Between Sea and Metropolis: My Last Leg in Spain

4/21/2024

When I wake up at 8:30 AM, the others are already awake. There’s a sense of departure in the gym in Andalusian Trebujena, where the music festival took place. Part of the band is heading back to Madrid, and we say our goodbyes. The rest of us are continuing south by car. We’re visiting Lucia’s godmother in Rota - a coastal town in the province of Cádiz on the Costa de la Luz. The city has beautiful beaches and hosts an important Spanish-American naval base.

Beach walk in Rota

We stroll along the sea for a while and then sit down in a beach café, where I finally play my ukulele again. Alicia, who I visited for one week in Spain, and I spontaneously book a hostel in Seville for tonight. I look for a bus for tomorrow that will take me to my former colleague Philip in Lisbon. After an exciting week, Alicia and I will finally have to say goodbye.

Papas con mojo picón: My new culinary preference

Lucia’s aunt, friends, and acquaintances are waiting for us at a bar for lunch, and we make our way there. Meanwhile, we explore the idyllic town a bit and take photos.

Once there, we order delicious tapas. As a vegetarian, my options are very limited, but I fall in love with the “Papas con mojo picón”, a traditional dish that’s especially popular in the Canary Islands. “Papas” means “potatoes” in Spanish, and “Mojo picón” is a spicy sauce typically made with red peppers, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and spices like cumin and hot chili peppers.

We eat a lot, and as has been the case all day, I’m treated by the others and not allowed to pay for anything myself. I’m already very grateful that I was allowed to come along to the music festival in Trebujena. I enjoy the wonderful temperatures in the middle of April and the refreshing sea air. Lovely, when I think of the cool temperatures in Germany.

Farewell to the band

After lunch, we all walk together to Lucia’s godmother’s apartment, where, oddly enough, all the equipment and instruments from the festival are stored. I have no idea, when they managed to put it there. We freshen up in the bathroom and play a bit with the two large dogs living in the apartment. We don’t have much time. Then we all pitch in and bring all the equipment to the car. When we’re done, we say our heartfelt goodbyes, and I promise that I’ll come to see one of their concerts again someday.

From the coast to the metropolis

Alicia and I return to her car. She’s tired from the past few days, and I offer to drive to Seville. The drive only takes 1.5 hours, and we’re lucky enough to find a free parking spot right in the city center, only 20 minutes from our hostel.

Evening walk through Seville

After checking in, we explore the beautiful city center. Seville is the fourth-largest city in Spain with about 700,000 inhabitants. It was founded by the Romans and later became an important center of the Spanish kingdom under Moorish rule. It’s particularly famous for flamenco and bullfighting.

We look at the Cathedral of Seville - the largest Gothic cathedral in the world - and walk past the Royal Alcázar Palace to the Plaza de España. This impresses us particularly, and we spend quite a lot of time in the square and the surrounding park. Afterwards, we look for something to eat and walk for what feels like an eternity through the residential areas of the city.

”You could live well here,” I remark. The residents seem content, and I like the vibe the city gives off. Alicia has to smile. “Yes,” she agrees. “But wait until summer comes. Then it gets unbearably hot here!”

More tapas for dinner

At 9:30 PM, we find a nice tapas bar. However, there’s only one spot left at the counter. We sit down anyway and are immediately served by a friendly waiter who originally comes from the same neighborhood in Madrid as Alicia. We order quite a lot to eat, and I can’t get enough of the Spanish tortilla! At 10:00 PM, it suddenly gets very, very crowded and noisy. Now is the main dining time for the Spanish. I enjoy the atmosphere and am happy to be in the midst of these people’s lives.

The bill isn’t too high when we say goodbye. We look for a bar for a farewell drink, which isn’t so easy. Many of the cafés and bars only offer tables at this time for guests who are also having dinner there. We have to ask around to finally find a cocktail bar that offers us a table.

One drink too many in the cocktail bar

Alicia and I talk a lot about the past week and have a great time. Suddenly, we’re addressed by a totally drunk American at the next table - in broken Spanish. I answer in English, but he doesn’t seem to notice. Apparently, he wants to show off his Spanish skills to his friends. But they can barely contain their laughter.

Suddenly, I see a man at another nearby table slowly losing control of his chair, holding onto the table and pulling the whole table down with him as he falls - including all the drinks. There’s a loud crash, and we try to help where we can. The man has clearly had several drinks too many.

We go back to the hostel and lie down. Alicia isn’t used to sleeping in dormitories anymore, and I lend her my sleep mask. The chatting of two German travelers keeps us awake for a little while longer.

A wonderful day!

It was a great day and an incredible week. Before my trip, I wouldn’t have thought I’d experience so much of the locals’ lives. I was only used to being a tourist in countries before. This time, I feel much more connected to the country and its people. I’m grateful. Especially to Alicia, because she made all this possible and took me into her home. Thank you!