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7 Days In Paris

Paris has one of the strongest reputations of any city in the world. Either as the most romantic city, a city filled with rude people, a city full of art and culture, or even a dirty city. I have never had much of a desire to visit France so my expectations were pretty low. The city I found was a mixture of the stereotypical things you hear and a few surprises.

We decided to spend 7 days in Paris because we figured there would be so much to see and do we would need a lot of time to do it all. I found an incredible AirBnb with an amazing view of the Eiffel Tower and of Montmartre hill and cathedral. We were located close to a metro station in a neighborhood full of grocery stores, shops and cafes. It was a good location to feel like a local Parisian and to get around easily in Paris. I really loved taking the metro home at night and stopping in the local bakery, vegetable & fruit stand, and grocery store to get dinner. I really felt like we experienced the true Paris this way. It also meant we weren’t surrounded by the tourist groups which drove me to the brink of insanity by the end of our week in Paris.

Deciding what to do in Paris wasn’t easy. Seriously there is so much there I think it would take months just to scratch the surface. I was really ready to leave Paris after 7 days, so was J.. There is only so much big city we can take and Paris is definitely a big city in every sense of the word. It is full not only of locals but all of the tourists traveling in huge tour groups that fill the streets, museums, restaurants and churches all day every day.

Day 1 we decided to go see the Eiffel Tower and then walk the river Seine. We headed out to the metro station where we found the nicest guy working who helped us navigate our entire day on the metro. (We found in every metro station there were always people to help, give us maps, print out directions if the maps were confusing and work with us to plan our days. They were always friendly and spoke very good English. Hats off to Paris for this! It doesn’t exist in most places we have traveled.) The walk up to the Eiffel Tower is insane. There are souvenir stands lining the entire walkway, all selling the same stuff, as well a tourists, police, and tour guides. It was a three ring circus! The Eiffel Tower is both underwhelming and overwhelming at the same time. I know this is a crazy thing to say but it is underwhelming in that we have seen it everywhere our whole lives so you know what it looks like, also there are so many people there that it is very discouraging to think about going to the top because of the lines. It is overwhelming because seeing in person all of the workmanship and engineering it took to build this structure is mind-boggling. I like seeing it from our apartment at night better because the lights and overall positioning in the city is so impressive. The Eiffel Tower is positioned along the Seine so we started our walk down the banks thinking it was going to be pretty close to reach our next destination. I severely underestimated the distance but we managed to make the walk anyway.

The Seine was probably one of our biggest disappointments in Paris. I had this pre-conceived notion that it was lined with restaurants, romantic trees with places to sit and watch the world go by. I thought there would be people walking along or reading books, picnicking or just relaxing. We didn’t really see any of this, in fact the only people we saw were other tourists. We finally made it to our destination the Pont Alexandre III Bridge. This is the bridge you see in every Paris movie with the huge statues of women and the gold accents on the statues. As we approached I couldn’t help but see it full of actresses and actors I have seen in movies over the years. It is so iconic. It was really beautiful in person. I was a bit overwhelmed to be standing amongst over the keystones which exhibit magnificent bronze nymphs, the gorgeous lamps and the beautiful view of museums, the Eiffel tower and the Seine. It felt like standing in a moment of history. This bridge is the first time electric lights were used to light Paris, it is also where Art Nouveau made its worldwide debut, This was all topped off with the benefit an adorable Glaces (Ice Cream) truck waiting to serve a fantastic homemade ice cream treat before lunch.

After this we walked over to the Champs Eysees. This is a hugely famous shopping street in Paris. We couldn’t wait to get out of there to be honest. I am not one for chain stores and restaurants, and huge shopping areas. It felt void of any of the charm we were looking for in Paris. The rest of the afternoon was spent wandering the side streets and then heading back home to rest and get ready for the next day. (Okay, to make dinner, drink wine, and watch Paris transition from day to night-pretty romantic right…)

There are so many museums to choose from in Paris you have to be really specific about what you want to see. For me the Musee d’Orsay was more important than anything else in Paris. So, we stood in the rain for over an hour waiting to get in, and chatting with a really cool couple from California. The museum didn’t disappoint. The old train station has been transformed into one of the most incredible art museum spaces I have ever been in. As you enter the grand staircase leads into a huge open atrium that is incredibly grand in its art and architecture. The light colored stone, antique glass ceiling and massive statues are awe-inspiring. I wanted to stand there all day soaking in the feeling, the history and the art. I was completely overwhelmed with the art here. Everywhere I turned were paintings I had studied, or dreamed of seeing my entire life. There were gobs of people everywhere and the policy of allowing people to take selfies with the art was pretty distracting but I found if I stood as close as I could and just blocked out the rest of the world I could appreciate the Monets, Renoirs, VanGoghs, Manets and so many more. It really is an incredibly magical place. Every time I think about it I want to be standing there, taking it all in, the architecture, the art, the sculpture and the bustle of the people. (We ate lunch in the cafe where surprisingly I found a few decent vegetarian options. Just be prepared for a line.) Our one mistake was underestimating the amount of time we would want to spend in the Musee d’Orsay. I would give it the better part of a day due to the waiting and the vast collections of magnificent works.

