Ayamonte

Hello, people! We have been really busy with the remainder of the summer and enjoying the city. The best things about the summer is that Fernando doesn't have to work in the afternoons, I don't work, and the sun is shining. We really take advantage of our summer months!

These are a few more pictures of our summer vacation. We were able to go to Ayamonte, a neighboring town next to Isla Canela.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

There's a small zoo that has glass paneling, so you can get a very upclose view of the dangerous animals.

Fernando and Paloma check out the stripes on this bad boy.

I fell in love with this church, the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de las Angustias (Church of Our Lady of Sorrows), which was built in the 16th century.

The main body of the church is aligned with side chapels separated by arches.

One of the gilt altars of the chapels.

The town has a beautiful old medieval quarter with many narrow streets.

The tiles add a nice decorative touch.
The style of this bank's facade is reminiscent of Moorish times.
The main square at night.Unlike this picture shows, families with small children (including us) were still swarming the city streets around 11pm.
The decorative tiles align the square.
My favorite things to do in Spain - open-air meals on the terrace and enjoying the passers-by.
Good night, Ayamonte!

Cinnamon Island

Hello, everybody! We're back and we're tan! Even though we were on holiday, it's nice to be back in Barcelona, but most importantly, back to our routines. Very important for small children!

We spent a two-week family vacation in southern region of Spain and Portugal. For the first 10 days, Fernando, Paloma, and I were graciously invited to stay at Fernando's Aunt Isabel's house, which is located in Isla Canela, or as I like to call, Cinnamon Island. It's located near the border of the Spanish-Portuguese border and is a haven of relaxation and uncrowded beaches.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Isabel's house is pretty much on the beach. This is the view from her balcony.

If you don't feel like getting sandy, there's a lovely pool for you to dip in and go babewatching.

Having a family atmosphere, the complex has a small playground for the lil' ones.

One one unlucky cloudy day, I got a picture of the private bridge you can access from the apartment complex to the beach. Charming, no?

Beach time! Paloma practices a game of paddleball.

Got it!

Paloma enjoys some R&R, away from her busy city life in Barcelona.

I was amazed at how this beach is rich with sea life. Here, some fish swim away from me.
Have you heard of razor clams? Isabel taught me how to catch them. At low tide, look for these small figure-8 holes in the sand, put salt in them, and the suckers climb up, and you catch them. It was quite the thrill.

This beach is unique. At high tide, the water only goes up to your waist, at deepest. At low tide, the water recedes at about 100 feet (I'm guessing.)There is something interesting that goes on when the seawater recedes. You'll see beachgoers bending down and (illegally) picking coquinas, or wedge shells. These are tiny, delicious shellfish that are exquisite for lunch.
An unknown person's collection.

Someone's pickins with garlic and olive oil. DELISH!

Enjoying the light of the sunset after a hard day at the beach.

Afterward, enjoying the nightlife in the downtown area.

More pics from the trip to come! Thanks for coming back!