This weekend was a time for rest and relaxation, sprinkled with a few charming afternoons with wonderful people - as you can see from the picture above of Bea, me, and mi Carlita! On Saturday morning I decided to sleep very late, seeing as how I got home quite late that night. Then, around 1 in the afternoon, I piled into Paco's car with Loli (I hope I'm spelling that right...), and Carla, and Bea followed us in her car to El Campello, a perfectly pleasant, small beach pueblo located just outside Alicante.
We walked along the beach for a while, the sand so soft to the touch, and I stretched my eyes over the horizon and thought about where I was on the map. Here I am looking out into the Mediterranean, looking east, to lands I've never seen. How magical! Picked up a few rocks and shell from the beach to remember the trip by...
We window shopped, then sat down for a delicious lunch at a local restaurant. Complete with salad and cheese to share, then un plato of fresh swordfish and patatas fritas (french fries, pretty much), and a cafe con leche to finish.
Can I just say that I love the way the Spanish do their coffee? It's incredibly strong, which is lovely, but it's also very tasty with milk. I would NEVER put milk in my coffee in the States, but here, it's actually a dream! And it's always served in a small cup with something just a little bit sweet on the side - so picturesque! And did I mention that it always tastes incredible? Well, it does!
Returned from El Campello in the afternoon and took a long siesta before going out for a bit. Walked through the golden-lit streets for about an hour and then retired to my apartment before it was too late. Opened the doors to both balconies, and spent the night listening to the sounds of the street below.
Then on Sunday, Jennifer and Luke (and Diego, their beautiful son) came to pick me up in la Plaza de Toros to go to the castle that looms over Alicante. We were met there by Manolo, his wife, and two adorable children. We climbed and climbed up the brown, rocky side of this mountain and the view from the top was absolutely breathtaking. Clear, blue ocean painted across the whole of your vision - smooth water, inviting water reminding you that you are small. So beautiful.
The desert mountains stood tall and strong in the distance, almost like guardians to this beautiful city; like they could be called to arms and draw swords at any sight of an enemy. Strange how majestic mountains seem to silence my soul...
Luke took this picture of me at the top of the castle looking down on Alicante. What a privilege it is to gaze from these heights, and to be accompanied by such people, who seem to guide me with cheer and kindness beyond my explanation.
I'm always grateful for how traveling pulls me out of myself and gives me a new perspective on everything: the world, myself, my relationships, my work, my future, and my past. Seeing brand new things for the first time makes you feel like a child on Christmas morning, when you have no idea what's in store for you under the tree, in those packages, but whatever is inside, you know it's going to both surprise and invigorate you.
I leave you with a quote from Elizabeth Gilbert, who wrote "Eat, Pray, Love." I know, cheesy, right? Well, she said it perfectly:
She writes, “…traveling is the great true love of my life...I am loyal and constant in my love for travel, as I have not always been loyal and constant in my other loves... —I just don’t care what it puts me through. Because I adore it. Because it’s mine. Because it looks exactly like me.”
Vale?
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