Day #4 Friday

Let me start off by saying...each night we took 2 melatonins/sleeping pills around midnight so that we could sleep- since it was 15 hours difference... we never got used to it...

we would sleep in until about 10am every day :)

Friday it was rainy-perfect day to head to the temple.

The temple had broken ground a week or 2 before Craig left his mission 15 years before.

We got up and headed out to get to the 1130 session...

after getting splashed by a city bus with a HUGE puddle and slightly lost in the pouring rain-we asked a group of boys where the Temple was and they said (in spanish)..its down there you cant miss it! it has a giant gold statue on the top!we found it! :)

But we were late, so we ended up waiting around inside.

Which ended up being the best thing, because Craig ran into a couple he had served while on his mission.

They recognized him...probably being one of the only red heads that had been through.

They had fun catching up.

They were the nicest people, the man was in the Temple presidency when it was built.

There was another missionary couple there who were from the States. So it was nice to be able to speak English for once.
We had a really wonderful experience. It was a beautiful temple inside and out. The people travel so far to come since it is the only one for miles.

We were given a 'Grand tour' of the temple-they are so proud!

We rushed home so we could go to dinner at 9:00 :) (EARLY!!!)

we were the only ones here for a long time.
our favorite meal!

Fun with umbrellas in the pouring rain.

2 more days left.... :(

Day #3 March 3!!

FELIZ CUMPLEANOS CRAIGORIO!!!

Big 36!!

15 years later, hes back in Spain enjoying.

We were planning on doing a Go-Car tour but it started to rain...and then snow!!

(Go-car tour= a little yellow car that you get in and cruise the city. There is a GPS navigation with a british lady who tells you where to go and shows you the sights)

so change of plans...

we wandered some plazas and found lunch...Yummy soup.

Parks like this all over. The kids are all dressed like baby gap models!

Our yummy lunch. Olives, Bread, and lentil soup. oh and a potato omlett...

and a donut. Cant pass up sampling a spanish donut :)

We got in the metro to go up to Plaza del sol and hang out, and when we came out of the subway the sun was shining!! So we decided to go ahead with the Go Car ride and headed up to get our rental car for the day!

We found it! Boy do we look like a sight! I love that I am coordinating with the blankets they gave us cuz it was still FREEZING!!

We had NO idea we would be such a spectacle!!!

Cool buildings all along the way.

The GO car has a GPS that tells you where to go, what you are looking at and 'interesting other details' that sometimes were EMBARRASING for the car to be YELLING ABOUT!!

(ask me about that).
SO Fun to just drive and cruise with our personal travel guide inside the car.

The apartments Craig lived in that are across from the Bull fighting ring.

We watched a couple bull fights on TV. Bull fighting is so stupid. end of story.

We had to use the 'facilities' and luckily there was a STARBUCKS because NO ONE ELSE lets you go to the restroom!!

We warmed up with some hot chocolate in here. We were told this neighborhood was the "Beverly Hills of Madrid". There were little dogs and pretty people all over :)

Cobble stones (that are really really old)...our little Go car did NOT apprecitate these..it screamed when we bumped around...(seriously it did)

Cute market, this is how you buy your fruits and veggies. You go in and someone picks out your fruit, weighs it and then tells you how much you owe.

We look SO HOT!

BIRTHDAY DINNER!

We enjoyed unlimited olives and cokes.

After was a FLAMENCO show!!

oh wow.

Id never seen one. If you havent...its VERY funny. (I dont think its supposed to be tho).

Its SO dramatic and overdone I thought it was halarious. I didnt laugh of course-until we left :)

Very cool how fast they can move thier feet tho.

Here are the band members leaving the stage, I snuck a pic. I got yelled at already for videoing..oops.

Then we went back to the hotel where I showed him his birthday present (below)!

Were still waiting for FedEx to deliver it :)

I LOVED celebrating Craigs 36th birthday in Madrid!

We had one of the best days there that day!

Thank you Craig for winning this trip (& taking me-ha) !!

We were so blessed to be able to go back and see where he served the Lord for 2 years of his life.

Besos!xxoo

Segovia Day #2

Day #2

Train Ride to Segovia!

We boarded the train for a 2 hour ride through the Spanish Country-one of the best days!

Saw the small apartments where most people live outside the big city.

Got yelled at in Spanish for resting my feet up on the chair in front of me. Dumb american!

Hardly any dryers for clothes, so they are hung out thier windows...

The farther we went 'north' the COLDER it was getting.

There was now snow on the ground in some places...and flurries were falling!

Craigs thinking: Oh Crap! Its snowing

So pretty!

Even the train stations were cool, everythings just cool :)

Walked a mile through Segovia to the Roman Aquaduct that you follow down to where the Castle is.

Amazing that these are held together with NOTHING. no cement, glue, or whatever you make bridges with....and its still standing!! This was built in the 1st century-SO amazing.

The cold wind was getting to my brain! it was below zero!! :)

Craig lived here next to the aquaduct when he was here as a missionary in 1995. He thought it could have been this door? if not, we were pretty close :)

Walked up these tiny streets to top of small hill that takes you out to the castle...walking and walking....so picture perfect.

Scary castle.

Its surreal being at a REAL castle after walking through Disneylands for so many years :)

A REAL moat and drawbridge and suits of armor, king thrones, statues - Kinda creepy to me because I can only imagine these powerful kings walking these same floors and it freaked me out :)

We walked up the spiral staircase to the top...if only it wasnt below freezing and super windy we could have stayed up way longer.

DUNGEONS!!!!

On the way back to the train, we ran into a Missionary couple that updated Craig real quick on how things are there now...the 'branch' had doubled in size to like 20 people and they got thier own little building.

We grabbed some fruit at a little market and hopped on the train back to Madrid.

Gearing up for Craigs big Spanish Birthday Bash tomorrow!