First and foremost, I would like to thank all our neighbours in the Castilian village of Arevalillo de Cega, in the province of Segovia, who with extraordinary generosity have opened up your hearts and continue to welcome us into your lives.
At the heart of the village stands our beautiful church, whose graceful silhouette rises high above the garden wall. My late beloved father-in-law John Coulter loved this view and the phantom sounds of the sheep bells as they ring out and echo across the neighbouring hills. He is deeply missed by us all. You were the rock on which we built our house, dear, dear, kind man; thank you from the bottom of my heart. You were a very gentle giant. We will fill the vacuum you have left with many happy memories. For thirty years now we have lived in Arevalillo de Cega. We have shared everything from moments of personal grief to amazing fiestas and, of course, thousands of hours of wonderful conversation. We have been blessed by your friendship and, above all, value the moments when we sit down and break bread together.
Over the years I have come to appreciate the centrality of the church in our everyday life. I have been particularly fortunate that our two priests, Don Rafael and Father Santos, have been prepared to share their mutual love of the glorious Romanesque style. Without our friends in Arevalillo de Cega, and the profound lessons you have taught us in convivencia, this book would have been very different.
Loly and Peter Poguntke from Valdevacas: a big, big thank you for everything but most of all for your friendship. In Turégano we have shared with Eduardo, Rosa, Felisa and Ricardo their pride in their church. Through the villages of Segovia our net spreads out towards the city itself: Teresa, Ángel, Cruz, Nieves, Carlos Angulo, Joy, Tom, Rebecca, Juan José, Pilar, Juan Manuel, Vicky, Gloria, Ana, Diego, Luis, Fernando, Matilde, José, Leo, Julio, Paloma, Andrés, Charo, Tony and Gema Sanz, Lara, Carmen, Rafa, Mazaka, Miguel Ángel. . . all of you are very dear to our heart and give us life.
In Madrid I have been lucky enough to feed off and share the profound knowledge of Paloma Soria, Arturo Colorado, Veva Tusell, Miguel Cabañas Bravo, Ignacio Zuloaga, Margarita Ruyra de Andrade, Sofia Barroso and Julieta Rafecas. I thank you. In Ubeda, Andrea Pezzini, Francisco Vaño and Pepa Higueras: your stars shine bright. In Granada, Glenda Fermin and Alfonso: you also passed on your wisdom. In the Basque country I adore Garbiñe Goia and the great Julián Serrano. In Valencia, Marta, Sergio and their little tribe have been true, loving and loyal.
To all of those who have survived a crisis in the pursuit of excellence I take off my hat: Martin Randall and the team, Manolo de la Osa, Martín Berasategui, Sergi Arola, Nicolas Subtil, José María and son Pedro, Nandu Jubany, Manuel Berganza, Metodiyka, Julio Fernández, María de las Marías, the two Carlos Leóns, Sonia Boue, Jennifer Roger, Jai, Jeremy Shaw, Yana Boheyna, Simon McGookin, Elena Arzak, James McDonaugh and many, many more. To those who have suffered, may you take solace from the extraordinary wisdom and compassion of Pope Francis, who has given us all a masterclass in humility and faith. May God bless you.
Mentors and friends Paul Preston, Xavier Bray, John McNeal, Helen Graham, Carmen Giménez, the late Michael Jacobs: you have been as generous and stimulating as always.
The theatre of this book, of course, has been Barcelona. Thank you, Nick and Deborah Corper for your kindness and hospitality. Daniel Giralt-Miracle, Juan José Lahuerta, Manuel Castiñeiras, Jordi Gracia García, María del Mar Arnus: you are my reference points and intellectual anchors.
In Catalonia, I thank Jaume Grau, the Bargalló family from Montroig del Camp, Marc and Chris at Bodega Bonavista, all at the Casa Calvet, Armando and Nuria at Capet, Carlos and Maite at La Anxoveta, Artur Sagues, Xavier Sagrista and Toni Gerez. Your amazing spirit and pursuit of reaching for the stars is infectious.
In the Gaudí world, I salute Jordi Bonet, Etsuro Sotoo and particularly thank Laia Vinaixa at the archive.
The genesis of this book has everything to do with the constant support and inspiration of Deborah Blackman. A very big thank you for everything. Euan Thorneycroft, my literary agent at A. M. Heath, has been a rock and Jennifer Custer’s enthusiasm is inspiring. I also thank Miguel Aguilar, Jane Bradish-Ellames and Bill Swainson. I particularly want to thank Virginia Fernández at Penguin Random House for her fantastic work, the translators Jofre Homedes and Jordi Ainaud, also Laura Ortega and Anna Adell, and last but not least, the designer Yolanda Artola.
For this edition in English I particularly want to thank the wonderful editorial and design team at Bloomsbury with a special thanks for the unflagging support of its brilliant editor-in-chief, dear Alexandra Pringle, who was there right at the beginning of our Spanish adventure almost thirty years ago.
It is my family, of course, who has lived this book with me. So Hendrikus, may your charity, Action for Conservation (www.actionforconservation.org), your wisdom and your open heart flourish. Rosa and Hetty, may your spirits continue to soar. My dearest Alex, just a very big thank you for everything we share. My mother-in-law, Estelle Coulter – mi casa es tu casa. To ring the changes: a toast to Ryan Pepin. And my new daughter Sophie: welcome home. Finally, Frances and François de Menthon, may the love of our children bring us together as we celebrate their lives.