So Much to See, So Little Time

The past couple of weeks have seemed like a whirlwind - with frequent train travel, various hotels in different Spanish cities and seemingly endless historical sites to visit. Since leaving Valencia 10 days ago, we have seen 4 spectacular cathedrals, 6 castles and/or ancient fortresses, gone to multiple parks and beaches, and have seen original works of art by Matisse, Renoir, de Goya, Dali, Miró, and Picasso - and we won't even arrive in Barcelona until tomorrow!

Though all of this travel has all been wonderful, we are beginning to feel a bit exhausted. In fact, many of the details (like hotel room numbers, artistic masterpieces in cathedrals, restaurant names, etc.) are beginning to blur together a bit, but I hope memories will become clearer as time passes. The kids are becoming truly seasoned travelers and seem to be enjoying all that they are seeing (even though Caroline asked me this morning why we always have to 'tourist' everything). It is on days when we trek for hours on end that I am most grateful for the energy and exuberance that they both possess - if only Bill and I could be so lucky!

The biggest advantage to being in Spain while doing all of these excursions, I feel, is the amazing weather. We have only seen one day of rain since arriving a month ago, and the other days have been filled with beautifully sunny skies and very mild temperatures. It is exactly the kind of weather that makes me never tire of being 'out and about' and is one of the major reasons that we chose to relocate in Spain. We are trying to be mindful to balance opportunities for learning with opportunities for play, so the temperate climate here is perfect for our needs.

Tomorrow, we head to Barcelona for 5 days. With all that we have already seen and done - on top of our valiant efforts to adapt to the new language and culture - I hope that our brains are not too tired for what lies ahead. From all that we have heard and read, there is still a great deal of excitement awaiting us and we don't want to miss even a second of it!