Cuidad, country changes, caliente, communists

Well here we are again. Just leaving Barcelona ( the smelly city), I guess it's a big city thing, many apartments feeding into hundred year old sewers. NYC was a bit like this but with the heat here it sneaks up and cuddles you into it's foul miasma not letting go until you submit to the next cloud of foulness. There are non smelly bits but it does seem to catch you up again just so you don't think you are somewhere else. Once again we've been rushing, not sure why apart from we haven't found any cheap places to stay in the city. Maybe a bit more asking around rather than trying to rely on the internet? We did find a place but they only had one day free in an apartment normally a long term rental. Anyway. We've seen some amazing cities and we got a cheap flight here from Verona so we are slighty over seeing cities for now.

Travelling with children is very different from the usual dragging yourself around many museums, sights, bars...We've seen lots but I've been a little frustrated about not seeing more. The kids get tired in this heat, maybe 25-30 deg C today in Barcelona. No wind and it's humid so sweat is the word of the day. Henry has found it a bit tough and has been quite grumpy recently. We've found that tough and maybe told him off a bit much. So we're working on having longer in each place (I think I already said that but we're still working on it!!!). So today we are travelling to Valencia (for one night) then onto Alicante and a small town nearby, Torrevieja, for a week.

We've found a house which is totally kitted out for a long stay owned by an English woman. It has a pool and is a short bus trip from the beach. So sounds cool. We'd like to do more of this while still visiting sights of Europe. It'll give the children some time to relax and get used to one place. They do need some routine poor little monsters. I know we're on holiday but it's kind of tiring all the travelling, I'm looking forward to sitting by the pool and drinking many Moscow Mules. I have been carrying a big bottle of vodka since Frankfurt and for the purposes of lightness it needs to be consumed.

Moscow Mule
Vodka a couple of shots I reckon
Lime squeezed onto the vodka and dumped in
Ice
Ginger beer poured on top liberally
I think that's it, but hey will do

(I already feel like I am maybe in a coma and dreaming all this so probably won't even notice the alcohol?)

In the last few days we've travelled through Tuscany. Seen some of Verona and had a delicious meal there by the Verona river in the historic town. The old towns in Italy and it seems Spain so far are so well preserved. I really feel like you can sense people walking through the streets over a thousand years ago. Isn't that just unbelievable some of these towns and cities have records of land transfers from 1000AD or even 710AD. No wonder the sewers can get a bit pongy!

Yesterday I was thinking it's funny that in NZ and the States it's becoming a big trend to have farmer's markets but here they've been having them for many many years. They are more in touch with their food origins, celebrating the seasons and the harvest. I was also thinking I'm going to write to Helen Clark about stuff. I keep noticing all the cars, scooters and bikes here.It's unusual to see a gas guzzling LA/ Lower Hutt mobile. Certainly no Hummers. Petrol here is double NZ so fuel efficiency is more necessary. We think we're so clean and green. We might have quite a bit of luscious countryside and forest but I think it's more to do with the fact that no one lives in NZ!!! We have less population than a reasonable size city in most other countries. We recycle our glass, bottles etc but here I've even seen compost bins for public use for biodegradable items. Now I don't know how well the system works. And I've got no chance of having a conversation about it with someone here ( I can only just order a coffee). But I think we can be a leader in this area. Here they have recycling bins in public places instead of just throwing it all away. We can do better. Enough of a rave on Eco stuff. We do have good sewers anyway.

By the way...We had a Kiwi pilot from Verona to Girona (Barcelona) on Ryanair. They seem to climb very quickly and descend like they are in a dogfight. It did make me wonder if he'd saved up his weetbix vouchers for a pilots license? With pilots like him who needs terrorists? But we did get safely to the ground...people applauded...like our other Ryanair flight from Hahn to Venice. It makes me wonder if they don't make it very often. I've only been on one other flight like this, coming into Wellington from Christchurch. I can understand it more there we have rain, gales and an airport runway that is smaller than a Wal mart car park. The flight attendant said he hadn't noticed anything. Maybe I'm just paranoid or I've become a scaredy girls blouse at 35? Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh. Oh no now I remember I was already a girl's blouse, feeling better. Need a beer grr grr.

Also, either there are KGB agents following me or there are a lot of Russian/Eastern European people here. At Verona bus station there was a group of drunken, Slavic types and there are a couple of Russian guys sitting two seats ahead of me. Oh no it's one but he's on the Bluetooth seemingly talking to himself incessantly. The Germans are everywhere still of course and the odd Aussie along with many Brits dressed as badly dressed as me. I wish I had a bit more Euro style but I'm not sure I could pull it off. I might accidentally get guys hitting on me? Oh and we saw our first Transgender sex worker two days ago. Thankfully Henry didn't notice the extra big feet and the going up to crawling cars. If you can get into Verona without going to the main train/bus station it's best. Only one bathroom which you pay for and then .only one stall working. I was getting to the busting stage and went in after much digging for change. An old guy came out and a very large dark guy went in, then 5 teenage guys came in and were waiting. Not keen anymore I retreated to reabsorb my last meal. Just like NY there are mostly only loos in bars and restaurants and these are pretty variable. Take a peg and build up your calves so you can hover as often there's no seat. Ok enough for now I've finished where I started...sorry.