Ha! Ha!

Cova perhaps I was just entranced by the older couples and familes and therefore had selective vision.

men with toothpicks hanging? Please elaborate. What do you mean? After eating olives?

Cova is right !! And no, they haven't eaten olives necessarily...some man (mostly old, sure) like to have their toothpick hanging. Why ? No one knows...just a costume, a not very good one if you ask me LOL

Comfy you are somthing special. A man who is not familiar with toothpicks except for eating olives gets my stamp of approval! I told you once you are a reinaissance man. In Simi Valley Ca where I live (and home of the Ronald Regan Library & site of the famous Rodney King trial) there are many toothpicks guys.....and girls unfortunately. And there are no elegant couples walking arm in arm mostly men walking way ahead of their wives...

I wanted to resurrect this simply for my own enjoyment and for those who might enjoy some of the comments others have shared.

ams

thanks ams

Nice to read that everybody "gets it" !
Did anyone mention the tiles, the wash hung from windows, the gardens, fountains and how clean it is? Loved "the stroll" at 7 PM.

Ana, Thanks, I didn't read it first time around. This toothpick man terminology is funny, and for some reason reminded me of a Marisa Tomei movie. No, not "my cousin vinny" but rather "someone like you" with interesting enough concepts of relationships. Funny and sweet.

may I please join in and keep it going?

-the amazing Moorish architecture in Andalucia.

-Retiro Park on a Sunday morning.

Can't wait till December! I'm going back!

The lovely stork couples in Pedraza de la Sierra outside our bedroom window every day.

The delicious roast suckling baby lamb at Yantar....and the big fat white asparagus.


Being addressed as Senora....and as usted..

I must agree with Iregeo about Retiro Park Sunday mornings.
Food Markets in Spain are interesting: there's unwritten precedence rules (a quien le toca?) and each shopper getting into an informal queue But just to visit a market like Bilbao's 3-story market on the river can be a delightful experience. Sometimes it's even possible to sample morcillas or chorizos or quesos from various pueblos. I could spend a half day exploring Bilbao's mercado Central.

Then there are markets like the one in Huelva: outside for fruits & vegetables; indoor for meats.

TTT for IDperalta

POLVORONES!

That's right no one mentioned that yet! Good one.

To the top (again) this time for Harry.

Hot chocolate, shrimp in garlic butter, how people dress in Madrid, late dinners, late nights, Gaudi buildings, great museums.

Maybe already mentioned and certainly already referred to....the intensity of flavors. We were in Barcelona only 4 days and were (and still are) amazed by the flavors of every bite. Every bite had a mmmm to it. The jamon, the bread, the fruit, the coffee, even my lemon soda was beautiful. Very intense flavors. Lovely.
We're going back, this time to the Granada-Jaen-Malaga area. We'll be there mid-March. I'm so impatient.

Watching the reactions of small children during a puppet show in the Plaza Mayor. And watching loving parents watching their children watching pupets shows in Plaza Mayor.

love the late dinner, warm climate ( not in the summer!)
the language(s), the sea, food and food, friendly people ...

going to Barcelona in 10 days for the third year in a row.
Hope to go back to Spain in the fall.
'...............

"loving parents watching their children"

p.s. I have never seen so many stores for children's clothing
everywhere.

Every so often I resurrect this one.....it's really what travel is abput, no?

Today I areally missing the great coffee!!!