"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end." ~Ernest Hemingway
I can say this as I have journeyed 10 countries in 9 weeks...Spain is the most beautiful country I have ever seen. From small villages to big cities the beauty of the architecture, people, and lifestyle is something to love.
Our last week in Spain & Europe was a great one! We spent it as a team of three again which made for a fun adventure! Our dear friend Madeline flew over and meet us in Barcelona, spent the week with us, and flew home from Madrid. She was a welcomed relief for sure! After 8 weeks of sight seeing Chris and I were ready to relax, siesta (all day), and lay low. But with Maddie there we had some pep in our step and felt ready to take on Barcelona, Valencia, and Madrid before heading home.
As I said, Madeline met us in Barcelona on Tuesday the 17th. Chris and I arrived in Barcelona that morning after a long overnight train from Granada. After some nerve racking hours (me wondering if I told her the wrong train station, did her flight get delayed, is she lost in Barcelona ALONE!) Maddie finally arrived and we were on our way!
Barcelona, in my opinion, is the most beautiful big city. Amazing architecture with Gaudi influence, green spaces everywhere, and space...tons of space! I do wish we would have seen more of Barcelona but alas...the Spainish night life got a hold of us and swallowed us up...all of us! We spent one whole day of our visit on and off a tour bus. I think it was a great way to see the city. Barcelona is huge! It would have been too difficult for us to try and find our way to all the sights on our own. The bus took us all over town- up the mountains, to the beach, and through business, shopping, and residential areas of the city. Its hard not to fall in love with Barcelona after a day like that. We did hop off a few times to see the beach, tour the stunning La Sagrada Familia, and grab some lunch on La Rambla. If you've never heard of La Sagrada Familia please google image it. It is absolutely incredible. One of the most amazing churches I have and will ever enter. Construction began in 1882 and is said to be completed in another 8 years. After visiting and seeing what they have accomplished since 1882 I expect that it will take more than 8 years to complete, but what do I know. Although it is under construction you can still visit, take tours, and participate in masses. We spent hours inside and out simply admiring the detail, the beauty, and the genius that is Gaudi's dream. When Gaudi was questioned about the lengthy construction time he said "My client is not in a hurry." I love that. And I love that even with the construction and obvious signs of incompletion it is still one of the most beautiful structures I have ever witnessed. It's awe inspiring and truly a masterpiece. Gaudi was a genius. The structure is such a modern piece of work although it was envisioned over 100 years ago. Genius! I would advice everyone to make plans to see La Sagrada Familia now or after completion...but what if the world ends this year. oh mess...just go now. It's worth it!!! 100%!
Maybe it's a good thing that we didn't do much more in Barcelona besides eat, visit with our new Aussie friends, and party because nothing could have lived up to our La Sagrada Familia visit!
Our fifth city to visit in Spain was Valencia. Wow! Beautiful! Spain is so beautiful! (have I said that before?) For Chris and I Valencia was bittersweet. It was our last city to really spend time in, meet new people, and relax. It was our last hooray before a day in Madrid then home. For Maddie it was another city to shop, party, and sight see. Needless to say we all loved it!
I spent some time on my own walking the city. I visited the Cathedral (the Metropolitan Cathedral–Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady of Valencia, also known as Saint Mary's Cathedral or Valencia Cathedral- what a mouthful!), spent some time admiring the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of Arts & Sciences), and walked the quiet cobblestone streets. If you don't already know about the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia then you are missing out. Google this too because it is so worth it! All the structures, 6 of them in total I think, were designed by architect Santiago Calatrava. It's breathtaking. In ways it looks like a Star Wars set, but it has so much beauty in the simple but grand detail. There's a shallow pool that weaves in and out of the buildings too which adds an element of nature and beauty to the modern structures.
Maddie and I had a wonderful girls day in Valencia as well. We woke up early and headed to the beach for a couple of hours before wasting away the afternoon shopping, eating, and catching up! It was so fun to spend time together! The beach wasn't too bad either. It reminded me so much of Venice beach in LA. There was a big path for walkers, bikers, and street vendors and the beach was a mile long before actually reaching the freezing cold blue waters of the Mediterranean. We enjoyed some amazing people watching too! (if you know me you know how much I LOVE "people watching")
Sight seeing, shopping, and lounging on the beach didn't take all of our time in Valencia though! The three of us enjoyed a wonderful dinner on Mom and Dad as a celebration of our trip! We also enjoyed meeting locals and visitors alike on an all night pub crawl through the streets of Valencia! Spaniards can party. Let me tell you!! They start at about 10 pm and don't stop until sunrise or later...just to wake up, "work a day," and do it all over again!! I say I'm too old for that, but they all do it no matter their age. It's crazy!
Our final destination was Madrid! We arrived in Madrid just before noon on Monday the 23rd before flying out Tuesday morning. I hadn't heard much about Madrid from other travelers so didn't have any expectations for the day. Our hostel was in a prime location for shopping though so thats exactly what we did! Chris did a little shopping before freeing himself to his computer and the AC of our room. Maddie and I wasted away the afternoon and our euros in and out of shops in the Sol area of Madrid. Great day! I'd say it was a great way to end the trip. Relaxed, away from the hectic tourist scene, and spending $ (or euros)! Nothing better!
LOVE LIFE
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