

* Watching locals dance the flamenco with reckless abandon in Sevilla, Granada and Tarifa

* Visiting the Alhambra at night with only a few other tourists in whispering voices

* Seeing the sun set on the Alhambra from Saint Nicolas' viewpoint on another mountain (okay, hill) with some spirited impromptu flamenco guitar

* Two words: Arab Bath

* Visiting the Roman temple turned Christian church turned Muslim mosque turned Catholic cathedral - La Mezquita

* Standing 10 feet from Picasso's "Guernica," Velazquez's "Las Meninas," Goya's "Third of May" and Hieronymus Bosch's "Garden of Earthly Delights," among others

* Riding a camel in Tangier, even if only for a minute

* Other stuff