Blau Girls Do Spain

After our day in Malaga, We headed off to see the Alhambra.  It was so nice just to visit with my sweet sisters and Mom.  Road trips are the best.  Warning!  Lots of photos in this post!

 

 

We didn't manage to get tickets for the Nasrid Palaces.  We didn't expect it to be busy in Oct.  but is was.  The Generalife and it's gardens and Charles V were enough to tire us out and we didn't feel like we missed out too badly.

How beautiful is my Mom, and how many people's outfit coordinates with the scenery?

My sisters extolled the advantages of having a wheel chair rider in the group, especially in the air port.  You get to skip most of the lines. 

This is the 'water stair', water runs down a channel in the hand rail.  It's great for leaf races.

The sisters kept wondering if things were 'original'.  The answer is always original to when?  This complex has been changed and added onto by everyone since it was started in 900 ad.  Of course the drinking fountain and electric lights are very recent.

Granada (which means pomegranate).

The chauffer kept letting go on this hill.  Watch out Disneyland!

We are looking at the star shaped windows in the bath house.

Listening to the echo in Charles V 's palace.  My sisters were the ones who told me about this.  I had never know about it.

We should have a photo contest ...

A gardener's paradise.

If you read last weeks post, you saw the 'serious' version.  Rod and I did one of these when we were here the last time so we girls had to do it too.   Hey, what girls don't love dressing up, as Moorish princesses no less. 

 We had lunch in Granada, in an Italian restaurant, then drove home.  We were all glad to rest.The next day we went to Mijas Pueblo, one of the 'white towns' perched on the side of the mountains, quaint and beautiful and fun!


The town is known for it's burro taxis.  We didn't spend the time, but we grabbed a photo with this one.

Our heart spans the ocean... or some thing like that.

We got to shop a small ferria or craft fair. 

I believe this was our supper in Fuengirola.

The Med at night.

The next day we drove to Seville,  past miles and miles and more miles of olive trees

The Alcazaba in Seville.

Detail of the plaster work under an arch.

 Because the Moors were much more strict about avoiding any 'graven images', their art is based on script usually from the Scriptures, plant motifs, or geometry which was considered a kind of praise of God. The designs are just stunning.

Yes, I know, another door.

Cute sister Nielson from the office joined us for this trip.

This palace has these Astounding tapestries dating from the 1600s.  Think about the weight of the fabric alone. Now think about sewing on the middle of a piece this big, ummm sans machines.  Blows my mind!

 Extensive and gorgeous gardens surround this palace too.

This is a water organ, apparently an organ powered by a water wheel of some sort.  We couldn't see the machinery, but we heard the music.  We are such wimps using electricity for everything.

Just outside the Alcazar is the Sevilla Cathedral.

 While we were waiting in line to enter, we met Miles' twin.  Well, at least I thought there was a striking resemblance to the photos I have of him a year or so ago.

 

 These Cathedrals are such amazing structures.  Think about anything that takes 200 years to build.  No one person can see it through from beginning to end, money has to be collected to fund the construction, And they are so OLD..This is Columbus' tomb.  The castle and lion on the bearers' tabards represent Isabel and Ferdinand.  Ceremonies are still conducted in the room of the Alcazar where Columbus met and received permission from them to sail to the Indies.

I was waiting in the courtyard for the sisters who were climbing the tower.  I peeked into someone's office window.  Talk about office art! 

We encountered a demonstration as we were leaving. 

This sunset topped off our day!

Our last day was more relaxed.  We shopped at the grocery store, found souvenirs, and lounged on the beach.          

            

 

We collected rocks and shells.  We don't even have little kids with us to blame it on.

 That evening we ate in a restaurant on the edge of the bay. 

It even has a functioning light house!

For dessert we had ice cream.  I had to photograph their special flavor of the  month!

We all had such a wonderful time.  There just aren't words for my feelings.  Rod and I are so grateful we were able to share our beautiful Spain with family.   To top it all off, my sweet sisters and Mom hauled our suitcases home for us too.  We will only have to travel with our carry on cases thanks to them.  What amazing women they are.  I am so blessed!!!

Visitors!

We have had some fun visits from dear people lately!

