Since I last wrote, I feel as though I have travelled the length and breadth of Spain. In fact only the first of these is true. Road tripping around Spain is a great way to see the country, but you really clock up the miles, and you can kiss goodbye to any extra money you'd stashed away, as most motorways charge you a hefty sum of money just for the pleasure of driving down them.
So, I left you last when I had just arrived in Barcelona. There I spent a hectic four days attempting to absorb as much culture as I could. I saw the Joan Miro museum, the Picasso museum and almost everything Gaudi ever designed — I saw it all. I spent my mornings jogging along the beach, the days wandering around galleries and the nights trekking to find the coolest tapas bars. Barcelona never stops; it's so vibrant and colourful that you just keep going from dawn until dusk. But, by the time we packed up and started the long down to Valencia, Barcelona had exhausted me. We vowed to steer clear of museums for a day. We failed miserably, but I found another way to regain my energy: ice-cream.
When I reminisce about Valencia it will always remind me of spectacularly good gelato — you know those big, overflowing colourful tubs of flavours such as ferrero roche and pistachio they have on touristy stretches of road. It will also remind me of huge steaming bowls of paella, sticky pastries and sweet orange juice. If I can still do my jeans up by the end of the month it will be no small miracle.
Now, my travel partner and I have made our way to Granada via a sleepy little white village near Malaga where my dad lives.
From the tiny glimpse I have seen of the city today, Granada has a very bohemian feel to it. Backpackers rub shoulders with trendy snowboarders, and everyone has overstyled hair cut in asymmetric shapes. Best of all, the little alleyways are crammed full of shops stocking one of my favourite things after ice-cream: jewellery. I expect to leave Spain a lot blingier than I arrived.
As with any good holiday destination, I am picturing myself living here. I thought the same about Istanbul. But even if I don't decide to move here then it's certainly made my "To Do" list longer. Before I go on, I must explain my obsession with being "accomplished". I read a lot of Jane Austen, and was captivated by her description of a woman as "accomplished". Since then, that is what I have strived for. I want to be one of those people who does lots of things well. To me, it would be the highest of compliments to be described in that term.
So, my "To Do" list has grown in Spain. I want to learn Spanish (It would be nice to be able to do more than ask for an orange juice and the bill), I want to play the harp (I was reminded of this childhood dream by a harp-shaped building I saw in Valencia — I love the idea of being an eccentric old lady who plays the harp for my house guests), and most importantly, I realised that I don't want to be tied down.
I have enjoyed so much this travelling from city to city without booking hotels, without knowing what tomorrow will bring and without ever once being bored. Life looks so exciting from Granada!