The Iberian Tales

Once upon a time,

Back in the end of December 2018, there lived an I imbecile boy saying that his "rEsIGnATIoN m4RkeD ThE eND oF 2o!8". Well that stupid guy knew nothing much about his own life, as the milestone didn't really mark the end of that year. No, not even close.

Because little did he know, little DID I know, that the trip following my resignation would turn out to be the yearend's highlight.

I B E R I A   2 0 1 8

Yes, I made it.

Spain, oh mi dios! I've been learning the language for years -though on and off, hot and cold, cheering for its national team for some times, dreaming of visiting its amazing cities, savoring its finger-lickin-good foods, and I finalmente actually freaking made it!

And the timing couldn't be more perfect. A year end trip to celebrate not only the uh, year end, but also to celebrate my freedom after working my ass off and bleeding at the agency for two and a half year straight!

That being said, I had all the time I wish to explore. Fvck those jatah cuti I've been crazy saving and strategically distributing throughout the year, fvck those dreads of getting permissions from my bosses, fvck those guilt for leaving my team to work, FUCK IT ALL HAHA! So yea I kinda lost it.

21 days, for God's sake.

21 fucking days, 3 countries (+2 transit countries), 6 cities (+3 transit cities LOL WTH!?), 10 flights (FUCK I JUST REALIZED HOW OUT OF HAND THIS WAS HAHA), 3 interstate and intercity trains, 1 ferry ride, 7 hotels and AirBnbs, LORD! I must admit that this was a fucking ambitious trip but HEY I DON'T CARE, I'M NOW FREE!

Those facts alone are just enough to make this trip THAT fantastic eh? Well, as ambitious as this trip was, the answer is no -- there were lots more spectacular stuff happened during the trip.

The Itinerary

It began with Barcelona. Gosh, even typing the name makes me feel good. Now can you imagine how I felt to start this amazing trip here? THAT Barcelona, with its beautiful Gaudi things here and there, with its strong Catholic vibes, its ultra-giant-world-class football team, and its intriguing internal problems, oh how I couldn't believe myself throughout my stay. And to be here during Christmas, spending the day inside Sagrada Familia which soon would be the world's largest church, I don't know what else would be the best way to do this...

Then on to Lisbon. Western Europe's other giant. With its classic European beauty, its amazing histories about itself, about its exploration around the world, done by big names I usually just read in text books, then its vibrant seaside life, fish dishes, trams, hillsides, and pastries and on top of all, its OVERALL PORTUGUESE VIBES! Man I've been to Macao three fucking times already, exposed to the claims that they had the authentic Portuguese atmosphere but of course, it was nothing compared to the REAL visit to Portugal. It might only be five days, a rather short time to experience a whole country, but believe me, it was uncanny. I was so attracted to stay longer for the new year celebration, but I couldn't. Because I wouldn't ever miss the party in

Madrid. My next stop, and probably the one that left the biggest impression for the first leg of my trip. Because why, it's the capital. Okay Lisbon is too, but Spain is the bigger country. And so Madrid had it all. From history with its amazing buildings, squares, and old Toledo charms, to nature with its parks and hilltop views, then the city life, the night life, the sporting life with Spain's other gigantic football club, and finally the new year celebration that wrapped it all, WHOA! Someone please stop me otherwise I'll literally write second-by-second details of my visit to Madrid...

Okay the NY celebration was actually my last gig in Madrid -which details I'd tell later down below. Exactly the next day, first day of 2019, I moved to Cordoba, entering the second half of my Iberian Trip which would now be less Christian and more... Moslem. Seriously, I never thought I'd discover such strong Islamic vibe in the country so strong of Catholic that is Spain. Cordoba changed my whole perspective of the country, and during my stays there, I must admit that I felt like I wasn't in Spain at all. It was like a whole new world. Peaceful yet striking at some points. Serene yet keeping a very dark, breathtaking stories under its historical sleeve.

