June 28, 2024
SPECTACULAR Spain... a recap of our AMAZING trip!
We began planning our Spain trip on June 11th, 2023… the day after we dropped Iciar (our exchange student from the 22-23 school off at the airport to begin her journey home. At first, it was just an idea but as the months went by a clear plan emerged. We’d start with a few days in Barcelona, so as not to interfere with the University Admission Testing that would take place in the week before graduation. Then we’d hop on a high-speed train to Madrid to meet her family, be introduced to her beloved city, and attend her high school graduation. Finally, we’d leave Ava in Madrid for some parent-free time, while we hiked a short but complete Camino, the Camino Ingles. The plan was SO exciting and I set out to fill in the blanks with hotels, transportation, and fun stuff!
The day of our trip arrived and we excitedly headed to the airport. We chose an overnight flight, so we could “wake up” in Spain and hopefully start to acclimatize to the time change. The flight was smooth but long, and the food served by Iberia was surprisingly good! As we landed, our phones alerted us to the first travel snag… our flight to Barcelona had been canceled! What happened next was several hours of lines and frustration. There were no additional flights to Barcelona that day, and that meant we’d miss two of our planned events. We decided to get our bags and hop on a high speed train to Barcelona. This was not a low stress moment, but we made it happen and only arrived in Barcelona about 4 hours later than planned. I will use this moment as a shameless plug for travel insurance though… it was so nice to know we were covered by our travel insurance and could make a claim for the extra costs and travel interruption (with receipts of course!).
With only 3 short days in Barcelona, we hit the ground running! Our first activity was a tapas food tour through the Gothic Quarter. The tapas we sampled were delicious and we were introduced to a few places that we absolutely would have missed had we been on our own. We went to bed full and happy, a sign of things to come! After a great, jet-lag busting night of sleep, we set off to our next activity - A VESPA TOUR. This was oh so fun, and as a lover of two wheeled vehicles, Bruce and I decided we will always look for this option from now on. Our guide routed us past all the major sites of Barcelona and some of the lesser known ones as well. I now officially want to trade in my motorcycle for a Vespa… but I have to convince Bruce it’s a good idea first. We spent the rest of the day visiting/viewing the amazing Sagrada Familia Cathedral… it was truly a masterpiece, but crazy busy. Our last full day in the city, was all about architecture and food (but really that is every day in Spain)! Our first stop was Park Guell, and the guided tour was worth every penny… we learned the interesting history, fun facts, and even why Gaudi made the design choices he did. Next we explored an old hospital site that has now been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, Hospital Sant Pau. This site was way less crowded, but I think it might have been my favorite architectural stop… the details and designs were breathtaking! We ended our night at the cooking school I shared with you last newsletter. It was great fun and tasty too, plus I learned how to prepare a squid… should I ever come across fresh squid in Central PA!
Our final wake-up in Barcelona meant it was time to see Iciar! We packed up and headed to the train station a bit early to find lunch to take on the train. The ride to Madrid was quick and painless… I LOVE traveling by train in Europe, it’s half sightseeing and half stress free travel, which equals perfection in my book!
Honestly, we were all a bit nervous to meet and stay with Iciar’s family. Would we get along? Would the language barrier cause problems? Would we be invading their space? But all our fears were unfounded… they were the most lovely people and we truly got along with them so well. They showed us around their beloved city, introduced us to their favorite foods, and were the most welcoming hosts. Unfortunately, I got very ill and ended up visiting a local ER for a nasty respiratory infection (another shameless plug for travel insurance!!). The meds prescribed did the trick and I’m fully recovered now, but it was a bit of a rough patch. The real bummer was that because I was so sick, we missed many of the things they wanted to show us, but the things we did get to see we loved! The El Rastro Flea Market (operating since 1740!!!), the Plaza de Toros, and a Flamenco dance show were all a super cool glimpse into Spanish culture and life. For the biggest glimpse into Spanish life though, you’d need to try the food, because oh.my.gosh there is so much of it! Our favorites included churros with hot chocolate, cocido (a Spanish stew made primarily of chickpeas), and tinto verano… YUM, YUM!!! We ended our time in Madrid feeling like we gained an extended family and hungry (not literally, because we were SO FULL) to see more. We’ll be back for sure… to see the people and explore the sites left unseen.
The final leg of our trip meant parent-free time for Ava and LOTS of walking for Bruce and I. Our train took us to the north coast of Spain in the province of Galicia. Our goal was to complete the Camino Ingles, a 113km route (70ish miles), that leads to Santiago de Compostela, where the remains of St. James are believed to be buried. We started in Ferrol and for 6 days followed the yellow arrows that marked the way. It lead us through small towns skirting the coast, numerous hilltop vistas, and eucalyptus forests galore. It was impossibly gorgeous, with more wild flowers than I’ve ever seen before, and very, very wet (thus the flowers!). We ate so much good food (are you sensing a theme here? The Spanish love to eat!). Octopus, calamari, scallops, and squid were on every menu and all of it was so fresh, and so very delicious. Our overnight stays were varied based on what was available at the end of each hiking leg, but all were clean and comfortable. My favorite was the beautiful, historic hotel that was a converted convent from the 9th century! Whoa! Another top contender was a riverside retreat with a lovely garden and swimming pool. Had it been a bit warmer, a dip would have felt wonderful! In all, we walked 78.5 miles and you better believe it felt good to walk into that square having accomplished our goal!
Our last day in Spain was defined by lots of travel. First Bruce and I returned to Madrid where Ava met us at the airport. After one more round of goodbyes and hugs (that had to last us until the next time we see Iciar) we participated in the drudgery that is air travel: lines to drop off suitcases, lines to get through security, lines to clear passport control. With our passports stamped we were cleared to head home… and the thoughts of when are we coming back started! This trip was everything I hoped for and more. If Spain is on your bucket list, I’d love to chat with you more… the food, the people, the culture all of it was absolutely SPECTACULAR and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend a trip to beautiful Spain!
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SPECTACULAR Spain...
If it's not already, it should definitely be on your bucket list!