finally part 2

Well, I thought it was time to finish my blog on our trip to Spain before Christmas comes and we leave for Mexico.

Dad and I at Plaza España

Sevilla maravilla! The last blog left us in Sevilla. I am reminded of how Guadalajara, Mexico is called the most Mexican of all Mexican cities...in my mind Sevilla is like that. But then, I have much more to see, like maybe Barcelona.

I think the most thrilling of all the things we did on the whole trip was the Flamenco performance. It was more than I could have imagined it would be, wild gypsy music, flying polka dots, pounding feet, castanets and the fascinating hand movements!

Sitting with fellow tourists waiting for the show

It's all about polka dots! They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but in this case you would have to feel the music and the pounding, and well, just be there to appreciate the spectacle!

Gambas, or as we say, prawns, stuffed in an avocado. Dad and I enjoyed wandering, as best we could with me in a wheelchair, the narrow streets and relaxing with tapas (small portions of a variety of Spanish foods).

Gibralter Rocks!

The Rock of Gibralter
A special feature of our trip was pulling out our passports and crossing over into the British territory of Gibralter. We had an amazing tour guide who drove us up and down the rock, making us laugh and fascinating me with history... all in English.
We also enjoyed real British fish and chips!

Barbary Macaques aka Barbary apes are all over Gibralter

Dad found this outside of a pub!

Torremolino, on the Mediterrean Coast

Here I am by the pool in Torremolino...that is my casted foot in the foreground.

One of my aspirations of this trip was to swim in the Mediterrean Sea, sigh. The best I could do was escape solo in my wheelchair and amble down the side walk next to the beach. I developed some skill and strength and was able to climb some pretty impressive inclines when left to myself. Okay, there were a few times when I got stuck and needed help getting up curbs, but people were so friendly and helpful and sympathetic.

Policia patroling along the beach, it was amazing how good looking the Spanish men were!

My dad and I worked out a system of him offering to help when he thought I needed it, and I trying to do as much as I could. It was always a pleasure when out of the blue one of the people on the tour offered to help.

Vincent from Toronto helping me enjoy the Alhambra, the famous Moorish palace in Granada.

The Alhambra

The Alhambra, aka the red fortress is probably the most visited tourist site in Spain, and it is amazing.

The foundations were laid around 1240 and it was completed around 1350 or so by a Moorish sultan. It was later a palace of Ferdinand and Isabella when they drove the Moors out of Spain in 1492.

Unlike the Moorish built cathedral in Cordoba, there is no lollygagging around here. You make an appointment for a tour and you stay with that tour, because there are lots of people behind you....

The tour guide had to have a lot of patience with me as there were lots of steps and I had to keep getting in and out of the wheelchair, aided by crutches, and my many helpers had to drag my wheelchair up and down.

Moorish art and architecture is a breathtaking thing. Everywhere I looked I realized that my mouth was hanging open in amazement.

As we left Granada we drove through the city and I thought, I could spend a week here! Perhaps someday.

Our Last Supper

I had to take a picture of this plate. Little tiny clams, as many as you want, roasted red peppers, and olives. Oh, did Dad and I enjoy the olives!

And then they brought these little fried fish. I have watched the girls in Oaxaca eat them and said, "no way!" But then my dad said, "they're like french fries!" And I called for some mayonaise...that's how I eat french fries in Mexico. Those little fried fish were great, bones and all!

Our tour guide MariLuz, who worked so hard to make our trip enjoyable. She obtained the wheelchair and crutches, and demonstrated how to climb up into the bus, and get down. I don't know how we would have managed without her.

This was the group we traveled with at our last supper

Here is Jesus, who was quick to get my wheelchair out as soon as we stopped so I could get out and try not to slow people down.

It was a wonderful experience. My dad and I talk often and reminisce, we talk about tapas, and olives and Flamenco...

As you know that when we returned to the U.S.A. we had to return to Washington rather than continue on to Oaxaca. It was 3 weeks after my injury that I had surgery. The doctor said that it hadn't begun to heal, and that it probably never would have really healed. I would have lost my mobility if I had not had surgery.

I am now starting to walk, still with crutches, but I am bearing weight, and going to physical therapy. We have reservations to return to Oaxaca on December 31st!