From Italian to Spanish

My adventure oughta be illegal it has been so magical.

Cinque De Terra in Italy is maybe what heaven looks like. Church bells ringing, hikes through the mountains, and an old woman named Maria who would touch my shoulder and smile at me each morning.

After a night train ride shared with a Spanish mother and daughter ...50 and 80 years old...I watched the daughter tuck her mother in the tiny bed cabin and awoke to the streets of Barcelona. I stayed in the Gothic District central to everything and wandered around the city for a few days. Gaudi was a brilliant architect. His shapes and ability to relate to nature just allows you to flow through his creations. I witnessed a wedding in the Santa Maria cathedral and felt a tear slowly fall to the ground. The church service in the main cathedral was insane. I couldn’t understand a word, but was able to participate with greeting others. Another sunset and then another night train to Malaga where I soaked up the beach.

Even though Malaga is a port town, I found it to be quite charming. I found exercise equipment right on the beach one morning when I went for a run and locals were wearing jeans and pumping iron. Strange, but free and open to the public just like it should be.

Traveling by car, I ventured into the country where white villages were everywhere. Ronda, an adorable town that sits on a hill, reminded me of Greece and how I felt there...at peace. These villages usually have a bridge that connects the old town to the new town. Ended up in Vejar de la Fonterra where I stayed the night, ate paella and listened to sweet instrumental music playing the Beatles while overlooking the valley. Vejer is one of the most enchanting of the white towns with crenellated walls and ancient whitewashed houses. I drove through cotton, sunflower and cereal country with signs off to sherry towns so I had to stop and glad I did.

From hostals to four star hotel, I stayed in Conil de la Fonterra for two nights and splurged on a massage, a pool overlooking the sea, and total relaxation. Hilltop to ocean air was exactly what I needed then. This idea was the best I had yet. Although the massage in Spain is much different in the US...talking full frontal and it was totally out of my element.

I felt like La Pincoya. The story goes that she appears on the beach and looks out to the sea when the fish will be plentiful. I also realized that it is much better to disregard the GPS rental and be your own navigation system. Fountains with mermaids blowing water from pipes, layers of rock in the country, cows grazing and the black night sea hissing on the sand. Next, Sevilla, where I am at currently. Ate at a real Bodega and enjoyed the insanity. Here, the night is flourishing with light and tonight I am going to have a date with my tripod. Tomorrow I meet up with Lucia...a sweet girl finishing here studies in Medicine...and we’ll drive around the area here while gossiping and laughing.

The way life should be...