Sunday Fun-day...

Since I have arrived here in Spain I have worked every saturday and sunday.  I made the choice to work the weekends since the regular nanny usually has to work them and I wanted to give her a break....really I am the one who came out a winner with this choice.  Weekends are a blast here and Sunday Fun-day is always happening.  We have had a barbecue with some friends of Diana and Michael every week which just brings the house to life.  We are in and out of the pool, dancing to Michaels playlist (Luis has some sweet moves), and just genuinely enjoying life here.    Working the weekend here is fun and helps launch me into monday with a great outlook for the week!  As I sit here writing with the view you see in the photo with my priceless "Green Book" at the end of another wonderful sunday I can't help but think how these 4 weeks with this amazing family have come and gone so quickly.  I only have one more half day of work left before I have to drive them to the airport and say good bye.  I'm not going to think about that for now..that is for another post.  Let's look back at the past

First bus ride to town!

events this week which have been so fun!  As promised Luis got his first bus ride.  He was very intent on sitting by the window to watch everything.  Lara also joined us on this adventure which was great.  He was very curious as to why we kept stopping so much along the drive.  "It's not like in the car...we never stop in the car."  So true Luis...We explained how busses work and that people get off and on at many different places and he seemed to think that was pretty neat.  Once we arrived at our stop Luis got the thrill of getting to push the stop button on the bus unfortunately we had a driver who was quick on the draw with opening and closing the doors so we didn't quite make it off the bus at our stop.  Fortunately the next stop wasn't too far and we were prepared for a speedy exit this time. With one hand in Lara's and one in mine Luis was ready for his walking adventure through Palma to the Cathedral.  We first headed through Placa Major where he interacted with a terra cotta fisherman, a silver robot type guy and a man who looks like one of the Blues Brothers except his head is lost somewhere in his button down white shirt and his sunglasses and black fedora hover suspiciously above the collar...no head supporting the items.

The Cathedral (and Luis)

We made our way through the winding streets of town to the Cathedral.  It really is quite an impressive place.  I have walked by it a couple of times now and still loose my breath at each new view I encounter.  This time is was the contrast of this little man standing in front of this grand building. At one point he looked at it then just said "It's so big"  Yes Luis it is...simple truth of a child's statement.  We wandered around to the beach side of the building and propped Luis up on a railing so he could get a good look at the beach.  He just sat there so quiet for a good 10 minustes before Lara said "Ok Luis should we go see something else?" Luis said "No Thank You"  I asked him..."do you want to stay here for a bit?"  He answered yes and I followed up with "Ok but why do you want to stay here?"  He simply said "I just want to look."  It was the best answer...I feel the same way most of the time.  I loved just watching Luis take in the world.  I feel like many times we are  so busy rushing kids on to the next great thing they need to do or see we forget that they might need some time to just take in what is around them.  I love the little moments I learn from these amazing children I have been blessed to know.  We spent some time just watching the world from where Luis had chosen till it was time for Luis and Lara to get on the bus and head home.  I was officially off duty and Lara had graciously offered to take Luis home on the bus so I could spend the day in town.  I walked them back to the bus stop then decided to just get lost.  I haven't used a map here

Cinderella's horse drawn carriage  

yet and have been just fine.  Palma really is a small town on this small island.  After I said good bye to Luis and Lara at the bus stop I decided to take a street I had not taken yet and see where it led.  As I rounded a corner I was struck by a row of horse drawn carriages framed by gorgeous flowers in bloom below them and drooping trees above.  I felt like I had just stumbled upon Cinderella's horse and carriage.  I am sure the pink one you see in the photo is hers.  This fairly tale had come out of nowhere.  The street before it was just a plain old street with a few shops and nothing more.  As I continued on and crossed the street I was met with so much more enchanted beauty.  I walked through a small entry way that looked like any regular park but once you crossed

