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

Wednesday, May 14 (Cadiz) – After two weeks of intense, nonstop traveling across 9 cities in Andalusia, I was ready to make #10 all about the beach.  Multiple people had suggested I go to Cadiz – the town known for beaches and happy, friendly Spaniards – so sign me up!  

I found an Airbnb host who lives close to the bus station and the beach, so I was set… or so I thought.  When I arrived (from Sevilla by way of a day trip to Jerez de la Frontera) everything was fine.  My host Yolanda and I got along off the bat and spoke entirely in Spanish.  My room was big and comfortable, and I was shown a map of how close we are to Playa de la Caleta (the beach that is famous for a the scene in James Bond “Die Another Day” when Halle Berry emerges in an orange bikini).

The next morning I woke up excited for the beach, but as I went to the kitchen for the breakfast part of my “AirbnB”, I noticed the shutters were slamming against the window and the trees outside seemed to be bending over backwards.  But what’s better than a bit of a breeze at the beach on a hot Andalusian day?  So I walked to the beach, lay down to get comfortable, and all of a sudden a huge gust of wind carried half the beach’s sand and dropped it on top of me.  And it hurt.  Again and again, the wind would blow what felt like little needles of sand all over my face and body.  Finally I couldn’t take it anymore and 10 minutes later, I left.

After spending the day walking around the city, trying to keep my hair from blowing in my eyes and hopping on a free “Pancho Tour”, I was invited by my host’s roommate Ryan to go out with him and some of his friends.  They all teach English (an extremely common story, I’m learning), and that night, they were headed to the bar El Pelicano for an ‘intercambio’ (when native Spanish and English speakers come together to practice each other's languages).  So I joined, and as a native English speaker and a New Yorker, I became a bit of a celebrity and got to do a lot of practicing my Spanish while helping Spanish speakers with their English! 

Later that night we went to Cambalache, a jazz bar that had a band playing.  But it wasn’t just a regular jazz show, it was – get this – karaoke!  The band would play your preferred song live, and you get up and sing along.  Way better than those ridiculous music videos at karaoke bars in the States… (no, I didn’t sing .. this time).

Sunday, May 11 (Sevilla) - The city of Seville spans both sides of the Guadalquivir River, but the side with all the monuments and attractions gets all the attention.  Other than crossing over for Feria, many tourists ignore the world on the other side of the river.  I don't think it is intentional, I just think the neighborhood of Triana is one of the best kept secrets of Sevilla.  In fact, this neighborhood is known as "the independent republic of Triana" and Trianeros consider themselves distinct from Sevillanos.  I think it is absolutely worth a walk over to Triana, and I'll give you eight reasons why:

Saturday, May 10 (Sevilla) - From the moment my train pulled into the Santa Justa train station in Sevilla, I knew I was finally in a big city.  Don't get me wrong, I love the small towns and cities I've visited on my trip so far, but in a strange way the sheer size of the train station made me feel a little bit at home.  Sevilla (or Seville to Americans) is the largest city in Andalusia, and is known for its magnificent annual Feria de Abril, the giant and beautiful Cathedral and dozens of places to have delicious tapas on every corner.  I was lucky enough to be there for the Feria (well, not so much lucky... I planned my entire 100-day journey around being in Sevilla at this time!), but I have put together my thoughts on the best way to spend a day in Sevilla!

But first, below is a video of the spontaneous flamenco show outside of one of my favorite tapas places in Sevilla, Bodeguita Casablanca (more information below about it!):

Morning - Free walking tour with your hostel or Feel the City, my favorite tour company that I used in Granada

Early afternoon – During the heat of the day, take a break from the sun inside of the famous Cathedral.  Don’t forget to climb the 35 levels (small ramps, not too strenuous) of the Giralda bell tower to get beautiful panoramic views of the city.  You will also see those lucky bastards who are staying at hotels with rooftop pools while you start seeing mirages of water around you.

