Espania

Our good friends Frank, Natasja, Eva, and Rosie invited us for a short New Year's holiday in Spain to help break up the long, dark winter here in Holland.

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From the uncrowded beaches of Oliva....

...to the concrete jungle of Benidorm, we had nothing but warm sunny days of relaxation.

One day on the way to the beach near Denia to walk Rosie, we stopped at this colorful roadside fruit stand run by the local Gypsie clan. We were all a bit afraid to get out of the car and take a photo without buying anything, but Frank stayed behind the wheel in case we needed a quick escape while Natasja and I jumped out for the photo's. We all came away unscathed and apparently uncursed...we'll have to wait a while to be sure.

Enjoying the Balcon del Mediterraneo in Benidorm. Sunset, sepia, and wine...does it get any better?

Busy shopping street in the old quarter of Benidorm.

Beth and I also spent a day in Valencia. It is Spain's third largest city and has a great combination of old and new architecture. The oranges were ripe...and delicious!

The main square of old Valencia.

Exploring one of the many shops around the central market in Valencia. I didn't realize until we got home that I didn't get any pictures of the market itself which is a real shame because the covered markets of Spanish cities are some of our favorites to explore. They carry just about any sort of fresh produce that you can imagine, from whole pig's heads to fresh truffels. A truly unique experience!



Modern Valencia was also very cool. They have diverted the main river that used to run through the city and use the old river bed as a massive green belt park. It is awsome! They are building a whole series of new museums, aquariums, concert halls, and entertainment venues on the edges of the park. It gives the city a perfect blend of old and new.



We thought that Katie and Jody would enjoy this picture. It's a giant playground in the middle of the park. We were very tempted to go down and test out some of the slides for ourselves, but there was a park attendant to keep the skateboarders out and we weren't sure how well two old-fart American tourists would be accepted playing amongst the Spanish children.


No post seems complete without a look at the local dog culture. In Spain, it's not so good. I won't comment on the way the Spanish treat animals (I guess I just did), but this guy seemed to be enjoying his time out on the terrace near the beach at Valencia.

A quiet pennisula near Cullera...

...where we enjoyed another quiet sunset.


Wishing everyone the best in 2007! Stay in front of each and every day. Keep it fun and never forget that with life, there is no free trial!


Cheers - Dan and Beth