Santander, Spain
May 27-28See photos below
Joining us on the flight to Santander was my good friend Ryan. With a relatively empty plane, the three of us were able to maneuver into the same row. It was a bumpy flight aboard the budget airliner. The descent into the Basque Country was stunning, with mountains contrasting the water in perfect harmony. Upon landing we sprinted to the bus that would take us into the city center, packed in like sardines with everyone else who had the same place to be. It was warm and the air was heavy as we walked from the bus station to check in and drop our bags at our hostel for the night. With Ryan on more of a time crunch, he would be taking another bus later that day, so the three of us made a quick run to the store for sandwich materials before he departed. After a delicious lunch, Ashley and I walked him back to the station to see him off, hopeful that we would see him in one of the small mountain towns of the Picos de Europa in the days to come.
The Basque city was beautiful. A unique blend of historical and modern feel and architecture gave me the impression of a place both beyond its heyday, yet still with room to grow. We walked along the water for much of the day, admiring the fleets of tiny sailboats captained by young children and adults alike. The water itself was clear, crisp, and not too cold. Finding a small manmade beach, we strolled along where the sand met the gentle, lapping sea. We continued, hooking around the cape and found ourselves at a much larger, more populous beach. We walked for miles, enjoying every new corner we turned on and square we found ourselves in.
Taking in the views, we talked for a long while. A common theme that runs through our heart-to-hearts is both the appreciation of life at home, as well as life on the road and not wishing away the present. I have been making a conscious effort to stay present in the places we are visiting, as this is something I struggle with. Always looking forward to the next best thing, when that very thing is actually right in front of me. Appreciating every moment as it comes is a form of mindfulness that I am doing my best to adhere to. I find that I am most focused on this way of being when immersed in nature. Therefore the next leg of this trip, in the Picos de Europa mountain range, was going to be the perfect place to apply this practice. I didn’t know what to expect when we made our way there, which made it all the better when we caught the first glimpse of the huge mountains on the drive in.
