Adams Visit, Spain's win and Family Time

Spain won! Viva España! Before I update you on the happenings of the past few days, a few would be offended if I first didn't mention this moment in History. We went to Shabir's to watch the game and he was decked out in a Spanish jersey, red pants and had Spanish Flags all around the outside of his house. There were about 10 of us there and it was actually a lot of fun. However, nerve-wracking as well. I don't know the sports terminology and I don't care either but watching Spain make 11 or so (almost goals) was enough to give me the shakes let alone a die-hard futból fan. Here is an exerpt from an article that I quite liked.

"Spain played very well during whole tournament and they were technically excellent," Germany coach Joachim Loew said. "They fully deserve victory.

"Spain played better, we couldn't match their level. We did not play at our best. We will analyze over the next couple of days what went wrong and work on that for the near future. Overall, the team had a great result considering the other contenders, like Italy, France or the Netherlands."

The Germans dominated the opening minutes but did not really test goalkeeper Iker Casillas. The Germans also looked close to scoring early in the second half but Spain used a long-lasting substitution to settle down and created chance after chance against an overmatched German team.

"We controlled the game for 15 minutes, but had no answer after Spain found to its rhythm," Loew said."

It was a lot of fun at Shabir's, hearing the car's honk from the city center, seeing fireworks falling over Lloret and Blanes like confetti.

Picking up from my last post, Adam arrived safe-and tired. The first two days he was in Barcelona the entire day. He is very resourceful and I learned not to worry about him being lost in a big city. One night we took him to La Campana, a must if you're visiting Joan and I in Lloret. The second night I made a home cooked meal and Jordi joined us for dinner also. We showed him around Lloret and took him to my new favorite place, a small cove, hidden from tourists where there isn't much sand but flat rocks that make up the shore. It is absolutely gorgeous. Unfortunately I forgot my camera but Joan, Jordi and I plan to go back (ALL DAY) next Sunday.

Yesterday, Joan and I, along with his family went to this very posh restaurant, Mas Romeu in Lloret. (Posh for Lloret, I guess). It was beautiful. We ate outside under a canopy of trees that shielded us from the heat of the sun. A cool breeze was constant and carried the scents of paella and vino. His grandparents joined us, as well as his Aunt and Uncle.

It was a full circle moment when I thought of meeting these same people in December and being so scared; to it being June and sitting with these same people and feeling like family.

Adam left this afternoon so now it is just me again in the flat. I am in the process of getting it back to normal. My Monday cleaning routine, making lunch and after running some errands and taking a break to go for a swim in the pool.

This morning I had my last Spanish class (until August) with Clara. We just talked the whole time. I really will miss having class with her but I am excited to impress her when I see her August 1st! My Spanish will have improved a lot.

I suppose that is all going on here. Hope all is well where you are.

Visitors

Joan's friend Adam is supposed to be here in Lloret by now. He flew in from Hungary this afternoon. I got a text from him this morning telling me he missed his flight but would be in Barcelona by 1:20 this afternoon. Since Joan is in London today, Adam has to get to Lloret by train and bus. It is 4:21 and he should definetly be here or almost here. I just wish he would text me or call and let me know what is up so I know what I have to do.

Next month I have two friends visiting from Northwest and in August Nikki and Eryn will be here!
I pretty much have the itinerary planned for their trip, I want them to do and see as MANY things as possible! I remember how excited I was to be in Barcelona the first time.

July 5th is Joan's birthday. The plan for that is BBQ at Xevi's, although this time I'll be cooking a few things. After we are all going to "Castell Medevil" Europe's version of Medevil Times. The best part is that the show is in English and there is Flamenco dancing after! I'm sure it will be wonderful, I just have to come up with a stellar gift for Joan.

As for my birthda, I'm not sure what to do exactly because Xevi's birthday is on the 20th of August and we both wanted to do something on the 21st. A joint party? The same people will be at both right, so maybe that is a good idea? I'll have to work on it. Although it is my big "21st....we could possibly make it work.

I teach my last English class tomorrow. Jordi has his presentation in Scotland Sunday and then he will be busy with teaching and his summer plans. Joan enrolled me in an intensive Spanish class for July. 4 hours day, Monday through Friday for a month. There will be other people in it so I can at least make new friends. It's in Girona, very close to Joan's work so we can have lunch together. After a month of those classes, my Spanish should be muy muy bien! At least, I hope so. Sometimes I think I'm not cut out to learn a foreign language.

I'm gonna head out to the beach now. Adam can fend for himself I guess.

Adeu.

Update: Adam arrived at 5:30 outside my flat. His phone wasn't working so he couldn't call. (I didn't even think of that possibility) luckily we gave him our home address! He loves Lloret and I'm sure when he goes to Barcelona tomorrow, he'll love it there too!

