Looking back on our trip to Spain, there was a lot that my wife and I enjoyed. It also felt extremely good to be travelling overseas again, exploring a new country and new culture: language, history, food, and art. As human beings we should not take for granted the ability to travel and connect with other humans. By doing so we become better people, benefiting from the experience.
Making an effort to be a good guest in someone's country starts with the ability to give and receive information and an awareness of their culture. You learn with that knowledge and mutually gain more from the people living it every day. Therefore we downloaded Duolingo on our phones to learn basic Spanish and although we should have been doing so well in advance of our trip, the couple of months doing so really helped. It made the trip more enjoyable. We also took advantage of the Rick Steves guide and podcasts to be more aware of the ins and outs of Spanish way of life.
Spain has so much diverse history that cannot be lumped into one sentence. The life of the prehistoric Tartessos, Greek, Carthaginian, Roman, Germanic tribes, Islamic, and Christian eras have formed the diverse Spaniards today. Each age has added to its culture and makes it unique through this blending. It is obvious that Spain is a country of regions with its regional aspirations as well as national pride. It was fantastic to see and experience this history in its current day to day life and its past.
The culture of the various areas of Spain are also revealed in its wonderful food. Its not just the jamon (cured ham), paella, vermouth, wines and other dishes. It is the things you find on a menu in small and slightly out of the way places. The ones that have been there a while or are newly opened by a maverick owner of chef. The ones that have local or reimagined local foods that may sound odd but are something that you have never had and may never have again. Spain, and other countries we have been to has that in each of the cities we stayed in, as long as we stayed off the touristy touted places. It was a joy to experience.
The art that was seen, from all the eras and styles, was marvelous to experience. I have discovered over the years, starting with my first trip to Europe in 2003, that I like art. Not just any art but the art that moves me and stand in frount of. To glimpse at the work captured in paint, clay, marble, bronze, wood, or other mediums has let me see a fraction of the emotion of what it took to create. In many museums I often see folks, as tours or in their own group, move to only the select big name items without letting them have a chance to let each of the visitors find the art that move them. It also made me realize that there is more to art than the masterpieces. The ones that in their year of creation may have been derided, dismissed, and mocked. Art that makes you feel something, and even better when it is a profound something, does not have to be exclusive to what self proclaimed critics feel is proper art. More often than not it is, but let yourself be surprised. Wander in the renown museums, galleries, and small towns with local works because you can find your own masterpiece for yourself.
Overall we had a whirlwind trip, staying in five cities over 24 days of travel. We walked a total of 217.5 km and went up/down 442 flights of stairs, averaging 9 km and 18 flights a day. Although we do not regret what we saw, it would be nice to slow things down next time and not feel compelled to see all the highlights, regardless of how tempting it is. It would be especially nice to get places with a kitchen to take advantage of the markets and try to make some of our own locally inspired meals.
Speaking of highlights, here are the things that I particularly enjoyed, that embraced one or more of the aspects of language, history, food, and art:
Madrid
Sevilla
Granada
Barcelona
Gaudi Buildings: Sagrada Familia history, Outside (entrance, apse, passion 1&2, glory, nativity, and high up) and Inside (center, general, passion, glory, nativity, apse, museum), Guell Palace (main and downstairs, first floor, rest of first floor and second, rooftop, , La Pedera (ground, rooftop, apartments)
MNAC (National Catalan Museum): Building, Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Modern
Maitea (1, 2, & 3) and Gresca
Maitea (1, 2, & 3) and Gresca
Toledo
Multitude small and mid sized places: Iglasia de Santo Tome, Museum of El Greco, Saint Maria la Blanco Synagogue, Monesterio de San Juan del Los Reyes, San Ildefenso Church, Royal College of Maidens, Santa Cruz Museum (1 & 2), Toledo Train Station
One final note, my wife and I each purchased a ScotteVest RFID Travel model for this trip an I also tried it out for an emergency trip across Canada. I am glad I spent the money on it.
It carries so much in its pockets: six large inside, four large outside, and one very large lower back and 15 other little sub-pockets for pens or tiny items. It feels lighter once worn because of the distribution of weight. Well worth the money spent for the purchase. We got it at the Adventure Clothing store downtown Victoria.
