…………………………………………………                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Well, it’s been a few weeks since my last update. I had 19 days off for the Christmas break here in sunny Spain. I never thought Ide have that much time off ever.. not ever on my job unless it was illness or a leave of absence. But I do live here now, which sometimes I forget. I work for the Spanish school system of Valencia and I work 16 hours a week… but hey teaching 20 classes of kids under age 10, that 16 hours  is like 40, I’ll take that break, no need to ask me twice.

So the plan was travel followed by more travel for my break. My Amsterdam trip went out the window due to Covid shutting everything down so plan B was the north of Spain with a another teacher Angela who wanted to go there. But before that, I hopped a plane to Mallorca, an island in the Balearics. It cost a mere $40 round trip for my 45 min flight… wow…

I had a few issues at the beginning, like I forgot all my credit cards. How does one do that? I managed to remember my driver’s license and two debit cards and my AARP membership card.  What the?

I was now convinced Ide be unable to get the rental car with just a debit card. Great I’ll be stuck in the city and not see this island…And there was nothing I could do. I got off the plane and went to the car rental desk prepared for I’m sorry miss, you can’t have a car today cause you’re an idiot.

I played dumb thinking maybe she won’t notice, I handed her my debit as if it was a regular credit card and tried to make small talk to distract her. No issues!!! Then she said I was getting an all-electric car. What? I’ve never driven one and don’t know how to charge them I said. She said well there is an app….to find charging stations…But if your not somewhere where you can charge it several hours at a time then you might want a gas car. Or what? Hope for solar on the hood?

Hell yes I thought I want a gas car. I already forgot my credit cards I don’t want to run out of power too. So for $15 a day extra I was handed a gas car. Was I just scammed to pay more? I don’t know but I still feared shed figure out I had a debit not a real credit card any second so I just wanted out of there in a hurry, so I just signed and grabbed the keys. See ya! The sooner I get in the car the less chance she will be able to stop me.

I hopped in the Audi she gave me (wow) and took off to find food on a beach somewhere before going to La Palma city for the night. I was already nervous about driving as I don’t know the Spanish laws of the roads but thought since its Christmas in 2 days there won’t be traffic. A good time to learn.

So off I went driving northeast to the coast. The roads were smooth clean and no traffic. It was like the countryside with old stone buildings and farmlands. Hmm it didn’t seem to be an island at all. The roads got a little narrower and windey as I got closer to the ocean. Suddenly I arrived in a small coastal town that was deserted. One high rise hotel was boarded up. A few restaurants were closed. I saw a few people meandering walking their dogs. I was starving and had to pee.

Then the ocean appeared as I made a right turn, but it was flat with craggy rocks. It was overcast, and not particularly beautiful. I thought where is the blue Mediterranean? It was nowhere. I was disappointed. I began to drive back wondering if I could pee behind a tree somewhere as I’m about to be in trouble. Suddenly I saw a little café open with some cars in front. It must have been the only place open for miles. I pull in, there are two people sitting at a table. The bartender and an older lady making coffee behind the counter. I ask for coffee con leche and the bathroom. In German or English?, the kind eyed bartender says smiling to me. What? I’m thinking. As if my blond hair and jeans don’t look American enough.

I sit glad for warm coffee, dry pants and an empty bladder. Then in walk a few folks who sit at the few tables available. Then another man; older, tall. Who is talking in German to the bartender, and they are taking photos together. Then the bartender says to me and the others in the café coffee or a drink? Anyone? Gratis. Um what? I say. He won the lottery he announced pointing to the older German man. The “El Gordo” the famous lottery from Christmas here in Spain that only has 100,000 tickets and he won one of them! Yes, he says. I say yes I’ll take a beer and congrats! He asks to sit with me, his name is Alec from Germany.

 We talk a little as his English level is very low, but he is retired and apparently Germans are everywhere there in Mallorca as retirees I discovered. He bikes every day around the island with another retired man… what a cool thing to meet someone like this I thought. What were the chances in this tiny town? How much did he win you might ask? I don’t know but he won as part of a pool he said.  He chose his birthday 10/28/48 is all he said to me. He gave me some suggestions on where to go on my holiday on the island. No I haven’t looked up his winning numbers as much as I wanted to. Instead, I congratulated him and he went on is way and I went on to La Palma to my hotel. That was pretty cool for my first stop in Mellorca in my rental with a debit card.

Which by the way driving in La Palma was a nightmare. La Palma is a big city with no parking. I had to circle no less than 17 times up and down skinny streets with cars parked half on and half off every sidewalk on both sides of every street just to find a space to check into my hotel. I called the hotel in exacerbation at no place to park and they said you must check in first then we will tell you where the garage is.

