I think it’s going to be hot today. It’s only half past eight but the sun already hurts on my shoulders. I got sunburn yesterday. Near the tent it was still chilly and the grass was wet, so my toes got wet. Now they’re getting dusty. My sandals have made brown spots on my feet so I can see that I’ve gotten a tan. But it’s not completely right because when we go hiking I wear high shoes. I have two pairs of hiking socks. One pair is pink and the other purple, because my shoes are a boring colour. I wear one pink sock and one purple sock at a time.
The pavement here is very different than at home. The tiles are really smooth, but with grooves in, and the dust in the grooves flies about with every step and makes the grass grey. I can buy bread all by myself. The bakery is not far. You have to walk off the camping site and cross the bridge and then to the right. And then all the way straight on. Under the bridge you can swim in the river. You get in at the beach and then under the bridge and then quickly to the shore or you land on the rocks. It’s exciting and really cold. Because the water comes from the mountains, daddy says.
At the bakery you have to say “buenas días”. Or buenas tardes if it’s in the afternoon. And when it’s your turn you say “un pan por favor”. If they don’t understand you can point to what you want. Un-pan un-pan un-pan. When we go hiking the words also often walk along with me in my head. Un-pan un-pan.
Tomorrow is my birthday. Then we won’t go hiking but instead we’ll do something that I like. I want to go to the zoo or to the swimming pool and eat at the hotel in the village, a whole half chicken and a huge ice cream.
Here is the hairdresser where we went yesterday because I didn’t go before the holiday. He didn’t have scissors but a knife and he kept saying rubia. They like blond here, they keep touching my hair.
Un-pan un-pan un-pan un-pan. There is the bakery. The door is open and they have these plastic strings in front of it.
Buenas días! Un pan por favor.
This was first written for a creative writing class. The original was in Dutch and translating it was a bit difficult :) Tips and comments welcome.