SALUDOS SONAMBULOS DE SEVILLA

When people normally think of Spain, several things come to mind: seductive flamenco, fruity sangria, and orange-scented citrus trees. What they are actually envisioning is the city of Sevilla. Much of our “typical” view of Spain comes from here. Sevilla, and the entire region of sunny Andalucia in the south, has the most Arab influence than any other area of Spain, since the Moors were driven out of here last, in 1492. Their influence lingers in the food, culture, music, and even language.

This sunny, orange-scented picture of Sevilla, though, was not our first! As has grown to be typical Kevin and Idalis fashion, we tend to sneak into cities while they are still asleep (for a refresher, read about the Porrino train station). We took an overnight bus on Saturday night from Lisbon, after our “Host with the Most,” Joao, dropped us off at the bus station. The bus ride must have been another one of those “turismo” specials, for Kevin and I spent the night tossing and turning, unsuccessfully trying different positions (leg up, knee down, seat reclined, seat up-right, with sweater-pillow, without) to get comfortable. So, after maybe 30 minutes of sleep total (we're being generous) and two stiff necks, we arrived in Sevilla Sunday morning even earlier than scheduled (great!) at 5:10 AM, disoriented and in the dark. After wiping the sleep drool from our chins, we quickly gathered our things and grabbed our heavy backpacks. We planned to (covertly) stay at the bus station until it became light out and then search for our hostel. But, our first welcome to the city was from a bus station attendant, who basically told us, as they do after last calls in bars, “You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here!” Kevin and I reluctantly left the relative warmth of the bus station while it was still dark.

With our tiny Lonely Planet map and compass in hand, Kevin and I stepped into the darkness to search out Hostal Nuevo Suizo. At about 6:30 AM, after one hour, 42 winding alleys, 12 mismarked streets, and 17 stray cats, Kevin and I arrived at our oasis, only to find out that check-in wasn't until 2:00 PM! The hostel attendant was nice enough to give us a new map and point out some places of interest. We half-heartedly left our bags locked in the luggage room, and set out to begin seeing the sights.

This is where our head lamps (buried at the bottom of our locked bags) would have come in handy :) We wandered, still in relative darkness, down Calle Serpia, looking into the windows of shops advertising “Rebajas” and trying not to step in the horse manure. We were SOOOO tired, and more than anything, just wanted to rest our heads, but continued to trudge along, hence the title of this latest post, “Saludos sonambulos de Sevilla,” or “Sleepwalking greetings from Seville.” On a positive note, we did get a first-hand look (and nice pictures without Italian tourists) of Sevilla's famous cathedral, and sat down on a cold bench to eventually wait for sunrise. We thought we could be the first ones into the church, but alas, it seems that even the priest went out for tapas last night, and it did not open early. We walked around the perimeter of the Alcazar, an old fortress, and made a mental note to come back. While admiring the cathedral's magnificence from a distance, we were serenaded by an inebriated American girl singing Bette Midler's “The Rose.” Why not? As the saying goes, truth is often stranger than fiction.

We walked along the riverbank and came upon the Torre de Oro, or Tower of Gold, which seemed to illuminate from within on this early morning. We circled around the Plaza de Torros de la Real Maestranza, hoping to find a schedule for the days bullfight. Eventually, our stomachs started rumbling, and we stumbled upon Horno de San Buenaventura, where we gratefully went in to drink cafe con leche and fill our bellies with a chocolate-filled pastry (yum!) and tortilla espanola. With slightly more resolve (and caffeine in our blood), we decided to go back to the Alcazar to see one of the famous sights and kill some time.

Although still wishing for a bed, we were pleasantly surprised. Expecting to find more old paintings and dusty furniture, Kevin and I found ourselves wandering the gardens and staring at the intricate patterns found on the walls and ceilings. Originally a residence for both Christian and/or Muslim royalty (depending on who was in power at the time), Sevilla's Alcazar is a mixture of styles, including traditional Spanish azulejo ceramic tiles, Moroccan-like arches, and even Jewish influences with the Star of David. When our heavy eyes could not handle another fountain, Kevin and I found a bench in the gardens to rest on.

