Valencia. I'd say it's my second favorite city in Spain to Barcelona. Just like my current hood, it has such a varied ambiance. There's a city center that is clean and regal, a charming old area filled with history, serene parks, and a symbolic bridge that crosses over to what might be the coolest looking futuristic town I've ever seen. You know a city is truly magnificent when, even through a day of rain, its beauty shines through. The most surprising part of the trip was the new bonding with old friends, that taught me things I never knew about myself, both good and bad. That's the best kind of knowledge though, isn't it? When it's imparted unintentionally, and catches you completely off guard. Weaving through our pasts, I had a sudden thought that I blurted out before even digesting it - a thousand "what ifs" will never add up to "what is." I couldn't tell you how I pulled that out of my butt (sorry, too many endocrine system references), but it's something I'd like to live by.
Portugal was so different than any of my trips thusfar. First of all, I've never felt such strong emotions towards a language. I didn't understand how people loved the way a language sounded, until I heard Portuguese. To me, it is literally the perfect combination between Spanish and French. What makes it even sexier is how it transforms from what's written on the page to what is spoken - like a beautiful mystery you have to decode.
We were able to navigate ourselves around Lagos within a day (which is saying a lot for my directionally-challenged self) but it was too stunning to get bored of. Climbing through the beach caves and marveling at the city's point was my favorite. I went from being amazed at manmade, totally funky buildings in Valencia to being reminded of the most skilled architect of all - Mother Nature. How these rocks formed with so many colors and such a striking appearance is beyond me. Knowing nothing about this area of science, I found myself jealous of those who were acquainted with such a marvelous process. In cases like this, Ross is right - Geology Rocks!
Lisbon made me feel comfortable. Like a livable, lovable city that hugged me as I walked around. I couldn't place my finger on how I was feeling or why, which was a new sensation for me, but I just let it happen. I realized one of things I will miss the most about these travels is not having a plan. Just spontaneously plopping myself into a place, getting lost, stumbling on something beautiful, and feeling it. No schedules, no goals, no explanations. For me, it's where being a tourist ends and being a resident (albeit a temporary resident), begins.
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