Look! It's Paris Hilton!

Our last evening in Spain. I was hoping for something special to happen. As we were driving towards Puerto Banus in Marbella I saw something pink and white in my peripheral view. My heart almost stopped! I immediately cried out to my husband: "STOP! It's Paris Hilton!". My husband just scoffed and kept on going. But I was very persistent and convinced him that we needed to get off the highway and follow that lady in pink. He is just the kindest man in the world and since he probably didn't want me bickering about this the rest of the evening he got off the highway and headed back in direction of Miss Hilton. Soon she appeared before my eyes (and those of my husband... he just about crashed into the car in front of us!). "I have to get a picture of THAT!" I yelled excitedly. "I have to put it on my blog!".

So we stared stalking miss Hilton. My husband was kind of worried about driving very slowly next to a celebrity and taking pictures through the window... I know... but how could I not!

As she walked along the side of the road EVERYBODY stopped, pointed, looked, whistled, smiled, laughed or gasped. I was pretty sure this had to be someone special!

As she crossed the intersection two policemen actually stopped all four lanes while they were gawking at her. Two british ladies pointed at me and mouthed: "Get her picture! Get her picture!" I smiled and nodded... Sure I was getting her picture!

Then she turned...

YIKES! IT WAS PARIS HILTON'S GRANDMA!

Baelo Claudia and Garum

In my post yesterday I brought you to my favorite beach in Bolonia. I promised I would share a little bit of the interesting history of this little town. Today Bolonia is a small isolated fishing village on the Spanish Atlantic Costa de la Luz (Coast of Light) about 20 km north from the surfers paradise of Tarifa. But this little unimportant village is also the site of one of the most important Roman archaeologiacal excavations in Andalucia .

The beautiful museum catches your eyes the moment you drive into this secluded village.

Baelo Claudia was settled by the Romans some 2000 years ago and was a trade link between Spain and North Africa. It was probably most famous for producing the fish-based paste, garum, a popular relish used as a garnish in meals by the Roman inhabitants.

The garum was prepared from fish gut, layered in salt and cured in the sun for one to three months, where the mixture fermented and liquified in the dry warmth. (Mmm... yummy!) The actual production of garum created such unpleasant smells as to become relegated to the outskirts of cities so that the neighbors would not be offended by the odour.

The best garum fetched prices similar to the essences used in perfumes. It was the "caviar" of the Roman Empire. After the liquid garum was ladled off of the top of the mixture, the remains of the fish gut, called allec, was used by the poorest classes to flavour their porridge. The garum from Baelo Claudia was shipped to Roma and enjoyed by the privileged classes. It addition to being used as a relish, it was also used to treat dog bites, dysentery, ulcers, constipation and chronic diarrhea. If smeared on the face it was used to remove unwanted hair and freckles!

Walking on history... awesome. If only these stones could speak!

The city was eventually successful enough to be granted the title of municipium by Emperor Claudius.

The life of the inhabitants reached its greatest splendor during the 1st century BC and the 2nd century AD. In the middle of the 2nd century, however, the town suffered a series of earthquakes and a great tidal wave which wiped out a large part of the town. In addition to such natural disasters, by the 3rd century, the town was beset by hordes of pirates, both Celtic and Barbary. By the 6th century, the town had been abandoned.

What a location! I wonder how life was like here 2000 years ago? And how did it smell?

As we walked around the archeological site of Baelo Claudia we noticed the most representative elements of the typical Roman city. There is a circular protective wall, the main gate, administrative buildings, the public archive, the forum, the judicial building, a temple to the Egyptian goddess Isis, as well as temples to Juno, Jupiter, and Minerva. In addition, there are remnants of stores, a market, baths, and a theater.

Inside the museum you can see different artifacts, but even more impressive is walking around the path that circles the town. Even the children enjoyed this tour. Of course we promised them the beach when we were done!

This place is well worth a visit. And if it's during the summer months - bring swimwear!

Check here for opening hours.

A pink day at the beach

It's Saturday again! Where did this week go? Next week we are going back to Norway and I don't want to go. I love being here in Spain!

Today we went to a beach that's just a hidden gem. It's off the beaten track for most tourists and there are mainly Spanish people here. The "town" (just a few houses) is called Bolonia and 2000 years ago this tiny little town used to be a wealthy Roman settlement. I think I will do a post tomorrow about the history of this place. So if you're into history, please come back Sunday too.

