Congratulations Evan! You gave an accurate and complete answer on the Visigoths! I'll post a bit of it so we're all up to speed once I can get it from J- it's bedtime here even though it's two in the afternoon back home!
We’re now near the Portuguese border surrounded by the mountain range called, Sierra de Aracena. When we landed in Malaga orange trees surrounded us. Near Granada and Orce, the almond tree reigned supreme. Olive trees stretched out as far as the eye could see from Priego de Cordoba through the Jaen Province. We saw 1,000 year old trunks and pondered olives littering a Roman villa archeology site wondering if they were offspring from ones the Romans may have eaten. (yes, that's Roman debris)
Guess what we woke up to this morning? Cork trees!
We drove in last night at dusk (more on the stream we had to ford and the passage so narrow that the car was scraped on all sides a different post!) so this morning it was nothing short of spectacular to wake up and see a completely different landscape yet again. Spanish oak, rolling hills and running streams are everywhere. There are so many hues of green it’s mind-boggling- especially after the arid landscapes we’ve seen off and on since we’ve arrived in Andalucia.
Our family loves 'Taca Taca' (that's what they call foosball in Chile!) and our new place, Molino Rio Alajar (we'll post more on this amazing property soon) is trembling with the shrieking going on!
There are donkeys, dogs, cats, the famous ‘black footed pigs’ and sheep dotting the countryside.
These distinct chimney tops are everywhere:
Gigi has had a spectacular virus that left her with high fevers and a crazy allergic reaction in Cordoba. We went back and spent a night there hoping to go to Mass at the Mezquita but it wasn’t to be. It’s no fun to be sick and less fun to do it while on the road. . .literally. Gigi is as stoic as stoic comes so she handled the 4 hour car ride as if nothing were askew; the one thing that is sure when you’re traveling is that illness and dirty laundry don’t ask permission to visit!
Here's a preview of the incredible architecture and design our Dutch hosts, Peter and Monica have created in a piece of paradise (there's that pesky laundry drying al fresco). The sound of the river rushing by is only silenced by the birds and the occasional chorus of finca dogs (there are 6 on the property and J is in heaven!):
We bought tickets to visit Marrakech in Morocco two weeks from now. We could not believe that a round-trip ticket between Seville and Marrakech was less than $100! We hadn’t had access to news so we found it ironic and tried to find it funny to discover what was happening in Egypt hours after that transaction took place. If anyone is keeping their eye on news please email us anything that might evolve in Morocco.
Our access to wifi has been super spotty (thanks for your patience!) but should be strong for the next two weeks at least. Rick and I have always wanted to visit Morocco and the kids were fanatical about working it into the trip. Thanks to all the friends who pushed for an African detour. Nani and Tata will stay on for an extra week in Seville being able to travel unencumbered by a ‘family in tow’!
We don't know where the road will lead us, but I guess that was true four weeks ago. . .
We’re on the hunt for a riad right now. First kid-friend to tell us what a riad is wins a souvenir from Morocco!
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