The Ultimate End of Season Recap: Best of MdeM part 3 (and Final!)

Only the best of the best (of the best) at this point. All of your burning questions from my trip will be answered here.

Best Tourist Sight (non-church): Plaza de Espana (Sevilla)
Had to visit this place twice during my trip to Sevilla. Walked there once on my own and later with the free walking tour. Much better visiting later in the afternoon with fewer shadows cast from the sun. Built for the Ibero-America Exposition in 1929, it was built to symbolize the prosperity of Spain. You could spend hours viewing the intricate details in the 49 'benches' depicting Spanish cities.
A building like this just stands out. It was built with the purpose of being awesome, and it succeeds. It edges out more extravagant buildings (The Vatican or Royal Palace of Spain, for example) because it is easy to appreciate in a short amount of time. Besides, completely free to view!

Still the most picturesque photo ever

Best Church: (Tie) Sistine Chapel (Vatican City) and Sagrada Familia (Barcelona)
The Sistine Chapel is considered the most famous place of worship in the Caholic faith.
La Sagrada Familia is, probably..., the quirkiest church in the whole world.
Though we were not allowed to take photos inside the chapel, any single photo could not do it justice. The colors and the details truly stand apart from any decoration I have ever seen. While some churches are more ornately decorated (the neighboring St. Peter's basilica, for example), the chapel has a greater intimate feel. Packed in among hundreds of other patrons, the feel truly becomes intimate! Its fame attracts many visitors, very apparent during my visit with a diverse crowd present.
For a church started one hundred years ago, La Sagrada Familia has literally transcended time. The old 'melting' look of the exterior is contrasted with the smooth lines and contemporary elegance of the interior. The interior (playing second fiddle to the more famous exterior) surprised me the most; its style is so modern it could have been built within the last decade. The scary part is how impressive the church will look when completed (if it ever is completed), becoming one of the largest in the world.

Best Country: Poland
It's not just the vodka talking. Poland was a generally fun place to visit.
Let's make a point clear: Spain was more enjoyable because I explored the country so heavily. For just four days in Poland, I got a complete package. Best part: you can visit Poland easily without breaking the bank. I would have spent double (easily) doing the same things in another country.
Polish people were very friendly. English proficiency was wide enough never to encounter a problem, especially if you planned ahead (like taking a picture of the train ticket you wanted to order when talking with the attendant who could not speak English well). Still, I enjoyed the 'non mainstream Europe' feel of Poland. More down to earth and low key. Poland is not the type of country to attract millions of tourists, but it offers plenty. Not necessarily the food capital of Europe, but the vodka beer local beverages are worth noting.
Combine old architecture, rebuilt cities, cheap food, grand parks, royal palaces, and RED SQUIRRELS, you get an interesting country.

City I want to live in: Lyon, France
I just felt comfortable in Lyon. The city seemed to match my personality and cover all of my intrests. The city has three distinct districts separated by rivers (and I do like rivers). Old Lyon (where my hostel was) features  the best local restaurants, the old churches, and the hill overlooking the city. New Lyon (crossing the river going east) is the upscale part of town. Museums, large plazas, the shopping discrict, night clubs, and a young population. Lyon Part Diu (Part 2) is the commercial and business center, also featuring the main train station. Everything is connected by a modern underground metro. The local soccer team, Olympic Lyon, is one of the most successful in France.
Beyond its diversity, I just got a good vibe from the city. Hard to explain. Don't call if love at first sight, but one day in Lyon won me over.

Where I want to work: CERN
Not entirely Big Bang Theory inspired, but remembering that we could visit CERN while in Geneva only increased my anticipation for the trip. Once again, it was a place we had to visit twice to fully appreciate. The research conducted at CERN is truly at the forefront of science, answering fundamental questions about how the universe works. Though the existence of a Higgs boson might be of little consequence to most, pushing the boundaries of research improves technology and strives innovation. Some of the most creative minds in the world come here to do just that. I hope, one day, to find myself among this crowd to just learn from it all. Not to mention the easy excuse to be in Europe for an extended time!

Favorite Trip: Ibiza
"Oh sure," you might say, "of course a trip to the 'Party Capital of the World' (yes, Google it) will end up his favorite.' Well. Yes and no. No doubt, Ibiza was a fun trip. But even I will admit it was a little too intense at times. Ibiza was easily the most outlandish trip, but it had more meaning beyond that.
Ibiza secures the favorite trip title because of the people I met there. The friends I met there followed me throughout my last month in Spain. We called ourselves La Familia (The Family) and we were in constant communication for every day after we returned.
Even from all my adventures, the people I met (in all places) made the difference.

We call ourselves 'La Familia' and we are what we repeatedly do. 

Best City: Madrid

Mi casa. My home.
When I first returned to Madrid from Italy (my first time outside the Spain), I joked how this was my new 'home.' After my Samana Santa trip, I truly felt that Madrid was my home.
I was lucky. Lucky to find my apartment on Ventura de la Vega in the heart of Sol. Before arriving in Spain, I was just hoping to find a place near down town in a nice area with roommates who didn't want to kill me. If all else failed, the university dorms were an option. After a few weeks of extended searching, I found my best case scenario. There was never a bad day between us and we were always there for each other.
By the time I left Madrid, I was ready to leave. Not that I wanted to leave (I was pulling to stay as long as possible), but I was content with everything that has transpired.
Madrid exceeded my expectations. For this, I need to thank all of my friends and acquaintances. At times, I was a deer in the headlights with everything going on, but my friends were there to bring me back to earth and enjoy the moment.

I miss Madrid. It will always be my second home.
In the future I will return, to see old sights, meet some familiar faces, and recall memories of good times.

Madrid. Nos vemos.

My Last Post: Home is where the Familia is.

When I returned to the United States, I was greeted by my parents at the international airport terminal (albeit in my jet-lagged state). My dad sported his new FC Barcelona hat I purchased as a gift during our visit.
I was whisked back home, greeted with American flag decor, a banner with some poorly translated Spanish, and (most importantly) a bottle of my favorite Alhambra beer (from a store not too far from home).  The hometown pizza was delicious, though I soon crashed from exhaustion.

I was finally home. Back to my usual existence.

But something was missing.

For the nearly dozen times I left Madrid for travel after the first month, returning always offered a return to normalcy. Familiar food, familiar language (more or less), familiar transit, familiar apartment, and an outlook to the upcoming school week.

More importantly, I returned to my best friends.

In a short amount of time, I was exposed to many new people. Initially hesitant, I did the best to overcome my fear and meet as many people as possible.

Everywhere I went introduced me to new people, from residence halls, class, hostels, trips, and general wanderings. My goal was to do as little possible alone. I am very happy with the results. 

My time abroad is defined by the people I met. They made the difference in turning average days into an unforgettable ones.

I wish to dedicate this final post to all my new friends in Europe. Undoubtedly the most interesting group of people I've ever encountered.

To everyone who has followed my blog from the start, thank you. Thank you for following my journey and living it with me.

To those who will see me again, feel free to ask me about my time in Spain. I have many stories to tell!

To all of my world wide readers: Thank you, Gracias, Grazie, Merci, Teşekkür Ederim, Dziękuję, Obrigado, Danke, Dank U, Təşəkkür, Cпасибо.

What is know now is this: I will return to Spain. I hope to live there again and perhaps work there.
I hope to travel again. Visit new places. Meet new friends and visit old friends as well.

Even then, nothing will compare to those five months spent in the spring of 2013.
They will be part of me forever.

And equally, a part of me will forever be...

...Miguel de Madrid