Seville was life in a big little city, at least for my suburban children. Isaac was shocked by all the graffiti, even in the nicer parts of town. I think all the kids were surprised that streets could be so narrow and winding, without any space between the cobblestones and the buildings. I was just beginning to be able to find my way around town without a map, but it was time to move on to Huelva.
Tourists don’t really go to Huelva, as a general rule. It’s tucked away on the western Atlantic coast, between Portugal and a large national park of wetlands and marshes. Seville was our chance to tour the sights, but Huelva is our strawberry home away from home.Our friends at the company that markets UF strawberries set up housing for us, so we walked in sight unseen. They promised that we would like it, and we certainly do. It’s probably the nicest place we will end up staying, and we’re enjoying it to the hilt.
Mostly, we are enjoying the quiet, the green, the trees, and the ocean.We walk to the beach (a half mile away) daily, and one of the kids always comments on how much they love it here. There are shells to find, rocks to clamber over, dogs to admire, kites to chase, and everywhere the sea.
I hadn’t realized where we began planning this trip how much my kids would need wide open spaces, and I am definitely factoring that in to our travel for next month in a more intentional way.
Wonder and Wander 