Day 3 was a trip to Versailles. I can’t thank our friends enough for telling us not to miss this. A few transfers on the metro and a nice 45 minute ride outside the city gets you to the absolutely extravagant and massive Palace of Versailles. There is no way to ever due justice to the massive estate. The gardens are extraordinary with miles and miles of trees, beautifully symmetrical gardens, white marble statues lining wide walkways each leading to beautiful fountains or smaller palaces. We chose to walk the grounds first to try to allow the incredibly long line to wind down. (Even if you buy tickets ahead like we did the line is due to the security checks getting into the building. The lines are shorter around lunchtime or later in the afternoon.) The views of the gardens, the surrounding mountains and the long avenues of statues were so completely unexpected. The care and detail in planning the exquisite outdoor space is unbelievable. They basically reinvented the thousands of acres to create the gardens envisioned by each King. Then there is the Palace. The hall of mirrors, the incredible furniture, the architectural details and ornate woodwork take opulence to another level. Unfortunately the Palace was literally packed full of tour groups. Many times we were shoved and pushed so much that other people around us were starting to complain due to their children being smashed. It was really crazy. I would have liked more time to study the architecture and learn the stories, like the ones about the royalty peeing on the staircases, or not bathing because they had a fear of water bringing death, but alas the crowds were so intense we found ourselves rushing through just to get out of the chaos and avoid being trampled.

Day 4 we stayed local visiting Notre Dame, and exploring quaint neighborhoods looking for markets, shopping and the best hot chocolate in Paris. While Notre Dame was a big disappointment for us we loved seeing the smaller neighborhoods of Paris where you can sit in a cafe, sip champagne and watch the locals do their shopping. I had this preconceived notion that Parisians would be so fashionable and snobby that I would feel a bit awkward. I can honestly say I never ever experienced this. While Parisians don’t go out of their way to talk to you we found them to be pleasant, helpful and not snobby at all. They just seemed reserved, and after a week being bombarded by people I can understand why. Drinks were much more affordable in these neighborhoods too. We paid up to 10.00 for a cappuccino in areas that are more touristy but when we got away from those areas they were more reasonably priced at 5.00 or so.

Day 5 we spent in the apartment. I had a big allergy attack so we opted out of another rainy cool day on tour and instead spent the day taking in the sites from our windows and catching up on some Netflix. I know it sounds crazy but sometimes a rest from traveling is necessary. There certainly isn’t a better place to do that in an apartment with the view we had.

On our sixth day we worked up the courage to tackle the Louvre. Our experience at Versailles really freaked us out so we were hesitant to head over to the Louvre. I think we were both a little concerned that it would be so hyped that it could never live up to the reputation. We couldn’t have been more wrong. Seriously, the Louvre is an experience in itself. The building is incredible (the day before we spent some time on Youtube learning about the building which I would strongly recommend. It is the only way to completely appreciate the architecture and history). We bought our tickets online, which I can not encourage you enough to do. The lines are sooo long if you don’t. With online tickets we walked right in. I could write numerous blog posts about the Louvre but I am sure other people have done it more justice than I ever could. I can tell you this, my mind was absolutely spinning from all of the works we saw, and we cut a lot of stuff out. I was blown away by the amount of works from before Christ. The incredible mosaics, and architectural pieces which had been salvaged and the decorative pieces. My heart was broken when I heard that 85% of the people who visit the Louvre go only to see the Mona Lisa. In my opinion there are so many more incredible paintings, sculptures and metalworks worth seeing and you won’t be surrounded by tons of people. As I said the architecture itself is incredible along with the history of it being practically in ruins after World War II only enhance the miracle of all of the works preserved here. We spent about five hours here, and while we didn’t see everything I don’t think my brain could have handled anymore than that. I was definitely overstimulated. Like the Musee d’Orsay you can’t help but being blown away by the spaces like the Hall of Statues with its glass ceiling allowing the natural Paris light to pour in and reflect beautifully off of the white marble statues.

There is no exaggeration when I tell you that as we walked through the Louvre we were constantly saying, “Oh my God, there is blah blah or blah blah. I can’t believe we are standing in front of it.” The Louvre is just like that, a wondrous environment to discover what you have seen all your life, as well as discovering things you never thought possible to see. We never felt crowded here, except at the Mona Lisa. The space is incredibly large and allows for tens of thousands of people to mill about without disturbing one another.

Day 7 we took a trip to Montmarte. I had heard jokes about it being a bit seedy up there, and truly it is. I wish we had hopped off the metro at the Abbesses stop which is very close to the funicular that goes to the top of the hill. Instead we hopped off early and decided to walk around. There is truly not much to see here, aside from a cafe or two laying claim to old authors having dined or drank there. If you want to see the Moulin Rouge you can get off at the Blanche exit but we opted out given the tickets were over 300.00 each while we were visiting. We took the funicular to the Sacré Coeur because J. loves funiculars. I wish we wouldn’t have though because we were packed in like sardines and it is a really short trip up. The view is so awesome I would recommend taking the time to walk up and down the hill, enjoying the view, the musicians and the people. The Basilica of Sacre Coeur is really impressive. It is a simpler beauty than some of the other churches we have toured but I think it adds to the charm of the building. You can climb to the top of the church, which I imagine would be stunning, but the credit card machine didn’t work to pay for the tickets and we spent our last euros on the funicular. So, bring extra cash if you want tickets to climb to the top of the Basilica.

Overall I would say Paris has been my least favorite place on our journey so far. That isn’t to take away from the incredible things we did see, Pont Alexandre III bridge, Musee d’Orsay, Versailles and the Louvre. I had no idea how many huge tour groups there are and how difficult it can be to navigate through or around them. We did see someone get pickpocketed on the metro so be cautious in public places. There are police everywhere in Paris and Versailles. While we never felt any threat when we were there it is clear they don’t mess around with any possible threat. Perhaps poor Paris has so much hype surrounding it that it has no hope of living up to all of it or maybe my love of small towns just overrode the incredible art and culture of Paris, but either way when it comes to big European cities I will take Madrid or Rome over Paris.

Traveling Through The Loire Valley

Lured by the romantic ideal of victorian castles, lush green fields and windy country roads we booked four days in the Loire Valley. While it wasn’t what we had expected we found surprises are quite romantic in France.

