Almunecar

Today was the big travel day from Madrid to Almunecar. Although it was a struggle with car sickness for me, the city we are in now was worth the pain. The cities down here are small, white-washed, and full of little surprises everywhere. The people here are very friendly and are actually very similar to the American culture. This is most likely due to the large amounts of tourists that visit the town every summer. I can't believe we are so lucky to be a stone's throw away from the beach in a four and a half star hotel! The view from my balcony can simply not be beat. I could absolutely live here.

We went out to dinner at a little seaside restaurant right on the beach tonight. The waiter was very friendly and accommodating. In Spain, the waiters usually give you large amounts of time to choose the food you would like and to socialize after you are finished eating. This was very apparent when we waited twenty minutes for him to come back so we could order. But this food was the best I have had here. I had fish, and it was heaven. It was incredibly fresh and I was finally full after a meal! They served us warm, freshly baked bread and some delicious apple drinks after the meal.

This place is somewhere out of a dream. I walked around the town to get some gelato, and noticed how laid back everyone is here. There is no such thing as rushing anywhere, as the pace of life is extremely slow compared to America or other parts of Spain. I know this is due to the proximity of the ocean and the nature of having so many tourists on holiday here. The ocean brings a calm that you can't find anywhere but near it. Sitting on the beach tonight, getting a chance to reflect, I realized that I have come a long way from where I was a year ago. I still have my troubled days, but I am getting better. Almunecar is teaching me how to slow down.