The Best of Iberia

Transitions can be a great thing indeed.  After I put down my soft pretzel at Berlin's airport, sadly leaving it behind and contemplating the tragedy of not having another one until the Sabrett vendor in New York, Ben and I boarded our EasyJet flight to Madrid.  To be honest, I had no idea what to expect from Spain.  Well, I soon found out what a brilliant place it is.

Unlike Berlin, which had a somewhat chilly spell when I was there along with a very Berlin-ish drizzle, Madrid greeted us with bright sunshine.  Even at 9 PM.  We popped out of the Metro at Puerto del Sol, and soon saw that 9 PM is only when Madrileños start getting going.  After checking into our hostel, which overlooked the main square in Madrid (aka AMAZING) we went out for our first night's meal.  What followed was four days of hanging out with Ben in Madrid and enjoying the heat and beauty of one of Europe's truly brilliant cities.  The arcitecture here oozes character (the kind that every Plaza in Florida tries desperately to emulate) and the bricked streets weave in and out in the meandering and casual way in which all people in Spain seem to walk.  We got to discover the ins and outs of the Chueca area, where the streets come alive each night with a giant party (drinking on the streets is legal in Spain).  We also filled the daytime with a visit to the Prado art gallery, housing some of Europe's most treasured artworks.  One day was spent outside the city in a little medieval town called Toledo, which encapsulated everything you could ever want out of a quaint Spanish village on a hill.  Including lots and lots of old churches.  Lots.

Two of the most famous, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali, have used the amazing physical beauty of the setting, the turquoise waters and magnificent cliffsides, as inspiration for their works of art.

I bid Ben a sad goodbye early in the morning on 31 July as he threw himself into a taxi, after having been out all night.  What a good sport.  Four hours later, I met up with Christian, who had just come in from Beirut.  Including a venue change to the Radisson Blu Hotel in Madrid, I got to go through even more of Madrid's sites.  Not to mention, I got the chance to catch up with Christian after a far too large interval of not seeing him.

Following two more days' of walking around Madrid, Christian and I boarded a flight to the Canary Islands, off the coast of Morocco.  Part of Spain, they also represent the ideal holiday for about 10,000 Europeans annually.  And what a special lot of Europeans they are too.  We quickly discovered what this massive influx of Europeans can do to local culture, by visiting the Yumbo Centre, a massive shopping centre that has about 30 restaurants offering the same freezer-packaged food for consumption by citizens from all nationalities, none of it being Spanish or local in any definition.  Depressed by the void of culture on the first night, we went up to the town of Las Palmas on the second night and found exactly what we were looking for: A quaint little restaurant (La Veronica) that served up brilliant local food along with amazing Spanish wine.

Leaving the islands with a brilliant tan, we got on a plane three days later to head back to mainland Spain, but this time to Barcelona.  Taking in the world of Gaudi (the famous architect responsible for many of Barcelona's best sites), we went all over the town to see some of the most spectacular architectural representations of an artist's vision.  The Sagrada Familia, one of the world's most unique cathedrals, is still in the process of being constructed, and contains exquisite stained glass housed by a truly astounding cathedral.  Yesterday, Christian and I headed out to the coastal town of Cadaqués, which has served as a home for artists for the past century.  Two of the most famous, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali, have used the amazing physical beauty of the setting, the turquoise waters and magnificent cliffsides, as inspiration for their works of art.

Tonight is my last night in Europe for a month.  Tomorrow, I head stateside for a month of seeing friends and family, a trip long overdue.  First stop, Atlanta: Home of CNN, Coke, and (most importantly in my world) Chick-fil-A.  Brilliant.