Third time is a charm

The first time, I spent 10 months in Begur, and it was a delight and full of advanture….

The second time, I spent 8 months in Begur, and it was interesting… you know, the Pandemic, getting stuck with the dogs, etc.

What will the third time in Begur be like?

I never thought it would be a full year between the time I left Spain in October 2020 and I returned here to Begur, but COVID restrictions/vaccinations, a beautiful new grandson, and getting my visa from the Spanish Consulate delayed my departure.

Getting here was not easy! Although I started the process of gathering the paperwork for my long-term visa application in April, and submitted it to the Consulate in early July, I was told that my FBI background check authenticated by the US State Department was too old. Ay caramba! The rules are complicated and rigid! That meant I had to start over and wait…and wait…and wait…. All of my correspondence with the Consulate stated plainly that my plane ticket was for October 1 and the lease for my apartment, the lease for my car, my health insurance all started effective October 1. I pleaded for information, but the Consulate’s website materials all plainly announce that they will give NO information about visa status by phone or email. And there is no entry into the building without an appointment.

On September 29, around 1:00 p.m., I broke down. I cried. Until then, I had held out hope. I’m an optimistic person and I just hoped and hoped. But at that late hour, I decided that I needed to face facts. Plans would need to be changed. I started to talk myself into acceptance, and that maybe some good things could come out of the delay. Maybe I’d lose the five pounds I’d gained in New York waiting for my grandson to be born! Then, at almost 4:00 p.m., less than 48 hours until flight time, the Consulate called me and asked if I could come to their offices the next day at 9:00 a.m. to pick up my visa. What a surprise! That’s an understatement. I had to re-adjust my re-adjusted thinking and do a million things to get ready to leave!! I was more-or-less packed, but there were lots of details to attend to.

But, we made it – two dogs, me, and my charming and competent dog mule, Melissa.

After a brief stopover in Paris and Rogny-les-Sept-Ecluses to see my friends from last summer, I’m finally here in Begur. It’s beautiful, it’s familiar, and it’s my home for the next 9 months.

My Catalan teacher asked me what I was most looking forward to when I arrived. Making contact with my friends here was number one, of course, but second on the list was to eat some good food, and I have!!

I can’t wait to have more to report and I hope it will be more exciting than Pandemic Week 14!!

I’ve really missed writing my blog entries so much!

Cod with aioli, honey and tomato; artichoke with ham; remains of Catalan paella; anchovies in vinegar with olives!!!

Benvinguts! Welcome back!!