I left cold and dreary Amsterdam with a dreary cold. But I’m hoping the warmer weather and my “happy country” Spain (more specifically Valencia) will fix me right up. You know those places where you just feel “at home.” I have a few of those: my parents’ house, my house and Spain. I always feel welcomed here and even though it doesn’t count as a check mark for new countries visited, I needed to end my Adventure Part 1 in Spain. So that’s what I’m doing. I’m spending the last 15 days mostly in Spain before heading back to Lisbon for 2 days and then home.
I arrived just shortly after 7pm yesterday and even just communicating with the taxi driver put me at ease. Finally, a country where I can converse in both English and Spanish (mostly Spanish)! The taxi driver even said my Spanish was good. Or he at least said “you talk a lot” which I took as a compliment even if he didn’t intend it that way.
A dear friend of mine (who also happens to be a reader of this little blog) noticed that my entries have slowed down quite a bit. I told her it’s because I’m slowing down. Mentally I’m preparing to come back to America and leaving Europe behind (for now, of course). I’ve even started doing a bit more shopping since I only have to carry things for another few weeks. I’m staying in Valencia for a week and then heading to Sevilla and Córdoba. Valencia is a new city in Spain for me but the call of the Mediterranean was too strong to pass up.
God, I freaking love Spain. Everything about it is amazing. The food at the grocery store is top notch, the people are nice and who doesn’t love tapas??! I’m staying at an AirBnB and the host speaks very little English. This is good because I’m practicing conversational Spanish with her and everyone I encounter. I seem to be doing pretty good at it because people are understanding me. Or at least nodding their heads like they know what I’m saying. That definitely counts. My plans are to relax, kick this ugly cold and go to the beach every day. There probably won’t be too many blog posts as no one wants to hear about me laying on the beach every day. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. Vale!
There She Goes... 