We rented a car in Poitiers and drove through the small towns of France to Champigne. The towns were all quaint and small with one main road running through them. The main road was lined with antique buildings, some with flower boxes full of flowers spilling over chasing the French afternoon sun. The countryside in between each town was made up of rolling green hills, and estates of various sizes. We had expected castles at every turn but instead we found they were few and far between but when they were there they were beautiful! The gorgeous beige, tan and grey stone pillars with slate roofs and long stone driveways were every bit as romantic as the movies portray them to be.

J has always dreamed of staying in a French castle so we found an exquisite one. It was still owned and run by the original family. The absolutely divine sitting rooms were filled with family memorabilia, beautiful paintings and gorgeous antique furniture. The grounds were immaculate with beautiful Victorian garden, pool house, pond and horses. We were transported to another time where service, relaxation and luxury were the norm. While I found it difficult to eat in most of France I was treated here to wonderful vegetarian dishes to compliment the french wine, aperitifs and gorgeous deserts.

During the day we ventured out into the countryside to tour towns and castles. Our favorite town in the area was Angers. I had no idea the castle there would be so vast and impressive. After touring the grounds, walking through the beautiful manicured gardens, and gazing over the city and the river from the walls we headed to the museum to look at the medieval tapestry. The room was completely dark save the lighting on the tapestry itself. It hung along three walls each at least 40′ long and 20′ high. To say that it was exquisite is an understatement. The 15th century work tells stories from the bible as well as French history. It is incredibly well preserved. As I stood studying every detail all I could think about is the artist going to the weavers and explaining his vision and them carefully putting each detail into this incredible tapestry for centuries of people to enjoy.

After the castle we explored the quintessential historic streets of Angers. There is a warm and friendly feeling in Angers that made us wish we had more time to spend there. There are half timber buildings alongside small Victorian shops and beautiful plazas lined with restaurants, statues and even carousels. Tucked away in the quaint streets are beautiful cathedrals boasting gorgeous stain glass, stone tombs and incredible organs. It also is home to one of the prettiest train stations in France with stained glass windows, trees in planters hanging from the ceiling and a piano where riders who are musicians will sit and play while they wait for the train.

We spent another day at Chateau de Montgeoffroy touring the castle, walking the grounds and enjoying the beautiful countryside. Learning so much about the history of the French elite was incredible. It was actually illegal for the wealthy people to work when they came to their summer homes so they had to have full staffs to attend to their every need and want. I think this could be a pretty great way to spend a summer.

We really loved the Loire Valley. It was a respite from the big cities, the harried travel and tourists. The time we spent wandering the grounds, listening to the peaceful quite of the French countryside was a bit dreamlike. Follow that up with lounging in the perfection of the Chateau des Briottieres and you can’t go wrong. (Even if we did have lunch in the Aldi parking lot on Sunday because none of the restaurants were open.)

(Angers and the Loire Valley are both short and easy train rides from Paris or a few hours from Bordeaux. I would recommend both to get a feel of the way France used to be and the way it still can be away from the tourist filled cities.)

3 Cities To Fall In Love With In Western France

Our first stop in Western France was the city of Bordeaux. We traveled by train from Carcassonne, a wise choice given the hectic traffic of Bordeaux. I honestly had done zero research about Bordeaux, we were not spending much time in the city since we were meeting friends and heading to their home in the countryside, so I had no idea what to expect. I am really glad I didn’t because the impact of the city is amazing! The route to our hotel took us along the street between the Garonne river and the massive buildings standing opposite.

The architecture of Bordeaux is more regal and elegant than I imagined then, combined with the Miroir d’Eau reflecting pool, the people leisurely walking around and the gorgeous Pont-de-Pierre bridge you feel transported to another time in history. A time you don’t want to leave.

We only spent a day and a half in Bordeaux but it was enough time to know we would love to go back. We spent our time wandering through the romantic streets, looking at the architecture, the shops (there is great shopping in Bordeaux), and along the river. We walked to the wine museum which is a pretty cool place (unfortunately we arrived to late for wine tastings which I think would be the point of going there, lets be honest…). If I were planning a trip to France again I would definitely spend less time in Paris and more time in Bordeaux. It still feels authentic, not overrun by tourists or military police yet. It was a great day and a half catching up with friends we hadn’t seen in ten years!

Next we were off to Poitiers. This little town, a few hours northeast of Bordeaux, is off the beaten path but definitely offers a non-tourist experience. It is experiencing a resurgence now which is changing some of the architecture and shops, for the better. The main square has a beautiful City Hall which looks out on restaurants and cafe’s, children playing and elderly people chatting away on benches. I think it makes a lovely day trip from Nantes, Angers, La Rochelle or even Bordeaux, or use it as a home base to travel around this area of France. The quaint and quiet streets full of half-timbered or historical buildings, will draw you in while the amazing chocolate shops will tempt you to never leave.

Our last town in Western France was the seaside town of La Rochelle. The town sits in Old Harbor which is formed by way of the Towers of Strength. These majestic Medieval towers welcome boats into the Old Harbor. There is so much to love about this romantic town. The cobblestoned streets are wonderful to walk and shop or to visit one of my favorite churches in France, which is all hand-painted. The ancient buildings are in beautiful contrast to the elegant beaches and delicious cafes. Walking through the streets with our friends for the day was so wonderful we found ourselves daydreaming about buying apartments and getting lost in the Western region of France.

While it can get pretty busy in the summer, especially with English tourists, La Rochelle still maintains its quaint French appeal. I wouldn’t miss this little town and its historic buildings if visiting the western region of France.

Why You Need to Visit Carcassonne

When Traveling through the South of France the city of Carcassonne can not be skipped, in fact it should be on the top of your list. The charms of this French Medieval town are immediately felt the minute you arrive.

