It's Good to be HOME!!

Man, what a trip.  This was a rollercoaster of things -- good and bad.  

The bad was (and is) mostly how I'm feeling physically.  Shingles healed nicely, but the medication for 7 days was hard -- malaise, nauseated, stomach cramps.  Period wasn't horrible but added to the yuck.  Hubby caught a cold which I now have (not COVID).  I'm a mess with all the physical things.  Some of this is my doing -- eating and drinking a lot for 4 days since I was off my game the first part of the trip.  Meats, cheese, sweets, gluten. That didn't help.  Stayed up late, got up early -- sleep is a mess too. I need routine and vegetables in the biggest way. 

We had mix up at the airport with a gate agent switching my identity with my son's girlfriend.  It was crazy, but a smart Delta agent figured it out after so much hassle and TSA rudeness.  Missed a train.  Rained out for our mountain hike (even though no rain forecasted).  Luggage wheel blow out.  Lots of security random bag checks, pat downs -- even taken to a security location for questioning.  My son's bag sent to NY on the way home.  Marathon in Madrid the morning we were leaving -- road closures, Uber worries.

Yet ... it was a good trip.  I LOVE Spain and especially love Madrid.  We did so many fun things, lots and lots of laughs.  

FS showed up -- I spoke Spanish every chance I got and did great (for me).  I kept a good attitude even though I felt unwell most of the trip.  Kept a daily travel journal (so did hubby).  I did the things I wanted to do -- which meant getting up early and enjoying the morning time.  It was so worth it.

Here's a little photo dump.  I'm too sick this morning to give a big trip recap of all the things we did.  I have everything written in the travel journal.  All the details, best little memories of the day, etc.  It's too easy to forget all the small moments that make up the trip.

Roof top at hotel in Barcelona

local Catalan parade

So many different restuarants

Hotel in Barcelona

Waiting for Sagrada Familia tour

Ladybug on the temple

Montserrat

So many beautiful churches

Little Free Library in Madrid

Oldest tree in Madrid

Vermouth -- best drink on trip

Hubby's favorite 

Peacocks in the park in Madrid

Long early morning trek for sweets
for eldest's birthday.  No English, but managed
Spanish really well.

Music with glass.
Me adding a coin.

Vermouth tour for eldest's birthday
lead by me :)

Last day cooking class

Will the real girl please step forward?

My first drink of the trip.  Casa Alberto for vermouth.

Time to unpack.  Unpacking is so much easier than packing.  I have a few things on my list today, but otherwise resting to get over this cold.  

Later gators.