the renfros go to spain!

Trying to write about our spain trip will be like trying to write about natalie’s wedding weekend – as much as I want to remember her glorious wedding weekend, one of the best if not the very best of my life, I didn’t attempt to put it into words. The memories from that weekend will have to live on in my heart and the photographs and the hearts of those who experienced it. However, I will try to do a brief overview of the Spain trip!

We had an amazing time in Spain. I’ll try to give a brief recap of each day, because I know once time passes what we did and saw won’t be as clear. You think you’ll always remember, but even looking back at old Europe pictures it is unclear to me what we were seeing or eating or doing on certain days (I mean, pictures of the Eiffel Tour aren’t so hard to figure out where we were and what we were doing but other not so well buildings are a different story).

Friday, June 19
I left for spain! This was a travel day. Mama and papa dropped me off at the airport. I knew already I was going to have a delay. Turned out it was going to be a 6 hour delay which the person at the ticket counter assured me “wasn’t bad” for international travel. Uggg.

Mike, nat, and my family and me all had trouble with our U.S. connections on the way home, and my family and me both had trouble with our U.S. connections leaving. U.S. Air was our carrier. We will do our best to NEVER use them again.

I flew into Philadelphia and on to Frankfurt at 8 p.m. I sat next to two men who decided to be extra chatty and become the best of friends, so lucky my new bff was Tylenol P.M.

Saturday, June 20
Arrived in Frankfurt and had a bonny 3 hour layover. I spent the time reading Revolutionary Road, as depressing as it is, until my flight to Malaga (pronounced “mal” as in Mallory, “uh,” “guh”).

I landed in Malaga and waited at the airport for my sister to find me. I walked up and down the terminal, waited inside, but decided to plant down by the bus stop where mike told me to wait (he coordinated between my family who was already in spain, Natalie, and me – big props to mike for being so helpful!). I tried not to get too worried and kept wondering if I should stay put, take a bus to the bus station, but decided to stick with the original plan and just read my book.

1 and a half hours later nat shows up. Boy was it good to see her! We caught a cab to the bus station and saw my family waiting – the renfros in spain!

We took a bus to Nerja, where we would be staying. Nat and I checked out our hostal and went up on the terrace which had a great view of the city. We then went to see our parents and brothers hostal which also had a great view of the city and was closer to the center of town – they had a lot of shops and restaurants right outside their door.

We went to dinner that night and got fresh seafood and some Spanish wine.

Sunday, June 21
Nerja beach day!
The beach had brown sand and has rocks and the renfro siblings went climbing on some rocks on the beach and jumped off into the water and then swam back to where our parents were on the beach it was so fun.
It was overcast so not too hot and we got a good spanish dish paella – rish and shrimp and chicken – mmmm yummm and sangria.
The renfro sibs climbed on the playground haha it was fun.
Nat and I went on about a 4 mile run.
Tonight I wore my new pink dress I got in chicago and rode on a kiddie ride – like the kind we used to ride at kroger – it was a shell on a clock and went around in a circle and did not stop I had to jump off it!
we had dinner for father's day at a place our parent's great hostal owner ian recommended.
We strolled around on the Balcon d’Europa which had incredible views of the ocean and trees lining the street and indians playing? Haha. There just arent places like this in America – like, the center of town where everyone comes out at night. SO awesome. There were lots of families and lovers and it felt very safe and Nerja was a town easy to navigate.

Monday, June 22
Snot attack! My nose ran and ran and ran. It drove my dad crazy.
We went to see the famous caves – I think they are in the Guiness World Records for widest cave column in the world, and was only discovered in the 1950s!
We walked back to Nerja and my parents took me to a café because I wasn’t feeling well so I could get some coffee and take some meds.
This night we went to the beach and stayed on the beach til dinner time and ate at a restaurant right off the beach – a pretty great experience!

Tuesday, June 23
Tooday was a great day! my nose had been running for like a day straight (my parents hostal owner said “so i see you have the snots”) ya big time snot attack but alas the meds started working and i started feeling better! Dad, the brothers, and I went to a small town on a hill called Fragiliana and i got an oil painting of nerja (for only 20 euros!) and a small decorative ceramic plate with a pomeranian on it awww.
there are cermaics throughout the city of when the christians killed the muslims living in fragilaiana and a church from 1676 so we found most the ceramics and saw the church.
then we came back and went to the beach again and i found some more sea glass not sure what i am going to do with it yet hmm but it is pretty.
Nate and I went out on the kayaks and we flipped! Nate pulled the kayak back out into the water and climbed back in and pulled me back in, but from where my parents were it looked like we were going to get smashed on the rocks so my parents were freaking out! It was so funny!
We went and got some good pizza for dinner and went back to the main square to hear the indians play again.

Wednesday, June 24
We went to Granada!
I didn’t love Granada. It was very crowded and touristy.
But I sure loved the Alhambra.
I was more impressed and in awe of the Alhambra then I was of Versailles. It was bigger and had more natural beauty and was older and I loved the gardens and pools and balconies and the views and towers. I took lots of pictures!
After dinner the renfro sibs went back to the rooftop terrace and played cards. What a fine memory!

Thursday, June 25
Our final day in Spain!
Nate and Mom came to my room and we caught a 10 a.m. bus back to Frigiliana.
We showed mom the ceramics on the buildings and visited some shops.
We went to the market – it was market day! – and I got some pottery for Clint, me, and his mom for her birthday.
I also got painted glasses with the Frigiliana city seal for Clint and me.
The men rested while mom and I went to the beach.
First we got some coffee and sat at a café with a wonderful view of the ocean.
We found Natalie on the beach.
A few hours later the renfro men joined us.
We played with the paddle and ball a bit.
We then got ready for dinner and I wore my new senorita dress.
We had our best meal yet – mine was fish and shrimp – and we got champagne and said our favorite things about the trip and had a nice Spanish gentleman for our waiter.
We went back to the Balcon D’Europa one more time.
Mom, nat, and I went shopping and got a pink dress, black shirt, and lovely pink clutch!
And, we got a big stash on spanish gummies, nat's favorite, to take back!
Twas a WONDERFUL NIGHT!

Friday, June 26
Our travel day.
Woke up at 4:30 a.m.
Bus to Malaga came at 5:15 a.m.
Caught a plane to Madrid, then from Madrid to Philly.
Thought we were going to have smooth sailing home but no, sat on the runway for 2 hours.
Arrived home at 9:30 p.m.
Longest travel day of my life!
Clint came over and we ate Spanish gummies and got to spend a few hours together.

Well I may have some of my beach days mixed up but this is the gist of what we did!

Observations!
I learned I am dependent on coffee which makes me a high matience traveler.
In Spain they don't speak English as much as they do in Paris and Italy.
Late dinners do not agree with me but siestas certainly do.
I LOVE Spanish wine.
Old palaces are SO captivating; there's not really anything in America that comes close!
Chocolate for breakfast? I think yes! We LOVED Napoleans - chocolate filled croissants!
Topless beaches = old women + little girls for the most part, and old men in speedos!
People where we were weren't glamorous as I thought (when I think of Spain I think of tall dark and glam) but they were very natural and lovely in their own right. Makes me think about how artificial American beauty can be.
U.S. Air is terrible.
European public transportation is efficient, punctual, and easy to use.
Europeans seem to take more pride in their jobs, unlike the American attitude of "do the minimum necessary to get by."
Being sick when away from home is NO fun!
The Meditteranean Sea is BEAUTIFUL.
Memories with my family are absolutely priceless. I feel so blessed to be a Renfro and to have my parents and siblings!!!