spanish lullaby.

Upon boarding the train and exchanging a little conversation, we realize that the absentmindedness continues with the failure to bring along any of our guidebooks for Spain AND the name/number of the Pension we reserved at.

Being expert at Plan de B's, I suggest that upon arrival, we seek out an internet café.  Johnelle agrees.  Of COURSE we will recognize the spot we booked.  cough.

We nap fitfully.  At one point, we move to a smaller car with only 16 seats, thinking it will be quiet.  Little did we know that 12 of the seats were occupied by the only rowdy French in civilisation, en route to a brief vacance sur la mer.  They acted as if it were their own private party car, breaking out a 2 course lunch and wandering through the car, laughing, talking and jostling each other.

Meanwhile, we attempted naps.

Finally, we arrived in San Sebastian.  We headed for the centre, determined to find an internet café.  After extended wandering, we poked our heads into a little five and dime and asked about the closest internet spot.  THIS is an internet spot, we were informed.  We googled pensions and Johnelle chose ours.  We trudged many blocks there...walked upstairs and were informed that this could not possibly be our spot.  We continued our quest until Johnelle ultimately spotted a nondescript sign that turned out to be our Pension.  Success at last.

So, despite guidebooks, maps, phone numbers, actual pension names ... well virtually ANYTHING that would indicate our resting spot, we located said place and collapsed with loud sighs.

San Sebastian ultimately provided us with many distractions ... film festival paparrazi, tapas bars, trip to Guggenheim in Bilbao, beaucoup de shopping for pants that fit and knee high leather boots. promenades on a beautiful bay gazing upon the generations of Spanish doing the same.

Also, a mom/ daughter evening of card playing and trading clothes...the same evening where I discovered i fit into a 27 jean...that's right, ladies, a TWENTY-SEVEN!!!!   oh, snap!

the weather was phenomenal, the people incredibly kind, the food mediocre.  All in all, we managed to have an absolutely lovely time.

on how we arrived in Spain.

I awoke with a start. Looking at the alarm clock, I shrieked, "Wake UP! Johnelle, it is 7:39 a.m.!" "Whaaaaa? what about the alarm?".

"I don't know. Shit. I still feel ........ erm. TIPSY." "MOM! (laughing) you mean drunk?"

"NO. I mean like I just had a glass of rum. 2 hours ago!!! Now get up and help me figure this out!".

From which we call the taxi driver. Who had been waiting 10 minutes for us at the gare in Thiviers. To take us TO Perigueux.

Now we call and plead with him to drive to Brantome. And deliver us to Perigueux. Which he agreed to. Even though we had no chance in HELL of making an 8:25 a.m. departure. Since I am 29km from Perigueux.

In the meantime we grabbed baggage and began throwing shit (I mean clothing and other necessary articles) randomly into the suitcases.

He arrived in record time (Thiviers is 25 km from Brantome). We leap into the taxi. He appears to depart at a snail's pace and continue at such.

Until we arrive in Perigueux. Wherein he begins to run red lights and accelerate!

Now. I'm sure you will not be surprised at the fact that on top of not awaking on time, we had zero cash. So of course, it was necessary to make a pitstop at an ATM. After the time our train was set to depart.

It was then our driver shared with me that after receiving our phone call, he called a friend in Thiviers who told him the train for Perigueux had STILL not arrived. So there was an ever so small chance that we could still make our train. Except of course for the fact that we ALSO had to make a stop for cash. cough.

We squeal up to the gare, he tosses our bags at us and barks at us to "RUN! VIT!"  while we are running into the station, he whistles across 2 tracks to the idling train, with conductors at the door. He yells at them to wait while we run down a set of stairs, through an underground tunnel, up a set of stairs and leap onto the waiting train. We tip him well, beaucoup de mercis; and we collapse into our seats.

I kid you not. It was better than a scene from a movie. I was there. I know.

buenos dias.

hello readers, my days have been otherwise distracted with the return of my daughter and much frivolity. I am sending you a note in a bottle from San Sebastian, Spain ... where we are currently having a little side trip and basking in the warm Spanish sunshine and hospitality.

Later today we are off for Bilbao and a peek at the Guggenheim.

I have some typically JNRR variety stories to share with you upon our return. Travelling with Kim always provides the unexpected!

Sorry for my lack of blogworthiness this week ... but duty calls ...