While we were in Don Benito, we met Pili’s parents and cousins – Alberto and Natalia – none of whom spoke any English (the kids would speak a few words but only under duress).  Somehow we all managed to communicate through the enjoyment of food and sign language.  Pili and Diego did spend a lot of time doing double translating back and forth between us – pretty comical but it worked!  Javier did learn to say “Dada” while we were there – Diego thought that was pretty nifty.

Christmas meals were filled with a number of things we’d never encountered – including what came to be affectionately as “langostinos con ojos” (shrimp with eyes)  and cured ham sliced right from the entire pig leg (complete with hoof intact).  Those, combined with plenty of Cava (Spanish champagne) and delicious sweet treats, kept us happy and sated.

Pili was really sweet and created a menorah out of clay and candles so that we could share our tradition of lighting Chanukah candles during that holiday that coincided with Christmas this year.

One afternoon, Pili’s parents took us on a tour of a nearby castle and surrounding ancient ruins, including an excavation of a Roman theatre – this will be built out to actually be used again for performances in a medieval setting.

A day or two before the rest of us were to head on to our next adventure, Ruth left Don Benito to go home and spend New Years with her dear Mercer Island friends.  We puther in a local van with a neighborhood driver who got her to the Madrid airport.  We were sad to have her leave us, but glad she’d had the chance to travel with us and now reconnect with her homies.