vacance d'automne en espagne

Madrid

Upon my arrival in Madrid I was met immediately by my cousin Maggie and a bottle of wine. We hopped on the metro and headed to her friend's apartment for a party. It was fun to try communicating in Spanish, a language I haven't spoken in over four years. It's sad! Because five years ago I was near fluent in Peru! I definitely want to start practicing more. I realize it's a little bit difficult to do that in European countries, though, where so many people would rather speak good English with you than broken Spanish/French/German/etc.

                                        

Maggie and I spent our few days in Madrid sleeping, exploring, and sleeping again. We went to a cat cafe and a clothing market, where I bought a killer leather jacket. We spent one afternoon bar hopping through Madrid's tapas festival! Each bar offered a different tapas and a beer for only 2.50 euro!

Madrid reminded me a lot of New York. From the chinos that feel just like bodegas to the men dressed like Mickey Mouse in Puerta de Sol (Madrid's Times Square). It is big as it is busy, mad as it is metro. And like New York, there was an element of anonymity that I've been missing in Dakar. A freedom for the introvert, to get lost, walk back and forth down the same street a few times in a row, and not feel as though everyone is watching. No one cares. And although it doesn't sound immediately desirable, I find that in solitude there is calm, especially for a New Yorker.

                                     

I'm not sure if this cultural difference is an ample explanation, but it's possible that my anonymity played a role in my getting robbed on the metro on my way to see A Star is Born!!!!! Maybe it's that. Or maybe the way my always eyes set, confused and approachable. Or maybe it's my loud english on a spanish train. Or this one particular guy on this one car. Either way, needless to say, I was really pissed. Thankfully, I didn't have a lot of cash in my wallet and I was able to cancel my cards quickly.

Getting robbed sucks. This isn't my first time! However, it does have a way of setting your priorities straight. Reminds you what is and is not replaceable. For example, my license? Replaceable. Library card? Replaceable. Credit card? Better off gone--I mean--replaceable. But the friends who checked in, sent me love, and even venmo payments? IRREPLACEABLE. LOVE YOU BBS.

Overall, Madrid is a beautiful city. There is so much to do! It is alive and well, brimming with culture and tinto and tapas. I would love to go back :)

Road to Asturias

My mom got to Madrid on Wednesday and we took off for Northern Spain. The views along the way were indescribable, really, so I'll post photos/videos later. The trip was supposed to be 4 hours with one stop in Burgos, but in typical Torpie Time™fashion, it ended up taking much longer. One wrong turn in Burgos and we ended up stuck in between a long string of cars and an entryway with no password to a residential neighborhood. Shit. Ultimately, we were able to back up enough to let the car behind us go through and drive fast enough to get through behind him. In retrospect that's fucking hilarious and so very very Torpie. Thanks to this detour we only had enough time to order burgers and eat them in the car. Stuffing our faces we decided this was meant to be. Must be part of some larger divine plan. MUST be. Anyway, it gave us a reason to laugh.

Our hotel was located on top of a mountain and it closed at 11. We were 2 hours away at 10 pm in a valley when we realized it wasn't going to work out, so we called the hotel across the street and made a second reservation. Classic. Our trek up the mountain was dark, steep, and windy. And we couldn't believe we were managing. Above us stars were so bright, so clear, they twinkled.

So, that's how I spent Halloween night this year.

Fuente Dé// Picos de Europa// Potes

In the morning light we were able to see what we'd missed the night before. We were surrounded by snow-capped mountains, dying leaves alive with color. We had a fabulous breakfast at the hotel, stole a few water bottles, and headed toward the ski lifts.

The lift up to the top of the mountain was blue-tinted and exhilarating! I'm so happy I'm not bothered by heights! I used to spend a lot of time in the mountains in upstate New York. However, because of college, it's been difficult for me to get up there in recent years. I'd forgotten the clarity they bring. The way the air tastes when you reach the top-- too thin to take for granted. So you breathe deeply and always, something I rarely do here at sea level.

