Wednesday 14 December 2011
Since Don and Charles talked until five in the morning and Nicole also called it a night in the morning, Dian wrote some postcards and prepared a package for the post office while everyone else snoozed. At noon the Happy Trails (NOT Travails) Gang shambled to the old city center. We were not quite oriented as our digs had changed to Don's place in the El Carmen district. After many wrong turns but some surprisingly wonderful street art that Nicole captured with her camera, we found the "correo"- post office - an impressive yellow building with a soaring cupola in the middle decorated in Spanish tiles. We pushed the button and took a number only to get up to the window ten minutes later and learn we'd selected the "pick up packages" ticket. 25 minutes after that our new number was called and we sent a package (shhh - don't tell Dian's dad she did a portrait of him) and some other gifts and postcards.
Leaving the bustling, Christmas clad downtown we wended our way back to El Carmen with the knowledge that ALL Starbucks have a free sample policy. We determined to test our neighborhood store and wow! It was not only true but we had the good fortune to meet English-speaking-Valencian-born Sento who generously poured about 10 coffee samples each topped with whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate. We enjoyed the drinks and his tips on where to go and what to do while staying in his hometown. We told him all our friends and blog followers would be sent to Sento.
Dian had seen a cool antique store down an alley but with all the awnings drawn for siesta we couldn't find it. We stopped for groceries and went home.
Don was up and getting ready for his two week visit to his sister in the states. We had lunch and it was then that Nicole realized her favorite cashmere sweater from Grandmother was missing. She and Dian thought it might have been left at the grocery store but on the way out of Don's vestibule there it was hanging on the rail - put there by some good Samaritan - (not sure that would happen in L.A.)
We had a quick look at the view from Don's roof at sunset. There were lots of churches and even a glimpse of the shot pocked entry gate towers. Charles went out with Don to see where recycling should go and then Dian made her own version of tapas for dinner - garlic, olive oil, ham, cheese, pepperoni and cayenne pepper on toasted bread. After dinner Nicole cut Dian's hair and with no previous experience did a fine job on Dian's fine hair.
Since Don and Charles talked until five in the morning and Nicole also called it a night in the morning, Dian wrote some postcards and prepared a package for the post office while everyone else snoozed. At noon the Happy Trails (NOT Travails) Gang shambled to the old city center. We were not quite oriented as our digs had changed to Don's place in the El Carmen district. After many wrong turns but some surprisingly wonderful street art that Nicole captured with her camera, we found the "correo"- post office - an impressive yellow building with a soaring cupola in the middle decorated in Spanish tiles. We pushed the button and took a number only to get up to the window ten minutes later and learn we'd selected the "pick up packages" ticket. 25 minutes after that our new number was called and we sent a package (shhh - don't tell Dian's dad she did a portrait of him) and some other gifts and postcards.
Dian had seen a cool antique store down an alley but with all the awnings drawn for siesta we couldn't find it. We stopped for groceries and went home.
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| Reviewing pictures at Don's house |
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