Spring Break!

This year, we decided to find somewhere WARM for our Spring Break trip. After much searching (hours and hours and hours trying to coordinate flights with places to stay, car rentals, things to do, etc, etc, etc), we decided to go to Alicante, Spain. And what a GREAT decision it was!

Our vacation began early in the morning on April 11. We left Stuttgart at 6:30, with very sleepy kids, to make our 9:20 RyanAir flight from Karlsruhe. RyanAir was an experience in itself! It is a low cost airline, with NO frills. We stood in the cold waiting to board the plane. There was no assigned seating, no free drink or food service and no in-flight movies! But, everything went great. Our flight was smooth. And we had only paid 11 euro per ticket to Spain (well, with some taxes and fees on top of that.)

During the week, we enjoyed the very "beachy" feel of Costa Blanca. Although the weather didn't cooperate the way we hoped it would (it was quite windy and cloudy) We walked on the beach ... played in the sand ... and enjoyed the sunshine (well, when it would finally appear). We went to Terra Mitica, a theme park and Terra Natura, a zoo. We also found some great play areas for the kids. And of course, we ate some great food. Our first big meal was at Tony Romas, one of our favorite bbq rib places in the States. It was so yummy! I think the highlight of the week was a restaurant we found at the end of the week, La Neuvo Alcazar. Food was amazing and we enjoyed talking with the owner of the restaurant. Ashley, Lexi and Shane spent most of the evening in front of the lobster tank. Unfortunately, those guys were probably dinner for someone later in the evening.

One thing we found very interesting about Spain was the schedule for meals. They eat breakfast late in the morning. Lunch is not until 2 or 3. Dinner is after 8 pm in the evening! Made it difficult for us to find open restaurants when our kids were ready to eat.

I think the highlight of the week for me was the fact that we rested. It was not a vacation where we drove for miles to see a castle or take a tour. We didn't do any sight-seeing at all. We mostly stayed close to home and took our time getting ready and getting out of the house every day. The kids loved where we were staying, so they were content to play in the backyard or watch movies while Greg and I drank coffee on the balcony off of the Master Bedroom in the mornings. We sat on the beach while the kids played in the sand. We had lots of opportunities to talk while they hit the playground or play area we had found. It was just what we needed!

Yesterday, April 16, we got up while it was still dark to make our way to the airport in Alicante to head home. Our flight took off at 6:30 and we were back in Stuttgart and on the way back to Robinson Barracks by 10! Although we were all tired from our early morning travels, we all agreed it was a GREAT vacation. Shane was ready to go back to Spain before the day was even over. I'll post pictures soon!

** by the way, our week was full of laughs! While at Terra Mitica, we were taking a boat tour around the park. At one point, we saw two Sea Gulls resting on some rocks. No big deal. Well, not to us. But Shane couldn't stop watching them. One was standing up, the other was sitting (is that how you say it????) Anyway, after staring those birds down for a few minutes, Shane turned to me and pointing at the bird that was sitting, said, "That one is broken." I love the way a 4-year old brain works!!!!!