Eventually, 1:00 PM came around (it took so long!) and we made our way back to our hostel. We were informed by the friendly front-desk clerk that our room was ready. Thank goodness! Kevin and I wasted no time in settling into our room (twin beds again just like in “I Love Lucy”) and taking a nice, long, highly anticipated nap!

Monday morning found us embarking on a new adventure: sampling the socialized European healthcare system! I've had a nasty ear infection that I've been battling with since Portugal. My ears have felt clogged and full of fluid, and it was often hard to hear what Kevin was saying (I promise, Amor, that I wasn't feigning understanding!). After several Cipro antibiotics proved to be futile, we decided to seek medical attention. So, we made our way through the winding Seville streets to the local healthcare clinic, where we took a number, just like in the deli section of Publix. After about a half hour of waiting, our number was finally called. I explained my situation to the secretary, who told me I would have to deposit money into a bank (43.60 euros) before I could be seen by a doctor. Apparently, health care is free for European citizens who pay into the Social Security system, but not for foreigners. He gave us a copied paper with the address of the CajaSol bank and the account number, and told us to be back in 30 minutes for my scheduled appointment. Kevin lead the way, navigating the twists and turns, narrow alleys, and swarms of fanny pack-wearing tourists and miraculously found the bank, where we deposited the money, got a receipt, and rushed back to the clinic for my appointment. I gave the original secretary a copy of our deposit receipt, proof that we paid, and made our way to the second floor to see Dr. Maria Guisada. After several minutes in the waiting area, I was called in. The friendly doctor and her assistant asked me questions about my condition, checked my ears, and confirmed what we thought: ear infection. She gave me a prescription for some cough medicine and saline nose flush. We thanked her, left the clinic, and made our way through the winding streets once more in search of a pharmacy. We filled the prescription, paid the 6 euros for the medicine, and went on our way.

Thankfully, we didn't have to spend my whole birthday at the doctor's. In the afternoon, we wandered to the pretty Plaza de Espana, and then to the Parque de Maria Luisa, where we admired the fountains and found shade under an old tree. Boy was it a hot day!

That evening, we celebrated my birthday by going to see a flamenco show. Wow! The small setting was very intimate. We were so close you could see the sweat glistening on the dancer's brow! It was a wonderful performance. The singer's deep, rustic voice can only be accomplished from a smoking habit that surely involves three packs of Ducados cigarettes a day. The guitar player was amazing, Kevin noting that it was as if he was playing two guitars at the same time. The dancers were soulful and passionate. The woman, clad in the traditional flamenco dress with a rose in her hair, interpreted the dance so well – her hands moved gracefully, her feet complemented the music, and the rose eventually fell out of her hair when she got going! The male dancer seemed to have extra wooden castanuelas on his feet – it was shocking to see that all that movement and sound was simply coming from the heels of his shoes! Kevin and I were in awe – it was an amazing performance and a fitting end to our short stay in Sevilla!

MUITO OBRIGADO

Kevin: It is 22:47 and we just crossed the old suspension bridge out of Lisbon, on a bus headed to Sevilla, Spain. At the east end of the bridge was the enormous “Cristo do Rey” (I hope I spelled that right) statue. I have suddenly developed a lump in my throat, as it has hit me that we are leaving. Leaving behind five days of incredible places and even more incredible people. You see, at first, Portugal was not even on out list of places to visit. However, I had this secret fascination with a town I had never been to or didn't even really know much about. The name of the town is Lisbon, or Lisboa as known to the locals, in Portuguese. Somehow I suppose I was right and just did not know it. What an amazing place.

