The Itch is Back

Live camera view of our plane taking off. Freaky

It was inevitable. That old traveling itch that I know all too well has returned, and in great force. This is no surprise, of course, as it's always lurking juuust under the surface. My last post was at the end of my big round-the-world trip nearly two years ago (never did wrap that up, I see… Happy Belated New Year’s 2011 from Sydney!). I have done some other traveling since then so I have NO complaints but some things came up last year that kept me from really hitting the road big time and going overseas for any extended time. So let's just say that this fall and winter I plan to make up for it... big time!
 

And to kick it all off is.... Europe, baby! I was here briefly in 2010 but it was far too short so I wanted to come back this time both to see some friends in familiar places and to have some time to check out some countries that I haven’t been yet. I have three weeks and much to do.

First stamp in my brand spankin' new passport!

It seemed only fitting to officially kick things off in Spain. Whenever possible, I always try to go new places when traveling so I can see as many different things as possible but the one place I always come back to is Spain. It’s the country I can go to where I feel just as comfortable as if I were in the US. Maybe it’s because I’ve been here so many times, maybe it’s because I speak the language, maybe it’s because I have so many friends here… whatever it is, all I know is that the moment I step off the plane here, I feel completely relaxed and totally at home. I love that feeling. Today was no different, although it came with a few more challenges than normal.

The view from my hotel window

I arrived super tired as I’d just gotten home from a 10-day trip to visit family in LA and Phoenix 2 days before leaving for this one. So I spent those two days running around like a madperson and the night before leaving only slept about 3 hours. Throw in an overnight flight to Madrid the next day where I only slept a few more hours and I was nearing my limit by the time I landed this morning. But the second I stepped of the plane and heard Spanish all around me and got to start speaking it again, I was revived! And then I went to pick up my suitcase (cue dramatic, foreboding music).



Turns out the retractable handle got broken in transit and I had to essentially half carry/half drag the thing through the airport to the baggage office to make a claim. And suddenly my exhaustion hit like a brick. I had originally planned to board a bus right from the airport and head north 5 hours to meet up with a friend but after the delay with the luggage plus the fact that the bus ticket window was closed (uh, what?), I couldn't get online to book it myself, and the helpdesk lady was the least helpful lady on the planet (okay, perhaps this exaggeration was my exhaustion talking but, really, she did little more than mumble and shrug her shoulders), my enthusiasm started to fade and all I wanted in the world was to sleep. Long, boring story short, I decided to get a room in Madrid for the night and take a shower, regroup, get some sleep and get organized. And as a bonus, I also got to spend time in one of my favorite cities in the world! It was a great decision.



La Gran Via

Well, other than the part about me schlepping my newly gimpy suitcase through both the metro and the packed streets of Madrid while looking for my hotel, that is. But then I got to my hotel right in the center of my favorite area of Madrid, dropped my stuff, took care of a couple of things and then fought hard (and I mean HARD) to not crash and pass out on the spot. At which point I instead forced myself to take a shower, refresh and head out for a bit. The second I hit the streets, the enthusiasm returned. It was a gorgeous, warm, sunny day here, I was walking through “my” city with a sense of belonging and direction, breathing fresh air after so much recycled plane/airport/metro air and, best of all, I was surrounded by Spaniards speaking Spanish. Aaaaah.

La Plaza Mayor, Take One: churros y chocolate

I love almost everything about Spain: the architecture, the culture, the night life, the daily schedule, the mindset, the language (this is the Spanish I learned first and the one I still love the most and understand the best) and, of course, the people. I really, really heart Spain. So I headed to my all-time favorite spot: La Plaza Mayor. It’s just what it sounds like, the main plaza in the center of the city, very typical of European plazas surrounded by old buildings and sporting cobblestone everywhere. This one also has a seemingly unending number of street performers and café after restaurant after bar with outdoor seating. I decided my short time in Madrid today would be best spent here, soaking it all in while enjoying the fresh air. Which I did first over churros y chocolate (picture dunking warm donuts into hot, liquid chocolate pudding) and then later over a great glass of Spanish red wine (did I mention Spanish wine as another one of my favorite things about this country? If not, I definitely should have). I had taken a book with me but ended up just sitting for hours and taking it all in, basking in the sun, watching the people and, mostly, just enjoying being in that exact place in the world at that exact moment.

La Plaza Mayor, Take Two: vino tinto

Regretfully I tore myself away and headed back to the hotel (a brief nap could be put off not one minute more) to pack up, grab some dinner and get ready to head out in the morning to finally catch that bus north to meet my friend tomorrow. Better late than never!