The Wedding Weekend

We arrived in Salamanca friday afternoon and the festivities started soon after.  Although the Spaniards can find any reason to celebrate, they especially love big occasions.  The first night we went with the bride and groom for a pre-wedding celebration with friends.  Unlike in America, there are no rehearsal dinners or wedding parties; something my cousin Andrea would find refreshing.  

Salamanca is a university town, housing the oldest university in Spain.  We headed to a bar in the plaza mayor.  I love the plazas in Spain.  They are filled with so much energy.  

Everyone drank, ate tapas, and danced. Two of their friends showed up and announced they were expecting a baby.  This only fueled the excitement and joy. 

We woke up the next day and prepared for the wedding.  The family had lunch at the hotel before going to get ready.  The bride and groom were there, relaxed, not the least bit stressed for the upcoming night.  I had a wonderful flan for dessert. 

The wedding was at the bride's family farm.  It was beautiful!  They had a tent set up on the property.  Everyone greeted each other with kisses; families catching up after time apart.  Without much fanfare, the bride and her father approached the tent.  Casually they walked in and went to meet the groom and his parents at the front.  A ten minute ceremony took place, they exchanged rings, kissed one another, and that was the end.  

Following the ceremony, the guests walked up the street to the bull fighting ring.  The father of the bride, a former bull fighter led the way.  They invited any and all guest who wanted to try.  For safety purposes, these were calves, but they did have horns.  The crowd cheered on the brave men, boys, and women willing to give it a go.  I sat on the sidelines and watched.  I had been wanting to see a bull fight and now I had.  

 We went back down to the tent for a tapas style dinner. 

All of Mercedes' cousins were together for the first time. 

We danced and danced and danced some more.  The D.J didn't arrive until 12 and the party lasted until 6 am.  . 

The Saulsbury Family who so graciously included me in their family visit. 

Today we spent recuperating.  We had lunch and dinner at the bride's family farm.  It was very relaxed.  Her father showed us pictures of his bull fighting days and the first bull he ever killed, mounted in their entry.  He also let us try on his old matador jacket.  Super cool moment. 

We head to southern France tomorrow.  This is the last leg of our trip, Paris being the grand finale. What an awesome time we have had in Spain.  

Andalucia

We left Madrid and headed south to the hills of Andalucia.  It was here that we saw Alfonso and Vera, he a poet and she, a former concert pianist; both were so full of life.  The enchanting couple live in a beautiful hacienda in Banos de la Encina.  Long time friends of Mercedes' parents, they graciously opened their home to us.  We spent the afternoon by the pool, which was so refreshing and the best way to bear the sweltering days. We had lunch around four; complete with cheese, bread, sausages, chips, pâté, mussels, shrimp, and the most delicious chorizo.  Lunch was followed by drinks for some and siestas for others.  I took my siesta in a lounge chair by the pool.  The afternoon breeze had set in making my nap most enjoyable.  Before dinner, we went for a walk around the local village.  Atop a hill sits a castle, one of the two oldest in Europe.  It is from this beautiful castle that you can see the hills of Andalucia. This region, known for its olives and olive oil, is covered in olive groves as far as the eye can see. 

The Hacienda

Drinks

Walk/Castle Tour

Olive Trees 

Thursday morning, after coffee and pastries, we headed to the gypsy market in Jaen.  Later, we headed to Granada, further south.  We visited the ancient, Arab ruins of Alhambra.  The city of Granada is breathtaking, with beautiful white haciendas covering most of the ancient area.  The newer part of the city is filled with high-end shopping and eateries.  

Food stop en route to Granada

Spices at Market

Alhambra

We found our way back to Alfonso and Vera's for the night. We arrived in Salamanca today for the wedding weekend.   

Me Encanta Madrid

I see you Barcelona and I raise you Madrid. I am so sad to be leaving this beautiful, historic city.  Mercedes and I arrived via the Ave train, part of the Euro rail, yesterday around 3:30.  We took a taxi to Mercedes' aunt's house.  Carmina, her aunt, greeted us with hugs, kisses, and gazpacho.  We took a bit of time to freshen up and then went out exploring the city with our personal tour guide, Carmina.  We headed to the historic area of Madrid, stopping first at the Plaza Mayor. 

The plaza was so alive with people, many sitting at cafes enjoying the evening.  Madrid is so wonderful, not even the sun wants to leave it, refusing to set until 10:30 each evening.  

My favorite place we went was the mercado, the marketplace.  

People walk through the mercado, picking up whatever looks appealing to eat.  Wine, cocktails, and beer are also available.  Olives, cheeses, oysters, empanadas, tortillas, sweet treats, and a variety of other foods lay in glass cases, each look more delicious than the previous.  The people pick up what they want and stand eating and socializing.  If I lived in Madrid, I would come here often.  

After having a beer and empanadas at el mercado, we continued our tour of the historic area.  We saw the palace, the churches, the statues; even the lanterns put in the city by Queen Isabella.  

Before heading home, Carmina took us for her favorite treat, a small beer and calamari sandwich.  

After two nights in the city that doesn't sleep, I was very relieved to find Carmina had turned back the beds and opened her lovely home to us.  I got a great night sleep! 

We woke up rested and ate fruit for breakfast.  The cherries are in season and so delicious.  We met the rest of Mercedes' family at a local cafe for coffee.  I have done well to interpret what people are saying and working hard to communicate; it helps being immersed in the city and with her family.  We did some shopping and had drinks and tapas with her family in the afternoon.  Tapas in Spain are very different than tapas in America.  True tapas come with cocktails, free.  

Now, we sleep, for tomorrow, we head to a town in the spanish countryside to visit a friend of Mercedes' parents.  Goodbye Madrid, I will be back. 

Segundo Dia en Barcelona

Barcelona- the city that doesn't sleep.  For a girl that loves her solid 8 hrs, this was quite the adjustment. We woke up at around 8 and made our way to the local cafe.  The streets were deserted.  We had cappuccinos on the mediterranean, watching, as the city began its slow, leisurely start to the day.  No one was rushing about; coffees, here, are to be sipped slowly and savored. Minute by minute, the city came back to life, the nights previous excitement behind it.  

The mediterranean is beautiful, the water clear and cool.  We took some time to sun on the beach. Being a hotspot for locals and tourist alike, the beach was crowded with people, all speaking a different language.  

We had lunch at a local cafe near the beach.  They presented us with bread and olives to munch on while waiting to order.  The sangria was the best we have had thus far.  We had a tomato based salad and croquettas.  The mussels and paella being eaten at a nearby table looked amazing.  

Later we headed out to explore and enjoy our last night.  It was San Juan Day in Barcelona, and the Spanish never miss an opportunity to celebrate.  Live music, fireworks, dancing...what an evening.  We ventured over to La Rambla, the most famous street in the city.  This was a lively scene.  I bought some artwork; Mercedes purchased some local bracelets.  This area is filled with culture, history, and life! Although we went to bed around 1, in an effort to be rested for our train to Madrid this morning, the fireworks and celebration outside the apartment didn't cease until 6:30 am.  We are tired, but looking forward to meeting up with Mercedes' aunt this afternoon. 

Next stop Madrid.