Fairy Tale fountain

you were standing in front of  beautiful water fountains that stretched the entire length of the park.  These fountains were embellished with trimmed trees and lovely small ponds on either side. I even saw a little girl splashing in one.  I am pretty sure this was not allowed but she was having so much fun no one was going to stop her.  I know this might sound a bit silly but I really did feel like when I walked in there I was transported to another time and place.  People were in slow motion just taking everything in.  No one was in a rush to get to the next best thing or run across a busy street.  Life was some how calmer once inside these small topiary and iron fence walls.  Walking through this area I really started to understand one part of why I didn't connect with Nice, France and I am connecting with Palma.   In Nice...Not enough greenery and peaceful spaces....Palma has plenty!   I found 2 lovely spots in Nice that had this feel (the castle on the top of the hill and the park by the matisse museum) but that was it....in the whole town.  Everything else was pavement and rocks.  Don't get me wrong...I still like Nice despite the things that happened there and to be honest I would love to go back for a holiday with friends and really tear the town up but I am just not sure if I would want to live there.  I think you all can understand that.

Hidden Pond....

So after I had walked the full length of this lovely park where time stood still I exited it and there was a very small (and I emphasize small since I almost missed it) arched entry way on my right hand side that looked like it led to no where.  I had kinda made a deal with myself (that's what you do when you are traveling alone...make deals with yourself since there is no one else to make deals with) that I would follow my gut into any thing that looked interesting.  For those of you that are thinking her gut has led her into trouble before...That is not what led me to being mugged by the way....that was just bad luck.  My gut was way off in that situation.  Anyway, back to fun in Spain.  I walked through this small entry way and

and hidden swans

    it opened into this beautiful pond with stone archways, ivy and swans.  Yes swans....can it be more like a fairy tale?  I didn't even notice the swans at first.  All I saw was this amazing hidden sanctuary.  Then I noticed a few people with cameras focused on an area of the pond that did't seem too exciting.  I walked around behind them to see what all the fuss was about and I saw a gorgeous swan and her baby swimming into view.  I got goosebumps!  I really wish I could properly portray the emotions I feel at these moments because they would make these stories seem 10 times better.  I am sure you are all thinking so a swan swam around a corner...no big deal but it is just the whole package of it all.  I am not sure if I will ever be able to sufficiently show you the true feeling I have felt in each of these moments but I will continue to try. 
After I had

Cathedral in Palma

enough time in fairy tale land I took the steps that led me to the outside of the Cathedral on the beachside.  Before this moment I had only been on the town side view or the very far away view from where I am staying.  I must say that this view is by far the best view yet.  This building is beyond amazing.  As you all know I have been to multiple palaces and churches in my travels but this one is right up there.  I haven't been inside yet but from the outside it is quite impressive. At one point earlier in the day Lara turned to me and said "Wow, I can't believe after all this time this building is still here."  That is exactly the same way I have felt about all the places I have seen over here. It is phenomenal that after so much time these buildings are still intact and being used on a daily basis.  Yes of course they have been maintained but we are talking before the birth of christ or christ was alive and came through some of these places.  We just don't have a real grasp of that in America.  I think about all the gorgeous buildings in downtown San Diego that people want to condemn or tear down because they are supposedly not "structurally sound" or are in need of a lot of work to make them "up to code"  I have just one question to ask... If a building that was made before the birth of christ is still good why can't the amazing building with all the beautiful character in San Diego be saved?  Just a thought people...history is something to be saved not demolished!  Ok, I will get down off my soap box now.  Trust me you will understand what I am saying if you ever take a European Adventure and stop at all the historical landmarks.  You will be amazed at how old stuff is in comparison to in the USA.

After a sufficient amount of time standing in awe of this impressive building I hopped on the bus and headed back to my quiet oasis in Son Vida.
As I crawled into my princess net (aka mosquito net) and settled in for the night with my book I was again wrapped in a lovely feeling of contentment, comfort and complete relaxation.  I doesn't get much better then this.