Whenever you travel to a new part of the world, you will inevitably experience something different than home.  That's why we like to travel, right?  But while every place you visit is different, there are five questions I like to ask before leaving home.  Questions that a quick Google search, a visit to a travel blog (like StacyTakesFlight.com) or a Facebook post to friends and family can easily answer. 

One of the best parts of traveling is trying some of the unique cuisine that different regions are known for.  From empanadas in Argentina to Turkish delights in Turkey to pulpo a la feira in Galicia, Spain, my tastebuds have been pleasantly (and sometimes unpleasantly) surprised on my travels.  Getting a sense of the local flavor by knowing what - and where - to eat can give you a much more authentic sense of a place.

I've talked about free walking tours before, but they are worth bringing up again.  What better way to get to know the layout, history and fun facts of a city than by walking around town for an hour or two with an enthusiastic guide?  (Especially a guide working for tips who is genuinely interested in showing you a good time!)  Some of the best free tours I've been on were Feel the City in Granada, New Rome Free Tour in Rome and Sandeman's New Europe tour in Madrid (they operate in 18 cities!).

TripAdvisor is my favorite resource for uncovering the most popular and obscure attractions, and reading a few reviews (especially if you filter by the type of traveler whose opinions you would like to see) will quickly tell you if it is worth your time.  Some must-see sites like the Alhambra or Colosseum may require tickets in advance or are less crowded at certain times of day.  It will save a lot of time (and stress) to know these tips in advance so you can plan the rest of your trip around them.

On a recent trip to Disney World, a stop at the Coca Cola "Club Cool" at Epcot Center introduced me to a new world of soft drinks.  Instead of the usual Coke, Diet Coke and such, the fountain dispensers were full of the most popular soft drinks from countries across the world.  If you are lucky enough to travel beyond Orlando, think back to Disney and try to taste the local drinks wherever you end up.

Sure, you can always order a craft beer or glass of wine from a nearby vineyard (which I definitely like to do), but there is often a lot more to local beverages than what may initially come to mind.  From Turkish coffee to Moroccan tea; Valencia's horchata to Switzerland's Rivella, there are drinks hot and cold, sweet and refreshing that are unique and deserve to be tasted... be sure to ask your waiter / bartender / taxi driver!

As a sports enthusiast, I love finding out about the local favorites wherever I travel.  Soccer (or football), for example, is extremely popular outside of the US, and I was lucky enough to be in three countries during the 2014 World Cup where I cheered for the home team alongside bars full of locals!  I have yet to catch a soccer game in person, but there's always next time! 

Aside from local sports, music and art are among my favorite cultural things to explore when traveling to a new place.  I've been to the opera in Vienna and a traditional music 'session' in Ireland.  I've even been to a rock concert in Buenos Aires to see a great band that never made it to the US charts.  Taking a look at event calendars on city websites or in free magazines found in many shops and restaurants are great resources for finding out what is going on while you are in town.

Friday, July 11 (Casares, Spain & Dorset, England) – I have spent about a third of my travels in Spain.  34 nights to be exact.  Even though I visited about 14 different regions and cities and never stayed in one place long enough to truly settle in, Spain feels like home and I am sad to leave. 

I already wrote a post about Taking experiences home with me from this trip, and a big part of that is continuing to practice my Spanish.  I also plan to add some Spanish influence into my cooking which leads me into the next of my three areas of thought before coming home:  new projects and goals.

I've realized a bunch about myself during my travels, such as different activities that I enjoy, what I would like to learn and what makes me calm and happy.  So instead of checking these off some kind of list, I want to make sure that I take care of myself by taking part in these projects, activities and goals when I return home.

• Cooking - From paella to pulpo, I have tasted so many delicious local delicacies on this trip, many of which I would love to attempt to recreate at home.  I have also been inspired by different flavor and ingredient combinations that I haven't seen before.  As someone who lives alone in a studio apartment, I have been subject to too many take-out meals because of their ease and variety.  But my first goal when arriving home is to learn how to cook properly, healthily and diversely.  I have even collected recipes from different people and places along the way and want to post them as a new section within the blog!  If you have any easy, tasty, healthy recipes to share - particularly those from other cultures - please send them my way and I may post them!  Stay tuned.

