dogs and thunder.

i thought that rain did not exist in spain. apparently it does!

i have made my way along the costa blanca to a little town in the mountains called finestrat. pronounced 'fin strat' or, if you prefer, 'finest rat', as it is in my head! i met up with my kindred spirits, vanessa and andrea, who are avid climbers, hikers and surfers from bc. i have only known them for a few days, but we have the kind of relationship where we feel we have known each other since we were in diapers.

we are staying at a climbers hostel called the orange house (www.theorangehouse.net) just outside of finestrat. we cook our own food, have access to a pool, and even get to use a bbq! the view from the hostel is magnificent: a beautiful mountain overlooking the simple town and a green valley.

last night, i witnessed one of the most beautiful thunder storms that i have seen since i was a kid. the three of us grabbed rain coats and lawn chairs and sat on the terrace with front-seat views to the storm as it creeped across the valley. we were at the highest point in the valley (probably not the smartest thing in retrospect!), the lightning exploding in the sky, taking on shapes that i have never seen. the two dogs on the property, terrified, cuddled up in our room. why is it that dogs are always so afraid of thunder?

the climbers are obviously really unhappy that it is raining, but i am content. i honestly think that the ocean becomes even more beautiful when it is cloudy and raining. on perfect days, the ocean is bright blue, and goes as far as the eye can see, shimmering in the sun. but, on stormy days, the ocean becomes a spectrum of colours from blue to green to navy, with depth and character. i think there is more to gain from staring at it on stormy days.

this is the kind of world i wish i lived in every day. the kind where i can spend an hour staring at the ocean if i want to. where i can read a book without feeling like i have missed out on the day, or only do ONE thing at a time. a world without multitasking DOES exist? i actually smile at children, talk to strangers, and the biggest decision of the day is whether to read or write in my journal before bed. it is too bad that it always seems we have to leave home to find our lives.