Well, I’m home again after an amazing and wonderful trip to Albania, and then Spain. Shawna, my daughter, met me at the Albanian airport, and it was so heartwarming to see her for the first time in many months. We explored both countries and played together. We spent some time figuring out how to put together our very different lifestyles once again. The first playful time came when I got off the plane and rode a Ferris Wheel in Albania.

We had many adventures together including when we climbed into a cave.
When I returned, everyone was asking me about the trip . . . so here goes:

Albania: In a town called Tirana we took a tour and learned about the history of Communism there and the people’s culture now. Basically, they have kicked Communism out of their country, and are adamant that it’s not coming back. The country is just learning and accepting Tourism, and the people were very helpful to us. After Tirana we headed for Skhoder in the Albanian Alps, where we rented and rode bikes. We went to a Venetian Mask factory.

Shawna and I swam in the Albanian warm waters and watched a powerful sunset from a beautiful castle on the top of a mountain. Then onward to . . . .

Spain: Here we stayed for two weeks in a small town on the Spanish coast of the Balearic Sea called Denia. Behind the town there is a large mountain called Montgo.It was warm, beautiful, and the people were so friendly . . . even as I stumbled and fumbled along in the
ir language.

Shawna chose this place not just for its attractiveness, but her longtime California friends, John and Lynette, had just retired and moved there. They are fun folks, and we did a lot of walking/exploring and meals with them and their 2 dogs.

One of my most fun times in Denia was on our 2^nd day there, when I went to pick up our bike rentals in town while Shawna was working (1/2 hour walk away). When I got there, I learned about SPANISH SIESTA TIME! The bike shop and everything around it was closed daily from 2 to 5! Luckily, because of tourists, a few Cafes stayed open.

So, I found a nice little outdoor Café around the corner, ordered coffee, and tried to communicate with the waiter in my broken Spanish. A young man at a table next to me was listening and started translating to the waiter my questions. It turned out he was born in Spain, spoke perfect Spanish, and later in life went to school/college in New York, and learned perfect English.

We had a coffee together and shared our stories. He, Michael, was a dedicated bike rider, lived in a small town on the other side of Montgo, and frequently rode the eight miles into Denia to pick up supplies and run errands.

When he heard I was picking up bikes, he went there with me after Siesta time. The bike guy was great and had Shawna’s and my bikes ready and complete with locks and helmets. As Shawna couldn’t get there for another hour and a half, Michael offered to take me on a bike tour through town and along the coast. Of course, it was a “Yes”! He shared much about the people, the culture, the trails, and local places and events.

It was an inspiring ride . . . so at the end, I asked if he would be my Tour Guide on days when Shawna had to work. Well, he didn’t want to be paid, but he accepted my lunch and coffee offers on the days we toured. We rode all over town, up and down the coast, and rode up the mountain called Montgo to the tower that was built ¾’s of the way up that road.
Whenever Shawna and I had time to ride, I showed her these places. And she showed me places she loved to visit, including a cave. There we looked out of it and had a beautiful view of Denia.

Everyone asks me if Shawna lives there . . . and what kind of work does she do. Well, she’s a “Computer Nomad”. As a Business Consultant she helps people all over the world . . . by computer. She can live anywhere she wants so, about a year ago, she let go of her apartment in Carlsbad, California, put anything she wanted to keep in storage, and HIT THE ROAD. Who knows how long she’ll live in Spain! She just happens to be fluent in Spanish, so those countries are easy for her. 

It wasn’t easy for me, but after two weeks there I could get around, and mostly make myself understood. We joined a gym, got in some good workouts and classes, attended a great food celebration on the beach, explored a lot by bike, had great meals out, and BONDED: MOTHER/DAUGHTER!

So, I’m home, picking up my life again. Yes, I’m still doing treatments on Fridays:

Craniosacral, Lymphatic/Immune System, Polarity, Deep Tissue, Essential Oils, and Massage. It seems my hands never forget how to heal with these tools. Thank God, as my almost 82-year-old memory forgets so much else. (Of course, I can always look things up in my numerous anatomy books.)