My 100th Post

100 posts on blogger since I moved to Europe in December. It has been an amazing adventure so far and it feels as if it is just beginning. First off a thank you to my handful of readers who always have kind words to say. A thank you to the bloggers that have commented along the way, I never thought anyone else read this. Lastly, a thank you to Joan for making these experiences possible.

Before I tell you about the last couple of days, I want to say a few words about George Carlin,a man who went from social comic to cultural critic in his lifetime. I recently read his last interview he made just two weeks before he died. He said something that stopped my eyes from reading and slapped reality across my face. After telling a joke to his interviewer he said, "I have a long thing I'd like to write someday about language and the way we address each other."

George Carlin died of heart failure, unexpectedly. It is obvious he had many other things planned for his life, but just seeing the words in front of me makes it that more powerful. I'm sure two weeks ago I said I wanted to go on a trip or call a friend....but what if I didn't have that much time left to do all those things? It is a dark concept so I won't dwell on it, however it reminds me to live for today and not procrastinate because tomorrow isn't promised.

So, in other recent news I will tell you all about Sant Joan Day. Monday night, after Joan arrived from taking Starbuck back to Barcelona, we went to dinner at the restaurant Giorgio. There were 15 people at the table which made for a wonderful time. I sat next to Xevi and Albert and across from Joan and Xavi. We joked and laughed and talked the entire time and before I knew it the waiter was taking my pasta away as everyone else had finished and I had barely made a dent in mine! There was some excitement when the second course was served, a spider crawled across the table between Ana and Shabir. Someone knocked the spider off the table but just when everyone had forgotten about it, it appeared again on Ana's shoulder. That was cause for hysterics and Shabir gallantly swept him away. Finding a spider was suprising because Girogios is an upscale restaraunt but even those cannot keep out bugs entirely;especially when we were sitting at a table next to a plant and a window.

After dinner we went to the Irish Rover. I met Xevi's brother Pere and his girlfriend Rebekkah from Taiwan. She is a freelance translator now since she doesn't have her papers but she used to work for the U.N. Ana and I actually had good conversation, she is leaving in a month and the reality is hitting her that she will miss being in Spain quite a lot. Ana and Shabir will be in a long distance relationship, we shall see how it goes. I don't wish those on anyone.

Joan and I at the Rover

After the Irish Rover closed at 4, we walked to Tropics but that was very lame so we made our way to Disco Hollywood. We stayed there until 5:30 a.m.! I could not believe it. I hadn't drank much at all and neither had Joan so we were feeling good and surprisingly not tired when we went home.

The night of Sant Joan was the shortest of the year so at 5:30 it was already pretty light outside. We had to close the shutters so we could sleep! The next morning we woke up around 8:30 and lounged around until 1 when we went to the meatshop to pick up the food for the BBQ. We arrived at Xevi's around 2 and started grilling out.

This was where things went bad because someone ( I think Xevi's sister) bought wood for a fireplace. I don't know why she didn't buy coal....so when Joan placed the meat on the grill it burnt to a crisp. Luckily he had only cooked a few so there was still plenty left.

The day was a lot of fun. It was pretty surreal to be at Xevi's because I had heard so much about it and seen so many pictures of his pool etc that actually being there awas quite strange. It is a huge house, definetly made to host parties. Around 6:30 everyone left and Carlos and his girlfriend, along with Xavi came to see our flat. We introduced Carlos to facebook (he now has one) and he introduced us to an online game that I'm sure Joan will be addicted to.

Today (Wednesday) has been productive. I taught Jordi and after took the bus back to Lloret. What is normally a dull experience was an akward one when an Indian man sat next to me and told me "You are very beautiful, I like you."

I met Maribel at the meatshop and she told me we had a lunch date with this old man at his house. He is like family she said, someone they have known for ages. His house is in the city center, very close to the meatshop and is absolutely beautiful. Save for a flatscreen t.v and a computer from 1998, everything is antique. It has a victorian-esque look. An old victorola, antique birdcages and parasols hanging from the vautled ceilings designed with gorgeous crown molding. It is three stories tall and has a wonderful rooftop patio. The bedrooms are lovely as well. My favorite room was called The Suite and it was like out of a movie. Victorian furniture, a 1940s style phone and vanity. It had wooden stairs that led up to a loft with another bed and old photos of his family from the 1930s and 40s. Carlos (the older mans name) is a widower and lives alone. His daughter lives in Germany with her husband and children, but I was told she visits often. Maribel and I walked out into his garden and it is gorgeous also. It reminded me of something out of a book. It wasn't big but held many plants and fruit trees. Each morning Carlos hangs a few muffins out for the birds so every now and again you hear the faint sound of songs from among the trees.

Lunch was an array of fish. Sardines cooked two ways, Baccallo, and Rape. He made asparagus and fresh bread. We drank Catalan wine and listened to opera music. It was a wonderful experience.

Tomorrow Joan's friend Adam arrives from Hungary. He is here for four days. I must get his room ready and head out to the grocery store before Joan gets home.

Hope all is well in your corners of the world.