Viva Espana

Awesome, awesome trip. It only could have been more awesome if I didn't have to cradle my burgeoning belly while climbing uphill in Ronda. I think I did a good job of handling all of the activity that everyone else was enjoying, but I was exhausted!
We came to Spain to celebrate my mother-in-law's 70th birthday and it was spectacular. We spent the first seven days at Hacienda de San Rafael about 40 minutes south of Seville (www.haciendadesanrafael.com). We had our own private pool and dining area and ate most of our meals under the cover of blooming purple wisteria. Ava and Eli fell asleep on the two daybeds that were adjacent to the table and we would carry them to our rooms each night. They barely had to adjust when we came home because we often didn't eat before 10:30. From our hacienda we would do day trips to places like Ronda, Cadiz, Jerez-de-la-Frontera and Seville.
We went to a fair in Jerez that was amazing! Beautiful horses, lights, flamenco dresses... truly special. Happens only once a year.
I saw my first (and last) bullfight and chalked up the roaring crowd to just simply a major cultural difference. There was beauty in it on the one hand in the sense that the matadors moved like dancers, yes, but mostly it was cruel and barbaric because the bull never had a chance. I left and wandered around the outskirts of Seville with Amy after the first kill.
Moved up to Seville for a night so that we could experience that city before taking the train up to Madrid, which I adored. Spent a rainy day in a museum and when the sun came out we bus toured all over the city. Each neighborhood more beautiful than the next. I loved Madrid. Then again, I loved Milan. And I love New York. There is a lot of similarity between the three cities in terms of their crowded nature, and I felt very much at home there. I loved their parks and playgrounds and loved watching Ava have so much fun.
It's so easy to just stay at home and let life move at it's pace, but for me, it is so very important to change your scenery every now and then. I am so appreciative.