month in review: home through visitors' eyes
to say that dear friends old and new visiting reminds me how much beauty is around me is a gift is.... well, let me show you.
A working monastery 20 minutes away: Poblet.
A medieval town with its entire wall still intact, 18 minutes away: Montblanc.
A weekend spread of local gastronomy, 8 minutes away: Tarres (El Sindicat).
A mountain with “runny sand castle” rock formations, another monastery, an important Black Madonna, 1.25 hours: Monsterrat.
A mountain town with the best restaurant around, 30 min: Prades (La Font).
A winding stone road with a goat herd, the best views , another 30 minutes: Siurana.
A walk through a vineyard filled with large-scale sculptures, 20 min: La Pobla de Cervoles (Mas Blanch i Jové and La Vinya dels Artistes).
A high speed train, a day wandering El Raval, Barrio Gotico, El Born, Ciutadella, fighting with Renfe train staff(and winning), 40 min drive 30 min train: Barcelona.
A Roman city, a wandering cathedral, a beachfront bar, 45 min: Tarragona.
The birthplace of Spanish vermouth, modernista buildings, a toast to a wonderful trip, 40 minutes: Reus.
One last pica pica, this one with pan con tomate and spanish tortilla, 0 min: L’Albi.
This last week one of my dearest friends, Dee, the person I purchased l’Artesania with, came to visit with two of their sisters-in-law and a friend. I got to be tour guide/translator/restaurant recommender for the week, and more importantly, I got to spend precious time with beautiful people. It was much needed, well timed, and on top of it all the weather was gorgeous, in the 60s and full sun all week. The food was delicious, the sights were beautiful, the challenges were overcome. The heart was filled. The soul was restored.
Which is good, because I was running on empty over here. I was in desperate need of beauty, and being reminded of beauty through the eyes of others. I was so in need of old friends and good memories and great meals and feeling valued and appreciated. When you move to a new country, for a long time you just keep feeling like you are bumbling along, barely figuring things out, getting behind on things because you can’t figure them out. And then to have a child with severe chronic pain and be going through a divorce after over 20 years of marriage? Well friends, you start to feel like you aren’t good at much, that you can’t handle anything else, that you really are generally failing. Flailing. Not just failing but failing Fantastically. Dramatically.
So this week, when I could provide expertise and get us through trials and challenges with… that word aplomb comes to mind… was a good reminder that I am capable. I am loved. I am going to make it.
And in the meantime, while getting through to the other side, I am surrounded by so much beauty
.