I’m back in Barcelona! Well, I suppose officially I was back a little under a month ago, but it hasn’t felt like it as I’ve been traveling so much. I have honestly been in a different country every week for a month (including fun things like a different currency in each one, and a different time zone too!) So here’s where I’ve been:
California, U.S.A.
I got to stay in California for the first week and a half in January, right at the end of my holiday visit home. It was a surprisingly busy trip, and I got to see my family, my college friends, and my high school friends. It’s been 5 years since I graduated high school, and it was a pleasant surprise to discover that everyone had suddenly become much more friendly. I guess that’s growing up, eh?
Barcelona, Spain
Ok, neither of these first two is surprising. I was briefly back in Barcelona to get back to work. I got a few nasty surprises in my first couple of days back, but all was (almost) forgiven after a fun weekend of birthday parties and friends (and, er, more parties during the week).
Istanbul, Turkey
This was the first time I’d been to Turkey, and it was a fascinating place. I’d never been somewhere that was so, well, foreign. Istanbul definitely gave me the feeling I was in a different world entirely, which I was not expecting. And yes, I was in the Asian side, which gives me my third continent!
Derby, England
Perhaps you are unfamiliar with Derby, but you might have heard of the area – Mr. Darcy lives in Derbyshire! My trip involved no Mr. Darcys, as I was there to see my family. But I did get an awful lot of tea, fish and chips, a Topshop trip, a proper Sunday dinner, and a big haul of English chocolate and cakes…plus lots of lovely time spent with family! I think that’s even better than a Darcy (he’s not really my type anyway).
This weekend, I’m finally getting some rest and staying in Barcelona. Getting back into a routine never sounds exciting, but I’m just happy not to have to deal with airport security and Ryanair this week. Travel is a lot of fun but it’s tiring, so staying in one place for a while will be nice too. That is, until my feet start getting that travel itch again…
Besos!
-Jess
Awesome! I bet you’re exhausted haha. I’ll be in Istanbul and Turkey for a week coming up, can’t wait!
Ooh awesome, I hope you have an amazing trip! My friend from Turkey took me to this great restaurant called Pera Teras (www.teraspera.com) that did Turkish food and drinks, along with live traditional music that was awesome. I think it has a garden too, but it was very cold last weekend. Highly recommended if you have time.
I’ve never been to an arab country, but I’m really looking forward to the day I can go. Morocco or Turkey are on my list! And you made me realize that if I go to one of these to country, it would mean my third continent too. hahaha
Sounds like you had a busy few weeks! And it also sounds like you’ve missed the worst of the European weather which is driving me batty!
Yep, I have! I managed to miss the worst of the Spanish and British weather, but I did get snow in Turkey. And there I was thinking it was a warm country…
I’ve never been to an arab country, but I’m really looking forward to the day I can go. I want to experience feeling being in a place which is so so different than what I’m used to. Morocco and Turkey are on my list.
I understand that you need to stay home for a while… it’s normal after so much travel! Enjoy your routine days!
(Ups sorry, I thought my first comment didn’t get published…)
It was definitely eye-opening! It was very, very different.
I’ll e-mail you about meeting up once I’ve gotten through my work emails!
Wow, looks like a lot of fun! I am going to Istanbul next month and getting really excited. Have fun in Barcelona. How long are you there for? Hope that you get to enjoy a summer there
That’s a good question! I’m kind of indefinitely here…I just keep telling people I’ll be here til I’m sick of it. I have no plans to stay, but I don’t have any to leave either, if that makes sense.
Istanbul was really cool! I hope you enjoy it
I find that I enjoy returning from trips and getting back into routines some times-my own bed, cooking my own meals, my space. Don’t get me wrong I love travel but I can appreciate the other things too.
You made it to Istanbul. Looks like you had some nice weather! I didn’t make it to the Asian side…
Turkey is all the rage right now! es de moda!
looking forward to hearing more about it and I’m behind on writing about my trip!
Yes, exactly! Travel gets really glamorized, but it’s really tiring.
Istanbul is definitely trendy, I feel like every blogger I follow is either going or has been lately! Maybe it’s all that Turkish Airlines publicity with Messi and Kobe…
Busy four weeks! And lucky you, getting to return to Barcelona after all of it.
Yep, I’ve had a pretty lucky 2013 in general so far
My last few weeks have been blog trip, getting sick, Italy and driving school. Can’t wait to NOT set an alarm and enjoy the sun in Seville this weekend!
Haha that’s exactly my ‘plan’ for this weekend here too! Hope you get lots of lovely sunny weather.
Jealous! Now, seriously, it sounds like a fun month. Istanbul is lovely and I am sure the Derbyshire area in UK is very quaint. I’ve been to England several times, but mostly to the south of the island… and I wouldn’t mind bumping into a Mr. Darcy in Derby, haha
Welcome back!
Thanks for the welcome back! Derbyshire has some really beautiful countryside houses…maybe you can go searching for a Mr. Darcy there one day
Busy month but it sounds like you had fun
What part of California are you? I spent a month in summer at UCSB and had a lot of fun but I’ve always wanted to go back and stay more time. I would love to visit san Francisco maybe someday…
I grew up in Riverside, which is sort of in between Los Angeles and San Diego (but not on the coast). Santa Barbara is a ton of fun, I had a couple friends who went there. And San Francisco is one of my favorite cities, so I highly recommend it! If you like road trips, the drive up the coast on the 101 is amazing.
Thanks for the tip!!! Doing a road trip in California is on my bucket list
Wow! Such amazing travels in such a short time period! Glad you liked Istanbul. It really is a special place. Too bad it was cold while you were there; it was so warm when we visited the week before! Can’t wait to hear more/see more photos of your travels!
Ooh I’m jealous, it was actually snowing while I was there! I was so shocked. But it was a really cool city, definitely unlike other things I’ve seen before. The Hagia Sophia was stunning.
Istanbul is a cold place in winter, when muslims attacked Costantinople for the first time , they couldnt bear the cold winter and they lift the siege. I heard, i dont know if this is true, it is due to Russian winds which crosses the black sea.
Istanbul is like my second house, i know the city very well because my gf is from there and i know most of the places. I fell completly in love of the city. I spent months walking for their streets, visiting synagogues, mosques, palaces, churches and I think that I only discovered a half of the city
where is the end of Istanbul?
I wait your article from the city
Oh I didn’t know that! Thanks for the history.
And you’re right, Istanbul is huge! I was only there for four days, and it felt like there was enough to see for about a decade.
Wow! That’s a lot of traveling even for me
Istanbul is one of my all time favourites.
Haha it was a busy month! I liked Istanbul too.
Thanks so much for you comment on my “Learning to speak English” post!
I’m so glad you liked it! And I’m so glad that your comment brought me to your page because it’s absolutely amazing! I love it! I got to travel to three continents within a four month period last year – US, Australia and South America (and then back to New Zealand) – which was absolutely amazing but also quite exhausting! I can imagine that three continents in a month must be super exciting (but also quite exhausting)! Keep up the awesome posts! xx
Oh, thanks very much!
Travel is exciting, but it definitely gets exhausting after a while.
Needless to say that I’m in love with Spain and coincidentally Barcelona is my most frequently visited Spanish city. Lucky you! Great pictures, ma’am!
Mine too!
Thanks for your kind words and for visiting my blog.
I agree with you Jessica that travel is an adventure but one gets tired with it too. Every good thing needs substantial effort and hardwork. If you want to explore new things and see new places then comfort cannot be seeked. Most of the time good things comes with an additional cost.
Yes, that’s true – good things often take hard work. Thanks for stopping by my blog!