Skipping, Sewing and Driving...

This has been a non stop, adventure filled week!  I think I have done more in this one week then the first 2 weeks combined.  There has been some solo adventuring, some hunts for special stores, a true  "market" experience, and also like the title says...Skipping, Sewing and Driving.   I suppose I will start with the skipping.  So I did a small bit of jump roping with Maxime and Lara the first week I was here but then Michael (the dad) heard the rumor about my alleged skills with a rope and was quite interested.  Sunday when we had their friends over for another BBQ he requested the it be dinner and a show and my Jump Roping was the show.  I  couldn't disappoint (plus I needed to prove I was legitimate)  an eager crowd so I did a bit of my singles routine and all were impressed.  So much so the following day we went out and bought ropes and I have started teaching all of them how to jump.  It's been so fun to have a rope back in my hand.  It also has inspired me to actually work out on my own here again with the rope.  I have taken to putting together the little foam play space pieces the kids have, setting them up facing the gorgeous view I have, turning on my iTunes and jumping.  It has been so amazing!  The other bit of my life that is being fulfilled right now is my need to be behind a sewing machine.  As you know...on a whim one day I asked Diana if she had a sewing machine and she said yes!  My heart leapt with joy.  She also found a

Sewing Room

fabric store which was also very exciting.  Diana, Maxime and I headed down into town to wander around and find this little treasure of a shop.  When we found it we were met with a sign that said it was only open from 9:30-1:30 and we had arrived at 4:30.  This is just one of the many examples of the crazy hours that stores in Spain keep.  They take their siestas very seriously.  Many stores are closed for the whole middle of the day...1-5pm.  I am not really sure how any of the businesses make it.  Anyway, we ended up just peaking through the window for a minute and then Diana and I decided to return the next day which was a much more successful trip.  We picked out fabric to make some matching dresses for the 2 little girls and I got to browse around and just take it all in.  I really do love fabric...I could spend hours just looking at it, touching it and mixing things together to create interesting combinations.  When we got the fabric home we transported all the necessities into my little flat for me to turn my sitting room into a sewing room.  I couldn't be happier. I can't wait to get started sewing.

Placa Major

 I also did a bit of solo adventuring this week.  It has been so great how wonderful all the public transpiration is around Europe.  Palma has been no exception.  There is a bus stop right at the end of our street that takes you directly into downtown.  It was so simple.  The busses even go in a loop so you don't have to worry about which direction the bus is headed because as long as you get on the right number you will eventually end up at your stop.  I rode it down into a place called Placa Major.  From the bus stop I walked up a ton of stairs that opened up into this huge open air craft market.  I had read some reviews about this place and they had all said that it was a bunch of touristy junk sold for too much money.  I am glad I ignored the reviews and came anyway because they were all completely wrong.  Each booth had a beautiful hand made craft at it and it was all lovely.  There was everything from metal work, to blown glass jewelry, to hand woven garments and headbands.  Each person was sitting making pieces while they waited to greet customers.  I loved it!  The Placa was also filled with street artists.  The ones you can see in the photo are a live couple, sitting on a bench covered completely with terra cotta mud.  There also was a guy who some how makes himself look like he is hovering above the ground.  I couldn't figure out his trick and it looked pretty convincing.  On the opposite side of the Placa from where I entered was the downtown shopping area.  I had a great time wandering the streets and found a ton of great clothing.  I stumbled upon a shop which drew me in and held me captive for a huge chunk of time....the name of this shop (and brand)is Desigual.  I discovered this brand when I attended Magic (the fashion trade show in Las Vegas) this past year and have been searching for it since. It is a brand based in Spain and is very hard to find in the states.  Needless to say I will be coming home with quite a few pieces from this shop.  I also made another great brand find called El Ganso.  Just check out the website.  You will understand why I love it immediately.  Along with shopping I also wandered into a few churches along the way (they seem to be on every block).  There was one that upon my first step in I got the chills and was over come with emotion.  I can't really explain it.  It was just one of those times where you get goosebumps in a good way and just know that there is something going on here and you gotta just go with it.  It was elegant, yet very original to it's true beauty.  You could tell it had been maintained but not overly done up to draw in tourists.  There was a genuineness about it...this church was for the local people to be a part of, to worship in, to pray in, or for a wandering tourist to just walk through and take in the historical elegance of it.  There were no signs outside saying it was open to look at or asking for donations...the doors were just open.  It completely drew me in and effected me for sure.  After the church I made my way back to the bus stop, found my #7 bus to Son Vida and headed back for  dinner with the family.  After dinner before I headed to bed I was told that I would need to drive Maxime to Sports Camp the next day.
Ok so let's talk about this for a moment...I haven't driven in 3 months, I have no drivers license on me since the jerk in Nice stole it, and man those round a bouts look scary!  I guess I gotta do it right.....It's all apart of the adventure!
The next morning Maxime and I head out to the car armed with a Garmin and take off towards camp.  My little back seat navigator is able to keep me going till I get on the motorway then she says "You have to do it from here Sara" We arrived safely with no wrong turns.  My drive home was not quite as successful but still not bad.  Only one wrong round about exit that landed me at a military base. I turned around quickly and no one even knew I was there.  All in all the driving here has been just fine.  Round a bouts are quite tricky though until you get the hang of them.  All you people in San Diego who drive around he ones in Bird Rock or Leucadia...those are not the real thing.  Here you gotta really watch out for drivers entering and exiting from about 4 or 5 different spots and you are yielding and passing and exiting all within a few feet.  They also are about double the size of what you are probably used too.   The first time I was pretty freaked out...I was sure I would exit into and entrance but now that I have done it a few times it's kinda fun!
I will leave you all today with some photos from the best beach day ever.  We went back to the same beach from the first week I was here and Luis and I had some good times in the water together.

We waded out into what he called the deep end where he found a rope that divided two sections of the sea.

He decided the rope was a tight rope and tried to stand on it with both is feet.

This rope decided it wasn't a tight rope and popped right back up into his face which made him crack up...when he laughs I can't help but laugh too...it's contagious.

After the tight rope had shown Luis who was boss a few more times we decided to look for some fish in the tide pools.









Each time I sit down to write about this place I have such a hard time finding the words to explain how good I feel here.  Each day I wake up happy to be here and excited to see what this new day will have in store for me.  Even the days I wake up at 7am to work I am happy!  I love eating breakfast with the kids, swimming in the pool,  relaxing with a book, and enjoying wine and great conversation with Diana and Michael in the evening.  There is just a level of comfort and a feeling of home here that can't be explained.  I know I said I have a feeling of home in London and that hasn't changed.  That is still the place that will hold my heart completely but this place has a different level of being relaxed that you can only get in a tropical location.  It is funny because the family I am living with also lived in Richmond very near where I was at the start of this adventure and they feel the same way I do.  London feels like home but Palma does too.