The last two weeks have been a whirlwind! Kids finished school, went a week away to camp, we had some friends in town from our old neighborhood in KC (Thanks for seeing us Tricia and Shannon!) and had visitors - Team Mckenzie to Europe for the first time! Cherry = POPPED! (sorry if this is bad taste but I had to). We then hit Italy and Sardegna for 2 weeks...whew!!
Kids!
Hayes and Ellory both went to the ASB summer camp for a week. It was great! They hit the beach, sailboating lessons, rock walls, 4-wheelers, basketball, etc etc etc. I think they each showered once (maybe Hayes did 2x) the entire week. They came home exhausted but only had about 14 hours at home before we flew off to Italy.
We are trying best to keep them learning Spanish outside formal ‘class.’ Their instructors at school recommended 5-6 great ideas for us so we are working them in as well - but they just pick it up from Mrs J (our house help) and being in restaurants and around other Spanish-speaking kids/adults.
We are looking for what they are doing next year. for activities This year Hayes did robotics and futbol, Ells did futbol and all-sports. She wants to do basketball, futbol, and flat football this year and Hayes is looking at flag football and a racket sport. We are really trying to balance the ‘busy’ shit we had in KC. It is just not the life I want (or for them to have) to be running to activities every night and weekend and missing out on other things (sunsets over Barcelona, 2 hour dinners, day-trips and exploring BCN and all of Spain/Europe, beach evenings/days, and maybe just a lazy day/night with pizza and a movie here and there) - Commitments are not what we are looking for - but of course, we want them involved - we will find a healthy balance I’m sure. This is an ongoing challenge - it was in KC and is here as well. Life is too short to be rushing and rushing and overcommitted (especially at their age) but they need to feel involvement, accomplishment, friendships, competition, etc all those amazing things these activities provide.
Quick Hits…
We had visitors again! Mitch and Lindsey (my dads wifes daughter and her family) and their kids came. Their first trip to Europe so we wanted to make it special - I’m pretty sure they had a great time but were TIRED after all we did….memories now, sleep later! We hit Barcelona in 2 days, then a day in Florence, 3 in Lucca (and hit Cinque Terre, Pisa, and Lucca of course) then Modena for aged balsamic vinegar (you haven’t had 25-year barrel-aged Aceto?) and to Parma for cheese (36-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano - the best). Then to Verona for a wine tasting and Venice for 2 days. They flew back to Iowa and we flew to Sardegna for 4 days….(hey, if you come visit and tell me 'whatever is fine with us we are open!’ when it comes to planning I'm likely to run run run!!!!!)….
Summertime is so different here - many of our friends (and the kids friends) are back in the US or traveling all summer (like we are). So, connecting with buddies for lunches, kids for playdates, and social time for us all is much much less. I do miss it and am looking forward to getting back on a typical schedule with the kids in school - my work schedule better - padel - dates, etc.
Flights - I am trying to set up a US (sunny) trip when I get back for Thanksgiving and KC to San Fran = 900$ and KC to Miami = $700 and KC to Vegas = $400. WTF is this? These use to be $200-300$ flights. I get fuel is high but flights here are still reasonable. We can fly nonstop roundtrip to Italy (50-150$) Ibiza (130$) Mallorca (50$) Paris (200$) London (200$) etc etc etc. I don't get the airline ticket prices in the US - fuel is expensive and going up everywhere…I don't get it! Someone tell me why!!
Inflation
We haven’t seen bread go up in price with the grain shortages I read about - a baguette is still 1.20€ and a quality fresh loaf of bread is about 2.40€. Cool.
Beef is still around 17€ per KG of high-quality fresh beef. so, 2.2lbs for 17€ (now 17$ with euro-usd parity). I bought a flank steak from Galicia (some of the best beef in Spain) for 17€ that fed 4 adults and 4 kids. YeahBoi! It would have cost 40$ or more in KC.
Petro/gas is over 2€ per liter - so a little under 8$ per gallon. (I’ve never seen fuel under 1.30€ per liter in europe in 20 years).
