Encantada, Lerma.

Here we are, on the bus once again. Last week, we found ourselves in the Roman Ruins of Mérida and Cáceres, being led by the best guide available to us. We learned about the giant Roman theatre and it’s uses, and saw the auditorium just nearby where animals were kept in a cave and fed through a hole. They would then be sent out to fight humans as hordes of people watched from the stands. It made me wonder if I had lived back then, would I have enjoyed as entertainment what I consider brutality now. As we turned corner after corner, our jaws dropped open in wonder again and again at the colossal mammoths that stood before us, strong as mountains against the battle of centuries, inviting us in by simultaneously demanding our respect and reverence for the structures and people who built them.

Today, Letty and I hopped out of bed (she hopped, I compensated her eagerness by pulling myself off the mattress as though attached by needle and thread), packed our suitcases, and walked our way to the bus stop in the dark charm of a Spanish morning before the sun. We watched the sun slowly rise as we made our way across town in the number 8 bus, comfortably pushing the ‘stop’ button as we made the familiar left turn before the train station. All of the girls met up, and the sun came to greet us as we waited for the tour bus. The clouds this morning were breathtaking…

But that was not the sweetest treat that awaited us.

We slept on the bus as countryside so different from the one familiar to us zoomed past, grimaced in sorrow as we stopped at a gas station filled with pornography, and cuddled up at the chill in the air that only decided to introduce itself today.

The bus took an unexpected turn off the highway and we made our way down a winding road, into a charmed pueblito. Little men leaned off their porches, houses made of brick stood stubbornly against the wind that has battered them for so long, and paint on rock announced daily specials and morcillas for everyone (see my last post…).

We stopped in the plaza mayor, braced ourselves against the chill, and stepped onto the cobblestone of ages past, into a city we had no idea would bring such joy.

After touring the palace, and taking shots down abandoned streets and through windows to the world, we approached a door marked boldly “SALIDA” (EXIT). We pushed through, and there, stepped into a dream.

The arches framed the painting perfectly. This painting, though, was not one you can buy. It is free for anyone with an eye to see and the blessing enough to be there. The countryside as created by God and lived upon by man extended across our vision as the wind whipped our hair and the exhilaration coursed through our veins.

The countryside consisted of wide plains of short, clean cut dry wheat and rolling hills with splatterings of trees around the borders of grass to dirt to green. The sky rested upon the hills in a gray fashion, but the kind of gray that is less melancholy and more refreshing. As the eye scanned the country before us, pueblos sat, u assuming, with castles scattered amongst them. In short, this was my dream- this was what I had imagined my whole life! And protecting me from behind was a castle, which I had just toured. Picture after picture was taken, we walked down a path and found a charmed old house with flowers in the windows and a creek running under it, with a little old man out on a walk with his cane and sweater.

The Spirit was strong while we played and talked and laughed. It testified of the reality of God, and the beauty of His creations, and the love He has for us, enough to make this Earth pleasurable to our eyes. It testified of the people who, hundreds of years ago, combined their talents and resources and built structures to outlast the closest friend of death and disintegration- time. And it testified to me that I am not alone, and that the Lord is pleased with me, and as unrelated as this may sound, that my family loves me, because I know how much every single one of them would have loved that view too.

We continued on our trek and have since stopped in various cities, finding ourselves looking at goblets made 1000 years ago, and pieces of paper that are just as old, and cross after cross after cross. It all is amazing, and I feel so blessed to be here, but I must admit, that if I never had the chance to go to Spain and see the country of my dreams, I would still be content because I have family and more importantly, I have a future, one which I can create. I can become stronger from my past and move forward from mistakes. And you can too.

Best  morning ever? Probably so. I have to say, it might even beat going for a run on a beach. Okay, let’s be honest, fulfilling a lifelong dream and seeing the Lord’s hand while doing it=way better than a run on the beach, any day of the week. Love you all. Talk to God, He will listen and take away your sorrow.

