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Romantic trip Spain leads to small world meeting. Author and columnist Tom Blake provides dating information and advice for widowers, widows,
divorced men, divorced women, middle-aged singles boomer singles and senior singles who are dating again and hope to meet a mate. Romantic trip leads to meeting
© 2004 by Tom Blake
Small world 9,000 miles away
Lynn Gossett of Dana Point had never read this column until two weeks ago. The word "Spain" in the headline is what caught her eye.
In that column, readers had shared their opinions on whether my partner Greta and I should go to Spain on our romantic Easter week vacation, in light of the
terrorists' bombings of three Spanish train stations.
The column was of interest to Lynn and her husband John because they were faced with the same decision as Greta and I.
The Gossetts had also planned to go to Spain over the Easter holiday, taking their three boys - Garrett, 16, Nate 14, and Jonathan 13. "We thought Spain during
Holy Week would be a culturally rich experience for the boys," e-mailed Lynn.
After the terrorists' attacks, John and Lynn asked friends and relatives whether they should go and then decided to not let terrorists ruin their vacation.
They flew to Barcelona where they spent two days, then flew to Malaga and drove to Nerja, a city of whitewashed buildings about the size of Dana Point
on the Mediterranean's Costa Del Sol.
Once settled into their rented villa, John and Lynn went to a grocery store (Supermercado) to stock up.
Last July, Greta and I made plans to go to Spain during Greta's Easter vacation from teaching this year for a romantic getaway. We planned to travel through
Spain by train.
When the bombs exploded in Madrid's Atocha train station, through which we were traveling twice, we cancelled our trip. Then, we rethought our decision
and decided to go but to travel by car instead.
We flew to Madrid where we spent two days. Next we drove to Granada and from there to Nerja where we rented an apartment.
The driving directions to the apartment were confusing. We couldn't find the place: up and down hills, dead-end and one-way streets, poor signage, blind and
dangerous intersections -- back down to the main road.
Frustrated, we decided to go to the Supermercado
to find a telephone and get directions.
Returning to the car, we heard, "Hey Tom Blake."
Greta and I had never met the Gossetts. They recognized me from being in my deli and from seeing my photo that accompanies this column. After a brief
conversation, we wished each other safe trips. The Gossetts were traveling to Seville the next day and we were returning to Madrid two days later.
Later that afternoon, Greta and I "lucked into" a parking space at the bustling three-mile-long Burriana Beach so we decided to wet our feet in the
Mediterranean. The Gossetts were enjoying the beach and saw us again.
At that point, we all decided our meetings were fate and had a young man from England take a group photo of the seven of us from Dana Point gathered on
Burriana Beach 9,000 miles away a week ago Wednesday.
So remarkable was running into the Gossetts on the only day we were both in Nerja, the picture's been posted on the photo wall of fame in Tutor and
Spunky's Deli.
Comments
Suzie Brooks, Laguna Niguel, "I'm betting (along with my friends) that Joe Follick was asking out women at least 15 to 20 years younger. Next time give the
age of the female so we know whether Joe has the right to sing the blues." Response: If age was a factor, why all of the kissing and hand holding?
Janet Whitcomb, Rancho Santa Margarita, "Spending $75 on a first date isn't necessarily carte blanche for other activities as well. Perhaps people seeking
long term relationships need to complete a class in First Date 101."
Response: Joe just felt she sent mixed signals.
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