Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Pictures from Spain

I can understand why so many people immediately fall in love with Spain. The people are welcoming, the pace of life is relaxed, and the food is delicious. We spent a week traveling around the southern coast, primarily around Sevilla, Marbella and Malaga.

Here we are with our "meal" of choice in Spain, churros y chocolate. Churros are long, fried donuts, often served with thick hot chocolate. They are quite addicting, and I doubt I'll ever be able to go back to the hard, dry churros served at our local Costco at home.

This happy picture was taken about ten minutes before a traumatic experience with our rental car. We drove into a small mountain town with suuuper tiny roads and lots of hills. After a few wrong turns, we got our manual car stuck on a 45-degree angled hill, wedged between two buildings. Thankfully a few local men stopped to help us get the car out. We drove away with a dented car (which we actually didn't get charged for) and our lives intact. Tip for travelers: learn how to read street signs before driving in a foreign place.

Looking at our photos, I began to realize that at least half of them involved food. Does everyone take as many food pictures as we do?

Anyhow, the paella was so delicious! If you're a regular reader, you may remember my stab at paella a while back. After trying authentic Spanish paella, I need to revisit that dish and refine it.

During a day in Seville, it was a scorching 44 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit). I'm sorry, but heat like that is just not okay. Despite the uncomfortable weather, we enjoyed our time there. We visited some major historical sights (including the city's famous cathedral), ate tapas, and watched a breathtaking flamenco performance.

My favorite moments in Spain involved sipping sangria after dinner while the sun was setting - a perfect way to end the day!

We're about halfway through our trek around Europe. Though I miss home (and more specifically our own bed), we're having a great time. Look out for more pictures!

25 comments:

  1. Yum! Looks delicious and relaxing. I love paella and sangria... that's pretty much all you need for an excellent evening!

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  2. Mmmm Sangria!

    You look super cute by the way!

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  3. oooh you guys are so cute. glad you're having so much fun and eating such delicious food, seriously it looks amazing. send some spanish food my way okay? sweet, thanks :)

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  4. I LOVED Spain, and I can't wait to go again. Your pictures make me impatient!! ;) I can't wait to hear about more of your trip!!

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  5. Ooohh, I am SO jealous of that pitcher of sangria. And don't worry, I take a lot of pictures of food too because it helps me to remember what I ate!

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  6. I always end up missing my bed first, but churros, chocolate and sangria could keep me going for awhile :) Oh, and the paella too! Looks like you're having a great time! Cant wait to see more pics.

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  7. Looks like you are having a great time!! I hope to make it to Europe sometime and see some of the sights you are seeing. Thanks for checking in!

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  8. 111??? No way! I'm gonna stay here in the air conditioning.

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  9. oh, that's where in the world is Larissa....for now.

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  10. It looks lovely, y'all are super cute AND I am jealous of all that sangria...

    Have fun!

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  11. You're so lucky. Cuties.

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  12. I used to live in southern Spain, and I miss it. Loved reading your blog entry. I really miss real churros! What town did your car get stuck in? That happened to us once, in a little town called Arcos. ;)

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  13. I traveled in Spain for about a week 3 years ago and basically ate my way through the country. Searching for the perfect restaurant, trying tapas, drinking wine and beer and sangria, eating paella and dessert...YUM!

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  14. You look absolutely glowing in your pictures! Must be such a refresher and recharge, yes?

    I do have to ask, when I vacation I always indulge too much, so has that been a problem while eating out or are you still staying on track with your health goals?

    Wish you further happiness on the trip!

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  15. I LOVE MARBELLA! lol When I visited I decided that I want a vacation home there one day when I'm exceedingly rich ;) Looks like you're having a great time!!

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  16. Must eat something churroy and spanish...no costco churro's for me. So let it be written. So let it be done. :o)

    xox

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  17. You're trip looks like the vacation I've always dreamed of having! Love the pictures and thanks for sharing your experience.

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  18. When I take my European jaunt (which I am determined to do before I hit 30), I am completely picking your brain for places to visit and things to do, because your vacation looks fabulous. You know, except for the heat.

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  19. I think pictures taken in foreign countries tend to include food simply because we're enjoying things we wouldn't normally get to eat back home! You need to take advantage of it while you can. :)

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  20. Aww you guys look GREAT! So glad you are enjoying your beautiful vaca! Not to mention, YES I take as many food pics, and that food you ate looks DE-LISH!

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  21. that photo with you and the pitcher of sangria looks surprising similar to Natasha on our honeymoon .. . except she had her pitcher at 2pm.

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  22. The pictures are wonderful! You look like you are having an amazing time... stuck car aside.

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  23. That sangria looks so good! I am having fond memories of our honeymoon in Spain. So glad you guys are enjoying yourselves!

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  24. it looks beautiful!!! i'd love to go to spain...but i don't think i'd do it alone. it would have to be with someone!
    and i loooove paella. every christmas, that's like our family tradition...we make it every year!

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  25. whenever I travel, a lot of my pics involve the food as well! i love trying new food that I've never had before. you look like you're having so much fun! lucky girl!

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