We arrived by train from Barcelona after a five and a half ride past beaches, hills and small French villages. Our stay began in an adorable little Airbnb in the historic part of town, just blocks from the castle. The small streets lined with quaint buildings, filled with apartments, restaurants and shops, were quiet but inviting. The Carcassonne streets were quite the contrast to Barcelona. They are narrow, spotless, and quiet, with buildings only two to three stories high at most. The shops were small, but filled with personality and charm, as were the restaurants.

Our first night in Carcassonne we ended up hiking up to the castle, which stood majestically on the top of the hill watching over everyone in the city. The walk up to the castle is a bit of a climb up a residential street, but is very rewarding when you reach the top. Once there you are treated to a great view of the surrounding countryside with its lush green rolling landscape along with the walls of the ancient cite.

The ancient Cite walls erection began in the 13th century. I could only imagine how imposing they were then as I stood in awe of the beauty of the massive stone structure which protected a community from numerous attacks over the centuries. Immediately we felt compelled to walk over the massive bridge and into the ancient Cite, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city felt welcoming at first glance. I am not sure if that was because of the beauty, the size, or the perfection of the entire area, but I had to go in and explore what was hidden behind the ancient walls. Luckily, our first exploration was around 4:30 so the day tourists were gone, and the evening diners had not yet come out. We were able to explore the old stone streets, cute shops, and fabulous buildings with relatively no interference. If you ever want to know the value of a UNESCO World Heritage site certification then visit Carcassonne. The incredible authenticity of the fortified city is not only a unique lesson in architecture but history as well.

Dinner proved to be a challenge for me, and it was only the beginning of the struggle I would face in France as a vegetarian. J was excited to try a cassoulet (traditional southern French casserole with meat and white beans). He was not disappointed in Carcassonne. We dined in the ancient Cite and then walked back to our apartment completely excited about the next day and our tour of the castle.

Carcassonne was the first castle on our 8 month journey. When we began the tour I didn’t have any understanding of how incredible this fortified city is. The area of Carcassonne has been inhabited for 5,000 years at least, and has been an important center for over 2,500 years. The double exterior walls were constructed in the 13th century to protect the city which was of great importance to the development of France. The castle and gothic cathedral along with the within the walls were imperative to protecting the growing country. Unfortunately by the 19th century the castle and the walls had fallen to ruin. The mayor at the time called on an incredible architect, Eugene Viollet-le-Duc. He was charged with rebuilding this once vibrant city from the rubble and stone quarry it had become. With no photos, drawings or records he set out to rebuild the castle, the walls and to reestablish the city as it was. During his life he endured much doubt and ridicule for his methods and accuracy, but eventually (within the last 30 years) all were proven to be revolutionary and exemplary. He was able to restore to life a gift for all of us lucky enough to visit. As we walked through the turrets, the rooms and along the wall it was impossible not to be touched by the tremendous undertaking of this brave man. It is such an example of a man following his heart and gut to do the right thing despite what his peers and the world had to say. We felt transported to the early 13th century as we touched the rugged stones, felt the coolness against our skin and the breeze on our faces. The views of the surrounding country were a patchwork of colors and textures. It was easy to stand on top of the massive walls imagining what life was like through the years of this amazing structures existence.

After the castle tour I wanted to tour the cathedral and have my first French crepe of this trip. We ate in front of a picture perfect stone building which served as the divider of one main street into two side streets, one leading to the wall and a beautiful country view while the other road led to the rest of the town. While we sat on the small stone wall in front of the building, surrounded by ivy climbing the sides of other stone buildings, massive walls of the gothic cathedral loomed over over us, gargoyles and figures protruding from the historic building, it was hard to remember the year is 2017. I was mesmerized by this perfectly maintained ancient city.

I definitely have a thing for perfectly preserved walled cities. For me they have the ability to not only transport me back in time but to also help me feel protected from the craziness outside of the walls. Maybe it helps to explain my quite new propensity for smaller spaces, I feel less overwhelmed and more able to focus on my life, and what is happening around me. Less distractions!

In the late afternoon we hopped on the (quite expensive) little train which took us on a tour around the city outside of the walls. It wasn’t my favorite part of the trip, but I did enjoy seeing the 18th and 19th century buildings which make up the “newer” area of Carcassonne. (I may have also fell asleep on J’s lap during part of the trip which could have resulted in my less than enthusiastic response to the little train ride.)

We had dinner outside of the walls, down the street from our apartment and then enjoyed a quiet stroll through the quaint streets. There is a tremendous charm to this city that I was very sad to leave behind.

My tips for visiting:

YOU MUST!

Get to the castle early to avoid the line. Watch the video inside the castle which does an excellent job of explaining the history.

Skip the little train ride.

Spend time just hanging out in the fortified city, there are nooks where you can get away from the people.

Buy soap in the soaps shop. It is the authentic French soap, which is yummy.

Train travel to and from Carcassonne is super easy so don’t feel you need to rent a car.

If you decide to visit Carcassonne our apartment there was so perfect with stone walls, an amazing view and PERFECT location. Check it out. J said he would easily live there it was so homey.

Barcelona In 7 Days

Barcelona is full of amazing art, great food and day trips so I knew we had to have a decent amount of time there. I scheduled 7 days for us in Barcelona and am really glad I did. We didn’t feel rushed so we were able to enjoy everything, the culture, the food, the architecture, the day trip to Montserrat, and the long walks around the city.

Being completely honest I found Barcelona to be the dirtiest city in Spain. It was full of graffiti (which is found everywhere in Europe but seemed more intense here), there was a lot of trash around, not great maintenance of the sidewalks and a lot of the buildings looked kind of grungy. Having said all of that we still really enjoyed our time here and would highly recommend people visit. In my opinion the Sagrada Familia is absolutely one of the most moving things I have ever seen, along with the beautiful nature of Montserrat, the great vibe of the gothic quarter, and some of the fantastic Gaudi-era architecture.

