The Halfway Point

The end of this week marks my halfway point - I have been here for one month and have one more month left in Spain.  I can never stress enough how much Spain has taught me, both about the beauty of life from a different cultural perspective and about the nitty-gritty aspects of adjusting to a different lifestyle in a foreign country.  One of these nitty-gritty aspects: people in Spain don't really hug each other.  The typical introduction to someone here is the two "air-kisses" on both cheeks.  This lack of hugging has really made me see the miracle of hugs.  Hugs foster closeness among people and show affection in such a special way.  I miss hugs so much so that I find that I have to hug myself once every day or so (which is just crazy)!  Fortunately, I have beautiful friends who, when they heard that I haven't had one hug here, reached out and gave me hugs with their hearts.  This love is such a miracle in my life and definitely boosts my strength to continue the dynamic work I am doing here in the publishing industry!

So the moral of the story is: don't take hugs for granted.  Each hug you give and receive is a gift of love.  Try randomly hugging a friend of yours one day - I do this all the time - and then watch their face light up!  A hug is definitely something that counts as a little daily miracle.

Now for the beauties of Spain!  Today after work Kaitlyn and I treated ourselves by going into Madrid and first getting lunch at our favorite tapas place - Mercado de San Miguel! Look what I got!

Drink: Tinto de Verano (claro! red wine + lemon fanta = amor), two croquetas (one with spinach and one with chorizo!), a slice of fresh-as-a-daisy manchego cheese from the specialty shop (heaven!), and finally some marinated pork tenderloin with sauteed onions and peppers on a piece of fresh bread.  SO GOOD!!

This is a bit hard to see, but there was a huge dessert shop in the market with the most amazing looking truffles.  We found a chocolate orange truffle, and this one is absolutely legit with orange zest in the middle! YUM! 

Then we crossed off yet another thing on our Madrid bucket list - taking a tour of the Palacio Real (The Royal Palace)!  The King and Queen of Spain don't live there, but it is their headquarters and has been for centuries.  

The front of the Palace! So beautiful!

And this is the view of the Cathedral from the front of the Palace - gorgeous! 

They would not allow us to take photos inside the palace, but let me tell you all that the grandeur that I witnessed was beyond anything I have ever seen in my life.  I saw the most regal tapestries and frescoes, ornate porcelain and wooden carvings on the walls, a throne room, and so, so much more!! What a gorgeous day to tour such a breathtaking palace! 

Then we came home to the doggies - we are taking care of them this weekend since my boss is in London for the weekend for business.  Dixie is still my best friend:

 She likes to come upstairs, sit next to me, and put her paw up on my hand like she's doing here! Precious!!

And here is their newest addition: A golden retriever puppy named Joey!! What a cutie-pie with TONS of energy!! I actually caught him in one of those rare moments where he sleeps! 

Puppies are miracles too.  These dogs, though they have such high energy and can get a bit rowdy, are miracles in my day.  They send me off to work with a smile and always shower me with love when I come home.  

Well, my job continues to be dynamic and my thesis research is going well.  I will be doing most of my interviews this coming week!  I may be going to Toledo this weekend and am planning a trip to northern Spain in Oviedo next weekend! Northern Spain is much greener, almost reminiscent of English countryside (!!!!).  I am also learning how to do some Spanish cooking - we made our own tortilla espanola the other day!  It was really good and came out in one piece - yay!  Until next time, keep seeing the miracles in your day, even when things may not be going your way.  Amor Siempre <3