Well, since it is Pink Saturday over at Beverly's blog I'll try to make my beach story PINK...

Driving all the way down past Gibraltar you'll come to the southernmost point of continental Europe: the town of Tarifa. The lighthouse marks where the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean meet. The winds are always strong and it is one of the most popular places to windsurf and kite in all of Europe.

This is Tarifa. And the mountains you see in the back there is actually the Rif Mountains in North Africa! It's only 13 km (8miles) across the strait of Gibraltar.

I'm ALWAYS amazed by this view.

We're driving just a little bit further.

A new sign? Oh, no... more people are going to find our "hidden gem"!

This is the beach of Bolonia... Beautiful isn't it?

So here I am... enjoying a day at the beach... looking for something that is PINK!

Okay, my girl is always pink! Today is no exception.

But my son usually will not wear anything pink. He had to chose this one because it was the last one in the store...

There's a beach vendor.

My toes are pink!

Now, I know these aren't pink. But how can I NOT show you that there are BULLS on the BEACH!

There are always windsurfers here. They look pretty cool!

But not as HOT as this guy with the Hello Kitty Board!

(No nasty comments... he's mine!)

For some odd reason I always end up with a few of these a couple of feet away from my towel! (And since I have quite a few American readers I have censured....)

My beach bag is PINK!

It getting late and my daughter decides that she will entertain the people at the beach bar with her version of a very LOUD Mamma Mia - with moves. This is after I have dragged her out of a puddle of water at the beach where she was swimming with her bikinbottoms on her HEAD!

Time to go home!

So we leave Bolonia and head on home enjoying the PINK sunset!

Having to take one last look at the view of Africa!

The lights you see in the background is from the Moroccan town of Tangier.

I hope you enjoyed a day at the beach with us!

Challenge 07.08.10.11

Well, here is my contribution to Domestic Diva's challenge. She wanted us all to take a picture at exactly 07.08.10.11 (At 10:11 on the 8th of July... those americans put the month first...) According to her we could do AM or PM. I chose to do mine at PM (forgot all about it at AM...) I used my Iphone so the picture quality wasn't great.

When: 10:11 PM on 8th of July

Place: Tivoli World on the Costa del Sol in Spain

Who: My husband watching my daughter on on of the carousels

Well, as you can see the Iphone is not great for nighttime shots of speeding objects... I took one a little earlier that evening of the two of them and have to include that as well;)

Pink Saturday

Ode to my very pink Ipod

While waves caress the sandy beach

and the sun casts her golden rays

I lay here on my many-colored towel and let my thoughts drift by

I think of those who are at home

I think of those who are here

I think of the things I should have done

and all the things I fear

I think of work

I think of love

I think of the future and the past

But most of all I think of how my butt looks in this bathingsuit...

Darn it's hot!

When I think I cannot lay here for another minute

I suddenly remember my Ipod

Hot Pink and full of fun

I plug it in and slowly all my thoughts drift away into nothingness

Jason Mraz fills my ears and my mind

I hum the tunes and follow the beat with my sandcovered fingers

Doesn't matter that the couple next to me are staring...

Right now life is great!

Visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for links to more pink stories today!

Pink Saturday

It's Saturday and time for a new pink post for Beverly's Pink Saturday challenge. For all of you who love anything pink, go and check out all the great links she'll put on her blog today!

My pink picture today is of the Bouganvilla at our front gate here in Spain. My grandparents bought the house in 1970 and I have spent all my happy holidays here since I was 2 years old. For me this is Paradise on earth, not only because it is beautiful, but because of all the happy memories from this place.

I remember watching my mom plant this Bounganvilla one of the first summers we spent here. It was just a tiny little plant, but my mom told me that it would grow big in a few years. She had a picture in her mind of how beautiful it would look against that white wall. Well, it certainly does! My mom is no longer here, but this Bounganvilla is and with it the memories of her.

So in honor of my mom who passed away June of 1996:

You were right...This Bounganvilla takes my breath away!

You loved pink and so do I.

This picture is for you!

Hello Spain!

Finally summer vacation is here and I have arrived in my beloved Spain. Right now the only computer available is my 12 year old's laptop. He has graciously said that I can use it when he is not - which means between 12 AM - 7 AM! I'm realizing that I will not be as often in Blogland as I have gotten used to. However, I'll do my best to share some of the craziness that is going around in our house when we let our hair down.

I'm hoping you all have a lovely summer and that you can have a view as beautiful as mine!