We made the most of our trip by walking everywhere we could which amounted to about 8-10 miles of walking a day. Barcelona is such an easy city to walk I can’t imagine seeing it any other way. If you aren’t into that much walking there are tons of hop-on-hop-off buses, taxis or the metro which was so easy to figure out.

We spent a few hours outside of the Sagrada Familia one day just taking in all of the architectural details and then returned another day to tour inside. Outside we were in awe of the details, the symbolism, the men working and the vision. At first it appeared smaller to me than what I had thought it would be but after studying it for a while the details seemed to make the building larger.

The day we visited inside we bought tickets online for a specified time (I wouldn’t visit there any other way). As we approached the entrance it felt like entering a completely different world. The moment I stepped inside I was so overcome with the feeling of the space, the beauty of the architecture and the creativity of Gaudi’s vision tears flooded my eyes. I, a woman full of words, was left completely without. I didn’t want to move, I only wanted to stand and take in the space, the moment, the feeling and the beauty. The colors in the church which stream through the carefully planned windows, the white tree shaped columns, the incredible altar all come together to create a church which I feel truly honors the religion it represents. The forethought of the role the light will play in the space is completely beyond my comprehension while the effect is absolutely magnificent.

While in the Sagrada I was struck with the reminder that it takes a long time to build something beautiful and it is worth the patience to do something the way that you want it, not to compromise for the sake of speed or convenience. I have lost sight of that in my life, sometimes putting too much pressure on myself to succeed or finish something at a rapid rate, to keep up with the demands of our culture or my impatience. Each time I have not succeeded in the way that I had hoped. Yet, standing in the Sagrada I was reminded that everything takes time and through that time is actually the beauty and the success because of the lessons we learn along the way, and the sense of accomplishment by each milestone met.

Montserrat was a very special day for me. We went back and forth about whether to take the time away from the city of Barcelona or not, in the end the decision to go was the best one. It is an easy train ride from Barcelona and then you can either take the smaller train up the mountain or the cable car. Since I am not a fan of any mode of transportation in the air we opted for the train. It was pretty intense. It is a small track which winds up the mountain, often on the edge of cliffs, while a bit nerve racking for those afraid of heights (J.) it offers some pretty amazing scenery. I wanted so badly to hear the boys choir but they were traveling while we were there so instead we were able to hear a visiting girls choir from Ireland. Sitting in the church listening to their angelic voices was an incredible highlight of our time in Barcelona. It was so moving to hear them sing in such a beautiful church high above the Catalonia region.We also took the funicular to the top and trekked down the paths. This was such a great experience. I couldn’t believe how visible the evolution of our planet was, with year marks left on the mountains as the water receded over the last several million years. I had no idea I was so into the history of the planet until we started this journey. It is just incredible to see what nature is capable in so many different regions of the earth. We really enjoyed the quiet of Montserrat along with the incredible landscape. I was quite reluctant to go back to the hustle and bustle of Barcelona.

I became completely obsessed with Gaudi while in Barcelona. I don’t know honestly how you can visit Barcelona without taking in every Gaudi work you can. We toured the Casa Batllo home which was so inspiring to me. I loved the soft curves, the movement of the wood throughout the house and the incredible attention to detail. Gaudi was careful to never lose sight of the functionality of the spaces he designed, like the ventilation in the upper floor laundry area (pictured below). I can’t imagine being fortunate enough to live in an apartment here and see the world through Gaudi’s eyes everyday.

We also visited the La Pedera building. This was a bit of a let down after Casa Batllo and the Sagrada Familia. It is said to be one of the best buildings he ever did, but for me it felt confined by normalcy. There are little details worth noting like the way he uses the building design to help keep the house cool, to provide ventilation and to artfully accomodate the necessary functional spaces. (My favorite was the attic design, pictured below.) There were some amazing features like the entrance hallway and the incredible chimney designs on the roof so I thought overall it was worth the visit, just not as moving as the other things we had seen.

One of our daily walks led us to the Cascada Fountain in the Park de la Ciutadella. This park has a hippie vibe to it which is in contrast to the traditional beauty of the fountain Gaudi designed. We had a great time hanging out at the fountain watching a group of students practicing their tap dancing in the gazebo. It was a great way to spend an hour on a Sunday afternoon.

The Gothic Quarter was one of my favorite parts of the city with the tiny streets, cobblestoned and filled with small boutiques, cute restaurants and bars and funky shops. I loved the feeling here of tourists mixed with locals, older people mixed with young people and hipsters mixed with hippies. It is worth spending the afternoon walking the streets here, and in many parts of the city. We found the walk from the Gothic Quarter to the Park de la Ciutadella to be full of fun little restaurants, and cute neighborhoods, so take the walk if you can, you get a great sense of the Barcelona people here.

Zumaia’s Itzurun Beach

Popping out of the sea in a dramatic show of what the earth can create, the jagged rocks of Itzurun beach are guaranteed to take your breath away. Standing on the beach is the most humbling, inspiring and other-worldly experience I have had on a beach.

The walk from the tourist office, after we got off the train, up to the beach is through the cute town of Zumaia. There are some really cute clothing stores, cafe’s, and a couple of souvenir shops. You can’t miss the Game of Thrones t-shirts in the windows (Zumaia appeared in Season 7). There is a pretty tree covered sidewalk leading the way to this hidden treasure which added to the sense of our experience being incredibly special. At the entrance there are two lion statues, a cafe and stone steps leading to the beach. We weren’t there at the ideal time, so I wasn’t sure the experience was going to be what I had hoped for. What we saw was much more incredible than I could have imagined.

The jagged stone pops out of the ocean, running perpendicular to the shore, beautiful greys, browns. blacks, whites and copper colors shining as the water recedes. They point to a large hill which runs along the shore and is absolutely unbelievable. The jagged edges that run vertically up the mountain, creating layer after layer of unique colored slabs. As the hill continues down the shore there is a small cave, a beach and more gorgeous towering jagged slabs. It seems like something from another planet, in fact it is a very rare phenomenon on earth. One I felt incredibly blessed to stand in the presence of.

