Fantastic Foy Family Visit: New Year's With Guests!

Christmas at the Johnson house was a calm, quiet day! Bryan and I spent Christmas Eve at a friend's house for dinner amongst friends, so our Christmas day was spent quietly enjoying the holiday together with Hugo and Reynolds!

December 26: Christmas Pack Up

With house guests on their way, Bryan and I decided to tackle the task of taking down Christmas. Yes, the day after the holiday! Since the Foys were already on their way to us, we figured we could use every spare inch of space in our home to host our five visitors!

December 27: Foys Arrive & Sevilla

Then on the morning of December 27, Randy, Shannon, Caroline, Joseph Foy and Nikki Olmstead landed at Jerez Airport ready to see as much of Southern Spain as possible!

Plaza de España

We wasted no time at all: with their carry-on luggage crammed in every nook and cranny of our car, we took off for Sevilla for some sightseeing! We started with Joseph and Randy's favorite spot: Plaza de España, where we played them the clip from Star Wars that was filmed right here! We even lucked out with a mini pop-up flamenco show happening in this famous plaza!

We were sure to point out the two provinces we would be visiting during our trip: Cordoba and Cadiz!

Catedral de Sevilla

At 12:15 pm, we visited the Sevilla Cathedral. Sevilla's cathedral is known as the world's largest Gothic cathedral, and the third-largest church in the world (after the Vatican's St. Peter's Basilica and Brazil's Our Lady Aparecida.) The church is also famous for being the burial site of both Christopher Columbus and his son, Diego.

This was Bryan and I's second visit the the cathedral, after coming last year with the entire Kimble Crew at Thanksgiving, and it was just as impressive the second time!

Arabesca

It's not a trip to Sevilla without enjoying a traditional Moroccan meal (at least for me!) I wasn't able to make a reservation online, so we walked by Arabesca on our way to the Cathedral to see if we could enjoy a late lunch- and lucky for us, they could accommodate our group!

We enjoyed a shared meal, family-style of hummus, shakshuka, fried holumi cheese, chicken pastela, rice bujari & lamb tajin. This was the first Moroccan food taste for the Foys and Nikki, and I was beyond happy to hear them sing the food's praises!

With full bellies, we timed it right to cram back into our car and continue our journey northeast to the city of Cordoba!

Hotel Los Omeyas

As we entered the old town, Bryan navigated the tight streets of Cordoba with ease as we inched our way towards our hotel for the night! As we avoided crowds in the cobblestone streets, I got flashbacks to our trip to Granada, where Bryan and I weren't nearly as calm navigating the tiny Spanish streets! Look how far we have come!

Restaurante La Furgo

After the two hour drive, everyone was ready for some quiet time to stretch and relax, so we enjoyed some time at the hotel before heading out to find dinner! We spotted cute alleyways decked out in flowerpots, and walked right by the city's famous mosque before trying our hand at restaurants in the area.

After being turned away from our first try, we stumbled into La Furgo, where we lucked out with amazing food and beer! We enjoyed another family-style meal of tapas! We started with some gyozas (I was very happy to hear Caroline proclaim her love for potstickers...that girl is just like me!) and then enjoyed a few types of tacos. We also tried Cordoba's famous dish, flamenquín. Flamenquín is made of pork that is rolled with cheese and ham and then breaded and deep-fried until golden and crispy. I laughed out loud when it came out, and Jo exclaimed, "Oh, it's a fancy corndog!" It's a fair comparison, for sure!

December 28: Cordoba & Mosque

Before the day's main attraction, our group needed coffee! Bryan, Mr. Randy, Jo, Nikki, and I walked down to a nearby Starbucks (after trying a different coffee shop that was still closed) and picked up drinks and breakfast bites for the group. We then met back up with Caroline and Mrs. Shannon in the hotel's lobby to enjoy our morning treats!

Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba

With fuel to get us going, we walked down the street from our hotel to the Mosque-Cathedral Monumental Site of Córdoba. This famed World Heritage Site is famous for its "candy cane archways," and consists of a unique combination of Roman, Gothic, Iberian, and Islamic design. Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished monuments of Moorish architecture, La Mezquita was built originally as a Muslim mosque, which was later converted into a catholic church once the Spanish expelled the Moors from Southern Spain.

This stunning mosque-turned-cathedral reminded Bryan and I of the royal palace, Alhambra, in Granada, Spain. After visiting Alhambra back in August 2023, we had our eye on a weekend trip to Cordoba to see this magnificent Moorish architecture, and it was well worth the wait!

Eventually, a voice came over the cathedral's loudspeakers telling us they were closing to the public for their worship services. Lucky for us, we had time to see the entire place before being ushered out!

We then wandered some of the old town alleyways to spot some of Cordoba's famous flowered patios. The city of Cordoba is famous for its May festival, where people from around the world visit this city to see the Spanish patios decked out in floral arrangements! We may have visited in January, but Cordoba's patios were still pretty!

