Las Islas Cies. . .

I spent 3 days on this amazing island with a complete womanizing sleezebag . . I made it clear that I wasn't interested in anything romantic with him, and once his gigantic ego got over the shock that his genius plan of inviting me into this island in order to seduce me was in fact a wasted effort -- we actually had a really good time :)

Corcubion

Sweet Diana took me out to the town where she grew up - It was great - beautiful music, good food, I met her family - went out on her brother's boat -- so nice.

(I caught Diana and her mother singing while they were cleaning the kitchen after lunch, SO beautiful :)

I'm Baaaack. . .

!!!! wow. I can't really describe the feeling I have when I walk around here - my heart just feels so full. I'm incredibly fortunate.

I have been having such an amazing time so far - playing music, going to concerts, eating delicious meals with my sweet wonderful charming friends, going to the river, to the beach . . . and to top it all off - today I found the apartment I was dreaming of. If there is a god, I swear she's trying to tell me something because I found this place by sheer coincidence. The agency that rents it is called 'inmobiliaria AMOR' . . . and it just happens to be right next to the very church where I played that concert with my dad and brother - the very concert that brought me to Santiago to first place, where I met Silvia and Xacobe and Xabier (my friends here) - the concert that inspired me to really start playing music...
Today when I went to go see the place, I got the keys and they didn't work. I stood there for 15 minutes trying to open the door but there was something else blocking it. I called the agency and they apologized but said there was nothing they could do to help. I had been sooo excited to see this place and I was equally as frustrated that I couldn't get in. I went to go have a tea to calm myself down, and wouldn't you know it, I spilled it all over myself and my book :/ I was about to return to the keys to the agency but I decided to go back and try one more time. As I was walking over there - just like clockwork - the sun came out. And the women who lives upstairs just happened to be looking out the window when I walked up, so I asked her to come down and let me in.
It's just like my dad once told me - sometimes the universe sends you little signs to tell you that your on the path your supposed to be on. I think today was one of those little signs :)

Maribel, Lucia and Me

Gon

The view from my new apartment

My 23rd.....

I had the best birthday ever !!! Really it was just perfect. I woke up and Gon made me a delicious meal. Then he and Catriona and I went to the beach. It was a hot beautiful day and the three of us laid in the sand laughing and swimming and talking for hours. we stopped at Castro de Beroñas to walk around some ancient Celtic ruins and watch the sunset. We, some friends of mine that we had run into and a group of 7 or 8 old people from the basque country all huddled together on a rock joking around and watching the sun go down. SO charming.

We had a peaceful drive home and then went for a kebab (my favorite!) and then to the session. I saw my sweet Silvia and played music with all my friends. it was just a perfect day.

I walked to the end of the world, and boy are my legs tired....