At Itzurun beach I was overcome with the luck of being able to see this special place on our planet. It is so high on my list of things I have seen so far on our 8 month journey.

The wind was quite strong, whipping sand into my eyes, and almost blowing me over when I was try to sit down for a picture. So J. urged me to come up to the cafe which overlooks the entire beach. We sat there together enjoying coffee and losing ourselves in the mesmerizing rhythm of the surfers sitting patiently as they wait for the perfect wave. There is a great mix of younger and older surfers, swimmers, body boarders, and people just enjoying the healing waters of this special beach. (It is said the water here has special properties due to the high iodine level in the water.) I can’t imagine a better way to spend a few hours of a day.

I can’t recommend a day trip to Zumaia enough. You won’t be sorry for the experience or the journey. It is one more example of the glory the Basque country in Spain can offer.

Surprising San Sebastian, Spain

San Sebastian, Spain, located in the Basque Country is a really beautiful city on the coast of Spain. My expectation was of a touristy, overrun city on the sea that would be overcrowded and not as interesting as other cities we had seen in Spain. I was wrong, on every single account.

We were staying in Orio and took the train into San Sebastian, about an hour and a half journey. Immediately leaving the train station you understand there is so much history and elegance in this city. As with other cities in Spain like Malaga and Granada there is a main area with streets of shops, large and small for fashion, toys and decor. The streets are wide and beautiful surrounded by historic buildings.

We made our way around the shopping area on the way to the La Concha beach. As we walked onto the promenade we were greeted with a colorful and lively beach overlooking the sea. The wide promenade is lined with beautiful white iron fencing dating back over 200 years and is surrounded by hills with beautiful homes and buildings. I felt this strong sense of community and family along the beach. Everyone was so relaxed, not hurried, or stressed, just enjoying their beautiful city and the salty sea air. I understood why one of Queen Maria Cristina’s doctors recommended she spend time on the sea in Spain every year.

There are three beaches in San Sebastian, each with its own feel. The La Concha is the most famous and definitely my favorite. The Ondoretta Beach is to the west of La Concha. It is the smallest beach so definitely hang there if you want a bit more privacy. Then there is the Zurriola beach or Gros beach which lies to the east of La Concha. The waves are bigger here since it is not protected by little islands, so the crowd tends to be younger adults and teenagers, or locals who enjoy the waves.

The thing that surprised me most about San Sebastian was how much it didn’t feel like a tourist destination, despite the tourist train and hop on hop off buses, it still felt like it had not compromised itself at all. This was abundantly clear as we turned a corner and ended up by the river. The wide stone bridges, beautiful buildings, the beautiful green trees, all leading to the sea were like a step back in time. There are huge buildings (The Hotel Maria Critina & the theatre Victoria Eugenia) all built over one hundred years ago which line one side of the river then the other side is lined with restaurants, shops and apartments, which definitely feel less crowded.

Tucked in between the shopping area, the river and the sea is the Parte Vieja, Old Town. This is definitely the most tourist filled spot in town, the large tour groups made it a bit difficult to walk through some of the areas, but the small shops and incredible ancient architecture make it worth the journey. There is the largest concentration of bars in the world in Parte Vieja, so it is worth the journey for a bit of Spanish wine as you take in the old buildings, old stone streets and crazy crowds. There is an old bull fighting arena in the Parte Vieja. Now it houses restaurants, cafes and apartments. However, the numbers from the box seats are still painted over each window which really help to visualize what it used to be like to attend a bull fight here.

We found it so easy to walk this city, and take in all of the atmosphere, the people and the great food (for J. it was good he was finally able to find some pintxos he liked, I on the other hand found a great market with some fresh fruit and nuts to tide me over).

Getting anywhere from San Sebastian is really easy either by train, bus or rental car. It is definitely worth the visit to this unique and beautiful city. I regret that we didn’t book time here as I think the atmosphere is amazing, and the beaches are better than we have seen in the rest of Spain.

A Day Trip To Getxo Spain

After seeing pictures of Getxo I decided we had to take a day trip from Bilbao. First I have to say traveling Spain by train has been amazing! The stations and trains are the cleanest I have seen anywhere in the world. They are NEVER late and go almost anywhere you need to go. We took the train to Getxo for the day which is a pretty quick ride from Bilbao, about 35 minutes. The town is about a five or ten minute walk from the station we got off at, so we decided to walk the bay area first. A quick stop in the Visitors Information Center then set our course for an amazing day. (There are Visitors Information Centers everywhere in Spain and they are incredible! The people are friendly, knowledgeable and full of ideas on how best to enjoy your visit. They usually spoke at least four languages and were happy to pass out free maps.)

The whole reason I wanted to go to Getxo was to see the cliffs and the windmill on the La Galea walk. I felt like a nice day along the sea would be good after all of our city touring. What I didn’t know, which is for the best, is that the La Galea walk would end up being 16 miles for the whole day. Had we known this I think we may have decided not to go which would have been a major loss.

The scenery of the cliffs and the sea is absolutely gorgeous. It is so peaceful and undisturbed in most places that you can really just lose yourself in the soft sea winds and the crashing waves. The La Galea walk goes from Getxo town all the way along the shore and up onto the cliffs so no need for special gear or clothing. There are no guardrails along the walk (it is not the US so you are on your own to watch yourself) so stay away from the edge and just enjoy the scenery. Along part of the path there is a tree lined sidewalk which weaves through this little town where there is a park full of kids playing, a great place to stop and have coffee and then the La Galea Fort and the Aixerrota windmill. I am not sure if it was the unsuspected miles or just the beauty of the sea but we found the La Galea Fort and the Aixerrota windmill to be pretty underwhelming. It did give us a good reason to be on this journey though so it was worth going. We continued past the windmill and wound around the cliffs before our stomachs took over and we headed back for a bite to eat. (There is a great place to get burgers-even a veggie burger!-in the dip between the two cliffs. The prices are great and the people are really cool.)

