My Spanish Adventure: How dreams do come true . . .

While visiting the Puente Nuevo Museum, I read a really cool quote that said . . . "A bridge takes us somewhere which is always on the other side. However only some bridges can take us beyond their structure and pillars, where writers, dreamers and creators roam, where images of dreams and the imagination are built. The new bridge in Ronda is this place."

This quote evoked so many feelings in me and I start to reflect back again on all the places that I´ve been to on this trip, even going as far back to the inception and planning stages. Sure it was a tad ambitious traveling to so many places. However, to be honest, I can´t think of one city or town that I would have wanted to leave out. Not one! Not even my day trips to Toledo and Cordoba. During these past 3 weeks . . . I saw so many exciting and incredible things that I had never seen before, I met some pretty cool people, I learned to come out of my comfort zone and eat and drink like the locals, I learned about some very interesting history including how different religions and cultures had co-existed in the past and I wonder why they can´t do so now.

Some highlights tha I will never ever forget . . . the Almudena Fiesta in Madrid at the Plaza Mayor, my first tapa bar experience, walking the ramparts in the beautiful town of Toledo and my visit to the Mesquita and one of only three Synagogues in Spain, the passion and excitement of watching my first live Flamenco Show at Los Gallos in Sevilla, the arches of the Cathedral and the 1200 year old Muslim Subterranean well in Cordoba, the golden tiled dome and beautiful sunsets on the baeach of the 3,000 year old town of Cadiz, the magnificent and romantic lure of the Alhambra in Granada and now the place where dreamers can stand, the Puente Nuevo in Ronda!

And amongst all the grandeur of the things and places I saw, I always seem to leave with equally improtant memories of the little moments in time that really had great meaning to me and they all seem to involve the people I met . . . my rail buddies at the Almudena Fiesta in Madrid and the ladies I photographed in their regional dresses, the very patient bartender at my first Tapa bar in Madrid . . . the local in Sevilla who took the time to remind me of why I was in Spain . . . the local walking his little puppy in Cordoba who told him to settle down so I could snap his picture (he was being a whirlwhind like Annie´s Maria) . . .the local in Cadiz who stopped to tell me about this beautiful old church that I was admiring and taking a photo of as he was walking by . . . and Washington Irving´s romantic tales of the Alhambra in Granada!

I have really enjoyed getting to know Spain these past 3 weeks . . . the culture, the food and Cava, the great monuments, traditions, flamenco music and dance, religious sights, their magnificent jewels (in the Alhambra) and most especially the passion, friendliness and helpfullness of the Spaniards. Spain is a very beautiful and diverse country filled with so much history and I am so glad that I decided to come.

And much like the Puent Nuevo quote says about how it is more than just a bridge to get to the other side, travel means more to me than just getting to see and experience another country or culture. After this trip, I have come to realize that travel allows me to dream and to imagine beyond what I think I am capable of doing and it awakens that creative and adventurous part in me that frankly needs awakening every now and then. Makes life exciting and fresh!

After 3 wonderful weeks of traveling through this very beautiful, diverse and exciting country I am here in the small town of Ronda, near the end of this great Spanish adventure. But I know that this is not the end of my journey as a traveler, because dreamers never stop dreaming or imagining just as travelers never stop traveling.

I have so much to be grateful for in my life, so many people to thank for helping me to realize this trip. And I especially want to thank all of you for taking the time to read my blog and for coming along on my Spanish Adventure. It was an awesome and fun trip!

And so I leave you now with this night shot of the Puente Nuevo here in the beautiful town of Ronda . . and with one last thought . . . I can´t wait to see where my dreams and imagination will take me to next . . .



I´m looking forward to catching up with all of my favorite bloggers when I get back home to the States on Monday! Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving Holiday! Bye for now!