Keeping Up with Rachel and Colleen: Dentistry and Other Adventures in Spain

Since Friday was a rather special day, we felt it was necessary to write about it in a special format. Here's how it went...

12:00 pm Arrive in Valencia, Spain without Long Tooth (Colleen's front tooth).

12:30 pm Arrive at the correct metro stop near our BnB. Begin searching for said BnB

1:00 p.m. Still have not found the BnB even though it is a three minute walk from the metro stop.

1:05 pm Begin asking random strangers where the apartment is. Get hilarious looks from Spanish natives since only Colleen speaks any Spanish.

1:10 pm Find nice man in neck brace who works across the street from our apartment.

1:20 pm Arrive at BnB. Finally.

1:45 pm Arrive at the dentist office across the street from our apartment. Are disappointed to find that they close at 2 pm and will not open again until Monday, but are encouraged by the fact that it is very obvious what the problem is. Are pointed in the general direction of a dentist clinic that is open late and on weekends.

2:00 pm Arrive at what appears to be a university and hospital combined.

2:05 pm Mistakenly walk into Spanish emergency room.

2:15 pm Colleen is admitted to Spanish ER and led away from Rachel.

2:15-2:30 pm Colleen explains to doctors that she did not fall, and they laugh and wonder why she is in the emergency room. Doctors direct her to the dentist across the street.

2:15-2:30 pm Rachel wonders how long the wait will be, so buys lunch from the vending machine in the Spanish ER waiting room. Does not enjoy food.

2:35 pm Walk into what we thought was the dentist across the street. Are told it is further down the block.

2:40 pm Arrive at real dentist office! The secretaries do not speak English, but tell us to come back at 4 when the dentist returns.

3:00 pm Find Spanish cafe down the block to eat lunch at. Order bocadillos because they are only two euros.

3:05 pm Learn that bocadillos are sandwiches made with French baguettes.

3:15 pm Rachel stops crying from laughing so hard. Colleen bravely attempts to eat baguette.

3:30-4 pm Enjoy nice stroll through a Spanish park with cool birds.

4:00 pm Colleen consults with 25 year old dentist and fills out medical history forms in Spanish. We are worried that she keeps saying it will be difficult to fix. We are asked to return at 5:30 for the procedure.