Just when I thought I was totally blown away by Cordoba, Seville resumed its sister city. This was yet another sweet Islamic surprise I really didn't anticipate at all prior my departure for Barcelona. Palm trees, sunshine, Arabic-like palaces complete with Islamic histories, all blended way too perfectly with typical European promenades and efficiency! And oh please don't get me started on the foods because I must say that this round was one of the best compared to the other cities!

Finally, it all ended in Marrakech. The real taste of an Arab world, with no more Spanish touch and European safety, because now I was in Africa. AFRICA, FOR WHOEVER'S GOD'S SAKES! This one turned out to be very emotional because, not only it marked the last stop of my trip -not so last, because after this I'd have to return to Seville only to catch the flight back to Barcelona, because that's where I'd fly back to Abu Dhabi AND NOW YOU KNOW WHY I HAD THE SUM OF 10 FLIGHTS IN THIS TRIP EH? :)- and not only because this was the fifth and final continent I had ever landed on, but also because the whole stay in Marrakech was so full of surprises that every corner seemed to be so freaking amazing! The souks, the tajines, the teas, the desert vibes and striking sunlight despite its winter wind, the modern sides I thought I'd never spot in an African country, the international tourists crawling about the place I thought would be dodgy, OH GOD STOP ME!

The Tours

Lol no, it's not that tour bureau where I was escorted here and there by a guide for my whole trip.  I will never want to engage with those. So by this "Tour" I meant, the additional tour I joined in almost all cities I visited! Mainly, the walking tours.

The free walking tour -that most large European cities usually have- led by real locals, yes, that kind of tour. I did that in Barcelona, in Lisbon, Madrid, and Seville, let myself soak deeper to each respective amazing back stories, got exposed to places most typical tourist would miss. Uniquely, those tours were run by the same operator called Sandemans -whom also ran the one in Paris, which I also joined last year- and they had this amazing deal where I could get a free tour if I collected stamps from doing the free walking tour in at least... four cities! What are the odds, eh!?

So four stamps I got, from those four cities, which I redeemed with this amazing food tour in Seville which is believed to be the origin city where most Spanish culture flourished. And speaking of Seville as Spain's cultural city, I also did the bullfighting stadium tour which was a bit random, but yea full of cultural stories! I didn't get to see the real match though, which I'd say no to anyway if I actually could because, well, I'm a bit against this animal cruelty thing... but anyways!

That wasn't it. Additionally in Barcelona and Madrid, I did some other tours. Not about traveling this time, nor historical not culinary either. It's of course, the sports tour. Yes, say no more, I did the stadium tour in both cities. Because hell yea it's the homes of the world's two LARGEST football club ever! Even if I am not the fan of the club, which no I am not, OR, even if I am the fan of the clubs' arch nemesis, STILL I'D GO! I must say that I had to pay quiet a lot for these experiences, but really, it was all worth it! But you know what, I guess I'd just spare it for now. I'm going to write a dedicated post about these amazing tours so, let's get back to the trip!

The Celebrations

One sole trip, passing through both Christmas and NYE, well, could anything go wrong in this amazing timing? The real-time Christmas celebration took place when I was in Barcelona. Spent the whole evening getting myself swayed by street-choir performances, and half the Christmas day at Sagrada Familia, and then for the rest of the trip -save Marrakech, of course- Christmas vibes and trees and bells and lightings lingered all along here and there and everywhere!

Then came the New Year's celebration. I was in Madrid during this time. Madrid. En la Puerta del Sol. One of those places the media always cover every year for its iconic New Year celebration, aside New York's Fifth Avenue and Sydney's Opera House and Taipei's Taipei 101. Yes I was there, along with thousands other people, mostly, thankfully, were locals. Starting from 9PM the access to the square got filtered with security -of course!- so I got stuck for almost 2 hours just standing in the middle of the alleys, waiting for the gates to open and for those people in front of me flowed in.

9PM, I made it to the square. It was so cold but everyone seemed to be very excited, so I got worked up too! Those locals were ready with their 12 grapes, which based on their tradition should be eaten one by one along with the twelve-ring of bells jingling at midnight. And yes, I had mine too! I was aware about this tradition and so I bought my own grapes just before going to Sol.

