Online...at last!

Hello! We have once again joined the modern world and are back to our virtual selves. This once a month blogging should be a thing of the past. The only problem is, where to start? We went on a day-trip to Girona (see above), we visited Roman ruins in Tarragona (see below), and then the whole town went absolutely crazy with festivals. It would take awhile to describe it in detail...

Maggie and I are now working as English teachers here in Barcelona. It's a bit hectic; having started new jobs, moved into a new flat, and otherwise changed our accustomed way of life. It seems, however, as though we will have enough free time to continue enjoying our new surroundings. Our studio apartment is small. Very small. I have put a "before" picture on this post, which shows what it looked like when we moved in. (Note that the bed is just behind the red couch, with walls immediately on either side.) We have since made a few modifications, but as we are still in the process of adding our own "touch," I am not allowed to show its current state. Stay tuned.

We live on the beach. Well, not right on it, as we haven't robbed a bank. But, we are only about a hundred meters from the water. We have two wee balconies from which you can see the beach, and our Sunday morning coffee can be enjoyed in a lovely cafe, the only downside being that you have to shake the sand out of your shoes after leaving. God bless them, they call these marvels "chiringuitos". If that's a mouthful, call it a beach bar.


The weather right now is more than anyone could ask for. Sunny days, light cloud cover, and cool nights with the windows open. When it rains, it comes down like in Arizona. They call these storms "chubascos" which I believe is the equivalent to "raining cats and dogs". Still, the ocean breeze is incredible, and when combined with the afternoon sun, our clothes dry in no time! There is a shop at the end of the next street that rents windsurfing equipment, I'm thinking about starting a new hobby.

Our neighborhood has its own market, as do most places here in Spain. It is currently undergoing a complete renovation, but will probably be done before the end of the year. It is only two blocks from our house and is located at the end of a bakery and winery-lined street. There are temporary stalls set up right now, and there are vendors selling fresh fish, cheeses, fruits, etc. Now that I have given some background, it should be said that we live in a pretty old area of town. The sidewalks aren't straight, the buildings are old, and you don't want to stand too close to a drainage grate in the street (stinky, except after the aforementioned rains). There are a bunch of older people living in the neighborhood which makes for a generally quiet evening (this is to be appreciated here, as some of you know!) It's not a perfect comparison, but it's probably a bit like a reitirement community in Florida that just happens to be next to a famous beach. That said, the surrounding area includes the medieval city and is filled with all types of people enjoying the area's history and natural beauty.

I guess that's enough for now. I hope to put up pictures from the Grácia and Mercé festivals on the next post. Some of the things that we saw were incredible!

Love,

James and Maggie