Day 23 Heading home

Before catching the 11am train to Barcelona, Dave and I took Joe and most of his kids to a farewell breakfast AND birthday breakfast for Hannah at Valor in Campello, the best churro and chocolate place this side of the Andes. We were facing the waves, right on the beach as the sun was overtaking the water on the horizon. Good times with the fam!! I really do love this place where I spent my formative years.

After an uneventful 5 hour train ride through the eastern border of Spain, we arrived in Barcelona. We killed a little time visiting la Sagrada Familia cathedral, then to Yolanda's house for dinner and a quick night of sleep before our flight back to Knoxville.

For those who don't know, Yolanda is like a second mother to all the Platt kids. She was 17 when she met my mother in Barcelona back in the early 50's and they lived together for years and have been best friends ever since. Yolanda is, like my mother, a ball of loving energy. I could write paragraphs of her accomplishments (such as founding the Spanish national Alzheimer's foundation 30+ years ago, which now has hundreds of chapters around the country)! It is always a joy to spend time with her and it was especially good to have her speak several hours of words of wisdom into David's life...I could tell he was soaking it all in.

I am writing this on Tuesday morning, day 24 of this amazing journey with Dave. We are headed home!!

Day 22 - Alicante, primo and paella

Sunday morning church in Campello was like going back in time to a small church where everyone knew each other. My brother Joe shared the message that morning. David was invited to play in the band along with his two cousins who play the violin. Joe shared some great words to encourage us in the faith. We had pollo asado for lunch (rotisserie chicken), which is always good in Spain...I think they add wine and other goodness to it).

In the afternoon my cousin Jose Maria Platillero came to visit with me. He has taken over his father, my uncle José's, family printing business, which was started by my grandfather. It is really tough to run a business in Spain with all of the laws and regulations that make it very difficult to keep good people. I really enjoyed time with my cousin as I feel we are kindred spirits.

For dinner, David and I took all of the teenagers to Campello where we went for a long walk along the beach and then had a paella made for us at a restaurant there.  It is such a blessing to get to know these wonderful children as they are each beginning to reach adulthood.

After sharing lots of stories from growing up and talking a bit about their future and God's plans for their lives, we headed home after midnight. A wonderful way to end our last full day in Alicante, a land I love.