12PM. Bells rang, and people started eating their grapes. It was really amazing that, at other places, people would go crazy on the first bell but here, it was so dead quiet for 12 seconds, people busy focusing to sync eating one grape at one ring. 12th bell rang and there it was, the craze of a new year hype, with people cheering, trumpets blowing and of course, fireworks cracking -- one of the most beautiful I ever seen so far.

Wanna hear something amazing? Spain has two time zones: GMT+1 for the main peninsula areas and some other major cities, and GMT+2 for the Canary Island. Being a good capital as it is, Madrid ALWAYS celebrates both time zones and so, one hour after midnight, which I was still amazingly there at the Sol, the clock rang its 12 bells again, people started eating their grapes again, and new year finally came to the region of Canary Island. And it's crazy that the fireworks happened too! Afterwards, music came and the whole square turned to be a city-wide dance floor. Gosh, I don't know if I'd ever experience such thing (again) somewhere else!

The People

Well, this is probably what made my trip reached its pinnacle of being such a wonderful journey. From the very first second of my departure to the very end, I encountered so MANY amazing people from all walks of life! Some relationships with them only lasted for as long as our conversations went, while some others stayed even until I returned home.

The biggest portion came from the tours. Of course. Each of the walking tours consisted of a very big group, maybe 30 people tops. It was just so nice to have a small talk with them, exchange itineraries, encourage each other to visit each other's countries, and so on and so on! Some of them I met twice, I remembered it was an American family of three, which father was the active Teacher's Pet of the group -he always asked question, answered trivias sent by the guides, made jokes, you know, that typical alpha dad, the mother was as active, and their daughter was so so. We first met in Lisbon, then parted ways then apparently took the same tour in Seville!

But the most intimate one was the food tour in Seville -the free one I told you about. It was originally a paid tour, so only a few people joined. There were I think only 5 of us, and it was such a pleasant evening going around from one restaurant to another to try Spain's less popular food and tapas, and getting to know each other even better because there were not so many distractions!

I also had a chance to meet some Couchsurfers, which I made real friendship with, both in Spain and in Morocco. One of which asked me out for a nightclub in Madrid, an opportunity I would NEVER MISS for anything! It started really humble, only me and that guy from London, and then apparently there were others too, some Spanish girls and a Georgian girl -not American Georgia, please take note, and a Croatian guy. We then moved to a bigger club with better music, and the gang got bigger too, with an additional Croatian guy, some Germans and Frenches, even a Taiwanese!

We danced and danced and drank and drank, talked and talked and showed off our moves. I was so secretly filled with joy because, hey, three hours ago I didn't even know these people exist in this world, and now I was standing in a line to one of Madrid's hottest nightclub, talking with a Croatian guy about our shared love towards Taekwondo and letting myself be convinced to visit his country for the famous setting of Game of Thrones! It was so hard to leave them, and they seemed bummed when I said I had to leave, but it was almost 5 already, and I had a stadium tour to do in like 5 hours, so yea, I had to let go of my Nighttime Madrid Dreams.

See?

It was really, REALLY, that good.

More than worthy to be the best trip ever.

Oh how I'm getting tired to claim the trip I just finished as "tHE bE5t Tr!P eVeRr" but seriously, what else can I say? It's always becoming the best trip ever. No matter how dull some parts be, that my previous trips could be considered as a better trip, since I just finished this one then it is simply the best trip ever.

But I don't think there were flaws on this one.

21 days, 3 countries, 6 cities, endless amazingness.

I swear I never did this before, and will I ever have the chance to do this kind of trip again in the future, one never know.

I was totally right when I said that the trip following my resignation, would turn out to be the yearend's highlight. And apparently an amazing opening to a new year as well.

So let's just leave it here.

This Iberian Tale of mine,

Ended oh so well inside out.

That the boy lived the journey

Lived happily ever after