Counting my blessings in 2008 ....

Last weekend, a friend invited me and a few others to join her for a very special Christmas Toy giveaway project that she put together. Through donations she collected more than 800 toys and she wanted volunteers to help distribute the toys to children in one of the needier neighborhoods. Well, how could I resist. I was happy to help!

There were in total 12 cars, decorated with Holiday trimmings and filled with toys lined up in a caravan. As we drove up the sirens sounded and an announcement inviting the children to come out and receive a toy was made. Within seconds, droves of smiling children ran out towards us. Now, we weren’t giving out game boys or ipods or any of those expensive toys that some kids get but each child we saw was so wide-eyed and happy to receive their toy! Mothers came out with their babies and when I gave them little stuffed animals they had the biggest smiles! Its funny that my friend and I were constantly the last ones ready to leave because we wanted to find just the right toy for each child and then when we were ready to leave we'd see another kid running up and we just couldn't leave. This was such an awesome experience for me and I can't wait to volunteer again next year.


As I look back on 2008, I feel very lucky on so many levels. First, I feel so fortunate and blessed to be able to afford the things that I have and to be able to travel to places around the world (which not many people are able to do). I am thankful for my health and for the health of my family and friends. I am especially thankful to have some really cool people in my life. My sister and her family, our extended aunts, uncles, cousins, my wonderful co-workers and my good friends.

This past year I have been really lucky to have met a group of very special travelers and bloggers whom I have come to call friends! AnnieNC, Maria, Girasoli, Sandra Leslie, Anne, Marta . . . ! I learn so much from them. For example, I was introduced to my first foreign movies, I learned about art appreciation, about the passion of watching a live Flamenco Dance and some of the fine delicacies of Andalusian Cuisine in preparation for my first trip to Spain. I learned about some interesting new places in Italy I want to visit and I also learned how to appreciate some familiar places like Venice and Florence. I learned about music, history, digital scrapbooking and photography. I learned how to keep the faith and have hope for change (Yay, Team Obama!) and finally I learned how to be a better person.

So as I stood there with droves of smiling children I am so humbled over what I think is the true spirit of the holidays . . . . giving thanks, sharing my good fortune with others and counting my blessings for my health and all the meaningful relationships in my life which are far more important than pocessions...well, maybe with the exeption of my iPod and music! Just kidding. :)

I want to wish everyone good health, happiness and lots of great traveling in 2009! I'll be toasting the New Year in with my sister and her family. I just better not do it while standing on the slopes of Big Bear lake! :)

Happy Holidays and Have a Wonderful & Safe New Year . . .

I really love this time of year when things are festive, families are getting together and oh yeah the gifts and presents and food and drink (but not while driving though). It's so much fun!


Happy Holidays Everyone! And have a wonderful and safe New Year! Hope Santa brings me one of the things on my wish list "under the tree"! If it's too much to ask for (which it is), then I'd be very happy with Italy and a kitten! :)

Madrid, Spain - Almudena Fiesta ...Back into the Swing again!

Wow, my transition back to the real world has been fast and hectic. Sort of like the energetic shoe tapping of the wonderful Flamenco dancers that I saw perform in Seville! :) It's kind a great to be back home again! I’m finally done unpacking, doing all of my household chores (well most of them at least)and so I'm starting to chill and pour over all the photos that I took during my trip. Wow, I took a lot!

Feeling quite festive these days with the holidays and my sis and her family visiting me in a couple of weeks (Whoo hoo!), I started to remember my experience at the Almudena Fiesta in Madrid and how much I really enjoyed that experience. I blogged about it before and during my trip.

It was so cool that I was able to take part in this annual tradition and celebration! The colors were so amazing. After the fiesta they even had some live entertainment in Plaza Mayor into the evening hours which was also fun. Here are a few photos that I took of the Almudena Fiesta in Madrid.



Hope everyone is having a great pre-holiday time!

Muchas Gracias España: My initial Post-Trip Thoughts

I'm back after 3 awesome weeks in Spain and I just wanted to say thank you again to all of you for reading my blog and coming along with me on my Spanish adventure.

First, I wanted to say that I also enjoyed my visit to Malaga (my fly out city). Initially, my impression went something like . . . wow there's a lot of buildings, etc. But then after settling down in my beautiful hotel room, I started to walk around and I ended up really enjoying my brief stay in Malaga a lot. I was able to visit: the Alcazaba, Castillo de Gibralfaro and the Picasso Museum.

Views from Castillo de Gibralfaro . . .


Inside the Alcazaba . . .

Recently uncovered Roman theatre and Alcazaba in the background . . .


I'm still trying to catch my breath since returning home yesterday but I can say with great certainty . . . . I absolutely love Spain! Specifically speaking, I love Spain's diversity, history, interesting architecture, art, food and wine (I had to find alternatives to Jamon though) and most espeically I loved all the people that I met.

I'm already starting to write up my reviews and will try to upload some photos to Slow Travel. The one great thing about taking my laptop (besides being able to blog from it) is that all my photos are organized by day and that will make it much easier for me to categorize them. Speaking of Slow Travel . . . I have to say thank you to Shannon and Slow Travel for their awesome Spain/Portual Forum and website, which was a great help along with my blogging pals in the planning and preparations for my wonderful trip.

I did want to comment on a few observations about some practical topics: First, I had no problems using my ATM Debit cards the entire 3 weeks. I had read some comments about how someone had some problems with their Debit cards in Spain, but I had absolutely no problems. Second, I was really impressed with how organized and efficient the trains are in Spain, especially the high speed AVE trains that I took which were direct and non stop between Madrid and Toledo and between Seville and Cordoba. I can't say enough about them. If you ever chose using public transportation on your trip to Spain you will find no problems there. Third, I felt so safe the entire time I was in Spain. I rarely used my security neck pouch and for the first time just carried around my photocopy rather than my original passport around in my handbag. Never felt the need or added security of carrying my original. Lastly, I had no problems with using the Taxi's in Spain in all the cities I visited. Never felt I was being taken for a ride either. I used them getting to and from the airport/train stations and to my hotel/apartment. Very easy. I did make sure before I arrived to write down the name and address to give it to the taxi drivers upon each arrival.

I think I managed to accomplish most of the things I prepared before my trip and if I didn't get to them it was really out of choice or I just simply ran out of time. I also tried to make sure that I had some ample relax time in each city/town that I visited. Something I am trying to learn to do more of. I'm one of those travelers who feels the need to go from A-Z because I feel like I'd be missing something if I didn't. But I am learning...

I can now say that I do love Spain just as much as Italy. Do I love one more than the other? That would be hard to say. I love both of them in their own individual and unique way. I can say that I would totally re-visit Spain over and over again . . . and the only other country I feel that strongly about is Italy!

I also wanted to welcome home Maria (from her trip to Venice, Spain and Morocco) and wish Annie a wonderful trip as she heads to beautiful Venice tomorrow! I can't wait to catch up with all my favorite bloggers (AnnieNC, Maria, Girasoli, Leslie, Sandra, Anne, Marta, Shannon, Deborah, Jane . . . )! I have really missed reading your blogs, luckily I was able to sneak peeks during my time away.

And you know that I had to do it ... my first youtube on Spain! Here is the awesome Flamenco dancer in Seville . . . .