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?

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!

Wednesday, June 4 (Rome & Istanbul) - Somehow my '100 days of travel' posts got a little messed up over the weeks, so today is actually day 51 (even though my last numbered post was 48!).  That means I am more than halfway finished with my 100 Days of Travel!  It is a bit crazy to think that I have been on the go for so long, without staying in any one place more than a few nights.

I have definitely learned a lot - about myself, about traveling and about the world - and I thought I'd share some random thoughts, lessons and highlights from the last 50 days.

Cross-country riding clinic in Ireland

Hiking the Cinque Terre with my mom

Feria de Abril in Sevilla

Celebrating the Europe League champions, Sevilla

Riding a camel and camping in the Sahara Desert

Sunday, June 1 (Florence) – I know I say this a lot, but I love the power of friends-of-friends and word of mouth – particularly via Facebook.  Emily M from my equestrian team in college (NYU) saw that I was going to Italy and gave me the best recommendation of where to ride!  She had studied abroad in Florence and went to this place on a weekly basis, so I knew it wasn’t one of the tourist trail rides + wine tastings that I wasn’t particularly interested in, but would settle for if it got me on a horse.

I hopped a train to a town called Montevarchi-Terranuova where I was picked up and taken to the Rendola Riding center.  I was greeted by Jenny, an older English woman who runs the show, and a handful of people from around the globe who were staying at the facility for a multi-day holiday (similar to what I did at the Crossogue Equestrian Center in Ireland).  Since I shipped my riding equipment home weeks ago, I was happy to see they had extra boots and helmets that I could borrow.

I got on a beautiful mare named Carmen and five of us started going on a 2.5-hour trail.  We walked, trotted and cantered through olive groves and in between rows of grapes in different vineyards!  It was stunning (wish I had my camera but I had nowhere to put it!) and the weather couldn’t have been better. 

After the ride there was a little down time to relax and I met a young couple who was staying there via Airbnb, not to ride, just to relax in the beautiful countryside (great idea for non-riders who want a day outside of the city).  Then we had a delicious, multi-course lunch which had some of the best pasta I’ve eaten in all of Italy – it had a cream sauce with a touch of mint and some cheese.

I went back to Florence completely relaxed and so happy.  I highly recommend any rider who comes to this region of Italy to stop by Rendola for a couple of hours to see the real countryside!  

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!

Friday, May 9 (Sevilla) - The Feria de Abril (April Fair) in Sevilla is the event of the year.  A week-long fest of eating tapas, drinking rebujitos, and dancing Sevillianas, with parades of horses and people dressed to the nines in traditional flamenco attire.  When I started to think seriously about taking this 3-month journey, I used Feria as an anchor and planned everything else around it.  

A little about Feria... back in 1847 the festival started as a livestock fair, but soon evolved into a celebration for everyone.  Imagine a massive fairgrounds (like Randall's Island in NY when it holds events) split into two parts.  The main part is where you can find the casetas - the enclosed tents that are individually decorated and privately owned by families and organizations.  In these casetas, the front room has tables for everyone to eat and drink, but often the tables get pushed aside in the evenings for dancing.  The back room is a bar where people can order tapas and drinks - the traditional drink being the "rebujito" which is a mix of manzanilla (local sherry) and 7-Up.

The thing about Feria.... if you aren't invited into a caseta, your options are limited.  Sure, you can walk around the streets, watch the impromptu flamenco dancing (actually "Sevilliana" dancing), and maybe find a public caseta for food and drink, but the fun is really started when you are inside.  When I arrived to Feria for the first time, I was walking around with my camera, taking in the amazing atmosphere, and I met some locals who I immediately hit it off with.  The next thing I knew, I had a rebujito in one hand and a plate of paella in the other, and I was on the inside - a part of the family.  I am so lucky to have met these amazing people and can't wait to come back for Feria next year!

The other side of Feria is "La Calle del Inferno" (Hell Road) which is an absolutely massive amusement park filled with not just one but two or more of all the rides and games you can imagine.  That means two giant ferris wheels lighting up the sky at night and looking over the entire Feria.  And lots of churros!!  What I found interesting was that there were booths set up alongside the fair games (like shooting water at a target to make a stuffed animal go to the top first...) where there were fake people crushing grapes and then real people serving vino anejo.

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.

After a few days of riding at Crossogue, I was finally starting to regain my confidence that had naturally faded from not riding in years.  I was feeling comfortable with the jumps – both in the arena and out on the cross-country course, and I was increasingly trusting of my horse Rosie.  But just as things felt like they were coming together, my instructor Becky said I’d be jumping the ‘three steps’.  As a girl who has mainly jumped courses in an enclosed arena, the idea of jumping outside over trees and barrels was scary enough… but the three steps?  I’ve never done anything like this at all, and it doesn’t look like a horse could do it either.

Picture three giant steps of a staircase, each about 2.5 – 3 feet tall, covered in grass.  The landing at the top step opens onto a field.  When I jump horses, the mechanics are simple… take off, jump up and over the obstacle, and land back on the ground – one big arc.  With steps in cross country, there is only an ‘up’ motion because you don’t land back on the same plane where you started.  The feeling is different and more than a bit strange.  So putting three of these motions together was certainly a challenge.  I had to get my horse to have enough momentum that she could jump, jump, jump without taking a single step on any of the landings (think of a triple bounce).  If I go too fast or too slow, there is plenty of room for disaster.  

I started with one step and then two.  Neither felt natural and I think I forgot to breathe.  But when Becky said we were doing the three steps, I knew it was time to get serious and make it work. (I really didn’t feel like falling off!)  As Rosie and I cantered toward the steps, I pushed her on to gain power and while the first two times weren’t pretty, they were effective.  We got up the steps in one piece!  

On my last day we went back to the three steps and miraculously put together everything I’d learned about my riding and horse and was able to get up with confidence and style.

While this may seem a bit boring for non-riders, just imagine doing your favorite activity or hobby but being pushed to a level you hadn’t even considered in the past.  Being on this trip, I’m trying to be as open as possible to opportunities and pushing myself, and this was the true test to kick it all off.  I knew that Becky wouldn’t put me on a horse that couldn’t do what was asked, and I knew she wouldn’t ask me to do something she didn’t think I was able to do, so the only remaining factor was my own confidence in myself.  Something to remember as I’m presented with challenges outside my comfort zone in the future.