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

The Ultimate End of Season Recap: Video Edition

Hi All!

Not only did I take a lot of photos, there are also many videos that helped record my European adventure in real time.
Here are some of my favorites. Glimpses into what I saw in completely unedited form.

Let's get the party started! A view of the dance floor at Kapital club in Madrid.
 (I suggest turning down your volume before watching!)

A view inside El Santiago Bernabeau stadium during the Real Madrid vs. Barcelona match.

The 'Tuna' singers of Salamanca sing with some locals in a bar. 

Here is another video of the Tuna singers

Taken at a free art exibit in Vienna, a whimsical display of paper boats buffeted by air fans. 

As a lover of all things train, the AVE train arrives at the Barcelona Sants station.

Altetico Madrid, the other main team in Madrid, prepare for a match against Real Madrid.

Not going to lie here: this is what happens at bullfights. 

Aletico Madrid fans celebrate winning the Copa del Rey (King's Cup), a famous trophy in Spanish football.

View of San Sebastian. Enough said.

A typical procession passes by in Sevilla for Semana Santa.

Bells before Easter mass at the Catedral de Sevilla.

The Ultimate End of Season Recap: Best of MdeM part 2!

Moving right along...

City I did not scratch the surface of: Vienna, Austria
For less than two days in Vienna, you can only see so much. The 'culture capital of Europe' has much more to offer than even the sights I hastily breezed through. The opera, theater, and music scenes are some of the best in the world. I place this in the list of cities I need to visit again (once I have more money).

There was a lot I did not see of Vienna

City I did not appreciate in Spain: Valencia
Las Fallas is the best time to see Valencia in its most lively state. Still, it was nearly impossible to appreciate and tour the city with the influx of tourists. The museums and beach are highly regarded. Also, I should have found some more authentic paella (though all I ate in Valencia was paella).

The crowds of Las Fallas made it hard to appreciate the city

Best city for a day trip: Lyon, France
Visiting with my friend, we only had a total of 24 hours for a full tour before a return to Geneva. Luckily, Lyon was perfect to enjoy for that time span. The city features the right amount of culture, history, and modern traits to satisfy every niche. The hostel attendant offered the best walking tour route, which kept us interested for half the day. Being in France, we had some of the best food of the whole trip.

Cheapest country: Poland
When your currency is 4:1 to the euro, the exchange rate is rather in your favor. Things were cheap in Poland, but never lacking either. For 200 euro, I got all of my lodging, food, transportation, and entertainment for 4 days. Try doing that over two cities in any one country.

Free walking tours, free vodka...

Best Airport: Vienna International Airport
I was not thinking the Vienna International Airport would be my favorite after landing in the snow and de-boarding to the tarmac. Still, the airport was clean and modern. Additionally, I give Vienna points for the best airport security. Friendly airport attendants greeted you in a choice of languages to assist the security process. The only downside was the confusing airport layout, which did help in separating the volume of people (making the security that much easier).
Honorable Mention: Chopin Airport (Warsaw)
The first airport with the best security, before finding the Vienna airport. Vienna wins out because all of the polish security attendants were wearing ugly green military uniforms.
Honorable Mention: Madrid Barajas (International terminal specifically)
Terminal 4 of the Madrid airport wins the "Weirdest terminal design" award. Completely modern and borderline futuristic, it was my first and last image of Madrid. I did fly into the airport once in between, my return flight from Vienna.

Best bus ride(s): ESN Barcelona trip
I admit, I'm a sucker for large double-decker buses. One of these beauties was our designated hauler for the Barcelona trip with 60 ESN students. The bus proved surprisingly comfortable for the 8 hour ride from and to Madrid. The only problem was that it lacked a working bathroom, so stops were necessary. Our driver was also awesome for navigating the curvy Barcelona hillside roads without hitting anything (though we did come pretty close at times).

I'm on a bus!

Best hostel: (Tie) Hostel Escala Luna (Salamanca) and Greg and Tom's Party Hostel (Krakow, Poland)
These hostels were my two favorite and hard to separate.
Escala Luna was the nicest hostel of my travels. Single room, tv, wifi, private full bath, closet, heater, plus included towels and toiletries. At 24 euro a night, not the worst deal for a very central location. Lacked on the social atmosphere, but I was impressed by the facilities for my first trip in Spain. This pick was a initially slight risk; the reviews on HostelWorld were not the best.
Greg and Tom's offered good amenities, modern toilets, free breakfast and free dinner. 99 PLN is only around 30 euro for two nights. Let us not forget the nightly bar hopping around Krakow. The staff and guests were all nice.

