October was the perfect month to go to Spain. The weather was great, slightly cooler than California. Perfect weather for layering. Spain has always been on my travel bucket list and since I always travel on my birthdate I decided it was about time. I visited Barcelona and Madrid. On a 12 hour direct flight to Barcelona my thought process was to sleep during the plane ride…which I did for 6 hours btw. We left at night and arrived at night. Arrived at the hotel, went out for dinner and a few drinks. Called it a night to be refreshed and prepared for the day to come.
Barcelona is filled with art, music and history. It has a very urban feel. If you like in Los Angeles you can say it is somewhat similar. So much that I found an authentic Mexican antojitos spot called Taco Alto. Of course having tried some of the best tacos here and in Mexico I had little to no expectations to what I was actually going to try. For me to say these were one of the best tacos I have ever tried, it is major! So it is definitely a place to try.
Favorite destination in my itinerary was the Sagrada Familia. It surpassed my expectations, from reading about it in Art History class in High School to actually being inside and looking at the beautiful architecture of Antoni Gaudi. Regardless of your religious beliefs this is a must see if you are ever in Barcelona, Spain. Even though it is not completed you can still appreciate the beauty.
Royal Palace of Madrid seems a bit ordinary from the outside and you are surprised looking at the hidden gems inside. Not only is it beautiful but it leaves you speechless. Because inside these rooms lies years and years of history. Unable to get many photos because of their strict no photography policy the ones I do have tell only a fraction of the story within the walls. The rooms still decorated with the original designs, or what the new queens changed from the previous royal family. They were highly influenced by other cultures. Gifts from oriental rulers that influenced anything from their fashion and interior decor and even cooking and baking methods. You really do need the whole day to take advantage of everything the palace has to offer. My husband and I arrived at 10 am and left around 6pm. Unaware there was a royal garden with fountains and peacocks casually walking around.
After the long day at the palace we couldn’t help but notice a delicious smell of food coming from across the street. We made a stop to Toros Tapas. The service, food and ambiance were all amazing. The atmosphere is relaxed and the servers really try to understand your English to provide you with the best service. Everyone was friendly and for a highly tourist are prices were reasonable.
And now I’m sitting in my apartment, totally pooped, jet-lagged but definitely worth it.
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