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| More green screen madness |
Spain has been a whirlwind thus far, but I feel the need to write and check in because we miss our friends!
We spent 2 frantic weeks looking for our new digs. Finally, we lucked out and found a fabulous rental/real estate agent. Carmen speaks little or no English but has a great desire to learn. We were up for Spanglish conversations, so it really worked out for all of us.
Apartments can be really small here and we were really having a hard time trying to accept the spaces we viewed. Also, we really wanted something furnished. Carmen found a perfect place. It had every item ticked off on my wish list. Wood floors, central location, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, a covered patios (for hanging out clothes – there are no dryers here) and a large terrace. All the rooms have built in wooden armoires. The beach is 3 blocks away. In fact, everything is 3 blocks away. The space is larger than our house in Vero. It is rented European style – there is furniture but no linens, appliances, etc. I have impromptu Spanish lessons daily, as I accessorize the house.
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| Jonquils in bloom |
Immediately upon arrival, Harvey’s blood pressure spiked so we got to meet Brian, The American Doctor. Haha. That is exactly how he advertises. We have a lot in common, as he is from California, near SF. Brian must be smart, because he was able to get certified in Spain to practice medicine. We were able to get H’s BP back to normal range and we made a friend in the process.
So far all of the legal immigration issues, we have breezed thru. H has done an incredible job in keeping up with all the stupid paperwork, etc. We were fingerprinted this week and that should be it for the year. The officials have been incredibly gracious to the old, grey haired, English-speaking couple.
We have also become bus riders – largely because it’s a great way to see the city and way cheaper than the tourist bus.
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| Sailing school |
You have seen on my social media the amount of fun the city has planned. I am planning my disftarz (costume) for next year’s Carnival already.
We have Spanish lessons with Ana, twice a week. She has been great to answer questions and tell us about happenings in town. Ana also told us how to find the thrift shops around town.
My niece was out first visitor. She is the international head of Relay for Life and was in Lisbon for a conference. Very interesting, as there were teams from all over the world. The Zimbabwe team had had all their donations stolen by the government this year. Definitely problems in fund raising she didn’t expect.
Donostia is everything we wanted (except for the snow last week) and we are picking up a little Basque to try and fit in. When asking our banker about ATM fees, she stated, “If you go to Spain, you should not be charged.” She is Basque and doesn’t accept that this area is part of Spain. HAHAHAHA.
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| Cathedral Parte Viejo |
