Just call me a jet setter!
I apologize to those of you who actually read my blog that it has been a month since my last update! Let me share with you everywhere I have been! I have been to Segovia, Spain, Lisbon, Portugal, Barcelona, Spain, and La Mancha, Spain. It has been an amazing couple of months so far in Europe. The last three places I visited were just breathtaking.
Lisbon, Portugal is built on 7 hills. This Texas, born and bred, girl thinks that hills are small and easy to climb over. Hills in Europe are like mini mountains. I got the best workout ever those three days in Portugal. I saw castles built by the moors, tasted my first nata (a cream filled pastry, kind of like custard) it’s heaven in a pastry, and I bought a Longchamp bag (fashion is my secret passion in life)! Of course I have to do a little shopping while in Europe. The pictures below are of the view from one of the castles I saw and the amazingly delicious Nata!
After Portugal I was off to Barcelona for a little adventure in my own back yard. Barcelona is located in the autonomous region of Catalunya in Spain. The first language of this area is Catalan, not spanish. Again this created some interesting interactions with locals like in Portugal. I spent much of the weekend in the land of spanglish, a nice mix of both spanish and english. Barcelona is a beautiful city with a perfect mix of urban-ness and beach. My favorite site in Barcelona was the Sagrada Familia. This basilica was designed by Gaudi and after a fire it was reconstructed and much of it is still be renovated today. The amount of detail on the outside alone could keep you looking for hours. Compared to the outside the inside is quite simple with the focus on the many stained glass windows. It’s hard to keep your attention away from all the colors coming inside. I also visited Park Güel, a park in Barcelona that showcases many smaller designs by Gaudi and the picture perfect views of Barcelona. Below are two different views of the Sagrada Familia.
The following weekend after Barcelona I visited Chinchón and La Mancha, two small towns near Madrid. La Mancha was my favorite of the two towns. For those that don’t know, La Mancha is the setting for one of the chapters in the book Don Quijote de La Mancha. This is a novel written by Miguel de Cervantes about an old many who believes he is a knight. It tells about him and the trouble he finds himself in. La Mancha is the site of many large windmills. In the story don Quijote believes these windmills are giants that he must battle to protect his town and beloved Dulcinea. I have read several chapters of the over 1,000 page novel several times and was thrilled to reenact the fight with the windmills. Check them out below, they’re HUGE!
I have been pretty blessed so far in Europe and I couldn’t be more excited for the adventures ahead.
Check back to find out what I did for 9 days by myself in Europe!