Emily and Victor in Spain!!

Two weeks ago, I excitedly hopped on the airport train, anxiously waiting for the arrival of my sister and brother-in-law in Barcelona. I waited by the gate, looking over the heads of all the incoming travelers, looking for some familiar faces, or at least an indication that they were soon to pass through the fogged-over sliding doors. I looked out for people I could recognize as American, searching for luggage tags with the recognizable JFK sticker, as a sign that they would be soon to come. Once I saw them wheeling their luggage through the doors, I couldn't stay composed anymore, and I bounced over to them to give them a giant welcome hug to the city that has become my home. From there, we all walked downstairs to shuttle bus to take us on the train back to the city, and to check into their hotel, near the Sagrada Familia. The weather was perfect, it had cleared up from days of rain, just in time for their arrival. We had a chance to catch up a bit on the 30-minute train ride into the city center, and as we took our first steps out from the underground train, their first view of Barcelona was standing at the base of the impressive and towering cathedral. Once we found their hotel a few blocks away, we headed back out, to see my apartment, and to give them a chance to get a feel for the city.

At my apartment, they enjoyed the vertigo-inducing view from the balcony, and were curiously interested in the rest of the layout of my home. The fact that I have to brush my teeth over the shower drain, use toilet paper mounted on a string holder that hangs from the bathroom door, and do my laundry in the kitchen, were just a few of the culturally different habits that no longer seem odd to me, but can come to a surprise to others. 

Although they had just come off of hours and hours of travel time, they were in high spirits, and ready to explore the city some more. We immediately headed to La Rambla, first by walking through a portion of the Gothic Quarter.

Emily's first taste of Barcelona's lemon gelato!

We hit up the Boqueria, and I loaded up on fruit for the week, while Emily and Victor sampled some of the freshly-prepared pineapple and snapped pictures of the endless vendors.

So many choices!

We then wandered through the old district for a while longer, and came out at the Christopher Columbus statue and the port. By now, the day was winding down, and the hours of travel time started to catch up to them. They went back to their hotel for a power nap, and then met up a few hours later for their first taste of Catalan cuisine. We went to Origens, one of my favorite restaurants, just two blocks from my apartment. While we were eating dinner, I still couldn't believe that they were finally in Barcelona, after nearly a year of planning and anticipation. After dinner, at nearly 11 o'clock, we all went home, to get some more rest for the next day of exploring. 

The next day, I had class I had to go to in the evening, but we spent the day walking to Plaza Espanya, and then through Montjuic. We saw the old Olympic Stadium, and the impressive view from the Museu d'Art, after exploring the inside for a bit. From there, I had to head home to get to class, but they spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the Gracia neighborhood, and enjoying the sunny weather. When we met again later that night, I took them to my very favorite restaurant in Barcelona, called "Shh...no se lo digas a nadie" (Shh...don't tell anyone), which is a hip tapas bar that is almost impossible to find unless you have been there 20 times before. I asked them if they had any preferences for food, but they insisted that I order what I know is good on the menu, so I got us pan con tomate (bread with tomato and herbs) a cheese plate for the bread, patatas bravas (fried potatoes with a spicy mayonnaise and ketchup-y sauce), and of course, sangria.
After, we all went home to get some rest before our big day trip the next day. We took the train to the small town of Figueres, en route to our final destination of the coastal town of Cadaques. Before we caught the bus that would take us on the windy road to the sea, we had some time to kill, and we pleasantly surprised by the quirky but cute town, home of Salvador Dalí.

On the train to Figueres

The Rambla in Figueres

The Dali Museum

When we arrived in Cadaques after the scenic and twisty trip through the hills, we couldn't wait to get to the beach.

Arriving at the bus stop in Cadaques

Beautiful Cadaques

The view was amazing. All along the cove were white buildings with blue trimming and delicate tiles. We sat on a bench by the sand for a few minutes while we snapped pictures, and then walked along side the cove to get a view back towards the town.

"Artistic" :)

We couldn't have asked for a better day, and with the sun gently beating down, the water was beckoning out for a swim. Emily and Victor came prepared with swimsuits, but I was not such a smart planner. We all found a protected area away from other people, and jumped in the water, me in all of my clothes, including jean pants! The water was warm and so salty that we floated on the surface with no effort. Other tourist passed by and thought us to be quite amusing, splashing around, and snapped photos as they watched from above. Swimming around with them in the Mediterranean, with the smell of salt and Spring, and the feeling of being 100% content and the comfort of finally being back with family made for an amazing day, one that I won't be likely to forget. After we dried off a bit, we wandered through the small town, through the narrow and brightly-colored streets and into the cathedral.

Victor tried a Spanish delicacy...Jamón (ham) flavored Ruffles. Although brave, even he couldn't stomach more than a few of those salty buggers.

The next day was another great day-trip. We headed out to Sitges, just a quick 30 minutes train ride away. Although the weather was far from perfect like the day before, it had been on Emily's list of places to see in Spain, so, quite determined, we still had a lovely day at the beach while fighting wind, rain, and enormous waves. We watched as daring wind-sailors tried to dominate the rough tide, and surfers scoped out their entry points. We chose a cute cafe right on the water front for lunch, and Victor bravely attacked an entire dish of Paella de Marisco (Spain's national dish of rice, vegetables, and sea-food), while Emily and I shared a yummy bowl of pesto pasta...Spain's national....wait, wrong country.

A few moments before Emily was splashed by a giant wave crashing against the wall

Sisters in Sitges

Ready...set...GO!

The next few days Emily and Victor took a quick but fruitful trip to Paris, while I caught up on assignments and finished my Catalan class. The day that they came back, I made a pasta dinner for everyone, and three of my best friends here, Joanna, Alyssa and Catherine came over to meet them.

The next morning, bright and early, we were back at the airport for our 24-hour trip to Ibiza! Let me tell you, this was one of the best trips I have been on this year. I thought Mallorca was stunning, but it doesn't hold a candle to the pristine beaches and beautiful landscapes of Ibiza. We arrived around 1 and after walking around the main town for a while, found our hotel. Emily and Victor generously offered this trip as an early 21st birthday present, and it was nothing short of fabulous. The hotel was amazing, rated the #1 spot on the island, and from our views above the water, we couldn't wait to find those perfect beaches!

We walked around a bit, but soon decided that with what short time we had, if we wanted to see the best beaches, we would have to do it right. So we did. We rented mopeds (thanks for the spelling lesson Em ;)...) and went from incredible beach to incredible beach. I had never been on a moped before, but it has always been on my bucket list. We rented two, and to the first beach, I rode on the back of Victor's bike. It was so fun to go so fast through the city and on empty country roads, soaking up the scenery and the sun. At the first beach, we parked the bikes, and our jaws dropped.

Happy travelers :)

Biker chick

I have never seen such undisturbed, clear-water beaches. We snapped a bunch of pictures, and then laid out in the sand. The sun was hot and the water inviting. Although we spotted a few jellyfish and other creatures in the water, that didn't stop us from taking a relaxing dip in the cool water in between nap times on the white sand.

From here, we hopped back on the mopeds, this time I got my own, and drove off to the next beach.
This is officially the best way to travel, I wish I had my own motorbike to drive around Europe, it was so peaceful and liberating to be cruising along the coast with the wind in your hair and the open road in front of you. The next beach was just as beautiful as the last, with a cafe situated at the end of the rocks, and people laying out and enjoying the sun. This was paradise on Earth.

After this beach, we went to one more, and it was a little more crowded and popular. Emily and I immediately noticed a big rock off the coast, and after I begged Emily to swim out to it with me, despite the jelly-fish, we swam and and climbed up to the top. Although we didn't know how deep the water was, we saw people before us jumping off, so I ran back, and jumped off, as far out as I could. It was shallow, I touched the bottom right away, but it was so much fun, and Emily quickly followed. There are great pictures from the beach, but the blog won't let me upload them, so I'll have to show you all later. Emily and I climbed up the rock again and sat at the top and just looked around to soak it all up. We were on a rock island in the Mediterranean, surrounded by so much beauty and serenity. I was so happy to be there, next to my sister, in one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
When we started to get cold and had to head back, we were about to jump back in to swim to the beach, when we looked down to see a warm of jellyfish right where we had jumped before. We climbed down the other side of the rock and Emily still swam back, but I walked in the shallow part to climb over rocks back to the beach out of fear of being stung. We made it back, and headed up to our mopeds again. We all rode back to the shop in the city center to return our bikes, and then walked around the town a little, picked up some snacks, and went back to the hotel. There, Emily, Victor and I sat on the balcony, watching the sun going down, and talking over chips and salsa. Once we finally made it out again for dinner, it was about 10:30, but we found a cute Mexican restaurant nearby, and enjoyed our last bit of time in Ibiza. The next morning we headed to the airport, and before I knew it, we were back in Barcelona. Although the trip was quick, it didn't feel rushed at all, and I came back totally relaxed and happy. That night was our last in Barcelona, so I cooked dinner again at my apartment (Emily and Victor stayed two night with me, troopers on a mattress on my floor!) and after dinner we went walking to Plaza Catalunya and down the Rambla again.

Victor found a Barça hat, and Emily got a picture to hang in their house, and we spent the last few hours meandering around the small streets, and enjoying the evening. The next morning, we woke up to head back to the airport, this time for them to go back to California. It's always weird going to the American or United airline stands at BCN and seeing all of the Americans, tanned and relaxed, heading back to their homes, and apart of me always gets a little homesick and envious of those who will soon be back with their friends and family. I waited with the bags while they checked in for their flight, and found out that their plane had been delayed a few hours. Security is immediately after check-in, so we had to say goodbye, and they headed on to their gate. Having them both here in Barcelona was such a huge treat for me, and I had one of the best weeks of the year spending time with them here in Spain. With them I saw part of Barcelona that were still new to me, and explored neighboring sights and scenes that I had yet to experience. They made my time here that much better, and it was so much fun to be able to spend uninterrupted time with them and really get to hang out. I already miss them a lot, but I know these are memories that will last a lifetime, and I can't wait for them to visit me in another few years, down in South America!!!
Love, Meghan

Spring Break Part Two: A week throughout Italy!

Molly left Barcelona on Saturday morning, and as I joined her on the train to the airport, I knew I would be back in less than 24 hours. My flight left for Venice at 6am on Sunday, and I flew alone since Rachel and Alyssa were joining me from their previous trip in Southern Spain. The trip went smoothly, and once I landed in Italy, I took 2 busses an hour away to our hostel/campsite in Marghera. Where we stayed was actually a campsite, and our "room" was a mobile home. I knew what to expect, so this was no surprise, and although we were on a tin home with wheels, it was really clean, and a cool environment different than most hostel experiences.

Basic but clean!

Since we only had two days in each city, we quickly hopped on the bus back to Venice once Alyssa and Rachel arrived from the airport. Passing through industrial land with no homes, no shops, no nothing, I was skeptical that we were about to arrive at one of the world's most unique and stunning cities. However, as soon as we crossed the large bridge that connected us to the center of Venice, I was pleasantly surprised. The second the bus parked, we sprinted off, and began going crazy with our cameras. No matter where you looked, whatever angle, light, subject, anything, it didn't matter, this was the most picturesque place I have ever seen in my life, and ever photo looked like a painting. We spent the day wandering around the city, stopping at an outdoor cafe by a plaza for our first taste of authentic Italian cuisine, and then kept walking around until we couldn't walk anymore. He are some pictures from the day:

A lady who knows how to relax.

Private lunch for two.

That night we went back to the campsite and although there were lots of traveling students out and about, we went to bed early so that as soon as it was light we could continue our exploration of Venice. Here are more pictures from the second day in the city:

Enjoying some Italian gelato

That night after watching the sunset from our table in the street and listening to a man play accordion from a nearby cafe, we toasted our Limoncello and agreed this day had been one of the best ever. The breathtaking images of Venice at dusk, while crossing over canal and through alleyways, are ones that are happily imprinted in my memory forever. That was Rachel's last day in Italy, and since she had to return for classes, Alyssa and I continued just the two of us for the remainder of our Spring Break trip. Next stop: Tuscany.
We used our Interrail passes that we had purchased about a month ahead of time, and just had to go to the train station each morning to reserve our tickets for the next ride. With our passes, we were in 2nd class, in the private booths with 6 seats. They were always totally full, and having to bump knees with a stranger for a 6-hour ride was not so comfortable, but it was a small price to pay for the breathtaking scenery in between cities.
Our next hostel was listed as being in Florence, but once we got to the central train station and asked around, we found that we needed another bus to get to our place. That ride ended up taking us more than an hour outside of Florence, to a town called Chianti up in the Tuscan hills. Although with each passing minute on our drive to the hostel, I was more concerned about how far away we were from our intended destination, but even more excited for the prospect of staying in the rolling hills of Tuscany instead of a busy and bustling city. The bus dropped us off at the top of a hill, and we walked a few blocks to find the hostel. Run by just 2 people, it was closed for another 2 hours while they took a break. We were a little lost and confused, but sought refuge in a welcoming park just down the street. We watched two young boys play soccer on the grass while a lady a bench over from us goo-ed and smiled at her newborn baby in the stroller. Alyssa read her book for school, and I laid down on the slide of the play structure, listening to Simon & Garfunkel and looking up at the trees. Although this wasn't what we had anticipated, at that moment there was no where else I would have rather been. We walked up and down the main street and caught glimpses into the valley, and all feelings of doubt and concern were swept away. This was paradise.

We went to the hostel once they opened again and spoke the the friendly owner who showed us the room, and gave us a map of the small town. He let us use the computer to book a hostel for the next night in the center of Florence, and after we arranged a good place, we enjoyed the time we had in Chianti to wander around the town and explore. The town center was a small plaza, lined with cafes, restaurants, and patisseries.

Right beyond the buildings were endless rows of grape vines and greenery.

Soon, we got hungry, and walked through the streets looking for an inviting place for dinner.

We found a little restaurant with a cute table by the window with a great view of the town, so we went inside. There was an extremely obese Italian women sitting alone at a table in the back watching reality TV, and I used the only Italian I know to say "Mi scusi, due per mangiare per favore" (excuse me, two to eat please). She responded very quickly in Italian, and I didn't understand a word, so I smiled and nodded by head, and we took a seat at the front window. I ordered pesto pasta, and Alyssa got pasta as well, and we toasted a glass of Tuscan wine. The wine was phenomenal, and the pesto pasta was the best I have ever tasted, we also got a little bowl of fresh parmesan cheese to put on top. The best part, the entire meal was 6 euro. I officially love Italy. We took our time, and enjoyed a two hour dinner and we took some time to really relax and soak up our surroundings. Once we finished, we walked around some more, and spoke with some shop owners, all of whom were some of the friendliest people I have encountered in Europe. We walked a bit outside of the town to catch the end of the sunset, and sat by a cathedral as we stood silently, in awe of this indescribable beauty.

That night, at the hostel, we shared a room with 3 other girls, all from very different backgrounds, and all extremely interesting. Once girl was a student from Turkey, another was an apprentice pastry chef from Switzerland, and the other was a Chinese exchange student studying in Rome. We all sat in the room for a long time, talking and laughing. I love traveling so much for experiences like this. Four girls from the most diverse back grounds that you could believe, all brought together by chance with the shared passion for travel and exploration and desire to meet new people and experience diverse cultures.
The next morning, Alyssa and I headed out bright and early to catch the bus back to the city. Luckily our hostel was 4 blocks from the bus stop, in an adorable old home-converted-pension. We were so lucky to get in with 1-days notice, and the staff was delightful. They gave us our own room on the ground floor, gave us a map, and some recommendations. We unpacked and then set off to see Florence. Immediately we saw the Duomo, and after standing in line for a while, got our look inside as well. From there, we just walked all through the city. Here are some pictures from the walk around:

All the pizza you can imagine.

In the evening, before dinner we walked out to the bridge to watch the sunset. All of Florence was there, and it was stunning.

Although our actual stay in Florence was short, the next morning we were off yet again to the next stop on our tour: Rome.
We arrived around noon, and headed straight to our hostel across the street from the train station. Although this was a nice spot as far as traveling convenience, it definitely limited our comfort in being out after dark, since there were a lot of, we'll say, "unsavory characters" who called the street outside our door their home, and wouldn't let us pass without hassle. That's okay, we needed to save our energy anyways for the next 4 full days we had planned. Here are some photos from our full day exploring Rome.

Spring flowers on the Spanish steps

Spanish steps of Rome

The Trevi fountain, where we each tossed in a coin over our shoulder for good luck.

Roman ruins galore.

Rome was exciting, busy, and filled with fascinating history, but I was beginning to tire out from days of non-stop travel, and going everywhere with my 45 lb backpack, so to me, Rome was kind of overwhelming. I don't think I gave it a fair shot, being as tired, and far along into to trip as I was, so a return trip is definitely in the cards.
Since we had 4 days of travel by train that we had already purchased for the Interrail pass, we wanted to make full use of them, so the next day, we took a trip south to Sorrento, with a stop in Naples.
Naples wasn't such a charming city, we pretty much knew not to have high expectations, but since we were passing through and had to switch trains there, we figured we should check it out for a couple of hours, and maybe try some of that famous pizza. So that's exactly what we did. We went straight to to tourism office, said we have 1 hour, and we asked where the city's best pizza is. Without hesitation, they pointed to a spot on the map just 4 blocks away. We headed over, and with only knowing the street, and seeing 3 different pizzerias in a row, I knew exactly which one she had recommended us. There was a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant at the end of the street with a sign that read "Pizzeria Autentica", and from the looks of it, this place had been around for years. We walked inside to see about 5 tables, all totally full, and a staff of 4 old men, all at least 75, yelling back and forth in Italian. Luckily, a pair of businessmen were leaving as we entered, so we grabbed their table and then looked around for a clue on how to order. I had a feeling it was one of those places that require some secret code, or phrase to order properly, like "one smokin' Joe, hold the juice, extra bang", and I was very aware that however we ordered, we would stick out like store-bought pizza. Luckily, there was a menu behind a glass frame on the wall by our table. There was just one specialty, the Margherita Pizza, medium or large--nothing else. Well, you know that if there is just one item on the menu, and this place has been open for nearly 70 years, that it's gotta be pretty amazing. We looked around and saw entire families dining together, each with their own large pizza in front of them, going to town with a fork and a knife. Since we are untrained in the Italian art of stuffing an entire pizza down for lunch and then continuing a day of sight-seeing, we settled on sharing a large one. It came out 5 minutes later, and let me tell you, it was made with dough, tomato sauce, cheese, basil, and a whole lot of love, expertise, and passion for the art of pizza making. Best. Pizza. Ever. My pizza quota has forever been met, and any other slice after this experience would be a let down. I bow before the pizza gods, and with a satisfied belly, whisper "Amen".

We waddled out of the pizzeria to see a line of at least 30 reaching the end of the block, everyone waiting for their chance at a slice of heaven. With 30 minutes to spare, we tried to see what else we could fit into our time in Naples. Well, the city itself was quite dirty, with their problems with garbage collection, it all builds up on the street.

But, we quickly found the Duomo, and it was a hidden treasure. It was the most beautiful cathedral I have ever seen before. There were maybe 2 other people inside when we went, and the ceiling art work was simply stunning. Here are some photos:

So after the Duomo, we hurried back to the train station, and on towards our next stop: Sorrento. The train ride was long, and on what was basically an old metro car, but the views we unbeatable as we scaled the coast, and followed the bay south of Rome to where we got a perfect look back at Mt. Vesuvius. 

When we got to Sorrento, the views only got better. The town was adorable, and right on the water. We walked through small alley-ways, markets, shops, and along the cliffs, soaking up every sight we could. Here are some shots:

That afternoon we had to catch the train back to Naples, and then back to Rome, and although our time in Sorrento was short, it added another dimension to our trip and some of the most stunning views I have ever seen. 

The next day, our last in Italy, was spent in Vatican City. This is one place that I have wanted to visit for years, I have seen countless photos of the cathedral and the square in front, and couldn't wait to be standing there myself, looking up. It was the day before the beatification of Pope John Paul II, bringing him into Sainthood, and the square was filled to the brim with all types of people. There were monks, nuns, priests, and religious followers, many of which had made the trek from Poland for the special day. (Pope John Paul II was Polish). It made it a little harder getting into the cathedral, in fact, it was about an hour and a half in a long queue that wrapped around the square, and it happened to be raining all day, but it was still a neat experience just to people-watch and see all of the excitement and devotion of the people around us, preparing for the ceremony. Here are some pictures:

Sea of umbrellas.

We finally got inside, to what is the world's largest cathedral. It was so majestic. Or shall I say expensive.  They stopped short of nothing to make this cathedral the most impressive in Europe. From the gold incrusted ceilings, to the giant stained glass windows, this design was a far cry from simple. There were so many people jammed in side shoving and using their elbows to weave around people that I couldn't stay inside for long, and although it was quite entertaining watching nuns snag photos with their cell phones, after taking a few of my own, I made a beeline it to the exit.

Next stop: the Sistine Chapel! Last year at UCSC I took an art history class, and wrote my final, 20-page paper on the restoration of the Chapel over the years, and through this I had to examine the detail and significance of each panel, so I was quite excited to be seeing in myself in person. 

We had to go basically through the entire museum before getting to the chapel, behind hoards of visitors and tourist groups who would stop every two seconds, but the ceiling art and wall paintings before actually getting to the Chapel were really beautiful.

And then we entered the Sistine Chapel...

It was tricky to get photos since it is technically illegal, anf there is an old man who yells the entire time "NO PHOTO." But, it's close to impossible to enforce, and I made sure not to use the flash. Anyways, after the chapel, we went back out to face the rain. We had quite a bit of time to kill, so we wandered around the streets of the Vatican, looking for an inviting cafe. After lunch, we wandered some more, and I went into a coffee shop to get a coffee to go. You think after living here for nearly a year, I would get used to how they do coffee here, but it still makes me laugh. This is what I got when I asked for a cup of coffee to go...

A shot of espresso in a Dixie cup...what would Starbucks say.

Next blog: Emily and Victor's visit to Spain!!!!

I am leaving for Portugal ina  few hours for the weekend, so when I get home, I'll catch up on blogging and get up to date. I hope you are all doing well!!!!

Love, Meghan