Spain Travelogue — Part 1

Emily Li
Emily Li
Aug 31, 2018 · 3 min read

“Our happiest moments as tourists might be when we stumble upon one thing when in pursuit of something else.”

Spain is a rich blend of diversity–from geographical landscapes, cultural ethnicity, to regional autonomies, this beautiful gem hidden in south eastern Europe has been a lovely surprise encounter. We originally planned for Turkey or France, yet stumbled upon this fertile land with rich cultural and historical landscapes.

Of all European countries, Spain had previously been exotic boundary with our past travels mostly in Western Europe–Switzerland, UK, France, Germany, Austria, and Italy. My few impressions of Spain had been the debt crisis, the uprisings in its autonomous regions, and the tapas culture. A 13-day dip in Spain and the rigorous-last moment reading beforehand introduced me to a dynamic and fertile land of Moorish and Catholic influence, unique gastronomy, and the good-natured Spanish people.

Differing from previous European pursuits, we joined a travel group–we previously planned most of our travels. Yet, I found that the rich cultural and historical background knowledge in site visits, convenience in transportation, luxury in gastronomy and accommodation, and most importantly (for Mom haha)– security in exotic boundaries lifted the preparation work off our shoulders. Spain is a country rich in heritage sites and museums that demanded a deeper understanding of its historical and cultural backgrounds, as compared to Switzerland or northern Europe where nature pursuits required more of outdoor tracks planning. Traveling with a knowledgeable guide explaining historical backgrounds deepened our understanding and connection with Spain. It feels more like a relaxing holiday and less of an exploration–more laid back and less excitement, yet I’d say that we all enjoyed the trip throughout and were extremely grateful for this beautiful time spent.

In addition, contrary to my previous European reflections (in which I update retrospective entries daily after visits as I brought my computer), I brought a small notebook with pre-researched notes hand-written for respective sites. I jotted down reflections after site visits on the notebook and started the reflections altogether after the trip. It’s an efficient way to extract the deepest impressions–I might lose part of the most original thoughts a few weeks afterwards, but reflections that stay are echoed with the big picture as I trace my trip retrospectively.

I’ll start my reflections in regions–Central Spanish regions of Castilla-La Mancha and Madrid (Segovia, Avilla, Toledo, and Madrid); the Southern regions of Cordoba, Granada, and Ronda, and finally Barcelona. I’ll follow with Spain’s unique historical and cultural landscapes, it’s gastronomy (in which I believe I’ve only touched upon a small part), and finally reflections of the whole trip.

Emily Li

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Emily Li

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