It all started as we arrived at the Lisboa Santa Apolonia train station after an incredibly beautiful ride through the Portuguese country side. It was on this train ride that I saw the Atlantic Ocean for the first time since leaving home. It was nice to see the same ocean that graced the shores of Miami Beach providing heaving ocean swells at least double overhead. A good sign. The evening then became exponentially better as we met, and were picked up by, someone who would soon become one of the most incredible people that Idalis or I had ever met, our Hospitality Club host, Joao B. My first impression of Joao B. was that he was a little older than I had expected. Not to mean that he looked old, because he did not. However, I had not had the opportunity to review Joao's profile before meeting him, unlike Idalis, so I had formulated a mental image in my mind. Regardless of my mental images, I was pleasantly surprised. I did not know this then, but Joao would prove to be one of the most hospitable, friendly, intelligent, positive, informative, accommodating, knowledgeable and all around best guys that I had ever met. With the help and guidance of Joao B., our stay in Lisboa would prove to hold memories that will last a life time.

Idalis: I had the pleasure of meeting Joao through Hospitality Club, when I started looking for accommodations in Lisbon. I had read Joao's profile, and even more important, the comments that his previous guests had written about him. I learned, right off the bat, that Joao was a very special person. Everyone who had stayed with him or crossed paths with him had only wonderful things to say. I contacted Joao, and much to our surprise, received a response almost immediately, offering to host us for (originally) three days in Lisbon. Joao picked us up at the train station and waited for us to arrive (our train was late), and took us out that same night to Parque dos Nacoes, the newer section of town, where we ate the most delicious “little French girls” ever! Joao is quite the Renaissance Man, kind of like the Michealangelo of Portugal. In the time we spent with him, we saw him (adeptly) wear many hats, including that of interpreter, tour guide, food conossuoir (delicious bacalhau!), sommolier (thank you for the Karlov and Ginja!), fish expert, historian, taxi driver, SAP extraordinaire, and most importantly, good friend. Kevin: Originally, we were scheduled to spend three nights with Joao B. We would have left for Sevilla on Thursday night. Well, thanks to an incredible and instant fascination with this city, and one small inconvenience, we would wind up extending our stay by two more days. My original idea was to highlight all the different things that we did and saw. However, after five days of intense touristing, I would be at a loss not only to remember the names of everything we visited, but also everything we did. As I have mentioned in this blog before about other cities, the city of Lisboa has a strong mix of historic and modern in their art, architecture and culture. However, in my opinion, Lisboa has the uncanny ability to meld the two together seamlessly, though I was informed that not all the locals necessarily see it that way.

Idalis: I would definitely agree with Kevin. You see beautiful, pastel,-colored, crumbling houses with clothes on lines, next to ultra-modern buildings. Delicious, traditional food and the most amazing coffee (we are officially addicts!), but also a wealth of new, interesting restaurants and cuisines at your fingertips. The Portuguese have a lot of well-deserved pride in their history and culture, but are very forward-thinking in terms of their care for the environment.
Kevin: Lisboa, or Portugal in general, is founded on a strong history of navigation, discovery, exploration and is for all intents and purposes, a sea fairing nation. This theme is evident in almost everything from its incredible monuments and sculptures, to its architecture and public spaces and even into its delicacies. A river runs right through the middle of Lisboa, Rio Tejo, and intercepts the Atlantic Ocean. Throughout history, Lisboa has always been a strategic location and port and has been occupied by at least five of history's major cultures, all of which who have left behind their mark. There is a rich sense of pride that runs deep in the people of Lisboa, and rightfully so. A local may complain about certain systems or structures, but they will almost always tell you how Portugal will always “go big”. A gross understatement, if you ask me, considering they just about discovered every frontier available by boat, and all in the fifteenth century. Royalty runs deep, and many heroes of Portuguese history have been named “Joao”, or “John”, and our Joao was no exception.

