Vida España

Hi everyone - It´s so cool to hear from everyone while we are away....esp. about the girls!! Thanks for the b´day wishes, Steve says. That was nice to see!

The internet cafe we used before has a broken internet connection, so now we are in an expensive place, but I will try to be as detailed as possible.

We go for tapas tonight. We decided to eat outside on one of the cobblestone windy streets (incidentally, steps from where we are staying). We didn´t realize how centrally located it was until we opened the door and found tables and chairs set up for dinner!

There are people everywhere. The old town (where we are) reminds us very much of the old town in Brussels, Belgium around the Grand Place. We identified only 2 other Americans here so far - one was clandestinely taking photos with his phone of topless Spaniards on the beach. It is mostly Europeans here-Germans, French, Spanish and lots of British people.

We had lunch at an outdoor cafe. There is a big church in the square and there was a wedding going on. The bride looked like Cinderella. We always seem to run into weddings.

Anyway we had dinner at about 9:30PM last night as no self-respecting person goes out prior to 9 in the evening in Spain! After enjoying dinner and a pitcher of sangria, we wandered around the windy streets among throngs of European holidayers until after midnight, stores were finally beginning to close up.

In the main square we watched 2 street performers show us tango. I filmed them on my camera.

We have had lots of great ice cream here. It is different. It´s creamier and the flavors are very cool - I had naranja (orange) and Steve had papaya. I think we are going back for more soon : ) The cones are sweeter and flakier as well.

We also wandered on the beach at dusk (before dinner yesterday). It´s my favorite time to be on the beach.

There we were met by a bunch of black and orange cats-we always seem to find them.

This morning, we went to the beach and went parasailing. That was the coolest experience!!! We were on the boat with 3 Brits and 2 French girls. They harness you to the parachute and you get lifted off the back of the boat. It´s the closest thing to flying I have ever experienced. In fact a police helicopter motored by (far away of course). We go to the beach tomorrow on our way out of here to get the photos. Nothnig was allowed on the boat, not even shoes, so I couldn´t take pictures.

Here we are

The view was out of this world. We didn´t realize how big Nerja was until we got the aerial view. The sea has worn down the rock and a large cluster of whitewashed buildings sit on the rock overlooking the ocean. It´s just what you would imagine a Mediterranean city to look like.

I will have to buy a postcard to show you. They dunked our feet in the water and then lifted us up...that was fun!

So next we hung out in a little cove we found where it isn´t so busy and cooled ourselves off in the sea and warmed ourselves in the Mediterranean sun. You should see my tan lines. I have been mistaken as a Spaniard a couple times. Thanks for the olive skin, ancestors! hahahaaa.

The main beach where we left from to go parasailing was crowded but the people watching was interesting. They are all European and have much healthier attitudes about their bodies. There was an old overweight woman with a bikini on. You´d never see that at home. All the little children are naked. Men wear Speedos, etc. I feel it´s a much better atmosphere. Tons of people were playing paddleball on the shore...that must be popular here.

We came back to the room for a nap-seeing it is siesta and all and everything closes in the afternoon. We just had a bite to eat before and tonight we will have drinks and tapas and stroll around.

Tomorrow, we get breakfast, pack, pick up our pictures and hit the road. We bought a map today and we will be checking out some cool towns off the coast before rolling into Tarifa in the evening. We´ll check back in in Tarifa. Then we´re off to Morocco!

Thanks for keeping up. We love hearing about the girls!