Shrimp, Shopping and Surprising my cousins

 

My heart seemed to expand today when I walked into my cousin’s restaurant here in Spain…first off, another cousin (Juani Ruiz) was sitting at the bar and when he recognized me, he did a double take and hugged me several times.  I love all those double cheek kisses. It was a day filled with those hugs; the bartender (Paco), the cook Joaquina (the bartender’s wife and owner’s sister, Pedro Ruiz (owner of Venta Gloria Restaurant…as well as Andres, the waiter/server — all of these people I have known for ten years now.  The hugs and warmth I received are still reverberating with me.  But, the best part of seeing them is when I showed them the book I wrote about our family.  Their eyes lit up, their voices became emotional and they could not stop smiling as they turned the pages and saw their own faces, their families and the family trees outlined for each cousin’s chapter.  It was amazing and my heart clenches when I think of it.  And there are five more families to share this book with as my brother, Steven, and I prepare to visit them all in the next week.  My only regret is answering them when they ask me, “en español?”  I must answer, “uña día en español, pero no se cuando.” One day in Spanish, but I don’t know when.

I wandered through a grocery shop this morning (Mercadona) because I wanted wine and gambas (prawns) to treat Saidie for her birthday dinner. There are so many different items that are foreign to me.  The fresh seafood (on ice) was mind boggling, the wine prices were amazing and all those cans of different foods… Lyn said to find the largest gambas, but there were gambas, gambóns (shrimp) and langostinos.  There were tiny little gambas for 24.00 euros, but gigantic langostinos for 9,95 euros.  Everything was beautifully spread out and my mind was awhirl with indecision.  I went for size and cost and the ladies were delighted.  The wine? Wow. I paid only 2,75 euros for a bottle of Tempranillo Reserve. The walk back to the condo was uphill, but worth it.  Another delight for me was the orange juice station…you weigh oranges, pull off a plastic bottle and then a machine squeezes the juice and it fills the bottle.  Very cool. 

The ladies took off the shells of the langostinos (eyeballs and feet put me off a bit, so I photographed the event).  As you can see, Scamp hoped for a treat.  Lyn squeezed the juice and bits into her dish and she was a very happy dog.  And I must say, our dinner with a spring greens salad with tomatoes, cucumbers and garbanzo beans certainly ended the day with a smile.  And the wine was perfecto. 

I didn’t post onto my blog last night because Saidie’s birthday bash at a nightclub kept us out very late.  There was music, singing, dancing and wild women as we treated Saidie to laughter and love. She has alopecia, a condition she has endured for many years, and your hair falls out.  So, last night, champagne, cake and balloons.  AND we all wore wigs in her honor…

Tomorrow my brother picks me up and I look forward to spending quality time with him for the rest of my Spanish sojourn. He has prepared a little corner of his apartment for me and there is a small bistro table set on his balcony. He works evenings, so I will have a very different week ahead from this one spent with my lady friends.  Steven and I travel very well together and I look forward to every minute as we plan our “cousin visits” and other stuff.