¡Andale, Andale!

The virgen! It is amazing how quickly time seems to fly by when you are having a good time! It has been awhile and a lot has happened since the last time we posted! We are extremely sorry for having the time of our lives over here and not taking the time to write a word or two on the RomerTravels blog… On second thought, not too sorry as we have both decided that the more fun we have here now the better our stories will be upon our return state side. I am sure that none of our family can wait to hear us talk about how little we worked, how much great food we ate, how many breathtaking places we saw… Then again, they might just revert to be monkeys and start throwing… well you know… the brown stuff at us!
Our lack of postings began with the remodeling of “our internet café”. It was during this same period of time that Kristy Elaine Moore and her OHH SO PATIENT HUSBAND ROB-O FLEW ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN TO VISIT! Yes, you are reading correctly; Kristy “You are going to fall and break you neck”, Kristy “that won’t get within 100 miles of water without a life jacket”, etc. Yes, that same Kristy made it across the Atlantic Ocean. I hope that you all purchased stock in Captain Morgans Rum before her departure! Rob was more than happy to “take care of ol nervous nelly” as he heard that Spain was the capital of decent beer that comes with free appetizers (aka. Tapas). With her last living will in the hands of older brother Jeremy, Mom and Rob took off for the adventure of their lives! They said that they wanted to hit the ground running and that they did. Jeanna and I visited more places with the two of them in one week than the two of us had seen in the sixth months prior. Eli’s school also spoiled them with an incredible lunch in the CASTLE! Yes, they ate in a castle in Espain. Mom didn’t even make a comment about the possibility of it collapsing while we ate! We also managed to get the two of them out for a drink or two! Cheap drinks and free food made it difficult to get the two of them to come back home to our apartment, but we somehow managed! We sent them off to Madrid in a train and the two of us headed for the beach with some friends (I know terrible hosts). We hope that the two of them had a great time and now have a better understanding of why we have grown to love this place.
Jeanna and I took one big deep breath before our other loving parents took their big leap over the pond. The leap from T-Lake to Espain was a long one but this was a trip that Mom had been waiting her whole life for. She to was ready to hit the ground running upon exiting the aeropuerto en Barcelona! With camera in hand and elk pepperoni never too far away, Mom and Dad set out to see their first of many magnificent cities. 1000 (yes that is three zeros) pictures later Mom and Dad headed south to Denia. They had scored a beautiful little place on the coast for the week and invited Miss Jeanna and myself up for a visit during yet another Spanish holiday! With bikes in tow, we headed up the eastern coast of the Mediterranean. The weather was not as cooperative as it could have been but was perfect in the eyes of two recently retired teachers who spent the last 30 plus years of their life in a place that would give the Amazon Rain Forest a run for its money! We saw some incredibly beautiful places with Mom and Dad. One week later found us back in Jaen. Mom and Dad did an incredible job of exploring the city we have come to call home, while Jeanna and I went “back to the grind” (all twelve excruciating hours of it). We even hit Granada and the Alhambra for a day (maybe you’ve heard of it?) They said that the tapas were nice but were most thankful for the opportunity to have met an incredible Spanish family. A teacher and good friend from Jeanna’s school invited all of us over for dinner…twice! The food was to die for and the company even better. The Spanish/French cuisine left the two of them longing for more of Europe. They left us two weeks into their trip and headed northeast for France and later Italy! I am sure that they will have some great stories and a “couple of photos” upon their return!
Beyond catching up with family and working like dogs (albeit dogs with no legs and pampering owners) Jeanna and I have been enjoying every moment we have here. We spend the majority of our time here on a bike or walking around…ohh yeah and working! Race season is finally in full swing. Eli will be spending the majority of his time traveling around with all of his team mates disputing every race within 1000 miles of our apartment! As much as Miss Jeanna loves playing the role of the bike fairy she will be opting out from time to time in search of the next, “most beautiful place she has seen in her entire life”, or, “the most amazing food she has ever tasted”! Instead of having a baby, Jeanna and I have decided to “pollinate” our two objectives and make a little “Touristy Bike Trip” up north this weekend. Eli likes to think of it as disputing La Copa de Espana with blood, sweat and tears, while Jeanna likes to think of it as great photo taking opportunities, memories, new food to try, and time with her husband in his little “happy place”. The most important thing is that we are truly BOTH loving every minute of it and are incredibly happy to have one another along for the ride. We both realize how incredibly fortunate we are to have one another and to have had this wonderful opportunity! Thanks again to all of those who have helped us make this dream become a reality! We hope that you enjoy the photos and forgive us for not writing with more frequency!
PS: Kristy flew back over the ocean and she is still alive! Reports say that she was seen walking out of PDX with a flotation device around her neck singing “Praise the Lord and Praise Captain Morgan”!