This weekend we went off to our first wedding abroad: Alex and Rocio in Valladolid, Spain. Needless to say the ceremony was beautiful, with Alex giving his vows in Spanish and Rocio in English, after which came the Ave Maria and much throwing of rose petals (and confetti mortars!). Then it was on to the reception with bilingual speeches from a nervous groom and an even more nervous best man. The whole evening was wonderful with plenty of drink, dancing and delight. The first dance was ‘Beyond the Sea’ which I’d recommend to all couples for their wedding (*cough* just in case you’re reading this S *cough*). We hit the floor for a while, but the music quickly changed from crooners to euro pop so we called it a night. That was a 1.30am. 5 and a half hours later the party ended. I don’t know how some of the guests made it to the brunch (though I think the sunglasses even when down in the basement helped), which by the way had the best beef I’ve ever tasted. Then there was more wine and shots and unsurprisingly most people went back to sleep it all off, or catch a train to Madrid, while Naomi and I checked out the city.
Valladolid is gorgeous, with tall buildings and narrow streets and wide piazzas all with fountains, statues and cafes serving ‘cafe con leche’. We did the 3 walks in the guidebook, checking out the park complete with peacocks and lake, the Christopher Columbus museum (the explorer, not the director of sugary pap – Bicentennial Man I’m looking at you), and dozens of churches and galleries (sadly all closed because it was Sunday). We had a fantastic time, and then it was all over, with a short flight back and a long train ride home.
To Alex and Rocio, wishing you every happiness for your future together.