• Apartment cleanse - If I was able to live for three months out of one suitcase, I certainly don't need all the stuff that is filling my closet and drawers at home.  I didn't buy too many souvenirs, but I did get a couple of things that require hanging - on walls or hangers - so I will need to do a bit of redecorating when I come home.  But more than that, I want to dedicate some time to going through everything in my closet (luckily it isn't very big) and get rid of half of my stuff.  Clutter is not good for my sanity and I would like to make sure my home is a place of calm and comfort!  So, if anyone is interested in a clothing swap or NYC-style garage sale, let me know and maybe we can get something organized!

• Even more active activities - We already know how much I love horseback riding and boxing (both of which I was able to take part in on this trip), so part one of this goal is to do more of that.  Riding is particularly challenging because it requires a big time commitment and is not cheap.  But while I am in between jobs, I will actually have more time to spend in transport to and from the barn, so I would like to make this a priority.  Also, on this trip I tried flying a glider, hiking, hot air ballooning, and camping.  I loved some of these more than others, but overall I loved the thrill of trying something new and exciting.  I'd love to continue this with different activities, and some that come to mind are rock climbing and maybe sailing!  Anyone care to join me?

Thursday, July 10 (Casares, Spain) – Not sure how it happened so quickly, but my final week of travel is underway.  This time next week I will be in steamy NYC with a sack of laundry and nothing but memories of the most incredible three months of my life.

How do I possibly go back to normal life after this?  I’ve had a little bit of time to reflect and I keep wavering between being extremely excited (Iced coffee!  Friends & family!  Sushi and Thai and Mexican food!) and being extremely depressed about leaving this experience.

So, I’m trying to turn this bipolar-ness I’m feeling into something constructive and positive.  I’ve narrowed my anxieties and feelings into a few categories:  taking experiences with me, finding the right work and new projects/goals.  In this post, I’m going to talk about taking experiences from my trip with me, and I will cover the other two themes in future posts.

On one hand I feel like I am the same old Stacy coming back to New York, but on the other hand, I have had so many meaningful experiences, situations and conversations that I must have changed at least a little.  I think a lot of this will unfold when I get home and perhaps do things a little differently – from the food I buy and cook to the afternoon tea or siesta I may enjoy.  But there are a few things I have done that I consciously want to take with me to JFK and beyond.

My original three goals for this trip were to gain a higher understanding of the Spanish language, to become a better photographer and to have lots of fun.  I was able to accomplish all these and want to maintain them after the trip:

• Spanish - I really love the language and the culture.  I find it fascinating how different the accent, dialect and slang can be in different parts of the country (not even including central or south America!), and I feel accomplished when I am able to communicate with someone who doesn't speak English.  I owe a lot of my learnings and confidence to the people I met on this trip throughout Spain, and I owe it to them - and to myself - to keep it up.  So if anyone wants to practice, let me know!  Otherwise you can find me reading Spanish online newspapers, listening to Spanish music or maybe even at some conversational Spanish meetups!

• Photography - While I definitely did not become an expert photographer (in fact I rarely had the time to take the settings off of 'auto' to figure out the best manual shot... or I resorted to the iPhone for quick pics), I do feel like I have a better sense of composition, and I understand the mechanics of photography better.  Since I haven't had room to buy many souvenirs (in my suitcase or in my studio apartment), photos are my true souvenirs and capturing the moment the way I want to remember it is important.  I coincidentally received an email about some upcoming photo courses in New York that aren't too pricey and could be a great way to work on my skills when I come home.  And then since I will have a bit more time, I can take that time to play with the settings so that I'm more comfortable doing that on my next trip instead of resorting to 'auto' when I'm short on time.

• Fun - Obviously I had a lot of fun on this trip, and much of it came from unexpected places.  Some of my favorite days and nights started with a friendly manicurist, the inability to drive stick shift/rent a car or passing by a club of glider enthusiasts.  I was more open to meeting people and trying things and saying 'yes' when I was in a new country all by myself, but this is something I could carry over when I go back home.  Sometimes it is easy to get sucked into the corporate world and work mindset, but it is important to step back and do things that make you smile!  Seems silly to even have to say this, but it is important and worth a bullet point in my opinion.  