Idalis: We had the pleasure of visiting some beautiful monuments, especially in the historic center of the city. The “Torre de Belem” and the “Padrao dos Descobrimentos”, which pays homage to the first Portuguese explorers, were in the Belem section of town. In the Alfama district, we hiked all the way up to the Castelo de Sao Jorge (Lisboans love their hills!) and got an amazing view of the city. We went into the beautiful Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, and as has become our tradition when visiting a church, Kevin and I gave thanks for being able to experience this wonderful trip. In the new section of town, Kevin and I visited the Oceanarium and saw the gigantic sun fish! And in Sintra, outside of Lisbon, Kevin and I hiked (again!) to Quinta da Regaleira, a World Heritage sight, and three (steep!) kilometers up higher to the most amazing gardens at Palacio da Pena, where we sat in the clouds.
iKevin: I wanted to mention, in this post, a few things that maybe do not subscribe to any sort of order or logic. The first, and only because it came to me first, is that I think that everyone should very seriously consider putting Portugal, and more importantly Lisboa, on their list of places to visit. Between the area that was converted from an industrial park to a complex fit to host the 1998 World Expo, to the historic center of Lisboa, containing a castle, a renovated train station, a thriving cultural and social scene, and far too many architectural gems to mention, to the are of Belem (Bethlehem) with an ancient monastery tucked up against a modern cultural complex and “Confeitaria de Belem”, where we ate perhaps the best pastries known to man (Idalis: Like biting into a piece of custard heaven!), to the amazing city of Sintra, with palaces and castles galore, and the place where Idalis and I climbed the closest to heaven that we have ever been. Lisboa, and the surrounding areas, are simply breathtaking. The next is to thank all of the people of Portugal, whose paths we crossed, who did their best to speak English as we did our best to speak Portuguese (alguma coisa) while purchasing tickets, placing food orders, or trying to find our way back to Lindha a Velha when we were not quite as close as I had originally imagined! I would also be attacked if I did not mention how after three days of being hosted by Joao, he, unwisely, decided to allow us our own key to the condo and I would see fit to break one of the most complicated front door locking assemblies any man has ever designed. It took the locksmith three hours and several large pieces of machinery to make waste of the lock and allow us access to the interior. This is the small inconvenience mentioned previously. Again, Joao, in his most pleasant and patient of ways, helped to calm my incredible sense of disappointment and make a joke of the whole thing. (Joao, send me the bill!) The last thing I would like to mention, which is contained in the title of this post, is “Muito Obrigado” to all of our new friends in Portugal. To Miguel and Marta, to Luis, Joana and Raquel, to Pedro and Ana, to Luis, to Armando, to Alexandre, and most of all, to Joao B. We cannot thank you enough for “practicing your English” with us, answering all of our questions, toting us around town and for just being wonderful people who have opened our eyes to all this is wonderful about this world that we hope to discover. MUITO OBRIGADO, CIAO, HATE LOGO!!!!

Idalis: We thank the city of Lisbon for displaying a wonderful sense of balance: conserving the old but accepting the new, holding on to tradition while thinking of the future, and having pride in your culture while being open-hearted. To Joao and his friends: Know that you will always have friends and an (albeit small) place to call home in Miami. It has been a pleasure and a blessing meeting all of you, and we hope to see you again soon! We will not say goodbye, but only “Bon Viagem” when you plan your trip to Miami!

BEM-VINDO A PORTUGAL

We arrived in Porto, Portugal at approximately 11:00am on Sunday, Augu ast 17th, after a grueling train ride. Our first train originated in Madrid, Spain and left at about 10:30pm. Our car said “turismo”, which I now understand to mean "uncomfortable". We had seats that were in a group of four and faced each other. At first, the whole train was full with the exception of the seats directly in front of us. We began to get excited until at the last minute, a couple came lunging onto the car and claimed the seats in front of us. We did all we could to settle in and get comfortable for the seven and one half hour ride. About half way through, and to our surprise, the couple got out, leaving us the seats in front of us to stretch out on. A premature excitement overcame us, as even with the extra space, we each had an extremely restless night.

