Amazingly, I slept straight through from 9PM to 8:30AM this morning. Returning to the rainy skies here might not help my jetlag, but I’m glad I didn’t wake up as early as MGS. Then again, he’s a the gym and I am just … sitting here.
The trip itself was fantastic! It was nice to return to Barcelona having already seen the majority of the touristy sites the last time I was in town. This visit allowed me to sink into the rhythm of Spanish life. I’d get up late, grab a coffee and pastry for breakfast (under $3!!!), wander, eat lunch as the main meal of the day, wander again with a pit-stop for beer or another coffee, and grabbed dinner sometime past 9pm. I spent a few days with my great friend KM who moved to Barcelona for grad school and is now based in Sweden. I always love reuniting with friends when it feels like no time has passed at all, when in reality we haven’t seen each other in a few years.
MGS and I also took a side trip to Amsterdam. We bought an I Amsterdam card which gave us free or discounted entry to a variety of museums. The arts & cultural scene there is amazing, as is the scenery. Every turn is a postcard moment. We lucked out with the weather, which was freezing, but at least we were only snowed/rained on once the morning before we had to leave.
It is such a comforting feeling being back in our apartment. I love stepping in and seeing my books, bed, dishes — everything arranged as I left it — and being able to drop back into a familiar routine (for better or for worse). I was pretty ready to return to SF towards the end of my trip, not because I wasn’t enjoying Europe, but because my time here in the Bay is ticking away and I wanted more time to spend with friends and fam. Soon, “coming home” will be considered a “vacation” once my base moves to Oregon so I’m trying to enjoy it here as much as I can. So friends reading this: Call you soon!
Will Dao 