Sevilla

We settled in Sevilla for one week and welcomed 2010 in this third largest city in Spain.  One week is a bit long for sightseeing in this town but it was perfect for us given the pace we are traveling.  Weather has not been on our side but we managed to get some valuable sunshine out of this week.

Joaquin is growing up really fast and has a very good handle on Spanish (thanks to Mom and Dad being around him and talking to him so patiently).  He is very social and likes to make friends whenever he sees them.

Joaquin's favorite act these days: running away from parents or grandparents!

Joaquin enjoying the street performance

Not sure how Joaquin can pick beautiful Spanish girls even when he sports his big belly in his undershirt (this trick probably won't work in a couple of years)

We met up with Yuen-Foo, who had spent the past three months learning Spanish and traveling in Spain

Chamu enjoying the beautiful, serene courtyard in the Alcázar

Joaquin and Apo feeding duckies and fish in the pond

Eating at home before Mom and Dad returned to Panama (notice Chamu now can pose and say "Cheese" to the camera!)

Our breakfast at noon at a bar (how we usually begin our day); Mic and Kat joined us on December 29 from Hong Kong

Chamu getting his gift after visiting a Belén

Mamu and Chamu enjoying the rare sunshine

Looking for boats and ducks by the river

Chamu posing with his favorite ducks

Chamu deciding what to order at a delicious bakery

Chamu and Dadu sharing the same smile

Chamu practicing his homey move (he is growing up too fast!)

Chamu in love with the white almond soup and finished it all by himself!

For our New Year Eve's dinner we had lobster and monkfish stew and a leg of lamb (poor Mic was suffering from stomachache so he was just observing)

Counting down in front of the clock tower in Plaza Nueva

Chamu trying to finish his 12 grapes at the countdown

Happy New Year!

Counting down to the New Year at Plaza Nueva in Sevilla, ready to eat our 12 grapes

Olé! El Nuevo Matador de Sevilla

Road Trip in Spain Part 4

After Madrid, we decided to take a two-day road trip before resettling in Sevilla.  We visited Toledo and stayed at the Parador in Almagro.  We stopped briefly to visit Castille de Calatrava near Almagro.  We then drove to Úbeda for one night before finally hitting Sevilla.  We had our Christmas dinner in Úbeda (Joaquin had so much fun with his three new friends) and Joaquin had a lot of fun retrieving his gifts from Santa under the Christmas tree (not sure how much he understands that only "good kids get the gifts from Santa" though).  

Impressive Cathedral in Toledo

Joaquin in Plaza Mayor of Almagro

Breakfast in the Almagro Parador courtyard

Joaquin in love with his "Pasta Airplane"

Abandoned Castillo de Calatrava

Rainbow after a big rainstorm

Another abandoned castillo

Joaquin eating his Xmas dinner

Christmas Dinner

Joaquin and his new friends

Madrid

We caught the big European storm the week when we were in Madrid.  Hail, snow, rain, you name it and we probably had it!  Nevertheless, it was a fun week.  We were staying at an apartment nearby Puerta del Sol which was close to shopping and most of the major attractions.  We visited all three major museums and the royal palace.  We were also fortunate to have sunshine for a few days.  We even managed to get Joaquin his Christmas gifts, wading through crowds of parents in El Corte Inglés.

Joaquin learned to do "Salud!" (or "乾杯“) and started to acquire new vocabulary at a lightning speed.  He is now fluent in both Spanish and Mandarin when it comes to pointing out body parts.  He also has full comprehension of whatever we tell him in either language.  We also started doing "time-outs" for him whenever he behaves badly (e.g. pouring water at the dining table) and he accepts his punishment without fuss.  The other day, he poured water on the table again and before we even instructed him to turn around and do a "time-out", he turned around himself!!

 Joaquin loves running down the street

Sunny Day in the Park

Our favorite bakery near the apartment

Meeting up with Nannette and cute Victoria

Apo feeding Joaquin and Joaquin feeding Victoria

Joaquin's first encounter with snow!

Joaquin doesn't know where to begin with this delicious Paella

Cheers everyone!

Road Trip in Spain Part 3

After San Sebastían, we visited Burgos for a quick tour of its grand cathedral and then stopped for one night at the Parador in Lerma (a charming little town half an hour from Burgos), where we also visited the Monastery in Santo Domingo de Silos the next day.  We arrived in Madrid in time for its first snow fall this year.  We will be spending a week here before we hit the road again.

Cold and snowy in Burgos

After a very satisfying hot meal in Burgos

Lobby of the Parador in Lerma

Joaquin made his very first order of dessert off the menu -- ice cream that comes in a toy car (but he lost the car in less than 10 hours after...)

Chamu roaming the 12th century monastery (with his newly acquired toy car and jacket)

Outside the monastery

Road Trip in Spain Part 2

From San Sebastían, we took day trips to Bilbao and nearby town, Hondarribia.  We had some nice sunny days even though temperature was low.

Beautiful La Concha Beach in San Sebastían

Chamu building his zen garden on La Concha

Chamu loves to do piggy rides on Dadu

Nice sunny day on La Concha

More Churros con Chocolate

Pintxos, Pintxos, and Pintxos

Cold day in the open-air museum near San Sebastían

Chamu display himself as a piece of art

Chamu fascinated by the Xmas tree in the Hondarribia Parador (and then he broke the ball a minute after)