Wednesday, July 9 (Casares, Spain) – Neil and Dawn are two cousins who I don't get to see very often.  (Neil is my dad's first cousin and Dawn is his wife).  They have been living in Vienna for years, so when I passed through a few weeks ago, we all got together for a delicious dinner.  As if the gelato wasn't enough for dessert, I was invited to stay with them at their holiday home in Casares, Spain a few weeks later!  

Casares is a village in Malaga, about 25 minutes from Marbella, and their home is a beautiful beachfront property from which Morocco and Gibraltar are visible on a clear day.  Of course I couldn't say no to spending time with family or relaxing in Andalusia, so I was excited to come down for my visit.

One of the first things we did after my arrival was go to the local beach bar, the Chiringuito.  This is a very special place with very special mojitos.  Mojitos fantasticos!  The entire staff at the Chiringuito knows my cousins and knows to bring extra delicious - and extra strong - mojitos to the table as we sit down.  I don't know what they put in this refreshing and tasty delicacies, but I swear you feel a buzz after just a few sips!  Throughout my stay in Casares, the mojito fantastico became the mascot, the catchphrase and the theme song - yes, song.

After the mojito fantastico buzz was leveled out, the three of us went to the Riding Fun in the Sun ranch to go horseback riding - something I had somehow convinced them to do for their first time in over 30 years.  In fact, the last time my cousin Neil was on a horse, it spooked and there was a bad accident that left him with a broken shoulder.  So I was feeling extra proud and excited to share my favorite pastime with them... and they loved it!  The three of us were lucky to get a private hour-long ride through the mountains on wonderful horses, and now they both want to go back and go faster next time!

The barn has a lot of animal friends, such as Squiggy, the potbelly pig who thinks he's a dog!  Squiggy comes when called and rolls on his side for belly rubs.  Forget a pony... can I get one of these?

Sunday, July 6 (Mallorca, Spain) – When I arrived at my hotel in Playa de Muro, Mallorca, I spoke with my concierge about finding a place to go horseback riding.  There were books with offers from different tour companies, but he told me that last summer he went on a ride at Rancho Can Picafort and that it was really nice, so I trusted him and signed up for a three-hour late afternoon ride.

I was picked up at my hotel and then we made another stop to pick up two French girls at another hotel.  When they walked towards the car, I couldn’t believe what I saw – one girl in short shorts and the other in some kind of skort…. For a three-hour horseback ride!  Ok… so when we arrived at the ranch, I was happy to see an area where guests could borrow helmets and half chaps, so I snuck a photo of the French girls in their ridiculous ‘riding’ outfits and half chaps.

So after getting situated with my gear, I realized there were five other people already there, and we were all going on this ride together.  Eight people on a three-hour ride which is supposed to be advanced… that seems like a lot.  Anyway, the owner asked if I know how to ride and of course I said yes, and that I’ve been riding for a while.  So the next thing I knew,all of the other riders on my trip were all mounted on horses that had been patiently waiting out front, but two workers were running towards me with a beautiful grey Andalusian mare trotting beside them.  A problem horse? A fancy horse?  A crazy horse needing some schooling by ‘someone who says she knows how to ride’?  

Anyway, I noticed as riding crops (whips) wre handed out to each of the riders (I have NEVER seen that on a trail ride, especially with people on a horse for their first time), but when I reached for one, I was immediately yelled at that ‘No!’ my horse does not need a whip… oh boy.

It was a little after five in the afternoon and the sun was blazing, but the horses seemed to love it and were forward, active and happy to be on the move.  We walked through some beautiful forest areas with green leaves against a bright blue sky.

Then we turned and emerged on a beautiful secluded beach.  There were only a handful of people there - clearly locals as no tourist could have found this spot.  We were then invited to gallop if we wanted and about half of the group moved up.  I am always curious about why some barns outside of the US (as American places would never risk the liability) will skip the 'canter' and instead go for a full gallop without knowing anything about the riders.  But I'm not asking questions because was SO much fun.  The first gallop was a bit scary because all of a sudden we went from a standstill to a full out gallop.  It felt like in a cartoon when the horse starts moving really fast and the rider is still in the same place as if the horse ran out underneath him.  Yup, that was me.  I soon found out why my horse was 'special'.  She not only clearly loved to run, she immediately passed all the other horses in the group (including the guide's horse) to be out in front.  I didn't feel like I was on a runaway horse, it was actually a very adjustable, comfortable gallop once she got ahead of the pack.  By the second time galloping, I knew what to expect and we went for it - SO much fun.