After lunch we headed into town walking the other way along the bay. We were shocked by the huge mansions lining the street. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s there was a boom of building which resulted in these incredible mansions lining the coast. Each one is unique (although most of them were built by the same architect). There are plaques lining the wall of the bay which give great details about the architecture, the architect, and the families who commissioned each house. It is amazing that most of them are still private residents, many still the original families.

At this point, we were pretty much dragging, we had walked about 14.5 miles and had been without ice cream or coffee for too long. After we figured out we had walked about 12 miles we were just driven by seeing how far we could make it that day without giving in to the temptation of a cab. We started to head back to the train station in the city until someone told us about the Bizkaia Bridge (Hanging Bridge) we needed to see. I have no idea what possessed us to make the decision to walk another mile to see this bridge, maybe just pure determination to leave nothing undiscovered in this town, but we did it. The beach promenade gives way to a busier city and a large red bridge with a suspended cable car underneath for passengers and vehicles. It was absolutely the coolest thing to watch and ride on. It cost about 1.00 each way to ride if you are on foot. The car sways gently under the bridge as you ride from one side to the other. It is the only one of its kind and provides some pretty great views from both sides of the car.

As our feet cramped and our legs ached we made our way back to the train station and back to Bilbao. It was such a great day walking, talking, laughing and learning. Spain continues to surprise and delight us with each new place we visit. So definitely take the time to make the day trip to Getxo and walk along the cliffs, the beach promenade and then taking the Hanging Bridge from one side to the other. You won’t regret it and will love the break from tourists, crowds and cobblestone streets.

Realizing A Dream In Bilbao

Matt Lauer was on the Today show featuring the new Guggenheim building in Bilbao, I watched in awe while they showed the incredible architecture, the setting and the vision. Twenty years ago this broadcast helped to cement my deep desire to see the incredible things this world has to offer. I set a goal of seeing the Bilbao Guggenheim in my lifetime, and now here I am.

My full focus in Bilbao was the Guggenheim. I didn’t bother with any other details because this was all Bilbao was to me. On the train ride from Madrid to Bilbao I plotted whether to go to the Guggenheim right away or to get to know the city first to understand better the contrast of this museum to the rest of the city. I decided to wait. J., while not understanding my deep desire to see the museum was certainly open to whatever my plans were, so we planned to see the Guggenheim on our second full day in Bilbao. It was a great decision. The anticipation was fun, as was the plotting about how to actually avoid it for one and a half days. At that we didn’t succeed.

Bilbao has an historic city and a more modern city, along with a riverside community. It really is like three towns in one city. This was so captivating for me. Each area offered something different, something unique and worth exploration. Our Airbnb was located in an amazing spot bordering all three areas. The first night we strolled over to the historic part of the city, crossing a beautiful bridge and the river. This quaint historical area is full of restaurants, bars, shops, an old cathedral, beautiful little streets and plazas as well as a community of people strolling around, drinking wine and watching their children play. It is also home to an amazing Gelataria (I know this because I ate it for lunch twice while we were there). It was so fun to sit in the little cafe’s and watch the Spanish people going about their daily lives. Again, as in every Spanish town so far, the family spirit is strong and we love watching the families interact, the generations together raising kids, eating, shopping and drinking.

Bilbao is in the Basque country. So this means different food, different language, and a slightly different culture. They serve Pintxos (Pinchos) which are small bite-sized sandwiches, quiches, or often seafood concoctions. They were beautiful. They are created and served as artwork, displayed beautifully along the bars of the restaurants. You go in, fill up a plate and then pay accordingly. For us this was really difficult. We didn’t understand at first what was going on and then when we figured it out, we realized I was going to have the hardest time eating here. EVERYTHING has meat in it. J. struggled here too since he isn’t a big shellfish eater (lots of oysters and mussels), so it was more ham products, which consisted mostly of various types of ham on different types of bread with nothing else on it. We were really frustrated because the food looked so beautiful and the custom was so awesome but we just couldn’t participate. So, luckily we had an Airbnb with a great kitchen so we could eat a lot of our meals there.

While the historic center is full of cobblestone streets, old stucco or stone houses, the modern part of the city has either grand buildings or more modern structures. We decided to explore on their tramway system, riding it back and forth through town to see the city. J. loves doing this and I have to admit for 4 euro it is a pretty great way to see a city and hang with locals. This is how we accidentally saw the Guggenheim. Our train drove along the river and with the modern Bilbao on our left and then, as we rounded a corner, there it was. I tried to look away (yes, sometimes I can act a little bit like a kid) so I didn’t ruin the surprise, but I couldn’t take it and gave in and looked. It was beautiful. Luckily we couldn’t see much from the train route, just enough to tease me and heighten my anticipation.

The riverside community of Bilbao is host to parks, museums, beautiful bridges, walkways, restaurants, shops, and houses. It separates the city between old and new while providing the perfect place for festivals, markets, and family gatherings. There are musicians playing on the banks of the river while people sit on benches watching the world go by. The bridges are so elegant you can’t help but admire the design and construction. While they are more modern they fit perfectly within the landscape of the city, not disrupting the historic area but really joining the different eras of Bilbao. We spent a lot of time strolling along the river watching the different events, reveling in the architecture or just enjoying the quiet of this beautiful city.

