Happy New Year!
If you think it's too late to wish you a happy new year, you're really not going to like this delayed blog! AT, Dad, and I went to Spain for Christmas 2021 and had such a fantastic time that I couldn't blog about it without some distance.*
We had an incredibly uneventful series of flights to Madrid followed by an immediately eventful lunch upon arrival. We ate delicious tapas while not knowing that my purse with my wallet, passport, and chapstick was being stolen.
Honestly, losing that chapstick was devastating. But the big lesson is that stuff is replaceable and nobody got hurt. My phone was with me and within 15 minutes of realizing the purse was gone, all my credit cards were canceled and new ones were on order. We swung by our local Madrilenian police station to file a claim and get a police report to take to the embassy the next day to get a new passport. It was Sunday and bright and early Monday morning I was at the US Embassy to get a new passport processed. I picked it up Tuesday morning and was on my merry way.
What could have easily been a travel nightmare was entirely handled within 36 hours. We had a few things going for us: it was the beginning of the trip and I wasn't delayed in flying anywhere by waiting for the passport, we were in the capital with a fully functioning embassy, and I had back-up photos of all my IDs. My phone wasn't stolen which meant I could use ApplePay in stores with updated credit cards. And, best part, I got some new chapstick.
Once that was all sorted, we got down to business and saw some sights!! We started at the Royal Palace of Madrid and toured where the royal family used to live but now just hosts functions. Pictures weren't allowed in most areas, especially the room with the fancy beautiful Stradivari instruments!
We also toured the Prado and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. Everyone managed to find their look-alike for the day and some holiday decor at night.
Not pictured is most of the incredibly delicious food we ate. Tapas! Tapas everywhere!! Don't know what it is? No problem! It comes on a small plate and everyone can just dig in! Also, churros and chocolate.
From Madrid we flew to the Canary Islands (point!) and spent Christmas on the beach. It was beautiful and warm and the sunsets were top notch! And the Ferrero Rocher** candies are as big as your head!
After the Canaries we flew to Granada and got back into sight-seeing mode. We headed for Alhambra first thing. Despite being a fort***, we had a great time! It was originally built in the 1200s and is a stunning example of Islamic architecture and the influence of the Moors in Spain. If you love patterned tiles, this is the place for you!
We toured all over and were able to go into the Nasrid palace, the Generalife and gardens, and the Alcazaba.
The next day we took a day trip to Gibraltar (because #point) and had possibly the most bizarre border crossing experience yet. Usually when you cross a country border the immediate impression is that it's just an arbitrary line humans have drawn and you notice no real difference.
Not so in Gibraltar! Gibraltar is a very valuable rock on the edge of Spain that is a the only access to the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean. It is a British Territory and was given to England in 1713 by Spain when Britain sided with them on a royal lineage dispute. I'm pretty sure Spain has regretted the choice ever since. Britain has built a town on the rock and reclaimed land. The people of Gibraltar are UK citizens who don't care anything about Spain and the feeling seemed to be mutual. Immediately upon walking across the border, we were greeted with British icons, British street signs, and the smell of fish and chips.
While in the United Kingdom, we went to the top of the rock and hung out with the local monkeys. We saw the caves and tunnels inside the rock, many of which were host to soldiers in the world wars. We also got to walk and drive across an active runway- a real traffic problem when planes are coming in or out!
We headed back to Spain and a few more sights in Granada before heading home for the new year.
We all made it back in time to ring in 2022 in either our own beds or with a Lyft driver!
Now that I'm back on the blog bandwagon, I expect this to be a very busy blog year.**** It's wonderful to get back to traveling after some quality time at home and stateside. Here's to 2022 and many more adventures!
-KT
*Life is busy, people. If you don't stop and blog once in a while, you could miss it.
**This blog is not sponsored by Ferrero Rocher unless that is a thing I could dream about, in which case, Ferrero Rocher, please call me.
***Check the blog back entries for the family's full stance on forts.
****Stay tuned, Teacher Summer fans!