Love,

Elisa, or Eli as my mamita here calls me :)

The back of the giant Roman theatre

A street in the historical district of Cáceres

An Elise-sized door

A fountain overlooking the plaza mayor

Stunning buildings, everywhere you go

See those golden toes? Apparently those will grant you a wish if you kiss them ;)

So I kissed them! Almost ;)

More beauty.

I found Mr I's favorite type of drink, in the snobby bottle, except it's not diet :) So excited!

This was in the middle of Cáceres. Literally in the middle, of a bunch of modern buildings. It's fine, I have Roman architecture in my backyard, too.

That is the symbol of Rome. It surprised me a little until I realized what it was... haha

Laura, Alex, me, and Mary on a bridge that led into the city of Cáceres

Just some Roman latrines behind the theatre in Mérida... I was so excited about these! I for some reason just really remember looking at diagrams of these things and I finally saw them in real life! BEST.

Random door at the Roman theatre... it reminded me of the Secret Garden! And that is my favorite novel ever :) So fun!

The Roman Theatre in Mérida! The next day (September 8) was the annual festival where they actual are holding plays! No way.

That's the auditorium behind us.

This is the hole for the animals in the animal cave to be fed through! Lucky them. I think they enjoyed it. ;)

And this is the cave! I obviously enjoyed myself.

Roman arches... Keystones. We learned about them. But let me tell you, all of us had already heard about keystones! Book of Mormon=Keystone of our religion :) Look it up. LDS.org

Those stones at the bottom that are pretty rounded off are original. They had to redo some of it, that's the nicer looking stone. Amazing.

An ancient meeting place in the middle of a modern city.

Medusa and Jupiter :)

Pretty flowers remind me of my mommy :) <3

See those columns? They are Corintio! That means they were Corinthian... in other words, they are Greek, and they have a basa (base), fuste (middle), y capitel (top). And they have caulículos (swirlies) around the top where there is also ivy. TEST ME BABY!

Today, in a charmed little village :)

All of the Spanish windows have bars, and flowers. I love pretty flowers :)

This church was Uh-May-uh-zin! The next few are more looks at it...

This was breathtaking. The Gothic Architecture here is beautiful, as always, and the stained glass on the walls was bright and wonderful. The gold everywhere was gorgeous.

Here is a famous Norwegian Queen who came to Spain and married the infant King... I forgot his name. But her name is Kristen, and she came in 1254. And that's her.

A sarcophagus. I would be okay if my coffin looked like that...

Another part of the church :)

Kar-Bear and I. Love that tall athletic woman :)

Spain, on a bench. I love the little old people. I love that people just sit here. When do you walk past people who are just sitting in the US? Not very often, not in public places anyways. Always an agenda. This country knows how to relax a little :) Me gusta.

Such a fun sign!

Just a shot of the village :)

So, we were driving. And then we came to a giant tunnel, on the side of a cliff. So we got out, and walked through and around the giant cliff. Pictures/chaos ensued...

The tunnel. I'm such a daredevil... standing in the middle of the road!

Yep, we went down anyways.

Sweet Miki :) Love this.

That be us. Reminded me of Windrivers backpacking with Kirsetona and her family. But I was in a dress and flats, and not wearing a backpack or the same underwear for 3 days. 

My feeties over the river :)

Oh hey! Let me just be a model real fast!

And then we went to a monastery in Santo Domingo. In front of the Monastery, I found Dumbledore. I refused to agree with the person who told me it was Gandolf. For lack of a proper wand, or even a decent stick, I am holding 3 long weeds with flowers on them for my magical device.

Pretty countryside :)

And this is the monastery! Dumbledore is right behind this picture. It's true, in Spain, I found Hogwarts.

There it is! The monastery that is Hogwarts! My dream come true!

The monastery from the inside. Incredibly intricate artwork of the 12 apostles, the virgin Mary, and Christ's ascension into Heaven.

Another statue of the virgin Mary

The courtyard in the monastery.

The columna torce :) I believe...

So beautiful.

And the top of one of the columns in the church. That is the nativity inscribed as a drawing. Amazing.

Love you all. Love the Lord. Love the gospel of Jesus Christ. Love the Book of Mormon. Talk to you all soon. Oh, and go check out LDS.org if you want to :)