Wedding preparations

It gets very foggy here in Zaragoza in the winter, sort of like San Francisco. Our first friend from out of town has arrived for the wedding on Friday. We took her to see the life-size Belen (Nativity Scene) on its last day in front of the Basilica del Pilar, then had chocolate con churros y porras at La Fama. After almost 12 years of coming to this city, there are certain rituals to be observed. Rosemary had fun taking pictures of some of the figures, aiming for the creepy zombie effect. I think she was quite successful with this one.

The wedding is on Friday. Friends are coming from England, Belgium, Germany, the US, as well as friends and relatives from Valencia, Guadalajara, and closer to Zaragoza. The Marrying Boys, as my friend Fernando has dubbed them, will be wed at the juzgado, then we will walk over to the Hotel Hesperia down the street from our place for the reception. There will be about 80-90 people in all, including kids. We'll have an aperitivo with readings, slides, and sentimental stuff (not typically Spanish as I understand it, but hey) and then a sit-down lunch. We chose the menu last week and the food will be fabulous. Then dancing, of course! and if the party continues, so be it.

Yesterday, I tromped over about a fourth of the territory of the city, along with all the other folks shopping the sales, and finally found the perfect pair of shoes. I needed to do this because I had neglected to pack any shoes that went with my wedding outfit. I mistakenly assumed it would be easy to find a decent pair of shoes, but didn't realized that this season "zapatos de vestir" all either have extremely pointy toes (which I find both ugly and unwearable) OR a little twee bow/buckle.tassle on them OR are brown (I'm wearing blue) OR were in the 200 euro range. The good old Corte Ingles finally came to my rescue and I found the perfect shoes. Definitely would not meet the approval of some folks I otherwise adore, but B* PhD and Hedonistic Pleasureseeker would approve, especially as they were discounted 40%.

I have not yet decided what I will read at the wedding, but I have found a poem by Sharon Olds that I really like called "The Wedding Vow". I think I'll read something in Spanish, though.
I like the singer-songwriter Joaquin Sabinas' "Noches de boda". Here are the lyrics. There will be a few other readings that will be more solemn, so I think a ranchera that a lot of the guests are likely to know will be good.

My daughter informs me almost daily that the 11th commandment is "Mom shalt not sing in public and mortify her daughter" so I'll probably just recite it.

News from Zaragoza

On New Year's Eve, we ate our twelve grapes in time with the bongs of the clock. I've gotten better at it--the first time I tried, I only managed to choke down five before I started laughing, but now I can speed-eat the grapes with the whole family.


An early Reyes present --we have a new friend, Muffin. He's only about half the size of Louis, but just as cute.

I took a quick trip to Barcelona to visit friends who are about to have a baby. We spent a little time in the sun at the Parc Guell,
On Friday evening, we went to the Cabalgata de Reyes, the big parade when the Three Kings and their entourage arrive in towns all over Spain (how do they do that?) and kids wave their letters hoping to give them to Gaspar, Melchor, and Baltasar in person. This year, the weather was mild and the parade route was mobbed.


Sus majestades left some cool presents by our shoes. Later, our friend Gail arrived from Minnesota, our first wedding guest from out of town, but not the last. We had these lovely fishies for lunch, and ate the Roscon for dessert.

A wedding invitation!

In just a few months, I'll be in Spain celebrating the marriage of two men whom I love dearly.