Right at 7:00am, as scheduled, the train stopped at its next station. The station was to be Porrino, our connecting station for our next train to Porto. It was dark outside, freezing cold, and the "train station" was essentially a piece of concrete along the tracks with a closed down, broken down building (shed) with no bathrooms, no attendants and no way to get inside. As we stopped, we asked people on the train if this was Porrino and they all said yes. Reluctantly, very reluctantly, we gathered our things and got off the train into the freezing air of this dark and lonely station. It was basically Idalis, me and this older, Spanish gentleman, just standing there, waiting for a train that we weren't sure was coming. However, much to our surprise, at 8:05am, exactly as scheduled, a train pulled up going in the opposite direction with an illuminated sign reading "Porto". We survived!

About three hours later, we arrived in Porto, otherwise known as O'Porto, the home of the popular, and incredibly expensive, Port wine. Port wine is a sweet wine, usually served after dinner, and is red in color and judged by its clarity. The clearest of the Port wines is usually in the neighborhood of 40 years old and is known as Port 'd Oro, or Port of Gold. Much like the wine, the City of Porto is also very fine and the people sweet. We arrived on a Sunday and aside from the tourists, there was not much going on. It was a bit shocking to see no local action. In fact, it was slightly depressing at first. Don't get me wrong, the city is incredibly impressive. After exploring, we realized that there were two parts of the city, one on either side of the river. There are five bridges that connect the two sides and the two sides are drastically different. It almost seems as if the river is equivalent to "the tracks". On one side, the historic, and slightly deteriorating, part of the city, 0n the other, the very posh and newly renovated and constructed part of the city with the large, rich Port wine dealers. I kept telling Idalis that it seemed as if the historic portion of Porto was the victim of a recent war. Despite the incredible beauty and breathtaking architecture, there is a large quantity of buildings that are deteriorating and in disrepair. There is also an underbelly of drugs and poverty. At no time did we feel unsafe, but it is very clear that there is a level of disparity in this city. We were more relieved on our following day, Monday, to find that the city had awakened and come alive. The sky was clear, the weather was beautiful and all the businesses were open and thriving and the locals and tourists were inhabiting the streets. It was a stark contrast from the day before and a perfect demonstration of the stark contrasts that comprise the city of Porto.

Next stop is Lisbon, Portugal. Please continue to follow along and please do not be afraid to post a comment, which can be done, anonimously if you wish, by clicking on the "comments" link below each post. It is always a great pleasure to hear from all of you and it usually makes our day!

OJALA (I HOPE)

Well, here we are on our fourth and final day in Madrid and it has been a true test of wits. What we thought would be a day of wandering the city to catch the last of the sights has turned to a day tucked into the back corner of an internet cafe trying to straighten out our travels. We sat here as we watched our daily allowance slip away between expensive phone calls to the States to have the hold on our credit card lifted, because someone at Capital One forgot to transfer the note that we would be traveling to an actual advisory. Also by trying to make reservations in the next town we will arrive in, Porto, Portugal. By trying to pay FPL and Verizon from abroad, impossible! And by trying to add money to our international cell phone. So far, we await success in any of those endeavors. However, we are not allowing it to dampen our spirits. We have decided to take whatever meager change is returned to us from the Internet Cafe´s personable Indian resident and purchase a Mahou beer...to share!

In summary, our observations of Madrid have concluded as such. It is a beautiful city that melds the historic with the modern. It is a city that has trouble, as do all major cities. We went through a rather seedy part of town to get to this internet cafe. However, this city also charges toward the future with a very comprehensive recycling program. Most inhabitants prefer to smash their wine bottles into the receptacle at 2:00am. They have an incredible transportation system, though many people walk. And, the boats in the lakes of their public parks are powered by solar cells. Very historic, yet very progressive. A pleasant mix and one that ¨I HOPE¨ my own country can adopt in an effor to preserve it´s past and protect it´s future.