WTf? I wanted to say. I’ve been circling for an hour in this big Audi with no spots can’t you give me access then I’ll check in? no maam they said in broken Spanish…

I finally found a tiny spot after praying to the gods for a place. I followed a guy in front of me and parked half on the sidewalk and the street behind him by inches. If he parked on the sidewalk then I will too. And there was still no room for cars to pass down the street except by inches.. I got out, ran to the hotel 2 blocks away, checked in …got the garage directions, ran back to the car and low and behold someone had already scraped the bumper….I  was devastated, in 20 minutes  the car was hit and my AARP card won’t get me out of this.

I couldn’t win but I could drink. I drove to the garage under the hotel and discovered a tiny snake like entrance downward… I inched my way down and prayed not to hit the sides. I made it, parked and ran to the elevator to get to my room..

The hotel fortunately was beautiful; my room tasteful with lovely dark wood accents, a huge soft bed,  and a small bottle of champagne to welcome me.

Did I drink it? yes.

I stripped and took a real bath, and sipped my Payne to wash away the scrapes, the garages and the anxiety driving in a city with no parking….note to self: never book a hotel in a city and a rental car at the same time….and don’t forget your credit cards.

Well, the next day I drove all over Mellorca, I went to the mountainous side to a place called Valdemossa. A stone village built on a mountain. It was gorgeous, and high up. My ears popped getting to it…I loved that it was Christmas eve. No tourists. I wandered and took great photos with no tourists in my way. I then attempted to find the “Sa Calobra” a place to see magnificent views of the ocean and cliffs on the North west side of the island. But it was a long two-hour hair-raising narrow mountain road to get to. I only made it halfway. I admit I normally don’t chicken out on things but the narrower and higher the road got, the tighter my gut got. The cliffs loomed on either side with inches to pass any oncoming cars…. After about the 20^th elbow turn with cliffs on one side my gut gave out. I couldn’t go farther…. I found a tiny dirt road that veered off an elbow, and turned around….Then I found a gorgeous little fishing village an hour down the mountain where I had a lovely lunch of fried squid overlooking a beautiful blue vista.. I found what I wanted without dying on the elbow roads in the mountains. When all else fails turn around…. Or go left and you may find what you want and I did.. it was lovely. Someone once said to me when nothing goes right, go left. I did.

The next day was Christmas…I woke up in my warm comfy bed and had a wonderful breakfast with a mimosa at the hotel to start my day. I took a walk around the city and enjoyed the beautiful old town, and the port. The yachts lined up all lit up with Christmas lights was something to see. I had wonderful churros and melted chocolate under the Christmas lights of the square.

That evening I went to find dinner, and nothing was open. I found one bar overlooking the yachts that was open and an incredible view of the harbor, the yachts and the walled city lit up as the sun went down. I had some champagne to toast Christmas, chatted with the young bartender from the Netherlands and thanked God I had this moment. It made me think how life can be many crappy moments but there are many incredible ones too that are never duplicated and make life memorable. Here’s to me.

The next day I returned the car, hopped the plane and arrived back in Albatera on schedule. Just in time to leave the next day to my next location with Angela my coworker.

First in in the morning on the 27^th of December we took a train from here in little Albatera to Alicante, then another train to Madrid then another to the North of Spain.

Sitting on the train Angela says did you see the ticket? No,  I said, confident I’m with a native speaker and someone from Spain so for once I didn’t have to analyze and categorize and translate everything and watch the stops with petrified fear Ide miss my final destination.

 I assumed I could relax and let her tell me when we are to get on and off and on what train at what platform. But no, she had this panicked look on her face when she walked to my seat 2 rows behind her. What’s up I say, Que paso? Um “we have to take a train from another station in Madrid” not where we arrive.”

So, it’s kind of like finding out your connection is another airport not another terminal. Hmm a potential for disaster.  Looking at the ticket with her we had a three-hour layover in Madrid. No problem I say I know worst case scenario we take Uber. However, there is another train to get us there I’m assuming.  Don’t worry I say, we have time. Im thinking three hours is enough time to get to another station. I’ve traveled enough not to freak over that. But if it said an hour, ide be sweating.

She relaxes and we take a coffee from the cart the lady is pushing by. We arrive in Madrid and poor Angela who is not skilled on traveling light has chosen to bring a suitcase large enough to hide a body in for a 4-day trip. But I say nothing because she will learn once she has to lift it over her head. And I’m thinking your 20 years younger than me, you are gonna lift it my dear unless we find some nice strong Spaniard to help you or umm us lifting it…hint; Angela needs a boyfriend, lifting suitcases is always a good line.