By now you're probably wondering about the nudist beach part of the story?  Well, you know how I said I saw a handful of locals on a secluded beach?  They were the only clothed ones I saw.  The rest of the time on the beach, the only people I saw were naked!  I tried to snap a photo but we were moving pretty past and I didn't get it.  But the images are forever in my mind.  Sorry I can't share that with you!  But here are more pictures of the amazing ride!  (Trust me, these are must more attractive pictures).

Tuesday, June 17 (Grunau im Almtal, Austria) – I was referred to The Treehouse (as the B&B is called) by my friend Anthea who I met in Ireland and randomly ran into in Rome.  She said she thought I would like it because there are lots of active things to do, and it is halfway between Vienna and Salzburg (two stops on my way) so I figured I’d give it a shot.

When I first arrived, I borrowed one of the bikes from The Treehouse (after being a bit sore from yesterday’s bike tour of Vienna) and started peddling.  I was told there is a lake I could ride to so I left with that in mind.  I stopped off at what I think was the town’s only open café (really, we’re in the middle of nowhere!) and enjoyed some late lunch and coffee.  Then I hopped back on the bike and peddled for miles and miles, only stopping for an occasional photo of the unreal scenery. 

After what seemed like hours, I hadn’t seen a lake and wasn’t sure I was going the right way.  It was starting to get chilly so I turned around (at what ended up being just before the lake!) and started for the B&B.  Although the 30km ride got chilly as the sun went down, it was such a nice break from the nonstop city touring and breathing in the fresh air was so necessary.  There isn’t much to do here, and that normally stresses me out, but as I sit here in front of the stream, there is nothing I would rather be doing.

By dinnertime, I realized why this place is so special.  It is a mix of camp and a summer home.  There are activities to do like tennis, archery, hiking, biking, and horseback riding, and there are home-cooked meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  But, at the Treehouse there is also a bar and no curfew… so better than camp!  The staff at the Treehouse likes to say that people come for a night and end up staying for days, and they are right! I’ve met people here who are on their 6th day when they meant to stay for 2.  It is just a perfect place to relax, get some exercise, meet people and have a nice break from the nonstop touring we are all in the middle of.  But, do keep in mind it turned out to be a very young clientele, many of whom are participating in the semi-guided European tour called Busabout (which I will discuss in a future post).  The people can get rowdy and loud at night, so it is definitely not for everyone!

The next day I got back out on the bike with a group of 15 new friends while we went on a search for the famous waterfalls we had heard so much about.  Well, hours later there were no waterfalls, but we had a few good laughs, some great exercise and a whole lot of memorable photos.

I also (obviously) went horseback riding!  There is a barn just a few kilometers from the Treehouse where many guests go for a leisurely trail ride, and I was lucky to get a private two-hour ride with Simone.  We went along the river, in and out of neighborhoods and in the woods – it was excellent.  Highly recommended for anyone who visits the Treehouse!

There need to be more places like the Treehouse – or if there are more, I want to hear about them!

Tuesday, May 13 (Jerez de la Frontera) - As a horse lover / rider / equestrian my whole life, I was excited to not only visit Jerez de la Frontera, but to visit during their annual horse festival!

I planned a stopover in Jerez between Sevilla and Cadiz, thanks to Javier - an awesome guy I found on Couchsurfing who said he would hang on to my luggage for the day while I explored the city.  I've never used Couchsurfing before, and I'm warming up to the idea of it (just started using Airbnb), but what a great way to utilize the network of people who want to help tourists out in their hometowns!

So Javier met me at the train station in Jerez and walked me to his place where we dropped off my luggage and then departed as he went back to work and I went over to the world famous Fundacion Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Ecuestre.  This organization promotes equestrian arts through breeding, training and shows for tourists.  I had a chance to witness the show and was thoroughly impressed!

