Spain in Sum

When I landed in Spain, I planned to stay 10 days. Now a month and 5 days later, I am willing to make my departure. I just loved this country, its people, its beauty, its quirks and its sunshine. Everyday – minus the one in Bilbao or the car breaking down with Jose –was filled with happiness. I don’t ever remember being so happy in my life.

In total, I saw thirteen cities, and slept in twelve different beds. My heart broke when I left Granada and it was set on fire when I landed in Sevilla. I washed clothes three times, and died my clothes pink twice. I drank about a case or rioja, read 6 books, and got sunburned once. I learned to dance Flamenco (kind of), learned to relax (sort of), and learned to make the best orange mojitos (definitely). I made many new friends, had lots of laughs, cried once, and about lost it in anger twice (both with Jose). I watched eight sunsets, and got up before 8AM four times and went to bed after 8AM once. I saw a bull fight which I will never do again. I went against my intuition once, and will also never do that again. I bought a fabulous dress, a lovely cocktail ring, and 10kg of the worlds finest cheese. I went to the highest point in Spain, the oldest city in Europe, glimpsed Africa across the ocean, saw the Nina that sailed with Columbus, and the place were Hercules died. I had lunch with Gaudi, breakfast with Miro, and dozens of dates with Goya, Valasquez and Picasso. I moved past NYC and into “here”, wherever that may be. When I get to where I am going I will be “there” but the time it takes to get from here to there is unknown, so I will enjoy ‘here’ for now.


Favorite Spanish Moments

A “glamorous” afternoon in Sant Maria del Mar and Parc Guell.

Lunch in Donibane.

Cideria dinner in San Sebastian.

Alhambre.

Bike riding in Barcelona followed by London Joe’s BBQ.

Toledo for a day with Javi and gang,

A day of connections in Madrid – Friday, March 20

Sunset in Granada

Mojito party in Cadiz with someone as silly as me.

The day the church was closed in Seville…Let the sinners continue sinning!

Fish fry by the river in Seville – does it get more southern than this?

Day of pretending to be Sevillian and what that life would be like (it really didn’t get better than that!)

Finding “my dress”

The 14-hour happy hour

Semana Santa and everything surrounding it – Gossip Girls, Paula’s party, Fragata, Paco Espana FINALLY being open, breakfast break at Nachos

Beaches and BBQs in Rota

A FULL DAY of Gossip Girl and Rioja

Girls day in Seville

Feria! Feria! Feria!

Regrets
4 cigarettes smoked with Jose
Attending the bullfight
Not speaking Spanish very well
Thinking sheeps cheese was the same as goats cheese
Thinking Jose would be an awesome host
Dying all my white clothes pink – twice

Cities seen: 12

Favorite for culture/history/beauty: Granada

Favorite overall: Sevilla

Bed/hotel count: 14