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Another dreary cloudy day greeted Olot yesterday morning. Robert told me I was seeing Olot in rare form. Normally it was sunny. I guess, I'll have to come back! Oh the horrors!
Our first stop on this cloudy day was to a company named Bellapart. My dad, years ago, med-evaced this girl in Alaska. This is when a serious enough injury happens and a person must be flown from McCarthy to Anchorage for medical attention. So he flew this girl to Anchorage. They've kept in contact over the years. If you know my dad, you understand how normal this is. He could make a friend out of a brick wall. And the brick wall would be ecstatic about it. It is, undeniably, an amazing skill. So this girl and her family live in Olot. My dad suggested seeing them while I was there. After some research, we discovered Sara, the girl, lives in France right now. Well anyway we went to the company of the father of Sara. There is something really entertaining about saying, "I'm Martin's daughter, from Alaska. I'd like to see the owner of this massive company. Thank you." Or something like that...
Francesc came down the stairs and greeted the four of us in the lobby. Robert, in Catalan, explained how everyone knew each other. Then Francesc shook my hand and said, "So. You're Martin's daughter." I could tell right away why he was the owner of a massive business. His eyes focused directly on my face and left no mistaking his determination in life. I was incredibly impressed because it was obvious he knew how to make the most of moments. But it was also a bit intimidating, not going to lie. Any stare like that is. But I stared back, smiled, and said yes, I am.
We stayed and talked for about 15 minutes. Exchanging stories about Sara, Francesc's business, my dad, Alaska, my travels, and such. But it was obvious he was busy, as most business men are. We exchanged information for my next visit to Spain. I would love to spend more time talking with him and his family. Add it to the list of reasons I have to come back to Spain!
Robert told me we were going to "Enchanted Rocks" now. We drove to the top of a mountain top outside of Olot. Then we got out and walked the rest of the way. It had recently rained, as the ankle deep mud showed. I wondered what my backpack would look like with my Xtratufs along. The muddy road twisted its way up the mountain. The fog settled on the ground next to us. While Robert was disappointed I was viewing Olot like this, we all agreed it made the scene much more poetic. Robert commented on how easy it would be to write about this scene.
Poetic is the perfect word for the scene. The grass slowly moved with the fog's movement. The thick gray wall hid the view of the city below, but the sound of church bells reminded us of the world beneath the clouds. The outline of trees desperately longed to be seen from the road. Arturo hopped around taking pictures, reminding me to take a couple pictures with an actual camera, not just mental images.
We arrived at the rocks. Enchanted really is the best description for them. I was thinking how you could practically see the fairies, witches, and magic. Apparently, I wasn't the only one. A sign before us told us to look for fairies, trolls, and witches. Robert said, with a wink, they were hard to find. I took off. I couldn't wait. I climbed over the rocks, slidding down the other side. I would get stuck, surrounded by wet moss covered rocks towering over me. I sometimes had to crawl out of little holes to escape the rooms. Have I mentioned I have the tendency to turn into a kid when I get excited? I like to think everyone does. And if you don't, you really ought to try it. Speaking of little kids, I am positive Disney filmed, or should film any scene with a witch or such here. It was fascinating. Finally, I found a tree with the perfect curvature for sitting. Since I'd given up on staying clean when I discovered this playground of rocks, I sat on the mossy wet tree. I was facing a rock wall that had vines and moss creeping up it. The green swamp like leaves and grass say beneath my swinging feet. Beneath this carefully perched tree was a steep descent down the mountain, where you could see the villages below that produced church bells echoing back up to my spot. I sat and listened for a minute. Then, due to the magical vibes surrounding me, I sang to the fog. Having nothing to do with the scene but merely being stuck in my head, I sang "I Dreamed A Dream" from Les Miserables. The word you're looking for is, epic.
(This is a panoramic shot in 360 degrees. So it wasn't all from one spot, I was enclosed by this!)
We headed back down. Everyone was sleepy and hungry, even the dog!
We went to a restaurant in Olot. Mary and Nora met us there. The food was incredible. Robert knows the chef, who came out and greeted us. Afterwards, we stood outside and talked for a bit. And Arturo and Nora found a new friend. They worked on fashion issues for a bit. (Sarcasm is heavy here...)
Once again home, we all took a nap. Afterwards, we got ready for dinner. Another family was coming over to join us for dinner. They had three boys, 4,5 and 9 years old. It was highly entertaining for all of us to watch Nora turn into "one of the boys." Her pink castle was no longer a sanctuary, but was meant to be tipped upside down and rolled around. I laughed because I was always this girl. The older boys wanted destroy something or cause trouble? Let's do it.
Dinner was filled with stories of Kenya, Spain, Alaska. Jokes and political talk swirled around the table. I followed most of it. When I began to lose focus or track of the conversation, one of Robert's friends would lean over and catch me up. I think it was the most involved I've been in a dinner conversation lately, thanks to him. It was a very fun evening to say the least. I was once again reminded, this is why the world matters. This is why traveling matters. The people. Enchanted rocks are nice, but watching people triumph in the world... Making connections that last for years... That's why the world matters.
This morning, we took off early to head home. As we drive the four hours back home, I'm watching pink trees line the highway. Almond trees. Beyond beautiful. Pink fields for as far as the eye can see, welcoming us back.
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