classic

Diego has been having a Clint Eastwood marathon...and I've been noticing just how classy (hello guapo) Clint really is. I want the whole look from For a Few More Dollars.

ps...these Hollywood westerns were filmed in Almeria, in southern Spain.

Botafumeiro

Xacobeo in Santiago brings many tourists with sore legs and walking sticks, the king and queen of Spain and the Botafumeiro-a giant incense burner that swings back and forth in the cathedral naves. It was once used to fumigate smell of the faithful, but today is more a tourist attraction that anything else. Mom and I went to see it last week-impressive. Check out our video below.

Alpargatas

Sooo...my favorite shoes have quite the history. As soon as Diego saw my shoes he told me it looked like I'd been in Zaragoza. Turns out the black and white shoes are typical from the city Zaragoza (not to be confused with Zara..hahaha). See how cute in the vintage drawings?

I bought them while mom and I were escaping the heat from a lady who makes them in her little workshop.

And the hat was also a heat based purchase from a little hat shop in the arches of Plaza Mayor. A good 5 euro purchase!

Bridges and castles

I've been lucky to be in Toledo twice this year. Once in Semana Santa with my man, and again yesterday with my mama. This time mom and I saw El Greco and wondered at white arches in a very very old synagogue and ate horchata popcicles. On the way out, in a very hot hot heat we suddenly forgot we were sweating when we wandered down some stairs finding the old medieval entrance to the city. You could almost hear the galloping knights.

(my favorite new shoes)

We're back!

My mama and I have been having so much fun...out and about in cool Santiago and sweating about in Burgos, Madrid, and Toledo...where just so you know yesterday we were walking up and down the old stone streets searching for el Greco, trying not to complain about the heat. Finally on our way out of the town we saw the temperature 42*C (that's 109*F) and decided we had a right to complain-it was later reported on the news that Toledo was the hottest city in the country yesterday. In any case, everything has been so amazing-even if hot. Only a few more days until Xacobeo and then back home to the U S of A.

I think we're gonna need a bigger boat

It was definitely summer when my dad used to bring out this line. One of his favorite movies...and always close to my heart, even if I still get a few goose bumps when getting in the ocean because of it. Did you see this living in on D*Sponge?

Famosos

hehe...remember my post on Bimba Bose? Well, the other night in Pontevedra we walked to one of our favorite places for drinks, by a cute plaza, and what do you know Bimba was Deejaying with David Delfin, yea the Spanish designer. The scene was lacking some dancing, so Melisa and I decided to go and dance a bit to the Michael Jackson, Beyonce, and Justin Timberlake...hahah. Funny thing is, as we got to the front, the DJs came down into the crowd to dance...and well, since everyone else did it, we got a pic with Bimba and David. What can I say? We are awesome!

DJ play my song!

Dancing

And our shot done by Bimba...and yes, bummer is we weren't quite dressed for a photo with a model we had spent the day at the beach...

And with Sr. David Delfin. No, he didn't offer us any free clothes.

Finally, another famous Galician actor, Luis Zahera, came around, so we got a pic...hahah, we were on a roll. He's the crazy dude in Celda 211 or better known as Petrolio his character in a Galcian TV series.

Octopus to the party

And the party just keeps going here in Spain to celebrate the CHAMPIONS!! Yesterday historic numbers of people filled the streets in 100 and some degree weather to welcome the team home, the streets were red and yellow, people were in their balconies, in trees, and even on top of store terraces. Here's a little taste of what it was like in Santiago on Sunday night. Oh, and in case you're wondering, he octopus seems poised to become the new national mascot. Bye-bye bull, hello pulpo!

OE, OE, OE!!!

ESPAÑA ES CAMPEON DEL MUNDO!!! Yay!!! From they beginning they were the favorites, and after defeating Germany it was even more obvious that Spain deserved the title, but watching the game last night, the nerves were unbearable. We watched the game at a friend's house, with enough room for the nervous pacing, the cheers at the close calls, and the jeers at the ref and the dutch who were waaaay to violent, and for the GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL by Iniesta in the 116th minute!!!!!!! Arms flew up, hugs all around, and all the guys started running outside, everyone was cheering, nearly crying. They did it. La roja. Casillas and our hunky Spaniards played beautifully, made me love this sport, and won the much deserved title of world champions. CAMPEONES!!!!!!!!!! Way to go Spain!!! (pics of the street party with the pulpo to come!)

PS...one final note. Remember Sara Carbonero? Well, her man Iker, captain of la roja, tearing up during their interview after the game while thanking his family, couldn't take it anymore, stopped everything...and kissed her!!!!!! Soooooo cute! ¡Qué bonito es el amoooor! Isn't their eye contact adorable? And how they both tear up! Tooo cute.

Can Can

Another way to use your old cans. I've got to start saving them for my terrace. These are lovely. See how to here.

LA FURIA!!

Ganamos!! Now to win the world cup!! Spain is in full force fiesta. Yesterday was the start of the fiestas de San Fermin-you know bull running in the street, red scarf and white clothes, Hemingway, Pamplona and seven straight days of party. I don't think I could survive it...ain't no party like a Spanish party cuz a Spanish party don't stop (just ask my sister or Laura). But, to make the summer party even sweeter SPAIN IS GOING TO THE WORLD CUP FINALS! They played amazingly yesterday against Germany and we are all eagerly awaiting Sunday evening to watch Casillas hoist the cup into the air. I'm so happy to be in Spain living such fun memories and see what its like when everyone on the street has a little extra pep in their step and a smile on thier face. VAMOS ESPAÑA!!

Memories

For some reason this reminds me of my childhood...hahah!

And speaking of childhood, my mom will be here in two days!!

(See more at Miss at la Playa)

Desde Galicia

Saturday morning I turned on the TV and caught a program on the Galician Channel called Desde Galicia para el mundo a cultural magazine that features the best of Galician Culture and Geography. It was pretty fantastic. Watch episodes here.

just sayin...

Not sure if you saw the last Spain vs. Paraguay World Cup game...agooooony until the last 10 minutes. Well, the magic octopus predicted that Spain will beat Germany on Wednesday...fingers crossed! (by the way, last time he predicted Germany would beat Argentina-true. And in case you are wondering, the prediction is based on which box he goes into. It's really quite cute, don't you think?)

Fireworks

Happy fourth of July! We're hoping to fire up the grill and have some salads and ice-cream sandwiches on the terrace. Since we have to wait until July 24th for fireworks here are a few bold and bright colorful cacti and succulents.

Cosmic Race

Studying Latin American literature the theme of identity came up a lot. The America's tended to be seen as the lost Atlantis, Paradise, and in one essay the genetic farmland for perfect humans when the raza cosmica-a race of perfectly mixed genetics would arise. Watching this video from the New York Times about model scouting in Brazil is eerily similar. Read the Raza Cósmica in English here and watch the video here.

oh my!

So pretty! Don't you want one for your city?

Here or there

I celebration of the 4th of July, summer, camping, and road trips who wouldn't like to have a trailer decked out by the Spanish decorators at Caravanolic? Check out their adorable prototype. I love the tree wallpaper.