It's been a hot minute since I've put together an update on life here, and this time I get to break away from reflection on routine and share about my recent week of travel. The end of March brought a week of vacation for us before Easter and in that time my friend Giselle and I went to the North of Spain for the first half of the week, then my mom arrived in Spain to share the second half with me (plus a few bonus days at the end back in Granada). In total it was 10 days of travel around Spain and during that time I got to experience 4 new cities. I thought I would share a bit about my experiences in each place and the memories I'm taking away from this time traveling.
Bilbao
Guggenheim Museum -- throughout the week I went to four art museums. Even though I don't have a vast working knowledge on classical or modern art it was fun to see different forms of expression and appreciate different periods of art history. Even better when entrance is free!
Pintxos (pronounced "pinchos") were possibly my favorite part of traveling around the north of Spain. This picture really doesn't do justice to the beautiful spreads we saw but they are small, bite-sized foods somewhat smaller than tapas and they are pre-made so you can make your own selection.
I still don't know how this picture came about but I laugh every time I see it. Each place we went had a body of water nearby and I loved walking along the river, canal, or beach in every spot.
San Sebastián
San Sebastián ("Donostia" in Basque) is right on the northern coast so we enjoyed some beautiful views and some windy beach walks. After weeks of rain in Granada we were celebrating every ray of sunshine we got! The vitamin D and time by the sea were definitely both highlights for me.
The main beach in San Sebastián. It was pretty windy but we did see a few brave souls dip into the water.
Barcelona
The sunset over Barcelona from Park Guell. Cities are cool but I love tastes of nature like this. Also not pictured: one of the best bocadillos (baguette sandwiches) I've ever eaten.
Our first afternoon in Barcelona was spent biking along the beach and getting a sense for the space. Somehow I don't think I had been on a bike since last spring so it was a dream of a time and we finished the day with one of the best cupcakes I've ever had.
Valencia
Mom has arrived! We took a bus from Barcelona to Valencia mid-week and enjoyed good food, a cozy Airbnb, and walks in the city's long, winding park. This was our first time traveling internationally together and but we're already swimming in other travel ideas so it's certainly not the last. I feel lucky to have a taste of home sandwiched in the halfway mark of my time here and I'll get another in a month when my sister Elizabeth comes to visit.
My host mom Maria and her family invited us to join them for Easter lunch. It was a new experience for me to be the translator but in the end we all enjoyed our time.
Before coming to Spain, a friend told me that during their semester abroad they "learned how to travel." At the time I didn't totally know what that meant but now I realize I'm learning that exact lesson. I'm in the process of learning where I like to go, what pace I want to set for travel days, how to navigate all different forms of transportation, how to budget a trip, and what sort of people I travel well with. I've realized how much I'm drawn to nature, to good food, and to good company regardless of my location so it makes sense I look for those same things in travel. I'm all for seeing monuments and historical sights, but I know now that I like doing that at a relaxed pace and I recognize that I love looking forward to the next interesting food to eat. Honestly, just reading a couple books and enjoying my first train ride were among my favorite moments of the week and it's a reminder of how much I appreciate a rested pace in travel. Good company is so important to me, too, and the shared experience of travel really bonds you to people in a special way. I'm excited to see how this learning plays out in the years to come as I continue to prioritize travel in my life and keep learning what works best for me.
For now, though, it's time to transition into a fresh month and re-charge. It's just about 2 months until I'll be back in the states and my excitement keeps building for the summer ahead and the fall back on campus. In the meantime I'm sending love from across the pond to my people back home! Your thoughts, encouragement, and prayers mean the world to me.