This is the third post in three days. Please do not get used to this. We are just starting with a bang. Our next post should probably be tomorrow advising of our impressions of Porto. If not, we shall enter by Lisbon. We love and miss you all. Wish us luck as we try to work out the bugs in this traveling system.

LOS EUROS ESTAN COMIENDO NUESTROS DOLARES

Welcome back. Once again we have been confined to the use of an internet cafe, albeit we get to use our computer this time, which helps us feel slightly better about buying it. We just finished eating McDonald's, which we only did for the promise of free internet (wifi), only to find out that you had to order a value meal and not just a sundae and a cone, after we ordered, of course. Now I have an upset stomach and I am paying for internet service! Oh well, at least the readers will be entertained.

I must say, I have never walked so much in my entire life. Of course we could take the Metro everywhere, but then we couldn't eat, cause as the title of this blog states, these Euros are eating our dollars! Idalis sat down to do a budget as I slept and woke me to advise that we are way over budget! We are hoping that Portugal and Morocco help to offset our expenses. Without knowing it, we ate a meal last night that cost as much as our hostel! I suppose it was still better than trying to eat a mattress!

Today's activities found us wandering in the Parque del Buen Retiro, the Central Park of Madrid. Absolutely beautiful, with so much activity and so many things to do. We spent the day wandering around, lying in the sombra (shade) and photographing the many fuentes (fountains) that this city has to offer. Afterwards, we smuggled a bottle of wine, some jamon, cheese and bread into the Jardin Botanico (Botanical Garden) and had an impromptu picnic. It was the first taste of wine we have had since entering Spain and cost a mere 2,75 Euros! A deal at twice the price. It was marvelous! Tonight, we sit in a quiet, lonely, little internet cafe and plan on securing accommodations for Porto, Portugal. We purchased our one way train tickets yesterday at the magnificent train station, Atocha. It even has a mall inside!

We've seen the ducks, we've seen the lakes, we've seen the buildings and we've seen the many plazas and we've eaten the tapas, now it is time for us to go. We have one last day in Madrid and will spend it wandering around the shops of Puerta del Sol, packing and perhaps doing some laundry, though to be honest, we have only worn two outfits each in four day's time. They should be able to smell us in Porto before we arrive!

!Hasta Luego!

VENTE PA´MADRID

Greetings from Madrid, our first stop on what should prove to be a very long vacation! Well, we made it in safely at 7:00am on Wednesday morning after not having slept on the plane, as planned. As it turns out, the recline button on the US Airways jet planes is really just a cruel joke. We tried every combination of postures that two bodies can assume and had no luck. Even years of yoga training seemed fruitless! All in all, not a bad trip. Arriving in Madrid on the first day, we immediately headed to the hostal after a short Metro (tube) ride. As it would turn out, the line that we needed was down for repair so it required us to be flexible and look for alternatives. Kudos to the people of Madrid, as they are incredibly friendly and helpful!

Madrid is an incredible city. Part new, part old and constantly bustling! On our first real night of sleep, Wednesday night, I must tell you that the only time there seemed to be absolute silence was around four a.m. Other than that, this city and its people are in constant motion. The architecture is incredible, no surprise. The people of Madrid have the uncanny ability to meld the old and the new in seemless and flawless fashion. I must advise you, though, that I believe that the codes that apply to elevators and showers need some review as they all seem to be undersized. Our hostal is pretty nice, at least clean. After a short battle with the manager, Idalis straightened out our bill and saw that justice was served.

We originally considered buying a Metro pass, but have done pretty well and have seen a lot by foot. It is so nice to be able to walk amongst such incredible history. It has made me better understand the type of community planning and construction that I have been witness to in South and Central America, as this is where it originated. Around every corner is a new surprise, be it a street full of jovial patrons or a block tightly crowded with incredible buildings, walkways and a smattering of stores and cafes. It has made every meal a complete adventure and history lesson rolled into one.

