bulgarianprincess: Birthday Al-Andalus

You know how I used to publish those Birthday-gifts-wish-list before my birthdays.

I think nobody ever read them

because

I never got presents delivered in front my door!

(maybe because I didn't mention the address

...maybe because

...I actually didn't have a permanent address: Madrid, Paris, New York!

I always ended up in those "random"

or not so random places

in random or not so random,

(actually pretty well known clubs around the world),

surrounded by a bunch of models

who happened to be in the same town and weren't necessarily my friends,

but they all sang "Happy Birthday"for me....(well some are still my friends actually)

I don't think even my parents knew where to deliver my present except for my bank account! Sad! And all my fault!I thought it's kind of cool to end up in a random place with random people on your birthday...

It is a very lonely job this one and you create your own little family around the world...

Well to cut the long story short:

Eventually somehow I used to get pretty much all the things I wished for in my lists...You know:

And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. - Paulo Coelho

Well, this year I didn't post any wish list so I didn't expect any presents,

but i had the most delightful and nice,

romantic and amazing

Birthday present ever!
Andalusia!

Now that I am getting older I realize that the only important thing really is to be surrounded by people you love and people who love you and really care about you.

It doesn't have to be in New York or in Paris or on the Moon.

It's your special day and it's important to know that you make a difference to somebody.

It took me 20-something years to understand that one...

View over Seville from the Giralda Bell Tower

The swimming pool and rooftop bar of EME hotel spotted from the Giralda

The Gardens of Alcazar Palace in Seville

Dessert selection in El Caballo Rojo, just opposite the Cathedral-Mosque of Cordoba

El Caballo Rojo

Oh and one more thing: As I love social experiments I removed my birth date from FB and you know how many people called or texted? Hmmm let's say 10. But at least I know that those are the people who really knew when my birthday was and really wished me something from their heart....

Around the Cathedral of Seville

A Spanish wedding, one of many seen for 3 days...

The Tomb of Columbus in the Seville Cathedral

Seville Cathedral

...Ok, maybe a little bit less than 10.

I just don't want to admit I have so few real friends.

Climbing "La Giralda", a former minaret converted into a bell tower

But this is not important, I know that many people are so overwhelmed with their lives and jobs that they don't have any clue what months we are, not to speak for a date...