European Adventure 2012 {Part Uno} - Spain and Gibraltar

This summer, as we visited family in Portugal, we rented a car and drove to the south of Spain and to Gibraltar for a very fun week of sightseeing and exploring... As a child, my family vacationed in coastal Spain every summer, so, in a way, it was a trip down memory lane for me! It's long overdue, but here are just some of the highlights of this wonderful adventure!

Ronda, Spain

Ronda is a very charming little town with a strong Roman influence nestled in the middle of Andalucia, which became our base camp for our daily adventures... 

Sevilla, Spain

Sevilla is the largest city in the Andalusian region of Spain, and one that I was very anxious to share with the family... The southern part of this country has a very strong moorish influence, which is still very visible in the architectural landscape.

Cathedral of Sevilla

Plaza de España

Mijas, Spain

Mijas is a very quaint white-washed village nestled in the hills of Malaga... It has passed hands from the Romans to the Visigoths to the Moors, and with its mostly car-free nature, still retains the charm of centuries past. The donkey ride was definitely an experience the kids will never forget!  

Churros! Yes, we went back for more...

Puerto Banus, Spain

If you want to see luxurious yatchs, expensive cars and even a movie star or two, this is the place to go... As a family, we vacationed here when I was a teenager, and I still remember it so well!

 

Paella!

Gibraltar, U.K.

When we lived in Morocco, we took the girls here on a weekend trip. We knew chances were they would not remember much...  It was wonderful to take them back 12 years later and create everlasting memories for them!

Gibraltar, 2000

Fish and chips, but of course!

Granada, Spain

Granada was our last stop in our Spanish adventure, and truly left an indelible mark in our hearts. The muslim influence in Granada is still very strong, so much that in some of the older areas of the city, you may feel like you are in Morocco... Visiting the Alhambra was truly the highlight of our stay. And while we were there, Spain became soccer world champions... Unfortunately, they had beat Portugal in the semi-finals, so I was a little too bitter to participate in the celebrations! 

(the kids got their names spelled in arabic)

Alhambra

 (Moorish Citadel and Palace)

 

In my next post I will share some of my favorite pictures from our Portugal stay...

Camas Antique Faire and Cottage

Thank you so much to those who emailed me worried about my long absence from the blog... A lot has been on my mind and unfortunately the blog took a second seat... My parents are getting a divorce after having been married for over 50 years (separated for a few...), my oldest daughter is a senior in high school this year and college plans are to be sorted, my middle daughter may be facing foot surgery, and I am looking for a full time job after being a stay-at-home mom for almost 18 years!

But, I still allow myself some time to play... Lisa and I headed on a gorgeous day to the Camas Antique Faire (which I have been a part of since the beginning, but did not participate in this year), a charming street show in downtown Camas, WA. 

We followed our visit to Camas with a stop at Cottage, a delightful store in Vancouver, owned by our friend Billie, who has an incredible eye for the most amazing treasures!! The curb appeal of this cottage is absolutely breathtaking!! Don't you want to move in right now?