The train announces Madrid, we get of the train and follow the hoards to the exit. We are in Atocha station, its pretty big… we get to the exit kiosk to scan our tickets to get out to get to other trains, and the man behind us, a tall slender man with a big backpack is trying to scan his ticket. He can’t get it to work and we do. He follows us a bit, and we all manage get through to automatic doors. We stop at a map that tell us what other trains to take to get to another station. Looking confused he also begins to look. In Spanish he and Angela begin to talk. His name is Javier. Turns out he was on the same train to Santiago Compostela as a pilgrim walking part of the famous “El Camino.” He is finishing his walk as he has done it in 5 parts and Santiago is the last section. Hence his backpack looked pretty stout.

We walked together and strike up a conversation. We find out the next commuter train and kill and hour. Nice guy works in a school somewhere South of Spain. We agree to have a bit to eat and then we get on our next train together.

He helps lift Angela’s bag on the train. Good boy. So we three talk off and on the three hours. He’s animated and excited about his trek to finish the El Camino. But won’t answer why he is finishing his pilgrimage. He says he will when he is done so I don’t pry. We arrive in Santiago Compostela together and its pouring rain, and cold but not too cold. Nothing like my iceberg of an apartment in Albatera. Turns out Santiago is the rainiest city in all of Spain.

 Javier chooses to get a bus to his hostel. We take a taxi to our hotel. We all meet later that night to try the famous seafood known in the region: Galician “pulpo” octopus and other fish delicacies. Seems the Galicia region is the home of many Michelin star restaurants for incredible local seafood. We had a grand time together eating at 10 pm just like every other Spaniard.  I enjoyed the octopus which was served sliced on a hot plate covered in paprika, actually swimming in it.  it was good but a bit strong for me…Javier ordered several other items for us, scallops on the shell, squid… etc

During our meal when the wine came out the three of us toasted to “adventures” then they tapped their glasses on the table, took a sip and laughed. OK I didn’t get it. Then Angela translated here’s to us NOT having sex tonight” um what? It’s a Spanish thing; toast and tap the table means your going to get a little later. Haha it was a joke they said but really it wasn’t.  But at least they let me in on it. Thanks I’ll be sure and keep my glass off the table on the next one I said.

They are direct here I must say, but we all laughed and knew nobody was getting anything but food that night. Although I figured somebody hoped otherwise.

Anyway, we said our goodbyes and wished Javier good luck on his walk. The next three days Angela and I ran around Compostela, a beautiful ancient city and felt the emotions of what it must be like standing in from the St James cathedral when the pilgrims come in from the French way or the Portugal way. There is always Gaelic music playing on the square so when they are close, they can here it…

It was surreal to wonder how it must be for many that walk from France or other countries and end up there after some 33 plus days….

Our 2^nd day we decided to rent a car. We wanted to see the end of the world Finisterre. We rented a car but I needed an automatic, so they gave me an SUV. A huge one. They must think give the biggest car to the Americans. OMG this country has no parking anywhere and I was told to park it in a garage at night near the train station when we returned it. I took out all the insurance on it convinced ide wreck the thing. Well, that night after sightseeing the coast, we got to the garage and sure enough it was so tight and S-curve getting in so narrow I had to inch the car in and what happened? A nice scrape to the side because it would not fit … great. another claim on my record. But at least this time I had my credit card and not the debit card to pay for it …

Anyway, we had a fantastic time hiking and seeing the coast, one town we saw was known for these little houses on stilts everywhere called “orioles” no not the cookie. They were for storing food above to keep out the humidity and the rats. Now they are tourist attractions, cool miniature houses on stilts about the size of a small living room everywhere along part of he coast. So cool. We saw waterfalls, ocean vistas, cliffs and fabulous sunsets. The North of Spain is different, its rainier yes but its greener, has cliffs and fantastic seafood. I’m wondering if I should choose it as a place for next years school location. My renewal is coming soon. I have to choose to stay in this region or take a chance and hope for another….so many places. I ruled out Mallorca, I found it nice but too big and not like an island. I ruled out Valencia city as it was beautiful but expensive and touristy. On our way back on the train I knew Jorge my boyfriend would be waiting for me. He is moving to Spain now. We already decided to take a road trip and see more cities on the southern and eastern part of Spain. (Javea,(the most beautiful ever),  Altea. Calpe, Castellon etc…) I need to rule out any place I don’t want for my next placement….but I’ll continue on another post as this one is long enough already….

The rest requires a moment to continue…

Here’s to traveling on holidays when most people don’t….and pictures with no tourists in the background…

Somewhere ins Spain…