Ernest Hemingway is quoted as saying: “There is no nightlife in Spain. They stay up late. That is not nightlife. That is delaying the day.”

So that is what I’m currently doing, IN SPAIN. In fact, the most Spanish of us, is the baby, as she goes to bed late and sleeps in. A child after my own heart.

It’s been almost four months of living here. As with all places, there are things I love, and things I most certainly don’t.

Despite all of that, it’s incredibly refreshing to wake up and open a window this time of year and not be inundated with sand particles cementing into my lungs. It’s cool outside, at times cold, and it’s true, they dress for the season, and not exactly the weather. I’m both unsure that I can ever convert to super wide leg pants though.

I feel like I’d look like Gumby.

I’ll write about the struggles later. They definitely exist. Although my terribly butchered translation of “I’m sorry, my Spanish is not very good,” is good enough for some to try and speak English so that we get somewhere. And most times, it’s 1000% easier to go to self-checkout and to fast food restaurants because I don’t have to interact with a human with deep conversation skills.

Needless to say, let me just share my photos that I’ve collected up until now.

I can’t wait to share images of rooms once they’re 100% together, but we have a pretty decent view, built in closets with custom drawers (a complete advantage in Europe), but tiny elevators and all these flights of stairs when it’s down.

Food is what one expects from Spain. I’m a little tired of central Spanish food (don’t come for me). But what I truly am amazed by is how much pork is consumed here, and how everyone is thinner than what you’d expect. I was reading recently on how Black Iberian Pigs are raised, and honestly, the US should take a hint. Also, once while in a Carrefour express, there were giant pans of serve yourself paella. It was wild, like what.

Glasses of Rioja galore, churros and chocolate even more galore, although my pictures are of porras, olives of a million varieties, and when you ask at the store, it’s like an interrogation of what you’re looking for and if you don’t have enough details, you’re judged. When in actuality, my uncultured swine self just wants the black ones that I’m looking at, as I couldn’t tell you the difference between them anyways. Sigh.

These enchiladas were to die for from Solito, an actual Mexican restaurant here. The mole one made H’s sister cry. No joke, and honestly, there were that freaking good.

And last but certainly not least, the art of slicing jamon iberico. It’s a little weird to see pig legs everywhere, not going to lie.

Madrid has a lot of green space, it is actually quite nice for a major city. Although, what I love about Madrid is the angles. If you don’t look up, you may miss a medieval building behind modern ones, or really nice views down diagonal streets. However, my favorite part is capturing all of the little architectural details that make me swoon over this part of Europe.

There’s not a moment where you feel like there’s nothing to do in Madrid. Art? They got it. Museums? They got it. Flamenco? Absolutely. If you want a recommendation I’ll send you one that has a Michelin star meal as you watch too.

But maybe the coolest thing about Spain, is the rail system. Second to China in the number of high speed rails, it was nice to get to Barcelona in two hours and see (albeit through the dirtiest window) the geography of leaving the mesa to the coast.

And for giggles, the fabrics I’ve seen for the last two years are being sold here too. It makes me smile.

This is only the beginning. In no way are any of these photos coming without a post to explain more in depth later. I’ve got a lot and not so much at the same time going on.

For instance, we’re headed out of Spain soon for my dream concert!!!! And no, it’s not an Eras tour date. I did sit in that Ticketmaster line for quite a long time and got through to the end, to be told it was a maybe if I was lucky. I never got the follow up email.

Noah Kahan is more my speed anyways 🙂

If you have any places you’d like to see, let me know! I need more trips out of the house and I’d be more than happy to give a rundown.

Adios for now,

Carrie