I really don’t see much going up in price here but avocato's. I like avocatos though…
Italy trip…
We had Team Mckenzie here in Barcelona for a few days and when our kids got out of camp we all flew to Italy. It has been a BUSY TRIP! As I mentioned above we landed in Florence for a half-day, drove to Lucca, home-based in Lucca while we hit Pisa, Cinque Terre, and Lucca of course - then drove to Modena, Parma, Veneto and finished in Venice. We hit what each place was known for (balsamic, parma cheese/ham, wine, etc). They flew back to Iowa and we flew to Sardegna. We literally drove from the west coast of Italy to the east coast! We were in Sardegna for 4 days with a car from Cagliari to Olbia and back again. First time to Sardegna and def not the last - cool-ass island with amazing waters/boats/wine/food/people. Italy was great as always (our first trip since 2019 when we use to go 1-2x per year). If you don't know we had the kids there the summer of 2019 - and homebased in Lucca…our #1 favorite place in Italy. If you go let us know we have friends and recco's!! We reconnected with those great Italian friends, met some new ones, enjoyed showing Mitch/Lindsay and the kids around, and of course made a ton of memories! (and I rattled off a thousand photos annoying everyone with us but….they'll all be thankful for them in the future!)
The kids are learning A TON this summer….I posted the following (with pics) to the facebook if you didn't see it: —— In Sardegna they had history class in Gairo Vecchio (abandoned ghost town), Temple of Antas (old Roman ruins), Terme Romane di Fordionganis (Román thermal baths from 2nd century) and then art class in Orgosolo and San Sperate for street art. They also learned entrepreneurship and agriculture from a vintner / farmer with 11 hectares. (He made his own corks from his cork trees).
On mainland Italy they had Italian cooking class 201 (101 was in 2019) with our friend Tamy in Lucca, art class from an 85 year old street painter and swimming lessons in Cinque Terre. Science class was in Parma for the best Parmigiano-Reggiano (Caiolatte) and then to learn about food science and patience in Modena for 50 year aged balsamic vinegars…they also had to learn the difference between Spanish and Italian languages! It was hilarious!
There are pics etc on the facebook too - I don't post much - but put up a few pics here and there.
Ongoing challenges
Spanish is coming along! The thing that sucks is that I feel I know how to get around speaking a little and can think through my words for what I need (a haircut appointment, reservations, another bottle of wine, more food, no mayonnaise, etc etc etc) but my brain is not fast enough to process it all! To all you quick thinking smart people - eat shit!! It will come I'm confident. It's just slow…and a daily challenge.
Missing America. We do miss it - a ton - but it is amazing and awesome here. Thats all. The thing I process now more than ever though isn't really 'what do I want?’ but 'what is best for the kids?’ - and that is a hard internal dialogue to have. I love it here - but I love it in America too. I'm in multi-love!!!
Heat. It's hot here - it's hot everywhere. I think it is less hot here than in Kansas City and less humid. We have the beach 25 mins away but no 2 minutes to the neighborhood pools like we did in KC! A Thousand Oaks pool day and a few spritzers sound good ‘bout now!
Moving here (LOL)? (wanna visit?)
We have had a few friends reach out to us and ask what it takes to move overseas. Some are looking for an adventure and some are wanting a change from all that is going on ‘in the news’ lately in America (lol I can't understand the news here!). I wrote last blog about visiting here and how inexpensive it can be (a plane ticket costs the same to come here from KC as it does to fly to California!) - moving here is another bucket. If you want to come check it out let me know - if you are thinking of a move let me know. I’ll be ‘totally honest, totally kind’ as an old boss used to say to me. We are 7 hours ahead of central time…we love it here, but Europe move/living is def not for everyone. I’m an open book if you need to read a chapter or two hit me up!
We are back in Barca now for 2 weeks and then to Greece for 8 days, back for a week and then a road trip to France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy before the kids start school in September. I think Ashley and I are going to sneak away for a night or two without kids either here in Barca or hop a quick flight to Ibiza or Mallorca or so to celebrate a wedding anniversary last week! Cheers to SUMMER!!!
One last thought - I've always counted summers left with my kids. Hayes is 9, Ellroy 7. That gives me 8 more summers with Hayes before he bails to work or university. This 2022 summer represents 12% of all the summers I have left with him. Think about that with your littles - and crush the rest of the summer…only a few left!
Pics below - next blog will be a bit - likely wrapping up the summer!
Summer -> Travel season!!
Thx Jon
Always enjoy catching up on the family.
What a life you are living! I admire your courage. You are very blessed to have this adventure. Thank you so much for sharing it with us!!! Kathy