I mentioned to Idalis, though maybe it is far too early to do so on this blog, that I see one of the lessons of our travels being to understand the contrast of mankind. It is amazing how you can see such incredible art and architecture, created by the hand of man, and then around a new corner witness atrocities of human kind, such as poverty, strife and violence. Not that we witnessed any violence first hand. However, the Spanish have a long history of war (guerra) and colonization. Just an illustration of extremes as expressed by a single culture.

Tapas and raciones are the systems of focd delivery as is the ´menu de dia´. The food is spicy and strong in flavor, similar to the inhabitants. Though Idalis swore that she would be drinking wine the entire time we were to spend in Spain, she has been confined to beer, by choice. However, that will change this afternoon when we stop to picnic in the Parque Retiro, where we will dine on jamon, queso and vino shortly after planting our flag in `Retired Park`! As I wrap up this post, we will proceed to investigate the cheapest transportation option to carry us to Porto, Portugal, a city that Idalis has heard a lot of gocd things about and one that we cannot wait to explore. Please continue to stay tuned and know that we are alive and kicking in Spain! Hasta luego, vale!

ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?

Here we are, on the eve of a huge transition in our lives and in the lives of those around us. All Idalis can keep saying is, "Are you ready for this?" Up until about five minutes ago, the answer was consistently, "No!" However, once this post is complete, I will lie down on my parent's long couch, and Idalis on the love seat, and I will hopefully fall asleep finally feeling ready. These last couple of months have been quite insane. I thought being retired meant you just sat around all day trying to invent things to do. However, I can't even remember the last time we just sat around.

Today went by very fast, but has felt long. We pretty much spent all day doing last minute errands. Aphrodite got her teeth cleaned, Nate got a key to the bike lock, Mario got the phone I borrowed back, I got one last visit with Mike, Josue and Laura (thanks for breakfast, Mike!), Goodwill got a healthy donation and most importantly, our bags got packed. Idalis did a stellar job of packing her 55 liter bag with room to spare. I, however, went over my target weight of 35 pounds by five pounds. It was amazing how much we started off with, how much we had to sacrifice and how little we actually wound up with. I can see us shedding even more as we move along. It really is impossible to be prepared for every ocassion, though that did not stop me from trying. I think we pretty much got it all. If we have forgotten something, I will be very surprised. However, if we had to leave something behind that we need, I would not be. Either way, it is far too late and we are far too tired to put any more effort into it. Doesn't really matter, cause we will just be asking Katie to bring anything we forget to India with her when she comes for her visit. I already gave my sister, ReAnne, a bag with three things to give her. We love you, Katie!!!

Over the course of this blog many of you have chimed in and it has brought us an immense amount of pleasure. It is always such a great surprise to see multiple comments in the comments section. However, now it is time to get serious, people! We played with our new mini-computer this afternoon and we think we are ready to go. Thanks to my sister for the crash course in computer technology! We have also heard many people say, "Enough is enough, would you guys please leave already?!" Oh, and, "Bring back an Indian baby," but that one is not as relevant. Anyways, your wishes and ours have come true. We leave tomorrow, for real this time! To the dismay of Idalis and I, there is not enough time for one last happy hour get together! Thanks to all of you who have continuously supported us, who have shown up to each of our functions and who have posted on this blog. We love and will miss you all! Grandma, don't be sad, we will be sure to write!

We will wake up tomorrow to a freshly made breakfast of pancakes (thanks, Mom!). After that, it is a caravan to the ariport for what is sure to be one big hot emotional mess! If we forgot to call you, could not make it to dinner (sorry Nicky D!), or didn't get to hang out with you one last time, we apologize. Please be assured that though you will not fit in our packs, as many of you have suggested, you will most definitely fit in our hearts! Please stay in touch, be vigilant in your blog entries and know that we will think of you often as we wander the globe. We cannot express enough how important each of you are to us and how much we love and are inspired by you ALL! Bonnnnn Voyaaaaaage!!!!