36. Nuestra Vida En España

In addition to skydiving Empuriabrava, we spent time in Barcelona, Badalogna, Navalcarnero and Madrid, Spain. Jumping Empuriabrava was magic and so was our time exploring with our feet on the ground.

Here are my favorite memories between the pictures:

~We spent 2 nights in Badalogna before and after Portugal. By luck, by just driving around after Brava, we found this beautiful beach town right outside of Barcelona. It had narrow Roman architecture streets lined with little white lights. In the late mornings, stores would open, most having tables on the street, adding a virbrant atmosphere. We had gotten frustrated finding wifi so Ivan was patient with running into hotels until we found one right in the middle of the town.

~Our beach picnic dinner- my favorite! I was so determined to stick to my Europe budget, yet let it stretch for double the time we had planned- practical right? ;) Italy we had spent a lot so in Badalogna we got food to keep at the hotel. As Ivan did the laundry, I made sandwiches and salads to pair with wine on the beach. It was incredibly romantic and in my top 3 favorite dinners of Europe <3

~The last day in Spain before Portugal we explored Barcelona and saw its famous church, Basilica of the Sagrada Familia. Once again I was amazed by the European architecture. Wandering the streets, we had dinner outside, laughing as Ivan told the waitress he wanted to show me his wine opening "skills." (pictured below)

~Our beach runs along the beautiful Badalogna boardwalks. (pictured below)

~The night we arrived in Spain, it had been a 12 hour travel day from Italy. Ivan treated me to a dinner outside on a patio with little white lights, musicians singing and the beach across the street. At 10 we had to meet the airbnb host- Ivan let me relax with wine while he went and dealt with checking in. We then stayed 2 more hours enjoying the music and restaurant.

~After Portugal, we spent 3 nights in Madrid. We were walking around the center the day before our U.S. flights. This year I haven't bought clothes because I wanted all money to go to traveling. Out of the blue Ivan said, "Amor, I want you to pick out a dress for dinner tonight to feel like a princess as a treat from me." He then encouraged me for 2 hours to find a dress I loved- and then bought me 2! He always finds beautiful ways to treat me in ways I've never been treated.

~As I got ready for our "last dinner in Europe" (more on that later!) I was so excited to put on my new dress and curl my hair. I walk into the room and Ivan had love notes guiding me to a heart white shopping bag- inside was my favorite black purse I had seen in Italy! In Venice he had snuck off to buy it and kept it as a surprise for a month. A treat of dresses and a purse AND a romantic dinner!

~At home in San Diego I had been spoiled with health food available everywhere. When traveling outside the U.S. it's so much harder to find. I loved stumbling across the health stores - Barcelona and Madrid had 2 of my favorites. Language limited me to discovering everything but I was able to buy Kambucha and some supplements. (pictured below)

~Seeing Ivan fold my laundry in our hostel. He did this in Puerto Rico, Chicago, New Hampshire and Europe. It might sound silly but he does it perfect and it makes me feel so loved. Similarly, he always wanted our things organized, even in the smallest rooms.

~After exploring Madrid, we rented bikes to ride back to the airbnb. We discovered they were motorized after renting from the bike port and kept making races as we rode back. I think it is the best way to see a city- in Madrid the ports are every few blocks. It was so much fun that we woke up the next morning to ride them to the stadium- also more on that adventure later!

~In Madrid, on our way to Portugal, Ivan was supposed to text his sister telling her we would arrive the next day- which he forgot (boys!) so 30 minutes outside of Madrid we pulled off on a random exit into a town called Navalcarnero. I was slightly annoyed he forgot (girls!) so he went off to look for wifi. He came running back, exclaimed how he had found THE perfect hotel for me so let's stay there! I wanted to make it closer to Portugal but agreed- and sure enough it was a BEAUTIFUL old mansion hotel.

~All of the places we stayed in Europe were on a whim- booked within less than 48 hours- but the ones REALLY booked on a whim, like this, just stumbling across them, proved to be the very best. Sometimes it was unnerving where we would stay but each time we lucked out with the most magical whim stays- especially this one in Navalcarnero.

~After checking into our beautiful Spain Mansion in Navalcarnero, we wandered into the small town, and just with luck they were having their town reunion festival! The town was filled with all of the locals, light streamed over the square, kids playing and Spanish dance performances by the town girls. There would have been no way to plan out a magical evening like that, being one of the locals in their celebration. 6 am the next morning we went running in the dark, as the town slept in, before getting on the road to Portugal.

~In Madrid we stayed at an airbnb in a local neighborhood about a 20 minute walk to the center of Madrid. One night for dinner we wandered down the street and found a street full of local, non-touristy restaurants. After 15 minutes of deciding, we sat down, they served us a $4 bottle of wine with 4 free appetizers! It's the little things...especially when it's food ;)

~After Madrid, the plan was to fly home to see my family before Florida. I'm not so good with gifts, but Ivan was insistent on finding the perfect souvenirs for my family. We did and then enjoyed a glass of wine in a beautiful Madrid square.

~Our run in Madrid- Ivan that morning exclaimed, "I looked up a great run to a Madrid park!" and led me through the city.

~We traveled with so much luggage because of skydiving gear. Every single time we moved it, Ivan was a superhero with carrying almost all of it. Even in moments when we were lost or traveling all day, he insisted on helping with my things. Such a gentleman!

~Swimming at the beaches of Badalogna- SO refreshing making us both feel like kids again.

~In Badalogna we found a juice place right near our hostel- also a rare thing to find in Europe. We made friends with the asian owner who became a friend as we stopped in multiple times for wifi.

~Our "last night night in Madrid," our "last night in Europe" we had my favorite dinner of the whole trip- which says a lot- because every day had amazing meals together! I dressed up in one of the dresses Ivan had given me, with the new purse from him, and we walked down the street to a restaurant by a huge fountain. It was 11:30ish by the time we were seated and we definitely shut down the restaurant. We enjoyed a bottle of wine and amazing food. Most of all, we felt so in love, so strong, so brave, so excited for the future, so proud of us for successfully traveling Europe together <3 We went to bed around 2 am excited to bike to the stadium early the next morning before our flights to Boston......