A Parade For Me!

I am checking in from a cozy bed in a lovely 10 bed hostel room in Malaga, Costa del Sol, Spain. Back to 17 degree temperatures and palm trees-vacation is over. Hahahahaha my life is great. But actually, when I got off the train in Malaga, the air smelled like olive oil and the streets were full of people and families walking at a leisurely pace and I could understand what they were saying to each other, and I was so happy. I had quite the spring in my step as I made my way towards my hostel. There were marching bands playing and parades passing by, candy being tossed like rice after a wedding...it was like my life was a musical, homecoming celebration!
The parade part and all that is actually real. Tomorrow is Los Tres Reyes, the three kings, which is just as important as Christmas here in Spain. This is what all of the hullabahloo was about, also the reason there were so many strollers and children everywhere. Very fun and colorful, balloon men and women walking around with bundles, bundles the size of a small car mind you, of helium filled cartoon characters for sale. Men on corners sugar roasting almonds. Candy tables. Waffle and donut stands. Party time! Difficult to navigate with a roller suitcase, though. I took a picture that is horribly blurry, but you get the idea.

I was winding through the back streets towards the hostel when I ran into Paloma and her parents, I couldn't believe it. First let me explain who Paloma is. On my bus to Malaga two weeks ago I sat next to her, she told me all sorts of things to do in Cadiz province, pretty places to see and good routes to do in the car. She is from around Malaga so she also gave me tips around Malaga and Nerja, where my parents and I want to go in May when they come visit (yay!). She is a nurse on a short contract in La Linea, and doesn't know if her contract will be renewed. Upon arrival to Malaga, she gave me instructions on how to get to my hostel, but when we got off she introduced me to her parents and brother who then gave me a ride to the hostel.
So this is why I cannot believe that I ran into Paloma, literally right around the block from where my hostel was. I had just gone out to get dinner after I checked in and dropped my stuff off, and there amongst the thousands of people doing last minute shopping and parade watching, we ran into each other. We chatted, said goodbye and then passed each other again 10 minutes later. 'El mundo es un pañuelo', it is a small world. They personify my experience with strangers here in Andalucia-very open and very friendly.

But my last days in Sweden/Denmark! Vera and I took a train from Lund to Helsingborg, then a ferry to Helsinger (DK). For the 20 minute ferry ride they had split their duty free sales: alcohol sales in Swedish waters, tobacco in Danish waters.

We then caught the train to Copenhagen. I had some delicious danish hotdog/sausage with really good mustard, we saw a lot of really pretty buildings, a little port area that looked like Amsterdam, and lots of post christmas sales.

(Do you think painting my nails will stop me from biting them? I don't)

(This is my cool braid beard look I invented)

Eventually we hit Mickellers (spelled more or less correctly) a really good microbrewery place. Vera got a very floral beer, I got a smoky chili porter. Both were very good, I missed microbrews. We follwed that with really good italian food and some more wandering around Copenhagen (at this point no longer sober, just very jolly and having some good nostalgia moments about our time we spent together in Peru).
Last thing I want to mention is the plane ride home. First very cool sights flying out of Copenhagen-wind mills in the water between Denmark and Sweden and the bridge that connects the two. I didn't realize this before but it goes underwater! So it looks like the bridge just disappears 3/4 of the way through. So cool!

All in all a very fun trip!