When I initially set off on my journey back in January I had initially hoped I might be able to find work (ideally in Spain) and sustain an expat lifestyle at least for a little.  How amazing would it have been to set up a home base in Spain and see the rest of Europe from thousands of miles closer?  Simply amazing is my answer to that.  I’ve been doing a little research lately an looked into ebook that was recommended to me.  Titled Moving and Living in Spain, it doesn’t get much more appropriate than that if you’re planning on moving to and living in Spain.  I briefly looked over the featured book and I have to say it’s pretty good.  You also get three bonus books on housing, moving tips and some info on the Spanish language.  For $34 it’s a pretty good deal, and the best part is you can return it and get all your money back if you decide it sucks (at that point you have probably printed them all out anyway).  With that said, I’m excited to get a little reading done and see what pans out.  Please let me know if you happen to purchase this guide and any useful tips you can throw my way that I may miss.  Here’s the link for ya: Moving and Living in Spain

Moving on to the East, let’s chat about the other useful guide I found pertaining to Florence, Italy.  As my favorite city in Italy you can imagine I was excited to find some more info on the sites, sounds and smells of the area.  Same as before, you have 8 weeks to return this puppy for a full refund.  That’s enough time to visit Florence, come back, soak it all in, then decide if you liked or disliked the ebook and return it.  The Ultimate Guide to Florence also comes with a nice little digital photo book of the major attractions around the city and a few other bonuses all for about $15.  Check this guy out to if you’re interested and as always feel free to let me know what you think: The Ultimate Guide to Florence

I hope these guides will be useful, and if you have any links or book ideas that you’d like to share just go ahead and leave a little comment and anyone can gain access to it through the comment link on the bottom right of all my posts.  Enjoy!

The conclusion of my European adventure takes place in Madrid.  I have to be honest; I had heard a few things prior to landing there and was expecting a quick trip with a few days of catching up on my blog and of course a little sightseeing.  Little did I know how exciting the city was going to be.  I met a great group of people and had such a fun time it made it hard to leave.  Let’s start with the tangible parts of the city.

The very center of the city is Puerta del Sol, where every road out of Madrid is measured from.  This is also a great area for entertainment, people watching and street performers do not disappoint at this landmark.  Within this plaza is also the symbol of Madrid, the small statue of El Oso y el Madroño (The Bear and the Madrono Tree). A short walk west and you hit a number of enjoyable areas.  The Royal Cathedral (recently finished in the early 90’s) sits directly across from the more well known Palacio Royal (Royal Palace). For 8 euro you can venture inside and explore the most current palace for the royal family (merely a figurehead this day and age).  Now that we’ve covered a little history we head back towards the Puerta del Sol and make our way down Gran Via. This is undoubtedly one of Madrid’s most traveled roads and is home to numerous theaters the host live shows as well as cinematic adventures.  A great place to meander, look for a show to catch or just duck into a shop and spend some of those precious euros.  After a few dips in the terrain you find yourself at another symbol of Madrid, the Fuente la Cibeles. A beautiful fountain placed in the middle of a roundabout where the soccer team Real Madrid has hosted numerous parades after European championship victories, a great atmosphere.  One more block west and we really start to hit my favorite area.

Through the archway known as Puerta de Alcala, you’ll find the most enjoyable getaway in Madrid, Parque del Retiro. If I could take one thing back to America with me it would be the outstanding public parks I’ve encountered all throughout Europe, and Parque del Retiro fits the bill.  A substantial green scar on the city, this park offers a great place to mingle with locals and tourists alike, paddle around on a row boat or just sit amongst the soft green grass and catch up on some reading.  I was lucky enough to catch a small area of the park early enough in the Spring where a delightfully fragranced tree had just begun to blossom.  I wish I could have bottled the scent and attached it to my photos, but technology hasn’t caught up with my desires quite yet.  A must visit area for nearly each day you are in Madrid.  If you get tired of the park atmosphere walk about one block outside the central entrance and you’ll find Europe’s second largest museum behind the Louvre in Paris.

Museo del Prado was never really a priority during my last days in Europe but I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it given the fact I have little understanding of art.  Even for the most amateur art enthusiasts you can get lost in this massive collection of classical art for days.  Knowing very little about the aspects of “good” art I couldn’t help but appreciate the pure talent required to complete many of these pieces.  Take your time with this one and soak in some of the most detailed and stunning classical art in the world.

