From the Alps to the Atlantic

It's hard to believe that it is already the end of February.  Just when the kids were back to their routine after a three-week Christmas holiday, they had another ten days off in February for "ski break."  Europeans love taking proper holidays. 

One weekend in February we headed to Champery, Switzerland and skied the Swiss Alps for the first time.  I will say, you have much more confidence skiing at a place you know, it is very nerve-wrecking not knowing exactly how you are getting down the mountain once you reach the top.  Chris and Adalyn were able to successfully navigate their way down, while I preferred to go down the known with Eliza, the nursery slope! 

We ❤ the Alps! 

After a weekend in the mountains, I was seeking warmth and Chris was seeking culture, so we visited Seville, Spain.  We were very impressed by the city.  We could have spent days meandering our way through the narrow streets discovering new plazas, restaurants, parks and shops.  Seville serves as a great base for visiting Southern Spain. 

The first day we drove only one hour and reached the Atlantic Ocean.  We had a great afternoon walking along Playa de Donana and searching for seashells.  The girls are both beach girls like their momma! 

Walking along the beach-

The second day, we took a day trip to Cordoba, which is historic city in southern Spain.  The main attraction is the Great Mosque of Cordoba which was built in 785.  After the Christian conquest in 1523, the cathedral was built inside.  We were blown away by the complexity and beauty of the Mosque and left wondering how it was built. 

The prayer hall is filled with almost 500 slender columns and striped arches.

On our way there, we stopped at a little town, Carmona.  Carmona is a town built on a ridge, offering many beautiful views.   

Carmona

Carmona surrounded by white villages-

Our third day happened to be the Seville Marathon, so we decided to stay in the city and explore since many of the streets were closed. 

Started the day attending mass in the Cathedral-

The tomb of Christopher Columbus- being held by four figures representing the four kingdoms of Spain during Columbus' life. 

We attended a Flamenco show which is a traditional Spanish form of dance and music.  We all really enjoyed the show and the girls are now both inspired to be Flamenco dancers!!

Walking along the streets-

Carriage ride around the city-

One of our favorite spots in Seville- Plaza de Espana

Bottom's up to a great day in Espana! 

Our last full day, we drove to Portugal.  We first visited Tavira, which is a small town only thirty minutes from the border.

White-washed buildings in Tavira

Our next stop was the beach, unfortunately it was windy and cloudy, but we enjoyed listening to the waves and building sand castles. 

We had a great time and could have spent many more days exploring the Andalusia region.  We highly recommend Seville as a must-see city to visit! 

The weather has been unusually warm this past month, similar to Minnesota, so we haven't been able to ski as much as we had hoped.  This past weekend we attended a Carnival (Mardi Gras) celebration in Sion, Switzerland which was very lively and festive.  This week looks like snow in the mountains, so we are excited to hopefully get back on the slopes!