To Spain

January 3rd

The early departure was indeed tiresome and sad as we flew from Madrid to Frankfurt, Germany, and then to Dallas and then OKC. The flight seemed to take forever as we were all anxious to get home and get a good night's sleep in our own beds before school the next day.

I spent the trip sleeping, listening to my iPod, watching movies, chatting, and thinking about how much I would miss Spain. I wanted to stay for another month, our trip was just not long enough.

Today, I think about some of the little things about traveling to a different country and all the experiences that go with it. I remember the Swiss chocolate (Milka) that I bought on the airplane. It is still the best chocolate ever (and luckily I found some at Disney World 5 months later).

I think about the street performers and the exotic things they did. I think about the late night hot chocolate and churro treats. I reminisce on such things as the chapel in Barcelona where Christopher Columbus first announced his discovery.

The amazing streets and alleys and shops and the black market selling knock off Luis Vutton purses and Polo cologne. I think about our great guide Antonio and all the sponsors that helped make the trip possible. A big thank you to them for making the trip one of the best vacations and experiences I have ever had.

I think about the food and how we did not like most of it. I remember Ben Britton eating corn nuts at 3am and that still makes me chuckle. Ben was eccentric, but cool. All the people that went were just really great people and I love them all.

Los Conquistadors was so amazing that I cannot even describe the joy and happiness I had when hanging out with these guys. To Mitch Cook for his tireless preparation and flawless execution. To all my fears of being robbed (I never felt remotely threatened or in danger). To VIPS for showing us a true Texas burger unlike any burger I have ever had. To the idea that they serve tap beer at Burger King. To Magnum for opening my eyes.

To the greatest New Year's Eve I have ever seen. To the long and boring plane flights, for without them we would have never made it. To all the museums and Dali and Picasso, now I appreciate you more fully. To the Spanish people for being so interesting and beautiful. To Barcelona for being so glorious and beautiful and to Madrid for enlightening my mind.

To Spain for changing my life.

Holiday in Spain

New Year's Eve

As I recollect on past New Years Celebrations, only one stands out in my mind. That one was the celebration that took place in Madrid.

We wake up the morning of the last day of 2005, and we cannot wait for the fabled celebration that night in downtown Madrid. We got in the bus and went out on a tour. This time we go down to the entrance to the city as they call it. Two towers line the road as we look out on the largest city in Spain.

We spend the day walking, tour busing, subwaying, and running through the streets of Madrid as we take in the grandest of sights. A simply marvelous action-packed day.

We get back around 8 for a dinner at the hotel (one of the better meals of the trip). We then rest before going back out for the New Years Celebration. We partake in most of the festivities, but it is mostly too crowded to even move.

The Spanish have a tradition for bringing in the New Year that involves the eating of 12 grapes in certain time increments as the clock counts down. The celebration was a mere 2 blocks from our hotel. The downtown square has huge screens set up for the countdown.

Right at midnight, flames fill the sky as the fireworks burst in every direction. Everyone is screaming and cheering and I could not be happier. As I look around at all of the smiles, I know that this year is going to be great and no way to kick it off better than a Holiday in Spain.

During the flight to Spain, our whole group chanted the words to the Counting Crows song "Holiday in Spain." We knew what we were doing and that night was so spectacular that the song still resonates in all our heads. There could be no more applicable song for us that new year and we knew it.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, while others went to pubs and bars to bring the new year in their tummies, we paraded back to the hotel singing the words to the lasting song. We had done exactly what the Counting Crows did, we caught a plane to Barcelona because our city was a drag.

That was the best New Years celebration ever, and I hope everyone gets to experience a great celebration at least once in their lifetime. I wish everyone a very happy New Year, and may all your goals and wishes come true.