The Yes Day Part 1

 Aug. 26, 2023 The "Yes Day" 

Yesterday L asked for a "Yes Day,"  a day when parents have to say yes to whatever is asked.  L remembered reading about a "Yes Day" from another family who had lived in Vigo last year.  The concept had the potential to go a bit sideways, but she has both been vacillating between anger and sadness at being here, so we decided to go with it with a few limits.  G wanted to get in on it, too, so we decided to start out with a half-day for each of them, limit spending to 20€ each, and activities that are outside the house.  And that we will each have a "Yes Day." G had a restless night, so he decided he would do his "Yes Day" on a different day.  

L's first stop, Vialia Mall.  This place is huge, with a bus and train depot on the bottom floor, lots of shops, video games, bowling, gym, and more on the next 2 levels, and on the roof there are basketball and soccer courts, a skate park, zip line, ninja course, and playgrounds.  But L's laser sharp focus was on clothes.  Yes, she has hit the age where clothing and image is important.  So we visited shop after shop, looking for just the right thing.  On the way she found the most spectacular donuts and decisively ordered a pink one with little bits on top.  She enjoyed half and, in a move that almost made me so proud, she saved the other half for her brother. 

Not finding anything that she loved as much as an outfit she had seen elsewhere in the city, we moseyed toward Rua Principe, a wide pedestrian street filled with shops, cafes, restaurants, and the art museum.  On the way we stopped by El Corte Ingles, a department store, and Larkin found something she loved in the children's section.  She came out beaming in it, black leggings and a cream top with a small, simple pastel rainbow.  

She wore it out of the store and we continued onto Rua Principe where we explored some more shops. And then she ran out of steam and wanted to head home.  And so I said yes. After sharing the half a donut with her brother and resting and reading the fourth Harry Potter book for a bit, D convinced the kids to walk over to OCastro, a haven in the middle of Vigo that has forest and walking paths, playgrounds, skate park, castles, amazing views and lots more.  At one point we came across two older gentlemen sitting on a bench and using a little bicycle exercise apparatus.  They reminded me of the two critics that sit in the balcony on the Muppets Show, telling jokes and being silly.  They made us laugh in our limited Spanish.  Once we reached the playground, there were smiles all around, and lots of playing.  So overall it was a great day, continuing to get our bearings in this city.