As I said before, it was tough to leave such a wonderful and enjoyable destination but I can’t lie that it was nice to be headed home after 11 weeks of being on the road.  Ironic that I would end my trip in the city in which all roads in Spain begin.  You could easily flip that around and believe that my journey is just beginning.  It’s hard sometimes to really appreciate something until you know you won’t be in its presence much longer.  That’s the most difficult aspect of life to accept at times; but speaking from personal experience on various levels it is the most enduring task, and most rewarding.  When you can be grateful for the places, experiences and most importantly the people you’ve encountered along the way is when you can find yourself to be truly happy.  I am extremely happy to have all of you who have supported and followed my journeys, and only hoped that I have inspired many of you to seek in life that which makes you enjoy it as much as I have these last few months.

If anyone has read The Alchemist then you’ll understand my excitement as I made my way down to Tarifa, then over the Strait of Gibraltar into Tangier.  If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you will still love the southern tip of Spain, but go get the book and give it a quick read, trust me.  Well, enough of that so let’s move on and get to my journey down south, deep, deep south… then really north, all in one day.

I departed from Sevilla on a Saturday afternoon on a short train ride to Cadiz, a small city along the coast en route to Tarifa.  With only an hour layover until my bus ride, I didn’t have a ton of time to wander the town, but I would get my chance upon my return.  Take a peek at some of the photos to savor this delicious treat.

Continuing south, the final destination was a short hour and 45 minute bus ride from Cadiz.

I had arrived at Tarifa, a kite surfing capital and gateway to Africa.  When I say the town is rather small, I really mean the town is small.  One main street connects you to almost everything, including the long stretch of beach that overlooks the Atlantic.  Turn to your left on the beach and you can throw a rock into the Mediterranean, pretty cool.

With an afternoon to kill, I walked around town hastily to see all that I could in order to make it to the beach and spend as much time there as possible.  It may have been the best day of my trip thus far.  I collected shells along the shore then witnessed one of the most incredible sunsets I have ever seen, euphoric in nature.  It was as if for one split second everything seemed to just… fit, melt together, synergistic in nature.  All the questions I had been asking myself: had I made the right decision to leave so much that I loved behind and pursue this adventure?  Was it worth the money?  After the joyous and tear provoking moment my answer was an emphatic YES.  I don’t have all the words in my vocabulary to describe it the way I would like to, I only hope that what I have delivered thus far paints a vivid image and begins to stir up memories of similar experiences that you’ve encountered in your life.

The following day was another sensory overload, yet in a completely different manner.  I boarded the FRS High Speed Ferry (that’s right, high speed ferry) from Tarifa to Tangier, Morocco. I was entering a new continent!  Taking only 35 minutes, you can’t beat the efficiency, but you could hope for a lower price than 66 euro. No problem, I couldn’t put a price on the shock in which I was about to receive.

You would think that since I’ve been traveling for some time now that I would be used to seeing new cultures and hearing different languages, but landing in Morocco was a whole new bag of tricks.  The moment you step off the boat (looking like a tourist of course) you are hassled for tours, food, money, and cheap novelty items.   I tried my best to blend in, carried no camera case or extra luggage, and even wore by usual hobo drifting attire, but you can’t hide the pale white skin and glowing red beard.

At first, I stuck to the coastline, cautious to stray away from the tourist regions.  After a short time I mustered the courage to begin my explorations into the depths of the city.  I had to really see what was hiding behind the plush hotels that flooded the beach front.  A quick stop into a Ramada provided me with a shitty map, but a map none the less.  Ah yes, a mosque, let’s get my bearings and head for it.

At first, my guard was on high alert, unaware if the locals would consider me a threat or a target, or merely look past me.  Well they surely didn’t look past me, but most of the looks I received were more of intrigue or interest than hostility (emphasis on most of).  I passed multiple construction sites, all of which were wide open to the public and not well maintained by any standards.  I even crossed a junkyard cat, who gave me a funny look with the one eye he had left, so I proceeded to kick it… not really, but I glared back.

I was beginning to feel a little more comfortable, allowing me to soak in more of the surroundings instead of being on threat level orange the entire time.  Perfect timing, as I wandered up a hill and into an open air market.  This time I was ready for the haggling that was about to ensue, and bartered with a man for an 8 Durham apple (about 80 cents).  Looking back, it was a horrible deal on my part.  That’s ok, I got my apple and ate it too.  I was bartered out and ready to hit the beach for a little before I headed back to the comfort of the EU and Spain.

I was hesitant at first to break the bank for the second time this trip, but I weighed my options… spend about $100 to travel to another country and continent while visiting Spain, having an unforgettable experience, or save myself the amount of money I would have earned in about one day of work when I got home?  That’s an easy one in my book.  Sometimes you just have to evaluate what possesses more value to you in this life; a small piece of paper with the portrait of a dead mans face on it, or a story you can share for the rest of your life.

It makes no difference to me what you choose, just be happy with your decision.