After Picos de Europa  we went to Potes, the most pictaresque town I've ever seen, just outside of Fuente Dé for lunch. We took photos, bought scarves, drank tinto, and ordered enough food for the waiter to insist we drop something. Lol.

In Potes you could hear cowbells ring.

Llames de Pria// Llanes 

On the road again, we headed toward Llames de Pria for a gorgeous cliff view of the ocean. Unsurprisingly, we got a little lost along the way (which isn't so bad when everything is so pretty), but it did set us back.

                                    

We got to the cliff when it was already dark, but it was still pretty incredible. The ocean beneath us was roaring, and apparently it was only low tide! I'm always amazed by water. We left shortly after arriving because we needed to check in to our next hotel and hit Llanes for cider!

Los Cubos de la Memoria// Santa Cueva de Covadonga// Peunte Romano de Cangas de Onís

We spent the next morning at Los Cubos de la Memoria, a beautiful art installation on the water. This was amazing to see, but it really had me thinking about tourism in the digital age. I feel like it's become harder to do touristy things that aren't activity based. When all there is to do is look, my instinct is to take my phone out an take photos. Once that's done it feels like the "activity" has been completed. There's a "now what" in the air, and I worry I'm not soaking it all in. That's just an observation I had. It really was a wonderful stop <3

Next, we went to Santa Cueva de Covadonga, a church inside of a cave above a waterfall. It was GORGEOUS. Nature is crazy! Maggie, my mom, and I lit candles and, running short on time, headed back to the car, which was parked in a lot down a very steep hill. 

On our walk down to the car, we saw a woman backing down the exit, instead of driving up. We helped her down but also talked a little shit like why wouldn't she just drive up. Theeeeeeeennnnn we figured it out. We started driving up and out and lost traction halfway through--it was raining and the drive was covered in wet leaves. We backed down and drove around for momentum. We realized we'd need to get a head start. This was hard to do with idiots like us walking down the middle of the road. Maggie and I jumped out and started asking people in broken Spanish to move to the side, "Wet road! Car go fast!" 

We stood at the top as my mom revved the engine and slammed the pedal. We jumped up and down and cheered her on! She slowed to the top but made it, continuing fast on flat road. Maggie and I chased the car. It was hilarious and exhilarating because nobody understood what was happening. 

Finally, we went to the bridge, peunte, in Cangas. This century old bridge invites countless visitors each year to the town. We got lunch and bought tons of cheese, wine, and meats for our sleep over later :) 

Slumber Party Fun Time// Oviedo

We spent our last night eating bleu cheese and some other obscure type, both very smelly, both very potent, especially when the cute room service guy came to drop off our salads. Lol. We drank wine and watched Grace & Frankie and I felt so lucky to have family. In particular, to have family I feel so able to be myself around. To talk to freely, to laugh with, to drunkenly dance in front of. I can't verbalize how blessed I feel. Like, I've tried.

The next morning we went to Oviedo, which is an old town surrounded by a giant wall that was built to protect the villagers from the Moors a long long time ago. We didn't have much time, so we sort of just strolled along hoping to soak it in quickly. 

Then we got so so lucky! We ended up in a square with music and dancers just before their performance! It was a perfect way to end our trip: spontaneous, random, and ever so picture-perfect. 

                                     

Road Home

I get so emotional towards the ends of things. It's like i have this inability to not feel everything at once. It's a pre-mature nostalgia that usually has me looking out the window, feeling like I'm in a movie someone else wrote.

My mom has always done this thing where she reaches her hand to the backseat while driving. My grandpa does it, too, so that may be where she got it from. I know it's an invitation to hold. This time, I looked down at the hand I held, just like mine but a little bit older.

I felt like I was going to cry! Life is so so so full! And in that moment, so was I!

Is it possible to look out of a car window and not consider the passage of time, either too fast or too slow? The white stripes: spaces in between or their blending together?

I find both wisdom and naivety in this fixation with time. Today it feels like driving along a winding mountain road. It is one of those things that will be fine so long as you keep looking straight ahead.