Iberian flight of fancy

01 Sep 2023 - Austin Shen

I will confess I did not know what Iberian meant before Taf decided to name a Google Sheet with this title while we were planning this holiday together. But it sounds better than “Spain and Portugal” which is what I would have called it. So I am borrowing this title and using it for my post.

Spain

After Paris, I flew to Bali briefly for Ruby’s cousin’s wedding. A long journey to the other side of the world and back in a few days! And on the back of that whirlwind trip, Taf and I planned a holiday in Spain and Portugal. I arrived in Barcelona on the 1st, and spent some time at a hostel making new friends and having an awesome time. Taf, being the great friend that they are, flew in to Barcelona on the 4th of September – my birthday! Unfortunately by that point all of the nights of drinking, long flights, and generally neglecting health caught up with me, and I ended up with probably the roughest cold/flu that I’ve had all year. Just in time to accompany Taf on their well deserved holiday.

I was feeling fine when I checked in to the hostel in Barcelona, and got lots of rest in the first couple of nights. But then, as you do, I got involved with the hostel events and met a group of lovely, fun people. We did the walking tour, took part in the hostel drinking games, enjoyed the beautiful view of Barcelona from Bunkers, sat about having nice conversations, and had a great time exploring the nearby nightlife (bars). There was one person I never met who was coughing their lungs up every time I entered the room. They must have been tucked away for a few days – the blinds to their bed always closed, and the lights in the room mostly off. Didn’t think much of it. A few days later, on the eve of my birthday, my throat is tickling. I knew the feeling, and knew what was to come. An anxious sleep hoping I was imaginging things didn’t fix anything and I woke up on my birthday feeling like crap.

Taf and I got our own room at a different hostel, so I checked out and made my way across town lugging all of my things to get to the new place. It was nice and spacious luckily – large enough of a room to give Taf the best change of avoiding this sickness. I was napping when they arrived and was so happy to see them! We got tapas that first night and called it very early. The rest of our time there followed a similar schedule, involving a mid-day nap and early bed time. That seemed to work for both of us anyway since Taf prefers more chilled holidays. We were still able to squeeze in the main attractions – Gaudi’s beautiful, nature-inspired buildings scattered around town, the perpetually incomplete Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, and so much tapas and paella.

Portugal

I left for Portugal earlier than Taf. I changed my plans to go Porto for the weekend to see Mel and Tim, while Taf went on to Madrid. Originally, the plan was to stay with Mel and Tim the entire time, but I decided to stay in a hotel to avoid infecting them for the first few nights. It was particularly important at the time, with Tim flying to Africa in the coming days for work. Two nights in the hotel didn’t kick my illness, so I went to the hospital. My cold and fever had evolved into a bacterial sinus infection requiring antibiotics to fix. They were super effective, and I was significantly better in days after that.

The whole time in Porto was great fun. My fever had passed by the time I had arrived, so I could mostly function and enjoy things (except nose breathing). We got brunch the first day, and then Mel and Tim played tour guide and showed me all of the beautiful places in town. Such a beautiful, walkable city with relaxing vibes. Cute market stalls and food trucks everywhere as we walked around. I particularly loved the views of the Duoro river and the city from the bridge (Eiffel tower looking one). The next day I was able to come and check out Mel and Tim’s lovely home, and even had energy to go bouldering with Tim!

Taf arrived within an few days, and then started the best times on this trip. I was feeling better and had significantly more energy, Taf was rested and keen to see things, and Mel was still around for hangs outside of work hours! This period was one of my favourites the entire year. It was the ideal mix of the comforting feeling of home and excitement around travel. Foggy sunrises in the cold, crossfit, and the best chats with Mel to start the day, followed by a slow home-made egg breakfast. By the time we got back, Taf was usually up and we’d be ready to explore Porto. And each day was incredible, whether it was trips to the beach to surf the long waves, neighbouring cities, or just walking about town. Then finishing up with wholesome home-made group dinners. Pastel de natas and port wine every day of course.

We had a particularly memorable weekend to wrap up the time in Porto. Mel dragged us along to a work party with her quirky colleagues, and we stayed until close before getting a yummy Portuguese chimk dins. I joined for a crossfit party the following morning, after a rough class, then we walked about town just browsing for gifts, tasting various wines and eating so much delicious food along the waterfront.