12 Days in Spain

I am in love.

In love with Spain that is.



 I wasn't sure if I would ever find a place I loved as much as I loved France but I did. I love to travel, but more than that I love to observe. I want to experience a place heart deep. This means that I feel the essence of the place embedded in my heart, I see it with my heart. These are special places for me, they are the places that you go and KNOW that you have to go back. You just have to. There are some places of the world that I have visited and thought, Oh, well, yeah that is nice. I came, I went, I saw but if I never go back.......eh?  Honolulu for instance is one of those places. Spain, bewitched me and just like France I can't wait until I have an opportunity to go back. I will count myself so lucky that I even had the chance to go once, for the lessons of humanity I learned. Travel is my passion, it is the only safe adventure in my opinion. Traveling the world is a gift. 
In order to make it into my TOP places to visit there have to be a few elements and they are: delicious food, kind people, natural beauty, awe invoking places to see, culture whether it be the culture of the people or art, music, dance..culture is muy importante to me. Spain had all of these qualities and I think I was even luckier than your average traveler because I was able to be immersed in REAL SPANISH life. I met my friend SPANISH SASSAFRAS there and stayed with her at her beach house.  I had several days where I enjoyed her neighbors and friends, relaxed during siesta time and had long, lazy afternoons at the beach. She was my personal tour guide and I realized what a blessing it was to have her as a friend in my life. 
People are like the places I visit. Some people come into your life and you feel....I came, I went, I saw....eh. Then there are other people, the true friends you have that you love and they love you and you love spending time with them. They are the jewels of this experience we call life. These true friends are the ones you show your "bruises" too, you can let your guard down because you know they won't hurt you. The ones that know the real you, the good the bad and the ugly and love you anyway. Spanish Sassafras is one of these friends. 

A little about Spanish Sassafras.

She was born in Spain. She was raised by her wonderful Mother Loli in the mission home in Seville. There she had a wonderful childhood filled with friends, good schools, and exemplary priesthood holders who were excellent examples to her. She had a childhood cradled in security and love, until her last year in high school the mission home was moved far away from Seville. One of the mission presidents called Loli and invited her to come to Arizona where Spanish Sassafras could go to school and she could figure out what she wanted to do next. Loli is an example to me of a woman who is strong, hardworking but most of all a woman who has stronger faith than anyone I know. She is a woman who had many opportunities to fear and could have buckled but SHE NEVER DID. She is a modern day pioneer, one that many of us single Mom's could learn from. I can see clearly why Spanish Sassafras is who she is, a woman of strength, hard working, and loyal. She learned those traits from Loli. While in Arizona, Spanish Sasafras who I am going to shorten to SS because that is a long name to type. Anyway..SS finished high school and went on to college to earn her Bachelors Degree. She served a full time mission, met her husband and they were married. They had three darling toe headed little girls. Unfortunately, SS life took an unexpected turn and now is raising her three beautiful daughters as a single Mom. 

I had talked to SS about the horrific two weeks I had to endure in the summer without my children and she said, Come to Spain. So. I did. It was one of the best decisions I have made since my divorce when it comes to self care. Self Care is important for EVERYONE. In fact I was so exhausted from 1. Jet Lag 2. Having the children for 3 weeks in a row, right after the last day of school. I basically didn't have a chance to breathe in between the end of school and full time Mommy hood. (Which you know I love, but lets all agree we know IT'S EXHAUSTING!) 

I will be writing about Spain in segments

Today: Why I chose Spain...or maybe why Spain chose me

These topics may not be written in order. I never know what I am going to write when I do. What I DO know is I would like to cover these topics. They will be intermixed with other happenings here. I can't stand it when people blog about their trips for weeks in a row. I lose interest, so that is the plan. 

• What to pack for a 12 day trip to Europe
• What are the logistics of traveling alone as a single woman, is it safe?
• Places I visited
• Meeting up with friends
• Misbehaving in the cathedral...British Admirer's..or wait maybe I mean FRENCH
• The Madrid Temple Experience
• Observations 
• What kinds of things do I buy to take home, good purchases vs. not so good purchases
• Spain land of a thousand musicals