The Day I Learned How to Master the Turkish Toilet

I should learn to be a little more moderate about the things I try to eat. I tried sea urchin yesterday afternoon. I loved it. Today I had to stop the bus every hour in order to find a bathroom. We stopped in some fairly rural areas in which there was nothing but a hole in the ground. Never fear! I'm currently the female master of the turkish toilet.

On other topics, I rode an Andalusian on the beach. It was one of the best rides I've ever experienced. He was a spirited but willing three year old. His only fault was that he liked to pull on the bit. Basically what this does, if you're not paying attention, is rip the reins out of your hands. Molly (my first horse) used to do the same thing. My fingers remain strong after years of horseback riding, so I kept the reins in hand. I was almost pulled over his head once though, which probably would have ended up badly. It didn't happen, so all is well. The saddle was english inspired. I hate stirrups, particularly english ones, so I ended up holding on with the thighs and knees. Let me just say that I'm out of shape and have a little waddle at the moment. Anyway, so another girl and I rode off down the beach without a guide. It was prue freedom. We did a lot of galloping and "tearing it up." The feeling was incredible. Bliss in form of horseflesh. The horse renters were quite impressed with our horsemanship. If there is one thing in this world that I know I have skills in, it's horseback riding. A good horse and a good rider will often become like one - like a synergy. This is what I felt like as we flew across the sand. I ceased to be aware of anything else but the moment at hand. We connected, we understood, we flew.