sun for the soul

We've recently returned from a much-needed break in Spain. At one point in the chaos that preceded the holiday I though it wasn't actually going to happen, but we made it off the island, Andy lagging half a week behind me, and enjoyed doing some serious relaxing in a remote mountain valley in the Sierra Nevadas. The region is called Las Alpujarras and was just so tranquil and beautiful - our little rustic cottage was in one of the tiny whitewash villages dotted throughout the mountains. With a balcony and rooftop with an incredible view, we spent our days reading, sleeping, hiking, and sampling our fair share of the local chorizo. I had the first three or four days as a solo retreat (long story) and to my surprise I lapped up every last peaceful, inert, sleepy minute of it.

Our good friends Sarah and KP happened to be staying a few hours away and so the following week, we invited them for a night in the mountains with us where we found the most incredible vegetarian restaurant in this teensy village, run by the immensely talented Frenchman Jean-Claude, who treated us single handedly to a gastronomically divine evening. The following day we all drove to Granada and stumbled around the breathtaking Alhambra palaces, slack-jawed, taking in the incredible Moorish designs and architecture.

The final few days we spent in Atequera, mainly sitting in the sunny town square reading papers and eating tapas, with the occasional random element thrown in like a blues festival and food poisoning. What holiday is complete without it? Though it feels like it was over all too soon, the sunshine and nature did some serious good for my soul and helped both of us let the dust settle on what's been a somewhat tough and draining few months. I tried to store up as much sunshine in my bones and in my soul to make in through the rest of this grayer Mancunian summer!