Our apartment is wonderful. New with 2 bedrooms with en-suites, terrace over the front street and one in the back for the sun. It has all the mod cons and will be wonderful for the next 2 weeks. Just a 5 min walk to the beach and many lovely bars, restaurants and even a gym in 2 blocks for my fitness obsessed husband. Can you believe that there is even a public jumping castle with princesses on it about 3 blocks down? By the time we wandered down last night at about 9.30 after dropping the car, it was closed much to the girls disgust. The girls are trying to get us out this morning and will go see soon. Weather is overcast and about 24 degrees so pleasant enough. Walked the beautiful 20 mins along La Concha (the big beach bay walk) from our beach at Ondarreta to the city centre. Had a few complaints about how long it was taking from Mikaela who would rather stay in our new apartment and play ‘doggie’s birthday party” with Sienna. She’s such a homebody. They close off the door to their “west wing” turn off all the lights and play “witches of terror” with the torch and make invitations to their dog’s party and pass the parcels. They would play forever except coming out to try and scab sweet food “for the party” from Mum and Dad.
Anyway walking along we notice heaps and heaps of tv crews and cameras, journalists etc and when we get to where we’re going which is the Aquarium in the port, there are hundreds of people looking to the sea. We worked out it is the national competition of rowing long boats with about 10 teams and about 10 rowers on each boat. The crowd loved it and was very passionate all wearing team colours etc. Anyway, this Sunday is the semi-final and Sunday after the grand final so will be lots of atmosphere in town. I must say that the quality of rower, in their extra tight white t-shirts was very fine (aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh girls, you’d die!) so there are nice sights to see here at the moment.
Anyway, had fun at the aquarium and had to search to see as many red sea urchins as possible as the girls are obsessed with them at the moment. They have the Surf’s Up movie and the penguin gets poisoned by one. Went to old town to have drinks and nibbles in the big square. Delicious olives on a stick with little marinated fish (taste like roll mops), tuna with chopped salsa and olives and calamari for the girls. They have asked a few times how to say “can I play with you” in Spanish but I haven’t found out yet. So many children were playing in the square so I told Sienna to just go up with a smile and offer a chip so she did with Miki trailing. They approached some bigger girls who were doing running races and thankfully they accepted them immediately and our girls joined in with about 6 other girls. They had an absolute ball playing pram racing and having rides and races. Sienna was almost delirious when we grabbed them to take home at 9pm as she’s not sleeping enough again. But they loved it. the walk home was full of complaints but a lollypop stopped all that and they happily skipped the 30 mins back. We have to do what we have to do!
Day 2
I could say another day in sunny Spain, but it’s cloudy most of the day. This doesn’t worry us as the temp is 24 degrees and it’s so easy to get around in comfort. I got up at 8.15 and did the 5 kilometre walk around the bay to the port and back and then to the supermarket for stocks. The lazy 3 were just awaking as I got back at 10. (the next day they slept til 11.30! this is getting ridiculous. I don’t want the girls to keep this habit of asleep at 11.30 at night and late in the morning. They seem to love it this way). Brendan went for a 6km run after me so we have a roster/schedule happening now every day. We decide to go the beach today as it’s meant to have more chance of rain over the weekend. It was bather weather down there and pleasant though only with a few sunny breaks. The girls happily played with their toys on the beach and we built them “princess sand castles to live in etc.” We had a picnic there and noticed a huge playground in the sand – another one! Needless to say we spent another hour watching them climbing and trying to make friends with the locals. We are laying low and casual with our schedule in the mornings and walks to explore in the afternoon. We walked with the girls all the way round to the port for dinner and sat by the boats and water in an outdoor pescador (fish) restaurant. Sooooo divine. Calamari, clams in the most delicious sauce (these are Sienna’s new favourite so we other plebs only got a couple each), and grilled red mullet with funny little baked potatoes and the staple pan (bread). I’m sick of this bloom’n bread. White baguette style and airy fairy! I have found decent bread for our apartment at the bakery thank goodness. Everything’s more expensive here than in Bilbao for instance and everyone looks richer, is more fit and slimmer etc. It’s sooo beautiful at night too so we walked the whole way home with promise of an icecream. It’s amazing how well this works. They joyously skipped their tired little leggies all the way round the promenade in glee and jumped up and down in front of the icrecream shop ahead of us coming on down the street after them. The people inside didn’t know what they were doing. This was 10pm by then.
The local fruit shops are weird with ladys in white coats serving each person in a line one by one. They don’t let you touch anything and put what you want into bags. It’s annoying as you just want to poke and prod and you always have to wait for a while. The girls love this shop tho as the lady gave them 2 red heart shaped lollypops yesterday. There is no end to the treats available. I asked them if they miss home and want to go back but it was a dramatic NO WAY so they are happy.
We will look at hiring bikes with seats on the back as the bike tracks here are fantastic and I’m sure it’d would be fun for the girls too.
ANOTHER DAY
I can say sunny Spain now! It’s a beautiful sunny day and we’re off to the beach. We figured we should be at the beach near the sand playground too so the kids have the world at their doorstep! The beach is full of blue and white poles which have chairs chained to them and you can order a spot and then an umbrella, flat tent overhead or little tent house. I talked B into a tent house as they were right next to playground and I knew the kids would love it. He wasn’t impressed at the $30 cost but hey for the day that’s an OK sightseeing cost for the comfort. We had a wonderful day and were there from 12.30 – 7.30pm. The girls made heaps of Spanish friends and had them working for them all over the playground, pushing, picking up etc etc. They can be quite demanding and I had to have a word – the rest of the population is not at their beck and call! We had swims in the waves lifting the girls up as they screamed in delight. I power walked back to the apartment for lunch supplies and afternoon drinkies/nibbles and we read, B slept and played all day. I can’t wait to do it again. Great people watching too. All the women here are slim, well dressed (though a bit “shiny”) and very tanned and older than they look I’m sure. Even the grannies are slim and tanning themselves in their fashionable one-pieces. We feel a bit white and conspicuous – but since when did that stop us. We cooked dinner in, for the first time and ate on our balcony which was probably just as enjoyable as eating out – eating out gets to be a bit “same old” after a while. How bloom’n spoilt are we! We’ve been having a bit more tapas as it’s cheaper than a la carte. Am loving the stuffed pimientos with bacalo (minced cod). And the girls eat heaps of the fish fillet on slice of baguette. Found a shop that sells English books and bought a couple. I’ve just finished a great book called Tweak by Nic Sheff and was panicing that I didn’t have another. I’m loving reading so much – just shows you, you don’t need TV after all. Mind you, we watched Australian story on the computer as I hate missing that. Isn’t technology wonderful? B has gone for a long walk to the book shop today as he’s been reading “Harvard Business Magazine” for the last 3 weeks. Don’t know how he does it. We know we have to do some forward planning on our trip as we have some spots with nothing booked so will get round to it. We are being very lazy and laid back, but not lazy in the fact that we’re walking and swimming and jogging etc. Just lazy with our sightseeing. We have a lovely boring routine here and are enjoying that.
Another day at the beach today. 34 degrees and not a cloud in the sky – divine. Sooo many boobs at the beach of all shapes and sizes. Even old ladies have them out. I think it’s great that they seem to have no body issues and are comfortable in their skin. Needless to say, my top is always on! B is extra excited as we’re out tonight to go and eat at a Spanish Chinese restaurant! That should be a whole new story. xxxx
