From Madrid to Barcelona | Spain

So I am going a tad out of order on this post, skipping ahead to 2004 and my trip after I graduated high school, but have no fear, I shall go back in time soon and post on those adventures once I can locate the pictures that accompany them! So onwards to one of my favorite countries, and trips. After graduation a group of us that were in the National Spanish Honor Society (I know, we have now fully established my level of dorkiness) went on a trip with our teacher (one of the coolest men I have ever known) to visit from Madrid to Barcelona for a couple of weeks. One of the best decisions I’ve ever made!

We started our journey in Madrid, and made our way through several little towns including Toledo, Salamanca, and several others, ending our time in Barcelona. I took seven levels of Spanish courses in high school, so I was rather prepared for the language barrier and extremely excited to expand my knowledge of the history of this gorgeous country. We visited museums, historic squares, ruins, and so many other “educational” type tours, but more than that, we experienced the country. We traveled by train (much like the Hogwarts Express indeed) visited night clubs with floors upon floors of different themes, road a party boat, saw a bull fight. We dined on local cuisine, sipped sangria, and simply lived life the way of the Spaniards in each city we stopped in. We even ate at a Hard Rock Cafe, which much differed form my previous experience abroad 🙂 Such an incredible experience. I long to go back. To show my husband where we ventured, and cross the borders to Portugal and France as well.

Traveling is such an intensely bonding experience. I had learned this in my travels previously, but this was one of the trips that began to solidify that. One of the other girls on the trip was one of my dear friends from high school, and I love that we were able to share that experience together. One of friends taped the experience and gave us all a copy of the VHS (I know – goodness, I feel old! haha) and watching it recently just brought back so many hilarious and fond memories of such a wonderful opportunity.

Little did I know how much this concept would shape one of my closest friendships to this day that was molded during a journey after undergrad. Thankful to look back on how traveling across this world has infiltrated so many aspects of my life!

Spain Group 2004