My trip to the Guggenheim turned out to be a mixture of feelings and experiences. As we walked towards it, down a main street in the modern part of the city, I was taken aback by the beautiful contrast of the building. The reflections of the metal and of course the beautiful floral statue of the dog. Behind the museum the river flows quietly, contrasting the metal of the building. The Guggenheim is so impressive, the lines, the details, the contrasts, the flow of energy, the way it engulfs you when you walk in, almost transporting you to a different place. It was easy for us to spend a long time studying the interior of the building, admiring the vision and execution of this gorgeous space. I was surprised by the art in the Guggenheim in Bilbao. It was very, very contemporary, which is not my thing so in that I was a bit disappointed. I enjoyed the Toulouse exhibit and then we went outside to admire the building from the riverside. There were people playing music, others selling their crafts, others hawking souvenirs, and then there were the other admirers who came to take in all this building and its outdoor sculptures have to offer.

There is really nothing like realizing a dream, for that reason Bilbao will always be very special to me, even if-or maybe especially because most of my lunches were gelato….

For the most amazing pizza, fantastic wine, and great atmosphere definitely have dinner at Coppola Bilbao at Barraincúa Kalea, 6. Make reservations unless you want to sit at the bar, which we did and loved it, or wait. This place is so quaint and delicious, just plan to walk afterwards because you will definitely eat too much!

The City of Madrid

Admittedly I love small towns more than large ones so I wasn’t sure Madrid was going to be my thing. We arrived by train from Seville, taking in all the gorgeous landscape Spain has to offer. It was pouring rain as we got out of the taxi and of course we had thirty minutes to spare before we met our Airbnb host. We found we were in an amazing location right in the heart of the city with Plazas and restaurants a plenty.

As we began to explore Madrid we immediately found it was so fun and easy to walk around, check out the amazing little pubs, restaurants and shops. They were all unique and full of the Spanish character we were falling in love with. Despite its size we were finding out Madrid still maintains that small community feel, with families out in the Plazas, people walking everywhere and enjoying the good life of great food, wine and beer. Quickly Madrid was changing my mind about what a big city can be.

Our first day was spent exploring the streets of Madrid, making our way to the beautiful garden, Buen Retiro Park. The first thing I saw were the absolutely incredible evergreen trees which grow in the most beautiful sculptured shapes. I couldn’t get enough of how unique and gorgeous they were. They stand as a welcome to park, greeting you with grace and beautiful contrast to the busy city streets that surround you outside. This park also holds the Cristal Palace, beautiful rose gardens, a pond with people rowing each other around the beautiful architecture and the happiest human being I have ever met. He is a painter who comes to the park everyday to sell his art and make enough money to treat his wife to a nice dinner. We are now the proud owners of a piece of his work, the only souvenir we have bought for ourselves. It is definitely worth the visit to this park, with 350 acres and a 500 year old history it is easy to spend hours here getting lost in the natural beauty of Madrid.

We spent a little time on Gran Via, an incredibly busy shopping street. It was full of huge shops and large restaurants, which for me lacked personality and uniqueness. At the end of Gran Via stands the Metropolis building. Its glorious winged angel standing in the most beautiful contrast to the gorgeous Spanish sky.

Madrid has many different barrios and one of my favorite is the Latin Quarter. The shops and restaurants here are quirky and fun or antique/vintage. It is an eclectic neighborhood which is also home to a HUGE flea/antique market on Sunday, El Rastro. To say the streets are packed full of people is an understatement. They are literally clogged with people looking for great buys on antiques, vintage items, souvenirs, and flea market goodies. Before we could conquer even half of this market I was completely over stimulated and had to throw in the towel. (For veggies and vegans there is a great little vegan place where even J. the meat lover found some pretty fantastic nachos.) It was great fun to dig through the vintage clothing, antique oddities, and treasures at El Rastro.

The next day we set out for the Prado museum. We waited in a short line and anticipated a 2 hour tour through the museum. Five hours later we exited the Prado feeling completely overwhelmed with the incredible treasures inside. Yep, five hours and we skipped ALOT of stuff. There are so many famous pieces of art, beautiful statues and incredible bronzes we couldn’t help but spend our day here, getting lost in the immense treasures of our world. It is a very common conversation for us to have debating what would happen if we had to abandon this planet for another. How would we decide what was important enough to take with us? It is also absolutely incredible to stand in front of a bronze head created over 2000 years ago and not marvel at the skill of the Roman & Etruscan people who came before us. The Prado is definitely worth the visit, just be prepared for spending a day there and definitely pick and choose what is important to you. When we were there they had an incredible exhibit on Spanish & Spanish territory collection from a gentleman in New York who started a museum there to honor the cultures. There were the most amazing maps of what the world looked like during the discovery of the Americas. The most incredible thing I saw the entire day though was a book written during the 1400’s from the King to his son with advice on being a King. It was so beautiful and compelling. If only my Spanish were better…

The Almudena Cathedral and the Palace were also great spots to visit. While the cathedral is very beautiful the crypts below were absolutely incredible. The paintings, the stained glass and the statues were so breathtaking. We really enjoyed it more than the church. The palace is also very interesting across the plaza. There are some really incredible treasures there including the King’s crown. I would recommend buying your tickets ahead of time though to avoid the line, and be patient, it is pretty crowded. Along one of the side corridors is a fantastic Armory display. The details on the horses armor, and the displays of the soldiers armor were incredibly fascinating. They were truly works of art in their own right, so make sure to tour this area.

We felt so comfortable in Madrid, strolling the streets, sitting in the Plazas and watching the Grandpas walking around with their little grandchildren. The whole city felt like one big warm neighborhood us. Of course the Spanish people are so warm and fun we couldn’t get enough of the small bars and restaurants where you could find interesting conversation and beautiful pieces of history. It was easier to find food for me, the vegetarian, in Madrid. There are more options than the traditional Tapas so that was a big relief! When walking through Madrid take the time to check out all of the incredible architecture of the city, it is really quite special.