Before the show begins, you can watch the riders warm up ("school") in the outdoor ring to get a taste of what you are about to see.  I've seen a lot of riding, I've done a lot of riding, but dressage is a discipline that I have only dabbled in.  This art is where the horse seems to be dancing and does fancy and difficult moves such as marching in place ("piaffe") and cantering in a lateral direction.  Watching the riders collect their horses and practice these advanced movements - while barely noticing the ask or signal to the horse - was stunning.

Dressage seemed to be the foundation of the show, but in a unique way that brought to life the Andalusian horse, its beauty, its strength, and its utility.  Photos were not allowed but I was able to quickly snap a shot of one of the horses performing one of the 'airs above the ground' or higher-level dressage movements.  This one is called the "capriole" and is when a horse rears up with force, jumps up and kicks out his hind legs in mid-air.

After the show, I walked over to the fairgrounds where the annual horse festival was taking place.  It was early in the day (1 or 2PM) when I arrived, so it was not very crowded, but by the time I left a few hours later, people were everywhere.  The festival itself has very little to do with horses (unfortunately).  There are special shows and events throughout the week of the fair, but not on the day I happened to visit.  So the fair itself was very similar to the Feria de Abril in Sevilla which I attended a few days ago.  There were rows and rows of casetas (tents decorated in unique ways with food, drinks, dancing, and conversation), and many people were dressed in traditional flamenco attire.  However, unlike Feria in Seville, the casetas were public and you can go in and out of as many as you choose.  (Very few are private, but there are some).  Also, it seemed like a more laid back atmosphere with fewer people dressed up.  

I went caseta-hopping, enjoyed the new "it" drink of the Feria called Pepe Limon (Tio Pepe, a sherry from Jerez, and lemonade) and had a different tapa everywhere I went.  I wish I was there during a horse-related event, but I still had a great time and love that I was able to take part in two of the biggest festivals in Andalusia!

(Thursday, May 8 - Granada) - When I was planning my travels, I did a lot of thinking about why I wanted to go and what I wanted to get out of the experience.  While there are many specific places I want to go and things I want to do, there are three ‘goals’ I set forth for myself that can be achieved regardless of the city I am in (well except for one). 

First and foremost, my number one goal is to have fun.  Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that life doesn’t have to be completely about work or to-do lists.  For me, fun is doing what makes me happy, being with people who add value to my life – whether momentarily in a conversation or who become lifelong friends, and stepping out of my comfort zone every so often.

My second goal is to become as fluent as possible in Spanish.  Since high school I have enjoyed speaking Spanish, visiting Spanish-speaking countries and listening to Spanish songs to try to understand the lyrics.  But since I don’t practice very often and don’t need Spanish in my daily life, my average understanding of the language hasn’t improved.  So while I spend a good chunk of time in Spain, I hope to gain a better understanding of the language from listening and speaking perspectives.

And finally, my third goal is to master something I’ve always had an interest in, but have never had the time to really explore:  photography.  With this blog and with the empty picture frame waiting in my apartment, I want to produce photos that not only capture what I see, but also evoke the emotions I’m feeling, the atmosphere of the place and/or are just awesome to look at.  A year ago I bought myself a present:  the Canon SL1 which is supposed to be the smallest and lightest DSLR camera.  I want to really understand how to use it and take some badass pictures on this trip.

SO, if you read the title of this post, you are probably wondering how I put all these together?  Well, I was looking on TripAdvisor (my favorite site for recommendations) for things to do in Granada and I found a photography-based tour of Granada.  A guide would show the sites while giving tops on how to use your camera to capture great images.  So after reading some great reviews I signed up.

Yolanda came to meet me in Plaza Nueva and it turned out I was the only one on the tour!  She and I immediately hit it off and started walking through the city while talking (in Spanish) about the basics of photography and my camera.  Although I was hearing some photo-related words for the first time, I was able to understand most of what she said out of context.  She helped me understand the core elements of photography that I had learned before but she really helped me understand how they all work together (aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, metering).  At the end of our three-hour tour, we chatted over a drink at a pub that overlooked the Alhambra.  

There you have it:  fun, Spanish and photography – totally unexpected trio, but it was amazing!

