Tag Archives: sangria

Remembering the choice…. Barcelona

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The best part of traveling alone is that you can decide how “lonely” that can be. I get to choose when I feel like being alone (without hurting anyone’s feelings) and can easily make new friends when I need company.

I had a week in Barcelona to have the space I needed for thinking and the opportunity to be surrounded by amazing people when I wanted to be. I enjoyed the ‘tourist’ attractions earlier in the week but by the end, I simply enjoyed ‘living’ in Barcelona. I think that’s the best part of traveling, when you just feel at home wherever you are.

On my last day in Barcelona, I actually had to spend a few hours re-uploading all the pictures in this blog dating back to when it was created two years ago (I made in error in thinking I could delete the archive on WordPress). There was actually something quite beautiful in having to go back to the beginning and reading my thought process before this journey. Nearing the end of this trip, I can’t imagine that it could have been more perfect to be almost forced into reviewing where I started from. I remembered the choice I made to be happy… The choice I made to begin this adventure… I remembered that you do choose in life… even if your only choice is a matter of perception in your reality.

Moments in Barcelona:
-I got very lucky with a beautiful apartment and a kind couchsurfing host… I met my Ray (a 44 year old Frenchman) at the bar he was at with friends to get the keys before heading to the apartment… I did not expect to open the door to a four story house with marble floors, an elevator, a huge patio, a rooftop terrace with beautiful views of the city, a sauna and a maid
-meeting Jan (from Barcelona), Sully (from Boston) and Anny (from Colombia) through couchsurfing… Jan picked us up and took us to Magic, a classic rock bar where we enjoyed tequila sunrises and chatted until very late in the evening… I even ran into another guy that I had chatted with on the site when I was looking for a host (small world as always)
-being a bit sad to be missing Easter traditions with my friends in San Francisco, I had a lovely solo brunch of albondigas con juevos y una cerveza (Spanish meatballs with eggs and a beer)
-after an unsuccessful attempt to meet up with Sully and Anny, I strolled the enormous and beautiful Parc Güell by myself on Easter Sunday… touring Antoni Gaudi’s house and finding Los Sobrino, a string quartet, playing a cover of ‘Firework’ by Katy Perry (I was actually so impressed that I bought their CD)
-catching up with the ladies for tapas and hilarious conversation that I didn’t quite understand but caught the gist of with the waiters
-breathing the fresh Mediterranean Sea air at the beach (even if it was slightly chilly)
–Sangria on the beach followed by a dinner of tasty tapas with my new friends
–El Bosc de Les Fades: a very well decorated fairy tthemed bar that makes you feel like you are in the forest
-meeting up with Sully at the Plaza Espanya and walking around the National Art Museum of Catalonia, an incredible building with enormous fountains
-having lunch on top of the old bullfighting arena which is now a mall (bullfighting is illegal in Barcelona)
-highlights from Sandemann’s NewEurope walking tour: learning the history of Barcelona and Catalonia and the reason behind their quest for independence from Spain, walking through the beautiful plazas, the structure  dedicated to the Castilleres who climb on each other’s shoulders to reach great heights, Gaudi’s fountain, the Arc del Triomf, a dash of Picasso art and the beautiful mosaics of brightly colored Spanish tiles
-lunch and chit chat with my new friends from the tour: Jess from France, Q from New York and Tim from Australia
-highlights from the Sandemann’s NewEurope Gaudi and Moderisme tour: learning of Gaudi’s life, the tiles lining Passeig de Gràcia from Gaudi’s design, houses from the Modernsime era (and the funny stories behind some of the decor), Gaudi’s Casa Battló (telling the story of Saint Jordi’s battle with the dragon to save the virgin princess), Gaudi’s Casa Milà (the last private house he worked on, a huge inspiration for George Lucas creating Star Wars) and more
-touring the inside of La Sagrada Família… it began construction in 1882 and is still a work in progress, Gaudi began his life’s work when he was 31 years old and worked on it until his tragic death 43 years later… this church is the definition of ‘epic’, every inch of it is grand and has meaning behind it… the way the light floods in is breathtaking, I look forward to visiting in 20 or so years when it’s completed
–appreciating the symbolism and beauty in architecture in a way that I honestly never did before
-seeing more 23’s 🙂
-the beautiful view of the city and the construction on La Sagrada Família from the passion facade tower
-hunting for a perfect dress for my Moulin Rouge evening in Paris in a really alternative and funky neighborhood that I couldn’t figure out the name of… there were great vintage stores and awesome record shops
-getting a permanent souvenir from this trip, a beautiful peacock feather from Chiara Pina at LTW Tattoo (the first time I’ve trusted a stranger to tattoo me – I’ll post about this later)
-window shopping along La Rambla and in the windy streets along the edges of this area
-finding the St. Joseph Mercat – La Bouqueria, an amazing farmer’s market
-having a few beers and discussing the key to happiness with Jan at an Irish bar (Michael Collins) that had a great 90’s cover band

Food highlights:
-potato and beef stew at El Pollo Rico, a recommendation from Josh
-so many empanadas, some traditional and some unique
-bread with garlic and smushed tomato (very common in Barcelona, simple but tasty)
–murros: fried pig nose (basically like pork grinds)
-deep fried cream cheese balls at Burger King (it was the only place open at 2am and I totally don’t regret it)

