Another piece of my heart lost in the Mediterranean

Sunday I returned from my last big holiday of my Intermenno year in Girona, Spain. I was there nine days. Unlike the other places I've traveled to this year it was not new to me. I can't even compare it with the others. It is just Girona. and the life I know there. which is really the best for me.
Just like last time I stayed with my friend Nerea. My memory of two years ago when I was there was so good and I had this fear in the back of my mind that everything would be different this time and a let down. To my pleasure as far as surroundings, everything was the same, only minor things like gas prices had changed. Girona is still beautiful. Even in front of the cathedral, Nerea said hi to the same aquaintance, who was setting up for the same religious music festival as two years ago. My own little Brigadoon-don't I wish. Ha. It also had a lot to do that with the fact that I came at the same time of year as last time.
We spent our time there at the La Conca beach, being with Nerea's family, and her friends, at Las Carpas, and taking the dogs for walks, as well as other things. We also spent a day in Barcelona where Nerea showed me her University and residence. We met up with her boyfriend Ivan and toured La Sagrada Familia.
I love the culture in Catalonia-Spain. The Mediterranean culture is so different. American's have the tendancy to generalize Europe too much as whole and that really doesn't work. I think the Germanic culture has many more similarities with American than compared to Mediterranean.
They eat lunch at 3:00 and supper around 10:00. They always give 2 kisses for saying goodbye and hello, which avoids a lot of awkwardness. And people are just more open and inviting in general, which I can especially appreciate as a visitor.

I did however forget that last time I left I vowed when I returned I would be able to speak Spanish. That was going fine till German got in the way of that. Perhaps in two years I increased my vocabulary of maybe 100 words. I used maybe 20? Ha. Anyways, what I forgot I quickly remembered. I only remembered how much I liked her friends and less how I couldn't very well communicate with them. I still love Castellano (Spanish) though and want to learn it someday, the Catalan can come yet after that.
If you want to know more about Spain ask me because I love to talk about it, obviously.
Now I am back to good old Lupsingen, trying to make the most the month I have. This week I also have the extra burden of get ready for my trip to Vienna with Rebecca, Jessica, and Nikki this weekend. I don't even have a ticket yet for the train. The kids have summer vacation now, which means I'm seeing much more of them and they keep me very busy.
I also have to mention the biggest news to hit Lupsingen. Yesterday evening the Volg (the only store in the village), burned down! The place I went to nearly every day to buy something! Now what will we do? Ha. So I will leave you with this: