The first thing we noticed, almost immediately upon our arrival into Madrid, was that traveling within Spain is very different than traveling in Italy. The Spaniards actually have schedules for their various modes of transporation and they are relatively reliable! Maybe that's why the train tickets cost an arm and a leg. Regardless. Un punto para Espana! This eases some anxiety and ponderings on whether or not we'd actually make it to the cities we planned to visit. Bonus points: even 2nd class train ticket holders get a designated seat! No more 4 hour 'standing room only' train rides for this classy couple.
Another valuable take-away is that the first meal in a foreign country is often the most frustrating and unenjoyable meal of the entire trip. When else are you supposed to discover that water only comes in bottles (often more expensive than wine), or that you will most certainly be charged for the bread basket they put on your table (whether you eat it or not). How about finding out that the tip/service charge IS included in the bill after you've left a few extra euro, thinking the service was less than average but you had to leave something. Oh and the 4x4 squares of toilet paper scrunched into a silver dispenser, sitting on your tiny table? Napkins. Good luck indulging in greasy tapas without going through at least half the stack. Remember, these aren't complaints, I'm not whining about having to bounce around from bodega to bodega, experiencing a foreign country through its rich cuisine. They're merely musings to note, and be tucked away as FYI's for future meals abroad!
An obvious necessary adjustment when visiting Spain (at least if you want to experience Spanish culture at all) is the lifestyle. You'll be hard pressed to find locals racing out the door, stopping at the nearest cafe for their morning coffee, and getting into work before 8 or even 9am. Stabucks opening at 6am to make sure nobody starts their day without the necessary caffeine jolt? Not here. Late to rise and even later to rest is the M-O in Spain. They also take their siestas very seriously. While wandering through the shopping district in Seville, bummed to find 95% of the stores closed for the daily siesta we keep blocking out, we are excited to find one lonely delicatessen open and thought "wow, they must be hard workers!" After 7 minutes of debating which type of olives to buy, they abruptly turned the lights off on us. Just a friendly way of saying "Get the hell out of here, we need to go take a nap and have a drink before coming back to work!" Duly noted.
Madrid, which we bookend-ed our trip with, really felt a lot like Rome but without as many historical landmarks. A big, bustling city, it felt a little stale without the Spanish charm I was hoping for. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty to see and do in this Spanish mecca of 3.3 million people. Fortunately, we took the leap and tried another 'airbnb' accommodation which turned out to be an extremely pleasant and valuable cultural experience. Although we literally slept in a crawl space in the attic, our host and her adorable daughter fed us with local knowledge, tips, and the traditional Spanish breakfast of cafe con leche y tostada con marmalada.
Aside from scoping out the main hotspots of Madrid: a gory bullfight, people watching in the Plaza Mayor, the Royal Palace, the Prado museum, and a tour of Santiago Bernabeau Stadium (Real Madrid's home turf), we successfully sprinkled our 3 days in the capital with some tasty traditional tapas. After one very mediocre meal (said 1st meal upon arrival), we quickly learned that the street known as Cava Baja in La Latina neighborhood and the free-standing Mercado de San Miguel are the spots to go to mingle with the locals, indulge in (affordable!) tapas, and absorb the culture.
While I was content diving into a cheese plate meant for 5, Shawn embraced Spain through its cured meats and fresh fish tapas (jamon iberico, sardines, anchovies, squid, sea urchin and octopus), and we were in tapas heaven. Even the 'Huevos Rotos' (pile of french fries topped with over-easy eggs, sprinkled with serrano ham) turned out to be a crowd pleaser. As if these tapas weren't heavy enough, the classic treat of chocolate and churros is enough to immobilize you and send you into a sweet deep sleep. Despite the lack of Spanish charm and enough sight-seeing to keep one with a slight case of A.D.D. (moi) interested, our palates were satisfied and we were eager for more!
Thinking that a few days in the Costa del Sol would be all the rejuvenation we'd need, we headed South to Malaga, regardless of not knowing a thing about it and never hearing a recommendation or raving review. A tourist destination full of modern shops, enchanting narrow winding streets, and a 'walking mall' that lined the coast, Malaga feels like a combination of Florida and the island of Palma de Mallorca. Warm(er) weather, bronze skin, yachts filling the harbor, and an overall laid back feel. Since the most beautiful and well known Costa del Sol beaches lie west of Malaga, we didn't spend much time lounging on the beach. The lack of major attractions (aside from the Cathedral and Alcazaba) and disappointingly lack of notable eats, left us a bit underwhelmed and hungry for something to explore (see?! Hawaii would've been a bad choice)! Low and behold, a self-guided day trip to the UK territory of Gibraltar filled that void (and gave us half a day break from stammering Spanish words that don't exist).
A massive rock decorating Spain's southern tip and pointing to Northern Africa is basically what Gibraltar is made up of. Similar to the likes of, say, Mackinac Island in Michigan, Gibraltar appears to be a miniature town made for (and depending on) tourism. British pubs, duty free shops, wild monkeys running around, and a cable car that provides a view from the top of the rock into Morocco, are the main attractions and can really only fill half a day. Do make sure, however, to leave ample time for arriving and departing this British oasis. A walk across the airport runway and a line to go through customs (don't forget your passport!) may set you back a good half hour so plan accordingly.
Although Malaga was a nice little retreat, we were eager to dive back into some more authentic Spanish culture and cuisine, and Seville served it all on a beautiful ceramic platter. With bottomless Sangria pitchers, a labyrinth that could keep you wandering for days, and stunning ceramics speckling the city, falling in love with Seville was effortless. Maybe because the size of Seville seemed more manageable than that of Madrid, or because some streets were so quaint and narrow that you had to plaster yourself against the wall to allow the occasional car to drive by; whatever it was about the city that pulled at our heart strings, we wanted to soak it all in, just short of applying for a Visa and cancelling our flight home.
While I'd rather sit in a busy plaza and people watch for days on end than take in historical landmarks mentioned in the latest Fodor's Travel Book, I politely conformed to the 'Tourist Code of Conduct' and took in some recommended sites. Humbled and in awe, I cannot describe nor emphasize enough, the beauty and sheer greatness of the Plaza de Espana. No questions allowed. Go see it. In the same realm, the Cathedral in Seville is an architectural phenomenon and absolutely a must-see in my book. Meander across the Rio Guadalquivir into the neighborhood of Triana where the number of ceramics workshops quite possibly out numbers the population of Triana itself, and load up on classic Spanish plates, tiles, mugs and platters to take home.
Seville's cuisine also ranked high on our foodie scale. There seemed to be a wider variety of meatless tapas offered, from marinated peppers, spinach and chickpeas, to Spanish tortillas and patatas bravas. Oh and the seafood paella? We would have swam in it if we could have. Delicioso! A generous daily nightcap of Sangria or vino was a welcomed sleeping agent as our bodies still couldn't figure out the difference between night and day. Naturally, as we were really getting into the Spanish groove, it was time to take that last sip of Sangria and say 'hasta luego, Espana'.
As we set out on our last trek to the airport at 6:45am, still groggy and unprepared for the 17 hour travel day ahead, the streets were sprinkled with stumbling yet giddy locals just starting to make their way home after the usual Friday night out. We may not have had the energy to take on the Spanish lifestyle in full force, but we gave it a solid shot and will be that much more prepared when we visit again. Sure we could've laid under a straw hut while getting massages on the beach in Hawaii, but we can do that when we're retired and have really earned the relaxation credits. For now, what a way to kick off a lifetime of adventures together, take the bull by the horns, and dive in!
