Three Kings Day, Spain’s REAL holiday!

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Reb

So tomorrow January 6th is Three King’s Day. It is the day that is celebrated in Spain over Christmas. The gifts, parties all the big stuff, that is all saved for Three King’s Day. This day celebrates the gift giving of the magi who brought gifts to the baby Jesus. (So really it does make more sense than exchanging gifts of Christmas Day) So the three kings are all over, on decorations, in the parades, everyone knows their names (something I NEVER learned in Sunday school).

So tonight, the night before the parade wandered through Rota. It started at about 4:30 at the castle downtown with the kings making their appearance and then the parade worked its way up from the marina toward the base. I was RUSHING to get out of work and get the kids to the parade since this is our last one. (oh so sad!) Thankfully in Spain everything generally starts a little late so I was hoping I could find the parade somewhere and catch up to it.

It couldn’t have gone more perfectly! The is a large parking lot just off base at the bus station/gypsy market I decided to park in and then walk the rest of the way. Well we walk to the other side of the bus station and there everyone is lined up on the side of the road waiting for the floats. THREE minutes later they came! Perfect!

O waiting for the parade. Thankfully it was a super short wait and the weather was just perfect!

These kids came prepared!

Adorable little girls!

Pretty girls! I would love to be able to ride the floats in these fabulous dresses! So much fun!

It's raining candy!

Streamers EVERYWHERE!

Cuties!

And some sweet little boys rode the floats too!

One of the kings (I don't know which one, don't judge me!)

Tossing soccer balls

Getting ready to grab some candy!

I panicked for a second thinking that they were going to have to shove the candy into my purse, but yay, I always have my reusable collapsible shopping shoved in my purse so I was able to pull that out. That bag has come in handy SO many times!

We came home with SO many streamers!

Grabbing as much candy as possible!

Now, there are professionals who SERIOUSLY come prepared to the parade. One of the most common things is the ol’ upside down umbrella, the better to catch candy with! Really clever idea, however, we don’t need that much candy!

HARDCORE parade-goers

Even easier, just bring a blanket!

The aftermath

We had a fun time at our last Three Kings Day parade… Thankfully my kids aren’t expecting the three kings to come visit tonight, OUR holidays are over!

Bar Jamon

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Reb

Bar Jamon is the restaurant that we ended up going to for our Anniversary in November. Really nice restaurant, a little more upscale so it was perfect for an anniversary dinner.

We ended up getting there at around 8:30pm. FYI, here is what a restaurant in Spain looks like at 8:30pm on a Saturday night. We are ALWAYS the early birds.

By 10pm there were actually quite a few other tables filled (as we get ready to leave), even after 3 1/2 years we haven’t adjusted to the Spanish eating times.

Checking out the menu like there is any chance he is going to get anything but paella.

Decided to go with an appetizer of calamari, they were really, really good.

Delicious calamari, seriously the best I’ve ever had. Tiny and fried whole. YUM!

Baby squid I shall eat you!

Paella for two brought to the table

Paella for two ended being paella for one with a to-go bag. I went for the lamb ravioli.

Lamb ravioli. Very very yummy!

And dessert, chocolate crepes.

The only thing that would have made it better would have been a pitcher of sangria, but since I had to drive the babysitter home that was a no go!

Bar Jamon for menu, directions and pictures. Plenty of parking!

EVERYTHING in Spain closes early on New Year’s (well except the bars…)

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Reb

On New Year’s Eve I had wanted to go out to dinner in Jerez de la Frontera, a bigger city about 15 minutes away. There is a restaurant there (near Ikea!) called Wok that does a kind of Mongolian buffet. We have a smaller version in Rota but I had heard good things about this one, bigger, nicer decor, better buffet selection.

Well we get out there at around 7:30pm which is early but we figured if we could kill time if we needed to wait until 8. Wok is closed. Dark, no one inside. Okay maaaaaybe we are a little early. So we hit up the grocery store Alcampo next door to look for sparkling apple/grape juice. No sparkling non-alcoholic beverages were found (although I did see Lambrusco for sale, I’ll have to go back and pick some up!) we did get some delicious donuts for dessert/breakfast/who knows they just looked yummy.

After killing time in the grocery store back to peek at Wok, nope still dark and not a soul in sight. Let’s just hop over to the mall that is right next door and find something in the food court. Park in the strangely half empty parking lot to walk up into the mall and see only people walking out. What the heck? Its almost 8pm on a Saturday night, usually the mall is packed with people! Mall doors locked. Oh no. This isn’t a good sign. Back over to the Ikea/Wok shopping center, McDonald’s maybe? Closed in the five minutes it took to run to the mall and back.

Now at this point we could have just given up and gone home except for the fact that I have been slacking on grocery shopping and there was nothing to eat at home (okay maybe pb & j but that was our last resort). So back to the base we go, we’ll hit up Pizza Villa even though we had pizza the night before. I figure a chicken, bacon, ranch sandwich will save the night. Pizza Villa closed. While I am ready to cry and give up because I am cranky, hungry and frustrated that we are all dressed up with literally no where to eat, my husband perseveres.

Out into Rota, where surprise, surprise: Wok Rota is open! And of course we were only the second table in there (after other Americans). I really think everyone in Spain was already making their way toward a plaza to party.

So food! We finally got to eat!

Ended up eating 4 shrimp, 2 hot wings, french fries and 1 bite of rice.

I'm not embarrassed to admit that all THREE of those plates are mine. I was starving when I filled them.

Not shown, his plate of squid and frog legs.

Getting 2012 started

Posted on January 1, 2012 by Reb

Well the first day of 2012 turned out to be a beautiful day, the temperature hit the 60s and the sun was shining. We took Bowser for a walk along with the RC car to a nearby playground with a field attached. Bowser LOVES chasing anything with wheels; bikes, power wheels, RC cars, the vacuum. I am actually worried that he is going to try chasing a real car one day and end up getting run over!

Bowser chasing the car across a field

He can *almost* catch the car

Our base has playgrounds all over the place, there are probably 3 within a mile or two not counting the elementary school (which has three). Ever since Bowser was a puppy we have been taking him to playgrounds and getting him used to walking on the different surfaces and playing on the slides. Now he LOVES going down the slide and will go down repeatedly by himself.