More Barcelona and We Head to Madrid

Saturday completed our first week in Spain. It was a lot of fun! We went to a labyrinth park by the Metro and wound our way through the bushes. E and I tried and tried but Anna had to come and help us find the middle.

That same afternoon, we went to the Sagrada Familia church and enjoyed its amazing architecture and designs.

On Wednesday, after staying in Barcelona for a couple of days, we headed to Madrid. On the way there, every once in a while, we saw a bull propped up like a billboard in the distance. I really like cows!

After a couple hours, we stopped along the way to take a small hike at the Monestario de Piedra. For me, a hike doesn't sound like a lot of fun, so I was not excited. We started off by touring the monastery where we learned the monks who lived there made wine and chocolate, then we started our nature walk.

As we ventured further along, I began to enjoy it more and more. As we journeyed we came upon an enormous water fall. It sprayed mist onto our faces. Continuing, the air started to get moist and as we stepped onto an unfamiliar ground, we looked down and saw IT. The most picturesque scene appeared. The water below us was bright blue with rubenesque fish waiting for food. The light shone off the moss on the walls in just a way that was inexplicable and the drips falling from the ceiling broken away from the grand waterfall ahead of us.

Although I tried, the pictures just didn't turn out the same. But I guess you'll just have to go visit there yourself. You can stop by France on your way.

Soph

Lizards, Bugs and Spain Oh My!

On today's blog post we will be talking about bugs, pets and going to Spain. So let's get started.

This week we actually had a lizard in the house. My mom called me to come catch it. I chased it and was able to trap it but I knocked its tail off. It kept wriggling for the next three or four minutes. We also found a snake curled up in a corner on the pool deck. I kept squirting it with a water gun even though my mom told me not to. I also found a big scorpion on a wall near our garden.

Saturday we left for Spain. It took 5 1/2 hours to drive to Barcelona. We left really early (4 a.m.) because we wanted to avoid traffic. I had to leave my hamsters with some friends so they would have someone to take care of them while I am gone.

In Spain we visited the Salvador Dali museum which actually quite bizarre...just incase you are planning to go there. But the best thing was going to this burger place, which was actually very efficient. The burgers were huge and delicious. I have to say it was the best burger I've ever had in my life.

That's all for this week. Talk to you again in four or five weeks.

Love you,

J

Pigs in the Garden and Other Stuff From the Week

Dear Everyone,

I am excited to tell you about a few things that happened this week.

I go to vacation school (vacances scolaire) in our village every Monday and Wednesday. It's a good way to practice my French and it keeps me from fighting with my brother. This week I spent Monday at the pool. Wednesday we did science experiments. There was one that used a candle, a cup, water, a plate and a coin. It was so cool. I wish I could show it to you all.

We had a big surprise at our house this week. The weather was rainy and we couldn't play outside and my mom showed us something she had been hiding...a Wii. I cried so hard when I saw it because I was so happy.

As usual, Friday was movie night. We watched Space Buddies and it was really fun because I got to watch with my friends because Anna and Sophie were babysitting them.

We woke up Saturday morning to find our garden torn up by boars. They were looking for water and ruined the grass. We had to put it back together by putting the grass side up and the dirt side down. It was a muddy job. It's not the first time they've been in our yard. We hope they don't come back.

Saturday we had planned to go to Lac St. Croix, but it was stormy so we had a game day at our friend's house instead. We played capture the flag. I always ended up in jail, and my team lost, but it was still fun.

Love,
E

PS Peace, cool, peace, cool love ellie mc-chellie

Francoms Got Talent

Our branch hosted a talent show, so we decided to participate in true Francom fashion...by disco dancing in afro wigs. It's not very authentic, but we had fun doing it. Enjoy.

Essence ou Gazoil?

About two weeks ago, after a long day of yard-work, James and I took the car my wife usually drives to wash it and fill it up with gas.  There was a line at the car wash, so we proceeded to the gas pump and I added 14 liters of essence (regular) to the tank before realizing I had put the wrong kind of gas in the car.  Realizing that the useful life of my principal vehicle was in jeopardy, I immediately stopped the pump, paid for the essence, and filled the rest of the tank with Gazoil (Diesel).  I then paid again, and drove the car directly into a parking spot where it would sit for the rest of the evening.  You can imagine the feeling I had as I sat there wondering what to do.  

After a call to my wife and searching the web on my phone for answers on how to deal with this undesirable scenario, I looked at James, said a little prayer and decided to act.  We went quickly into the Carrefour (as it was about to close) and bought some food (it was dinner time and we were hungry) a large water container, some box tape and two lengths of hose to siphon the gas from the tank.  

People were staring at our operation with interest as they drove by and we wondered how long it would be before the police showed up and arrested us for what I’m sure appeared to be an attempt to siphon someone else’s gas.

An hour later it was dark, the store was closed, and we had managed to successfully get the hose into the tank.  However, the hose was stuck and broken in half so the closest part was about 30 cm down the fill pipe. I had made a mistake, and in an attempt to correct it I had stacked another on top of it. The fuel was still sitting uninterested inside the tank - nothing had been siphoned out.

The hose must have chuckled to itself as it watched me unsuccessfully attempt to retrieve it with a contraption made of a hacksaw blade and a woven noose of dental-floss. I imagine it would have laughed if it could have seen me dancing about in frustration, kicking at the ground and spitting through my teeth. My mind was a smudge of black tar.

At this moment, a good friend showed up - a control systems engineer from ITER. Meredith, to whom I owe just about everything, saved me once again by calling our mechanically gifted friend Will, who was kind enough to come. He calmly addressed the problem as an engineer would - with measured consistency, addressing all aspects and possibilities.  I imagine him seeing an exploded view of the entire vehicle in glowing blue, circling as his mind.  With his help, and the help of a hand operated siphon pump he had somehow thought to bring, 35 litres of mixed fuel was removed from the tank, and we were able to re-fill and re-start the car.

I pulled out of the parking lot dirty, tired, hungry, and psychologically drained. Driving home through the dark, I reflected on the experience with gratefulness to those who surround and support us here in France, and those who support from afar.  Thanks to all.

Mike

Zamki

Want to live like a king? Try visiting a castle. Castles in Poland are like Mormon churches in Provo—they’re everywhere. We only visited two: Niedzieca and Wawel. Behold the photos.

The Sad Side of Poland

Stepping through the gates of Auschwitz-Birkenau was surreal. We arrived before 10 so we were allowed to wander without a tour. It was humbling to see the conditions in which the Russian soldiers, Romas and Jewish prisoners lived.

One exhibit showed newspaper clippings where top German officials bragged about the extermination of Jewish Poles, asserting the camp’s deprivation and starvation puts them in their place and is no more than they deserve. The rank hatred was nauseating and incomprehensible.

The children were especially touched by the displays of confiscated belongings. Piles and piles of shoes, brushes, suitcases and pots and pans line the hallways like an honor guard paying homage to the fallen. We didn’t take many photos. It felt like an intrusion.

The film wasn't shown the day we went, that may have been too much for the children. However, the camp left an impression. I hope my children always remember. 

Needless to say when Mike and I suggested we visit Schindler’sFactory a few days later we were met with resistance. As E put it, “It’s just too sad.” We went anyway.

This museum, located on the outskirts of the city, is excellent. The display tells the story of Krakow during WWII and explains what happened to the Jews forced into the ghetto—their life, work and death. A film at the beginning of the exhibit gives the details of the Schindler factory and features several former employees. It was very well done.