I spend two and a half weeks at my mothers' outside of Torrevieja in Espana. Spring has been around for a while here, and it is deliciously sunny and warm. Evenings and mornings are still cool, and if it's overcast or windy I have to wear warm clothes. This is a first for me here, since I've only ever been here during the hottest time of the year before - when it feels like a desert and pretty much looks like it too. Therefore I'm especially keen to have a look around and see this area before the sun burns every blade of grass to within an inch of it's life. My mother describes the countryside as being dressed like a bride this time of year: when the almond trees are blossoming, every tree as far as the eye can reach is covered in thousands of pink and white blossoms. We make a journey further inland to behold this event the day after I arrive, since it is a bit late now, it might all be over already. And it is. Only a few bridesmaids left. Sigh. But I can still imagine the beauty it must be, and my mood is quickly restored when I see orchard after orchard filled with orange trees. There is just something wonderful about these smallish trees with dark green leaves filled with lushes, juicy oranges. They taste delicious too and they're everywhere to be bought, and after a while they are blossoming, and it just smells heavenly. Another new friend is the lemon tree, but that colour just isn't as lush, and the taste best had in small doses, obviously.

When I first arrive I'm still on high gear from Norway and I want to run around and do all kinds of things. I get to meet my mother's friend next door, who is usually on holiday when I'm here. Her kids likes to play with a ball in the yard, and my mother is nervous about them nocking over her flowers. She doesn't have to worry about those kids though. The perpetrator is lodging under her very roof. When I've taken away the mess after I drop four eggs on the kitchen floor, I want to help out and take the wash out to dry. My mother is making dinner and she opens the door to let the steam out. It is one of those winter garden type of things, so the wall and door is all plastic or whatever material it is. I walk out through what I think is an open door with the laundry and then suddenly find myself standing outside with the whole door lying on the ground. I just walked straight into it and it was dislodged and fell on top of her flowers. Luckily the door is intact and it is easy to put it back. Not equally as easy to get rid of the ants that have a field day with the egg that I couldn't get to under the cupboard.

So my mother takes me on some day trips, and as I mentioned earlier we started in Montesinos to see the almond trees. A couple of days later we drive to Novelda and spend some time wandering through a beautiful house that was built in the art nouveau style and is still kept intact with all the furniture and wall paintings and the rest of it. It is open to the public and we wander around the house, dreaming of living in such a fab place. After a tapas lunch we drive just a little out of town to see a rather special church on top of a hill. It's a great day, but the church is closed so we can't have a look inside. We also have a day out in Marmenor, and we have a really long walk on the beach there before we drive into town and have lunch and enjoy another walk on the pier. The blue sea and the blue sky is simply perfection, and we watch some people smearing themselves in the clay from this place, it's supposed to have medicinal purposes. There are quite a few salinas here, salt lakes, and I guess the minerals in the area must be good for different things. From time to time we drive by big salt plants and see the white mountains of salt waiting to be processed.

After a week or so I settle into a slower routine and life here is pretty relaxed. I get up early-ish and take a walk before breakfast. The neighbourhood is quiet, the sky endless, and the first rays of sun is especially warm in the fresh morning air. The orange blossoms can be smelt on the wind and it is such a treat. Then it might be a market day. I spend the entire time looking for the perfect pair of sandals, the one's I had broke and I need new ones. They weigh nothing, the colour goes with everything, they look smart and casual at the same time and they are cheap as old chips. Like I said, perfect shoes. I bought them here last year, so I'm sure I'll find them again. But nay. It's too early yet, the winter shoes are still out. After we've been to the market or some other place we find a cafe for cappuccinos. When we get home we sit down with some sudoku in the garden or go for a long walk by the beach or in the neighbourhood. We eat dinner mostly at the house, but sometimes go out for meals too. Every night my mother watches her favourite Spanish word game show and then I select a film from her DVD collection to watch while we devour the days selected desert. Hm. A sneaking feeling of retired life is upon me.

Not yet though, I'm flying to Barcelona to help with a student trip the senior class at my school is having.