We leave on Tuesday.
Spain is our destination until we head for Portugal to visit with friends. Travel is something that makes friends out of strangers but when you can bring friends along for the ride, why not. I love to begin and end in the same city; it reminds me of my recent growth. I am never the same as when I started, for having eyes wide open to this world is the greatest feeling of connectedness I've found.
We'll be starting and ending our trip in Madrid. Its the largest city and the capitol of Spain. From there we head to Barcelona for days filled with walking around, taking in the sights of GaudÃ, drinking too much Spanish wine, eating olives and dipping my toes in the Mediterranean Sea. More than once I presume. Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain with it being heavily influenced by Catalonia. There is beautiful art, lovely people, and a rich culture that I'm eager to learn about.
Everything in Europe is old. Seville is no exception. It is believed to have been founded by Hercules himself and still has relics of a rich Roman past. For six centuries the Moors ruled influencing architecture, which I am most thrilled to explore. I think sometimes walking around I spend most of my time looking up instead of out. The attention to detail and the care that went into making buildings in a time long past is beautiful in a way very raw to me. We'll eat a bunch and of course there will be more Spanish wine. We'll take a train to Cordoba and explore the ancient spiritual site. The trains throughout Europe are amazing. They are efficient means of traveling from one place to the next for little cost and no hassle. I've always enjoyed my experiences.
That being said, we've still decided to rent a car so we can drive into Portugal and meet our friends in Alejzur for a week of adventuring. They drive on the same side of the road, which is a major plus when renting a car abroad. We are going to take our time driving the 3-4 hrs so we can see the tiny towns and road side markets along the way. I'm looking for a human connection. I want to see a side of life that is often missed in travel cause you're in a hurry to get to the next place, to see the next thing.
Portugal will be amazing; great friends, fresh foods and many memories to be made. We will be bike riding to markets, surfing or at least trying to, cooking meals as a "travel family", and spending time pondering the wonders of this earth with like minded people. Who knows what the week will hold but I know it will all be so worth it. I don't know much about Portugal and haven't done much research so I can't wait to discover its magic in person.
I live such a fast-paced, jammed-pack, busy but wonderful life in the states that sometimes I forget to slow down and really be present in the life I am living. Self care can be tricky to navigate in this society, especially for me. I'm a giver and that usually means to those around me before myself. We all travel to see sights, to take a break from our daily grind, and to make memories with loved ones but I mostly travel to slow down, to feel the world's breath alongside my own, and to connected with myself by tuning into the world.
Portugal will be amazing; great friends, fresh foods and many memories to be made. We will be bike riding to markets, surfing or at least trying to, cooking meals as a "travel family", and spending time pondering the wonders of this earth with like minded people. Who knows what the week will hold but I know it will all be so worth it. I don't know much about Portugal and haven't done much research so I can't wait to discover its magic in person.
I live such a fast-paced, jammed-pack, busy but wonderful life in the states that sometimes I forget to slow down and really be present in the life I am living. Self care can be tricky to navigate in this society, especially for me. I'm a giver and that usually means to those around me before myself. We all travel to see sights, to take a break from our daily grind, and to make memories with loved ones but I mostly travel to slow down, to feel the world's breath alongside my own, and to connected with myself by tuning into the world.