Best night club: Kapital (Madrid)
Seven floors of non-stop partying. As one of the first clubs I visited, the staircases almost went on forever with each floor offering a different vibe for thousands of clubbers. The music was never bad, yet never the best. Still, this was my most visited club and remains a staple of the Madrid party scene.
Honorable Mention: Razz (Barcelona)
Winner of "Best music at a nightclub" award, this club was wide and spacious. Music type, good ol traditional Euro drum and bass. Later in the evening, a live stage unfolded before many a mesmerized patron (including myself) for a live rock concert. How cool is that!
Honorable Mention: Es Paradis (Ibiza)
What would a best night club list be without at least one Ibiza entry. Our trip took us here twice, first for the foam party and then the water party. With many small platforms, you could lose yourself in a maze of walkways. The upper balcony level gave you a view of the whole club (and a place to get away of the all consuming foam).

Best beach: La Concha (San Sebastian)
Easily regarded as on of the top 5 beaches in Spain, La Concha (Sea Shell, in Spanish), is the front patio for the historic district of San Sebastian. In the mornings with low tide, beach soccer tournaments are organized for children. With higher tide, the water engulfs more of the gradually curved beach. Without commercial traffic, the water in the bay is pristine with views of the local rock formations. Perfect place for afternoon jogs in the sand followed by some beach football.
Honorable Mention: Barceloneta (Barcelona)
Even for the first good day of weather in March, the Barceloneta beach had a following of surfers and general beach goers. Easy to walk around, people watching on the boardwalk is very enjoyable.

Most interesting city: Barcelona
So good, I had to go there twice. Barcelona only plays second fiddle to Madrid by government representation. From a global perspective, it is the more recognized city. Barcelona is the place where even other Europeans visit for an exotic vacation. What Barcelona lacks in traditional Spanish culture it makes up by providing a little of everything else. The most architecturally significant city in the world, while not featuring the historic plazas and grand palaces of Madrid, is adorned with works by Gaudi and contemporary skyscrapers. Weeks are necessary to appreciate the diversity of attractions. From museums (including the Picasso museum and Institute of Catalan art), churches (Cathedral of Barcelona and Sagrada Familia), football (FC Barcelona), parks (Park Guell), and the Olympic city, Barcelona has it all. In my opinion, the city's greatest asset is the Mediterranean sea, allowing greater tourist access and relaxing beaches.

Hard to imagine any city having more to offer.

Stay tuned for the third and final part of my recap!

The Ultimate End of Season Recap: Best of MdeM part 1!

Hi All!

As one of the culminating MdeM posts, I wanted to compile an extensive 'Best of X' list.

In some parts, here are the best things from my travel in Europe.

Best Park: Parque Juan Carlos 1, Madrid
The most complete park I visited. Located on a breezy plateau in an outer Madrid industrial area, Juan Carlos 1 park is large enough to offer some seclusion while still attracting many visitors. Honestly, I found the park by noticing its distinct circular shape on Google Earth, with green grass expanses contrasting to the semi-desert and airport in the vicinity. The gradually sloping landscape is intersected by a number of waterways. The modernist statues are unique, especially the 'star' shaped holocaust memorial in the center of the park. I visited on a borderline good day; comfortable in full sun but just a tad too cold when the clouds and win kicked in.
Honorable Mention: Retiro Park, Madrid
Madrid's favorite park. Always people around and centrally located for a good meet up point.
Honorable Mention: Park Guell, Barcelona
Gaudi influences abound in the somewhat confusingly arranged park.
Honorable Mention: Łazienki Królewskie, Warsaw  

Ducks, peacocks, and RED SQUIRRELS! 

Water features at Juan Carlos I park

Best metro system: Vienna U-Bahn
Even with the somewhat confusing system map, the Vienna metro has the best overall quality. The U-3 line connected with my hostel and the U-2 line connected with most cultural sights along the Ringstrasse. Trains were prompt, stations were large, and everything was clean. But there is one thing that sets this metro apart: no ticketed entrance. Basically, you could ride the metro for free. My strategy was to buy a ticket and keep it for the whole day, not validating it either. If anything , I could play the 'Dumb American' card if necessary. Andres, my acquaintance in Vienna, says that police sometimes check people exiting the station, though even this is rare. People usually buy a ticket if just to keep the system well maintained.
Honorable Mention: Madrid Metro
Basically because I used it nearly every day. I benefited from living close to a Cercanias station to take the larger commuter rail to class every weekday. Otherwise, I never felt unsafe on the metro or Cercanias.

