Experiencing the Best of Andalusia with my Family
Hai friends! I'm back talking about my adventure in Portugal and Spain (mostly Spain right now), and boy, do I have some exciting stories to share with you!
It had been ages since my family and I had a chance to get together for a vacation (circa 2021), so this trip was extra special. Picture this: me, my mom, her husband Ralph, and my awesome, funny sister Taylor, all on this incredible journey together. Supes excited.
One of the things that had me particularly thrilled was the fact that I've been learning Spanish for the past three years. So, exploring Spain meant I could finally put my language skills to the test. And from the moment we landed, I was eager to dive into the local culture and show off my newfound language prowess. Okay, that’s probably a lot more confident than I actually felt…
But before we go into that, let me take you back to my high school days of yore (LOL). My family used to host exchange students, and one of them was JC from Portugal. Our first one, actually. It's been years since we last saw each other, so you can only imagine the excitement of our reunion. The nostalgia was real! (Cue the nostalgic, slo-mo montage)
Now, about the planning. Weeks before our departure, our group was knee-deep in discussions, trying to figure out the best way to make the most of our time in Spain. We met weekly, brainstorming ideas, and organizing every aspect of the trip. I'm a bit of a planner, you see (maybe an understatement…). Having a solid itinerary makes me feel like I'm in control, even though traveling with a group can be nerve-wracking. But hey, a little pre-trip preparation never hurt anyone, right?
As luck would have it, JC and my sister arrived a day earlier than I did. They wasted no time in soaking up the local vibes and having a blast. Definitely not jealous or anything like that. When I did finally arrive, I joined them, and let me tell you, the joy of seeing all of us together again was so overwhelming that my eyes were sweating. It felt like high school all over again! But better, obviously.
Our adventure kicked into high gear the next morning, fueled by coffee and a relentless desire to explore. First on the agenda: renting a car to take us from Madrid to Granada. Now, here's where things got interesting. Yours truly decided to take charge of finding a car rental place and making the reservation. Little did I know, my rusty phone conversation skills and the language barrier would make it a hilarious struggle. Hilarious in retrospect, in the moment it felt more akin to panic. Thank goodness the car rental salesperson was so patient on the other end tried to understand my broken Spanish.
We finally secured the car and hit the road to Granada. There was also a local lunch spot that we had to stop at because we’ve got to watch our blood sugar levels and make sure to take in all the yummy foods of the region as we could.
Finally settled in, we decided to treat ourselves to dinner at a cave restaurant. Even though the menus were in Spanish, and we didn’t know what we were ordering, what came out of the kitchen was a surprise. A very delicious surprise that went very well with the wine. After dinner, the emotion-filled flamenco performance that followed left us in awe.
Sadly, the next morning, my mom and Ralph had to head back to Madrid but not before enjoying a beautiful tea and desserts. Our time together was short , but almost as sweet as our breakfast that morning. I'm grateful they got to experience the magic of Madrid and fulfill my mom's dream of seeing Flamenco dancers and catching up with JC.
Throughout the trip, I quickly learned that not everything goes according to plan. Unexpected twists and turns became a part of our adventure. But you know what? Embracing the chaos and going with the flow made the journey all the more exciting. It's like they say, "Life is what happens when you're busy making plans." But like… it’s only my motto when I’m in the midst of chaos, obviously. Hee hee
Now, friends, this is just a glimpse of the amazing time we had in Portugal, España, and Granada. There's so much more to share, but I don't want to overwhelm you in one go. Stay tuned for the next in this series, about our extra day in Granada and the wild, unplanned adventures throughout the next leg of the trip.