Afternoon – You’ve worked up a good appetite by now, so it’s tapa time!  Some of my favorite afternoon tapa spots in Sevilla are:

Vineria San Telmo – a tapas shop with over 120 types of wine!  I actually had a beer but I do have some tapas recos:  Fresh cod "Roteña Style", slow cooked with tomatoes, peppers and potatoes and the Tower of layered tomato, aubergine, goat cheese & smoked salmon "au gratin" 

Bodeguita Casablanca – a restaurant in the heart of a tourist area (a stone’s throw from the Cathedral), but a traditional, authentic tapas bar filled with locals lined up at the bar inside.  In true Seville fashion, there are troughs on the floor by the bar where you can toss your napkins when you finish.  Not sure why this is the custom, and I felt a little bad littering, but when in Rome…  Anyway, order the shrimp wrapped in thinly fried potatoes and whatever the guy next to you is having

Late afternoon – Walk!  I recommended walking through Plaza de Espana and seeing the dedications to each of Spain’s provinces as you walk through the semi-circular building.  Across the way is Maria Luisa Park which was the host to the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929 (world's fair).

Early evening – A few years ago, Seville constructed a huge mushroom-like structure in the center of the city.  This structure, the “Metropol Parasol”, was built after a discovery of ancient ruins halted the creation of a parking lot in its place.  When plans of the parking lot changed, it was decided the space would become an archeological museum and a contest was launched to redesign the market that would live above.  The winner of the contest designed the Parasol, but unfortunately it is often seen as a modern eye sore in an otherwise historic city as well as a source of anger for those who have lived through the recession in Spain while watching millions go towards the creation of the Parasol.  Either way, it is worth seeing!  TIP:  If you go on a downhill ramp on the street level, there is an elevator you can take to the top of the Parasol for three Euro that will let you walk around the structure, take amazing photos of the city, and even get a free drink at the café!

Evening – I mainly sat outside at small tapas restaurants when it came time for dinner, but the one indoor restaurant I went to (but still ate tapas) was Baratillo  It came recommended by my hostel as it was a good spot down the block and I had been walking all day.  The service was friendly and (relatively) efficient, and the food was pretty great.

After dinner, if you haven’t had your daily ice cream (or if you are ready for seconds), now is the time.  I always love seen grown men and women walking down the street with ice cream cones!

This is me, right now.  I'm sitting at a table outside of the bull fighting-themed Meson Serrandito restaurant enjoying a class of blanco from Cadiz (my next stop in Spain!).  Although the sun is out as bright as two in the afternoon, it is actually two minutes to eight o'clock.  Too early for dinner (crazy, right?), I would normally be walking aimlessly at this hour, exploring different neighborhoods of this wonderful city, or rending a bike to cycle along the Guadalquivir river.  But no, time for a break!  

I have such a guilty conscience and spending more than a few minutes on my hostel bed in the afternoon makes me feel bad, like I'm letting myself and everyone down by not being out and about.  I probably sound a bit crazy, but those of you who know me, know that it is hard for me to sit still or - God forbid - take a nap.  So I've found ways to relax that work for me and my crazy New York 'must-be-productive-always' mindset (which is fading slowly but surely).

Wine - While I am more of a beer kind of girl, especially in the upper 90-degree weather I'm experiencing where there is nothing better than a cold beer, I'm going to say going to a little cafe or restaurant, sitting outside and sipping a glass of wine is one of the better ways to relax on a trip.  (That is what I am doing this very minute.)  I can drink a beer down like water, but wine naturally takes me longer to drink.  Also, I love being able to try as many restaurants as possible on my travels to get a real taste (no pun intended) of the local cuisine, so being able to spend an hour or so at one place to enjoy wine and relax, but then get to try another place for dinner is a bonus!

Coffee - Considering the size of a serving of coffee in Spain (unless you visit one of the Starbucks with American-sized and Americanized beverages), drinking a cafe con leche isn't necessarily the most lengthy or relaxing experience.  However, pair it with a pastry for merienda (a 4th meal in the late afternoon that is generally a coffee with a pastry) and you can surely linger.

What to do while sitting around drinking and relaxing, you may ask?  Well, for some people, it is difficult to go to a bar or a restaurant alone.  But one of the most important - and most liberating - parts of traveling is that you must do these things to make the most of your trip, and to survive (a girl's gotta eat!).  So my top 5 favorite things to do when 'relaxing' at a park, bar or restaurant are:

1. Take advantage of free wifi and research where I am or where I'm going next
2. Update my blog!
3. Write notes in the notebook I always carry around about my experiences and feelings from that day's travels
4. Sit back and people-watch (it is one of the best ways to really get to know a culture)
5. Talk to a stranger sitting next to me - you never know what kind of conversation, advice or random connection may come out of it!

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.