Goodbye Santander: Faces and places I will miss

This post is dedicated to the people of Santander, especially the wonderful friends whose pictures are below.  After five months here, I feel like it's home.  I will miss you all so much .......

Springtime in the Bay of Santander.  My favorite place to walk,  just a few minutes from the flat.

At the other end of the promenade is Puerto Chico, and at far 
right you can see the concert hall, 'Palacio de Festivales.'

Maria, my lovely helpful and friendly landlady, and my first friend in Santander.  We've had several fun evenings going out for pinchos/tapas and talking about everything and anything!   

Mountains and sea:  Bay of Santander; April 2013

Young friends from the school where I've been volunteering;  CP José Arce Bodega.  Here we are on a field trip to Somo (across the bay).  April 2013

Fishing port as seen from the window by the 
elevator in my building, March 2013

coastal walks like this one all around Santander

Iván, expert physiotherapist and unofficial Spanish conversation partner. He's worked wonders with my hand and knee over the past few months,
 while helping me understand the complexities of 
Spanish verbs.  I will miss you!

Pinchos at Casa Lita on the bay; site of many delicious 
lunches and after-concert snacks!

The Hyde family:  American friends Eric, Pamela, Caleb, and Ezra, from Iowa, now living in Santander.  This cliff walk started out well, but we had to turn back right after this photo was taken due to thunder.

Me and Loli and the fifth grade class, CP José Arce Bodega.  Loli welcomed me into her classes as a conversation assistant and invited me to lots of outings and special events.  Thank you Loli!  

Astrid and the horses (Sombra and Vega) May 2013. Originally from Holland, Astrid now lives in Spain with her family.  She's been a wonderful friend and teacher for me, Christine, and Corin. Thanks Astrid for letting me ride the lovely Sombra! I'll be back!

Me riding the lovely Sombra

A windy day in the Bay of Santander!  March 2013.
Santander has many windy days, but this was one of the windiest!  
The statues represent poor children in the 19th century who used to 
dive for money on the sea floor.

Loli, English teacher, and the fourth grade class at CP José Arce Bodega.  

Santi, a friend from CP José Arce Bodega.who introduced me to the teachers' hiking group; I later introduced him to Astrid and the horses.  Here he is on the day we went to the Picos de Europa. 

Puerto Chico,  February

Unai, the friendly and helpful fish market guy.  He recommends the best 
fish of the day, always locally caught.  Then he scales and filets it for me, gives cooking instructions, and even throws in a handful of parsley!

What Santander is most famous for ... Banco Santander

My friend Juncal, Professor of English and Legal English at the University of Cantabria.  Juncal is interested in faculty exchange, and is also the first point of contact for other partnerships such as study abroad.

Sombra and David practicing for the next showjumping competition!  

My friend Pepe, teacher at CP José Arce Bodega.  We've been helping each other with the finer points of English and Spanish, and we've enjoyed some fun outings together, like this one to Galizano in June (weather not very June-like!) 

Palacio de Festivales, the concert hall on the bay:  We went to four 
concerts here given by musicians from Italy, Spain, and Germany. 

The two-year olds, just after I finished reading them 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar.'
The little boy front left was the first to join in with 'he was still hungry!'

Beaches here come in all shapes and sizes, and they appear and disappear with the tide.  
There are 8 beaches in Santander and many more along the coast and across the bay.  

Christine and Corin with Santi and Pepe at Taberna Marinera Machichacho 'El Machi' bar on the bay, a 5 minute walk from our flat and another favorite spot.  

Lots of aloe on the Magdalena peninsula, May.  Another 
great spot for walking.

More of my young friends at CP José Arce Bodega school during 
the day of the solidarity (charity) market.  In these times of economic 
crisis, the wonderful teachers at the school are teaching 
the children about helping those less fortunate.

My sometimes slightly crazy Sombra.  Here she's putting on her 'serious' face.    
Who could not love that face?

'La Concha' beach, with view of the Magdalena peninsula.  May 2013.

 

Corin, Santi, Maria, Christine, and Pepe at our neighbors vegetarian 

tapas party. Maria, Santi, and Pepe all live on our block.  I will miss 

having such wonderful friends literally 'round the corner.'

One of my favorite places to visit; the penguins and seals on the 
Magdalena peninsula.  It's about a one hour walk from the flat, 
or a ten minute bus ride.  February 2013.

With the teachers' hiking group, summit of Pico Jano 
in the Picos de Europa, May 2013