![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbrzUnCs4A1c17oy3t4ywe8s34QVntOcjoGCX_aCLnFISGzYRsvLOkiiJyskpGA0Ybqp32NPI9-jv7Iwy45k-3X3GUh8y_GIgrXmLGil-HV0311GJ4iHw-DIq7YEDeIo2T33eaSxcUiY/s200/laredonights2.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYs63ojOii5QdQttR8-v53M0VVsAtiYFRI2VBJnMCS4eKweudj_Kn2DtrHX-3gqxF-yrf4H3hikhplDD2Z6BwbpI4dH11YwVTzoS-65bZt8SF835Ktmh6b0k8aKCsP4WKxWrZ9UV_SYI/s200/laredo1.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8JvLUzLvvGQuMyabPVdP9HlAqtwFeoF0NS-DI9ziJ0Pt1JAt5ZGZYTTIuJLH1R_BwvyDT4Tdx7my9ojgft4_0VBoyRBGgwMO5IiO2wYub4KTH2UG_9hozzugAcj3YUzEDDPERSrtpl0c/s200/emperador2.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09iUi3LpyVuEOVfKp-z91l2DJvWN7zL6HuWzBWqspZOfc9-Gf1yl7qixmOHnY8xWGFbCul-Z5pUTLm3XfF7OEIF8X7Z8H2jlIdElxRCmN7W1xB7jiRHlVoP9Egv-RbH30-PMgZaFk6qU/s200/winners.jpg)
Last week in June Marisol and I flew off to Spain for a short holiday and a couple of interesting experiences.
First - Noche de San Juan, 23 June, we dined with friends and I learnt how to jump backwards and forwards on a fire - an ancient tradition in Spain.
Then..Spain went and won the European Football Cup. What a night of noise, fireworks & celebrations.
Next, we happened to be discussing a future exhibition which Marisol is organising through the Santander Port Authority, with the Santander contacts, and we got invited to act as judges for a painting contest for the immigrant artists in Santander. So we went along and picked the winners at the building that houses the Cantabrian parliament. The following week we got invited to attend the prize giving ceremony, and I got interviewed by the TV Cantabria, and appeared on state television's all news bulletins the next day!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBojtSTvMYPc8XasZUcnbdfyt3uoNqI_3LrSUn47JSP5Dal4XLtqNbZv0lv3fxWXLYcbUqp8Mfr9KUVxHH5-Qus0LBOF0B1uLmLnULaCgyU26Ns5eGUQ2h-MCDXk3VyC0coE9qxbuSHv8/s200/artfirstprize.jpg)
Later we flew to Barcelona, where I had some business to attend to, for a lovely weekend. One of the colleagues I was working with invited me to fly with him in his plane (alas Marisol could not come as it was just a two seater). And do you know, he let me fly that plane for a few minutes. That was exciting! but dont tell the authorities ;-)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie20NO55piRJ11ARpxvtqsGtp3HQ77ZhrGoaiX2Q4lSJ-W-cxG_LBOrxTfp9PUSfbyGRygaSOlJJQi1Hkr0b-bnOT6e2lCw44enA4DEpU3UGxEGgSO3sYckaqDC5kx5RCwM0Alx6PYi80/s200/z-planeandme.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTC0zo37qlQ0Q7NY4wM2ErB0Q9zQavjW5ajVfIJmsgtYsrmKGdgpWGpO2TjVEb37Ll_32ZQ2fp2bPUCKHusgO1nDNa3jV2tytChrm51mRS2h__rI1mjtcaTONPwpfA7_ZZpg050bN0k4/s200/z-aerialview1.jpg)
Then Pirre showed up in Barcelona with his daily ferry boat from Mallorca and Menorca. How lucky we are that all the brothers and sisters can meet in different combinations in so many different places in the world every year. Shanghai, Delhi, London, Barcelona, Laredo and New Jersey. Next year we will attempt to make it to Sydney.
See more pictures from Spain by clicking here. (Ver mas fotos)