By late afternoon, we began the long three-hour drive back south to our home in Rota! Hugo and Reynolds were happy to have their mom and dad back home, and they were ecstatic that we brought friends with us!

December 29: Rota Explorin' & Flamenco Show

While Bryan spent the day at work, the rest of us had a slow start to the day and a lunch at Fuego. We then enjoyed a sunny walk around downtown Rota, where I was sure to point out the famous Rota sign, our own castle and cathedral, and the Rota "lady liberty." We also made a pit stop at Bryan's favorite bar, Paddy's, where Mr. Randy left his mark at our local bar!

Tabanco El Pasaje: Vinos y Flamenco en Jerez

With Bryan off work, we hopped in the car and took off for Jerez for a night of Flamenco! We also made a stop at a local music shop for Jo to check out the guitars that are handmade here in Spain. While he didn't have luggage space to take one home, he already found their website so he could order a new instrument once he returns home!

Tabanco El Pasaje has been our go-to flamenco show when people visit, and with good reason! Being over 100 years old, this tabanco has hosted flamenco shows for ages, while serving their homemade sherry wine and classic tapas.

Every time we have been here, we have experienced a different flamenco dancer, and we have never been disappointed! I will also admit, this was the most packed we have seen this place: people were standing outside on the street trying to watch the show through giant mirrors! So if you plan to attend, make sure you make reservations in advance to reserve a table and guarantee a clear view of the stage!

Here are a few clips of our night's performance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa2zfp0Jgrs

After our amazing dinner and show, nobody was ready for the night to be over, so we enjoyed a night out on the town at a local Irish pub right around the corner! Drinks were flowing, laughs were had, and stories were shared. It was an amazing night out with some of our favorite people!

December 30: Cadiz

Bryan had the 30th off work, so we all enjoyed a day in our favorite Spanish beach town, Cadiz!

But first, pottery shopping! The day began with a stop at Viveros! Nikki, Caroline, and Mrs. Shannon all left with beautiful Spanish pottery. Mrs. Shannon even got a classic name tile sign that truly represents the Spanish style! Bryan and I even left with a few new pottery pieces, since Viveros added a new color pattern to their selection! I've now got some beautiful Easter dishes for hosting parties in the spring!

With a trunk full of pottery, we continued our journey to Cadiz and began with a delicious lunch at Confusione Pizza & Bar. Then Bryan and I turned into tour guides as we shared fun facts at the Teatro Romano de Cádiz and then waited with Mr. Randy while Caroline, Jo, Nikki, and Mrs. Shannon climbed the tower of Catedral de Cádiz to take in the stunning view!

As the sun began to set, we made our way to the farthest point of Cadiz's old town and made an art stop at my favorite local artist's shop, El atelier de Sara Ochoa. Again, I left with my own purchases, while Mrs. Shannon and Caroline also picked out some unique art by Sara Ochoa!

Our last stop was timed perfectly with the sunset at La Caleta, better known to us as James Bond Beach! Another short video clip was played from Die Another Day, so everyone could spot Halle Berry coming out of the "Cuban" waters in the film!

December 31: Chill Game Day & New Year's Celebration

Our final day with the Foys began with Bryan spending the morning at work and the rest of us sleeping in. Hugo was a huge fan of the extra cuddle time! (And yes, Jo is sleeping on an air mattress in our entryway...space was tight, but we made it work!)

In preparation for the New Year festivities back at our house, we made a group trip to our local Spanish grocery store, Mercadona. Visiting a grocery store may sound lame, but when you can get freshly squeezed orange juice, slice your own bread, and experience the fresh fish and jamón-cutting stations, you realize this is very different from the Food Lions back home!

We left with a cart full of goodies and headed home for an afternoon of playing games and snacking on all our unique food finds!

Los Corrales de Rota

Bryan eventually joined us for the game night fun, and we enjoyed a walk on the beach to visit the fishing walls that date back to the Romans! Back when the Romans ran Cadiz and built the Roman theater, they also built these walls along the Rota beach to trap fish and make for easy fishing! At low tide, you can walk out 200 meters and stand on these ancient fishing walls!

As the sun set, the fireworks began, and Reynolds needed her hat to keep her from barking at the loud sounds! As the clock struck midnight, we did like the Spanish do and gobbled up Las doce uvas de la suerte (The Twelve Grapes of Luck) as the bells chimed in town! No black eyed peas or cabbage here, we stuck to the Spanish tradition instead!

January 1: Foys Fly Home

Shortly after midnight, we all hit the hay since the Foys flew out of Jerez Airport at 9:20 am. Once they were checked in and hugs were given, Bryan and I headed home for a day of relaxation with the pups!

Bryan and I loved hosting the Foy family! We truly love the Foys, and we are beyond blessed to call them more than just friends, but our adoptive family! The Foys made sure to visit us during our one-year stint in California and again now in Spain. I can't tell you how much it means to us to have hosted this amazing family and share our Spanish home with them!

With love,

Katie