Elder Norton and his father came back to Spain so we went out to dinner and had such a good visit.

 We went down town to get some copies made and I noticed these workers.  At home there would have been a production.  Here they put up a couple of cones and the cars just had to go around... a challenge in streets just wide enough for a single car.  Several cars went up on the sidewalk to avoid them but no one got excited.

 

 We had a farewell dinner with another former missionary  who has been living here, but returned to his native country to try to arrange school in the states. 

We may have had a sword fight with the bread sticks.  No wait, it was wand practice.

The Mediterranean!

The best visitors of the month came last week though!  My Mom and sisters came to Spain! A couple of weeks ago, Rod was advising one of our Mesa missionaries that if there was anything he wanted from home to tell his Mom to bring it to our Mom and she would bring it.  One of the APs over heard and was astounded.  "Your Mom is coming?  But she must be....(choke, sputter) ...great.  (He had a hard time not saying 'old').  My husband of course responded with..."Lots of parents come and travel with their kids after their missions."  He will be surprised at how young 60 is when he is that old and then 85 wont be quite so ancient.  Anyway, My sweet sisters and my Amazing Mom endured many hours of air travel so that we could share a little of our mission with them.

My amazingly young Mom and the Malaga port from the Gibralfaro.

All us girls.  I'm just so excited!

We bought green beans and olives at the fruit market.

Then a trip to the Malaga Cathedral.

I wasn't the only one intrigued by the doors. 

 The next day we went to the Alhambra.  I will save those photos for another post.  This is just a teaser.

Love you all tons. 

You never know!

1.  You never know the impact you have on the people around you!

 

Honestly, it sneaks up and catches me by surprise.  Every time!  We went walking along the bay in the opposite direction from our usual one night (in our casual clothes, without name tags or any other marker) and ended up on the other side of the bay, a much longer walk than we had planned.  That side is full of restaurants and stores aimed at the tourists debarking from cruise ships.  There is a merry-go-round, inflatable bouncy space, fine dining and clothing stores.  There were amazing sail boats anchored there as well as some military ships.  As we were coming back, one of the restaurant workers invited us to try his restaurant saying that they would serve missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  We didn't know him until he mentioned that he used to work in Fuengirola and recognized us from our visits there.  He couldn't have seen us more than 3-4 times. 

You will have to figure the odds. This is just one tiny example.   You just never know.

 

2.  You never really know all the work going on behind the scenes.

 

There is an extensive network of people helping to care for our missionaries that I never knew about before.   Our Area medical advisor and his wife came to visit our mission and  gave a presentation to the mission leadership council.  He also had a packet he wanted to give as a gift to the hospitals as thanks for their care of our missionaries.  We took them to visit hospitals in Fuen and Malaga.  Then we drove them around to see a few of the tourist attractions.  We had a lovely visit.  We took them to try tapas.

 

His 'retirement' consists of working 8 hours a day with calls coming 24-7 from mission presidents who need advice.  We were glad to help them have a little Costa del Sol vacation.

We enjoyed getting to know them.  It makes me remember the doctors and nurses that helped train us in Salt Lake City and Provo.  They too were 'retired' but worked just as hard as volunteers as they did when they were paid.  Some are working to help solve specific problems and have found some amazing solutions that could have made them big $.  Remember these people are just the ones I have met.  There are just as many dealing with who knows what else. 

3.  You never know who will touch your heart with a gift of friendship.

Sister Nielson and I have shared such fun times and I admire her so much. Think of the courage it takes to go on a mission, alone.  I don't think I could do it now.  I am thankful for her open heart and willingness to join in our adventures. We would never have met but for this mission.



The beautiful Mediterranean, there are sail boats in the distance.

4.  You  never know how many missionaries lives you touch, even  though  unaware of doing anything with or for them.  I truly feel humbled by their great love, and feel a profound responsibility to merit their love and admiration.  I expect we will have our hands full visiting many of them.

5. You  never know the gospel truths you will learn, right along with investigators and members, as you serve and exert yourself to be open to them. 

I do know that God lives!  That he loves each of us!  That our lives have meaning and purpose if we are willing to listen to His inspired leaders here on earth.
We love you all.