Monday, May 5 (Nerja & Frigiliana) - If I were home today, I would probably be celebrating one of the all-time best Americanized holidays:  Cinco de Mayo!  I mean really, what is better than a margarita and some guac?  Well, partly because the day didn’t really cross my mind, and partly because it is obviously not celebrated in Spain, I spent the day doing the opposite of what I normally would.  Instead of consuming a sick amount of calories on food and drink, I had one of my most active days yet!

My hosts in Malaga (and my mom) recommended visiting the picturesque town of Frigiliana one day while I’m in Nerja.  Frigiliana is one of Andalucia’s most beautiful pueblos blancos (white villages).  So to kick off my active day, two girls I met at the hostal and I decided to hike the hilly, backend route all the way to Frigiliana instead of taking a cab or bus.  There were two ways to go:  along the street (one hour) or through the mountain and along the river bed (around three hours).  We chose the latter.

After a lot of guesswork, tasting a kumquat-sized orange fruit off the side of the road, and getting pointers (along with surprised looks) from the few people we saw driving by, we were well on our way.  The trick to anyone attempting this:  walk away from the beach until you come to a stream that runs parallel to the sea.  Turn right and keep walking to the right until you come to an old-looking house with a blockade and sign that directs you to a natural preserve.  Take that road to the left which will be your first of many steep hills, and then keep going to your right for the next hour or two.  Finally you will arrive at a clearing where there is a tiny café where you can rest your feet and have a cold drink.  Then you are a steep 1km from the picture-perfect Frigiliana!

The second part of my active day was doing my favorite activity:  horseback riding.  I had (of course) done my research to find a place to ride while in Nerja, and I was able to join an hour-long trail ride with just one other guest.  I was picked up and driven to the barn which seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, and really nothing more than a small stable and some paddocks.  I was warned that my mare “Futch” hadn’t been out in a while and is only for experienced riders…. Ok…  Long story short:  the ride was more of me schooling the unbalanced horse than actually sitting back and enjoying the ride and the scenery.  I’ve never ridden a horse that was so inconsistent with its gaits or felt so wobbly or unbalanced.  So, while I enjoyed being on horseback and exploring some of the countryside, this was not one of my favorite rides.

I am a big fan of boxing, having picked it up in the last year.  For me, it is a killer workout, always something different and a lot of fun.  So, similar to how I try to find somewhere to go horseback riding whenever I travel, I thought I would try to find a place to do a little boxing while on the road.

After searching a bit on the Web, I found Spartan Fitness, a company started by a local guy named Simon Dalton.  He offers 10-week boxing bootcamp courses that meet two times per week and include boxing, high intensity interval training and conditioning.  Based on the type of classes I take at home, I thought this would be a great fit and he let me pay for a drop in!  Unfortunately the day I went was a purely conditioning (no boxing) day because the group had done boxing the past few sessions.  But seeing my disappointment, Simon gave me a mini training session for about 15 minutes as the rest of the class rolled in.  We did a few rounds of mitts and it felt great to know what I was doing and not feel like I forgot what I’ve learned!  Simon is excellent on the mitts and highly recommended for anyone who wants to train while in Dublin!  The class itself was fun, although those 15 minutes were more intense of a workout than the entire 60-minute class for me.

If you weren’t planning on working out, or you forgot your spandex, head over to Elverys Sports, a sporting goods chain that has a great selection and decent prices.  It was also interesting to walk through the store and check out equipment for sports that are completely foreign to me like hurling and rugby.

There are quite a few parks and green spaces in Dublin, but for me there is one that is rather small but quiet and beautiful and perfect for a light jog.  Merrion Square Park is located in the south side of the Dublin city center, and I’d compare it to Madison Square Park in NYC in terms of size and green space.  It’s a bit more private though, and you can easily find a nook to do some push ups and dips on a park bench after jogging around.

I am pretty bummed that I wasn’t able to fit this into my trip as it was very high on my list, but I’m still hoping to get here one day.  I’m talking about “Experience Gaelic Games”, a company that teaches foreigners the history and rules of traditional Irish sports (hurling and Gaelic football – both still played today in Ireland) and then gets you out on the pitch (or field) to play!  There is also an option to have lunch included and make a day of it.  To me, this is the perfect way to take in the local culture while being active.