No security at all...

Best train system: Ave and Renfe in Spain
A clear favorite here. Not only because I rode their trains the most, but they were just awesome. The fastest trains I encountered, each ride was comfortable and arrived on time. The stations, including my favorite at Atocha, were clean and organized. A little bias might exist because half of my rides were in first class, which was very nice. Even the non high speed trains were nice, including the Media Distancia train to Salamanca, my first train ride in Europe.
Honorable Mention: RailJet in Austria
The second fastest rail system I encountered. The Austrian landscape would have been more enjoyable if not for the gloomy weather.
Honorable Mention: OBB in Switzerland
Double decker trains FTW!

Duck face?

Best soccer match: Real Madrid vs. Barcelona at El Santiago Bernabeau Stadium, Madrid
El Clasico. The greatest football match in the world (some say). Whenever these two teams play, more people tune in across the world than any other professional sporting event. There was a lot of intensity in anticipation for this match as both teams were in a run of fine form. The first half was uneventful with a Barcelona goal followed by Madrid equalizer all in the second half. Jeers from the Madrid crowd were omnipresent and only intensified whenever Barcelona held the ball. You could feel the emotion everywhere; this is a true rivlary.
Honorable Mention: Altetico Madrid vs. Real Madrid at Vincente Calderon Stadium, Madrid
The Madrid derby, the two Madrid teams facing off in the less than spectacular Calderon stadium, home to Altetico.

Real v Barca

Best Airline: SwissAir
No doubt about this. For a 'low-cost' carrier, you get the best service. Booking two days in advance, a round trip ticket from Geneva was 74 euro (really cheap). And we are not talking about RyanAir quality of service either. Complimentary meals, drinks, comfortable seats, and Swiss chocolate for everyone. Even at 7:30 in the morning, you could ask for Swiss beer as your morning beverage.
Honorable Mention: LOT Polish Airlines.
Paid a little much for the direct flight from Warsaw to Vienna, but I was sitting in business class for the one hour flight.

SWISS CHOCOLATE!

Food Section

Best Dinner for Value: Restaurante Isirdo, Salamanca
Let's run through my first evening dinner in Salamanca. As recomended by my all knowing guidebook, I ordered the Menu del Dia which included:
Loaf of 'fluffy' artisan bread (don't let fluffy be seen as a negative, it was good)
Regional sampler plate filled with local meats (iberian ham, pork), calimari, and cheeses.
Roasted pork mdealions with fries and salad.
Chocolate moose.
Bottle (bottle!) of house wine.
How much would you pay for that meal?
$20, $25, $30 (depending on how you price the wine)
Everything for 12 euro. It was all delicious with prompt service. I was one of the first customers that evening, because even 8:00 pm is an early dinner time for Spaniards.

Best wine: That Basque Country wine I bought in the Basque Country
It kills me I never wrote down the name. This was my favorite wine from the Basque Country visit and brought a bottle home. I shared the bottle with my roommates for my last night in Spain.

Best beer (in Spain): Alhambra
While I can't claim to be a beer expert yet, this was my favorite among Spanish beers. You have to search a little for this in a store and it's even harder to find on tap. I enjoyed visiting the Andalusia region, where several bars had this on tap.

Best beer: Swiss-German beer in Geneva
Remember that everything is expensive in Switzerland. We went bar hopping to find the cheapest drink for our last evening in Geneva. We settled on one near the train station were we had a discussion with a Greek resident about the USA. The tap beer was described specifically as 'Swiss-German,' given the multicultural influences in Switzerland. We enjoyed a mug each watching a Real Madrid soccer match on tv.

Best meal: Chez Martial (Lyon, France)
We were looking for a hidden gem restaurant. We eventually found one along a side street in the Old Lyon neighborhood, close to the hostel. Wanting to fully enjoy the French cuisine, I went as french as possible with my selection. To start, salad Lyonnaise (horseradish dressing, egg, ham, lettuce) and a main dish of Quenelle, a bread soufflé with a lobster bisque sauce. Complementing the food was a glass of the house wine and a glass of white, to go with the fish. Cheese plate for desert to finish in full French style.

Quenelle

Best Tapas bar: Goiz Bargi (San Sebastian, Spain)
A place so good, we went there three times. House wine was the best for the whole trip (see best wine section above). Order the 'gambas,' basically the only thing we ordered.
Honorable Mention: Bar Cintas (Salamanca)
The perfect place to look like a helpless tourist for some free tapas out of pity. Good quality for a cheap price.