Language highlights:
–guapo / guapa: this word is thrown around a lot, it basically meaning handsome / pretty and is a term of endearment
-Mexican Spanish: grassy-us … Spain Spanish: grath-ee-uh (I feel like I developed a lisp this past week)
-trying to decipher between Spanish and Catalon (the language spoken here)

AIRPORTS: 15
FLIGHTS: 16
TRAINS: 11
BUSES: 3
STATES: 7
COUNTRIES: 7
CONTINENTS: 3
DAYS TRAVELING: 126
CURRENCIES: 5

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The Unexpected in Madrid

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“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” – Martin Buber

Madrid was unexpected. I had a long list of places I had to see and things I had to do. I ignored it all. I worried less about the seeing and instead, concentrated on what I was feeling.

After a week with only my heartbreak to keep me company, it was incredible to find comfort where I was least expecting it. Koen, a co-worker (who lives in the Netherlands and that I have never met in person) offered for me to stay at his apartment in Madrid. I had to pick up the keys from his friend Ana. I was exhausted after an early flight and long morning, expecting to grab the keys and head to the apartment but I found myself completely invigorated within moments of speaking with Ana. She invited me in for breakfast where we sat with her baby daughter, pre-teen son and fabulous mother, Teodora. We talked for three hours about adventure, love and the nature of people. Abuelita Teodora spoke no English but we managed to have powerful (and also hilarious) conversations. She walked me to the apartment, offering words of caution and lessons in Spanish – it’s amazing how little language really is a barrier when people truly want to communicate with each other. She created a care package for me of items from her kitchen (deli meats, milk, a banana, a soda, a beer and bread).

Another co-worker who I have never met and I don’t interact with often offered to pick me up on his scooter for a tour of Madrid (don’t worry Mom, I wore a helmet). The company we work for doesn’t have a central office, we have employees all over the world so I don’t often meet those who live outside of the Bay Area. I had no idea what to expect of Eric, what he would be like or his interests but I was excited to meet up with someone I even somewhat knew. I did not expect that I would develop such a lovely and genuine friendship in the five days I had here.

Eric’s kindness and generosity helped me to not feel so alone and far away from my loved ones. He showed me the true heart of Madrid, picking me up each day for some new adventure, talking for hours on end about everything under the sun. Madrid was nothing I expected and everything I didn’t know to expect. It was nothing of what planned to see and everything of what I needed to experience.

Moments in Madrid:
–scooter-ing past beautiful buildings, statues and fountains
–date night with myself… drinking sangria and sitting front row center at a Flamenco show at one of the oldest tablaos in Madrid right in the beautiful Santa Ana Plaza (I really am a good date)… I cannot explain the passion witnessed in the rhythm and intensity that is felt in the pounding of the dancers’ feet on the hard wood… I felt it in every part of my body (I had the biggest goon smile on my face for the entire hour)… I’m also pretty sure one guy was the Spanish reincarnation of Patrick Swayze…
-continuing to spot the number 23… everywhere
-stumbling upon a three level tiki bar (and I do have to go into any tiki bar I see in honor of my SF friends), ordering the ‘Doctor Death’ cocktail and having the server place a lei over my head, an umbrella in my hair and hand me a flower while listening to 70’s American rock and having live birds flying around (something that actually terrified me, birds and I don’t get along)
-talking my way passed a line and out of a cover charge in addition to being handed free drink tickets at not one but two clubs
–in small world fashion, meeting Gabe from my home state of Connecticut who is studying in Ireland and was visiting Spain
–drinking mojitos and dancing until the sun came up
-wandering the streets in search of another place to dance before ditching the crowd I had gathered when I realized it was 5am and I still had an hour train ride home
-the allure of open air markets and the enticing food being sold
-people watching while walking along the Gran Via
-watching people wait in line to take a picture with a plaque denoting the geographical center of Spain
–on my last night… seeing Eric’s friend perform in one of my favorite musicals, Priscilla, Reina del Desierto (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert)… is there anything better than gorgeous Spanish men in drag?

Food highlights:
-after all the meat in Germany, Poland and Czech then all the pizza and pasta in Italy… it was nice to eat normal portions of healthier food without that grotesque but happily full feeling
-strawberries in season (it doesn’t get much better than that!)
–sangria, delicious and refreshing sangria… mmm…
–Ibérican ham (but only in small portions… seeing how it was cut actually disturbed me but it was tasty)
-tapas… so many tapas – these little bites of food were gone before I could take many pictures of what we had ordered
–churros with coffee for breakfast

Language highlights:
-nice to meet you: encantada (and for all the amazing people I met in Madrid… it truly was)
-attempting to bargain with a bouncer in limited, high school Spanish to let a group of us in for much cheaper (ummm… señor, venti euros para todos los gringos!)

AIRPORTS: 15
FLIGHTS: 16
TRAINS: 8
BUSES: 3
STATES: 7
COUNTRIES: 7
CONTINENTS: 3
DAYS TRAVELING: 116
CURRENCIES: 5

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