Super windy day on the Cliffs of Moher!

I look so comfortable!

I also had this amazing quad of salads at Lurve at Lucy's in Dublin the other day!

Cashew potato salad, bean and corn, spinach and carrot, and tabbouleh.

Afternoon Tea in Edinburgh

If you're ever in Edinburgh, looking for something to do one afternoon, you could do what I've done.

Climb to Arthur's Seat.

Then walk all the way to the Royal Botanical Gardens for afternoon tea (at a very reasonable price!)

It has a really gorgeous view.

And an amazing tea.

All for me. Yum!

There's ham, smoked salmon, and cucumber finer sandwiches, a scone with jam and clotted cream, and three (THREE!) desserts including Scottish shortbread.

I am a happy Wendy.

Scotland, Land Of My Heart

Nayyy!

Nayyy!

Nayyyy!

Shrieks a kid between giggles as his Dad tosses him up in the air again and again.

Noe, yer no'

Noe, yer no'

Says the guy next to me at the Mexican place I've decided is appropriate for my first meal in Edinburgh. (If you don't count the strawberry shortcake.)

These are the sounds of Scotland. And I love it with all my heart.

I often spoke about moving here for a masters, or to work, or to be a nomad.

Pardon me, my dinner has arrived.

Chicken in a spicy savoury chocolate pablano sauce with cilantro, avocado, salad with magical Mexican dressing, and tortillas to wrap everything into an amazing, sensual mouthful.

It may not be Scottish, but it was fantastic, and it was in Scotland so...

Actually, my first time ever having Thai was in Edinburgh 9 years ago. 

Holy crap. I'm saying things like "9 years ago" and it's still having to do with my adult life.

But back to this Thai. My sister said, have you ever had coconut rice? Have you ever had pad thai? And it changed my life. It was the first time I dove into international cuisine and fucking LOVED it. To this day, Thai is one of my favourites. 

But it showed me that being fearless makes life worth living. Korean, Ethiopian, El Salvadorian, Japanese, heck, I plan on trying haggis tomorrow. Haggis. And I plan on loving it. 

If you offer it to me, chances are I'll devour it with relish.

Oh, I'm currently enjoying this guy at The Royal Mile Tavern. He's superb! This is him playing Don't Stop Me Now by Queen. I took some video earlier and I'll attach it when I get home. His band is called The OK Social Club.

So, tomorrow, Arthur's Seat. Hopefully there are a few moments of sunshine :)

P.S. I just departed from Nottingham, which was properly relaxing and spent with my great friend Kayla and her partner Tom. Lovely town, and Lincoln was an adorable place to spend a day. 

Tragically, My Last Day In Barcelona

"Mixed Seafood" at a Kiosko Universal in Boquera Market, Barcelona - MESSY GOODNESS!

View from halfway up Montjuïc

Me after climbing half a mountain (pics after full mountain in 2 weeks :P)

Afternoon snack across from Santa Maria del Mar Cathedral at Sagardi.

Last visit to the beach + mango margarita.

Goodbye Barcelona!

Austinians, Flamenco, Rain.

Yet another day has passed where I am completely stoked to be in Barcelona. Partly due to two awesome Texans who have become my new best friends, Austinians if you will.

We went to a beautiful flamenco show tonight at the Palacia de la Música Catalana, which was brilliant, gorgeous, passionate, just wonderful. Then we devoured a fantastic meal at Teresa Carles. My second there today. Yep, that´s right, I liked it so much I went back the same day - and brought reinforcements.

This aft I ate their ceviche made with young coconut and avocado, the best gazpacho of my life (with cumin!) and the Catalonian cheesecake topped with prefectly roasted candied pecans, fresh cherries and honey.

Top that off with a gorgeous beetroot, apple, and cucumber juice and I was in Barcelona heaven.

Tonight we went a little heavier and I ate the smoked tofu and truffle spaghetti, and we shared some mushroom, pumpkin, and spinach croquettes. All were perfectly rich - enough to feel spoiled without feeling guilty ;) That is, until the warm chocolate lava cake with perfect vanilla ice cream came. Luckily we shared one dessert tonight instead of three like last night :P

Apart from the great food, I walked over to the Sagrada Familia cathedral today, which was stupendous. Full of marvellous architectural feats and beautiful touches by Antoni Gaudi and those who followed him. I continued on to the Gaudi designed Park Güell, which was great until the rain started to pour and I got soaked under my insufficient umbrella.

Insufficient Umbrella

Other amazing random things from today: happening upon about a hundred swing dancers of all ages in a square grooving out (some with legit skillz,) and then finding myself in the middle of Barcelona´s huge Filipino Independence Day celebration being forced to eat glutenous coconut rice by a friendly woman and watching little girls do an adorable job of their traditional dances.

Great day :)

Park Güell in the Rain

Twisted Chocolate Roasted Almond Croissant Pretzel Thing

Barcelona is magical.

It has pretty much anything a traveller could want: beaches, sangria, flamenco, food from all over the world (and good too.) It has history, tons of culture, gorgeous architecture thanks to Antoni Gaudi among others, and the weather has been just beautiful.

Super cool store, full of handmade clothing and awesome
vintage stuff. Not so much the  random man out front.

Walking down the street today I not only saw awesome graffiti, and sweet street art, but also a plethora of seriously talented dancers, musicians and groups of both doing shows randomly everywhere. I´ll post pictures when I get home, I promise.

The Boqueria Market today was everything a market should be, plus Tapas. I pretty much ate lunch twice. With two desserts. (And I´m wondering why I suddenly have that extra roll above my jeans again after 3 months hard work at the gym.)

An awesome place called Organic in the market served me canelones, with colourful rice, some kind of magic hummus sauce and feta. Then the twisted chocolate roasted almond croissant pretzel thing happened. Oh boy did it happen.

I knew the market was famous for tapas so I had to have lunch again following my fresh coconut mango juice. Sardines, patatas bravas, and tripe. I should have known the sardines would be so full of bones, and I so inexperienced with eating boney fish had a hard time separating the meat. Still tasty, but not my favourite. The patatas bravas was my favourite. Just roasted potatoes with a delicious creamy pink sauce. So simple, so good. I finished with the tripe, which was a little gelatanous, but not bad. I shared it and the potatoes with the adventurous Netherlanders beside me. They were so happy about the potatoes I got a free beer! Tapas was followed by gelato from Gelaaati - pistachio, ducati (which tasted like chocolate raspberry cheesecake,) and chocolate piccante.

I have been doing a lot of walking, but apparently that doesn´t matter when you eat gelato 3 times a day.

Oh Italy, you were so delicious.

Unfortunately for my waistline, so is Spain. Luckily, my tastebuds are having the best time of their life!

Gluttony, My Worst Sin

Mostly because I just keep eating too much here in Italy and getting horrible stomach aches. It's a bad cycle.. And yet I can't seem to stop myself. It's just so damn tasty!

Poor Stephan keeps sacrificing things as a result.

Two days ago? Stuck all day in our hostel because he was sweet enough not to leave me alone all day (that was a particularly bad stomach day, complete with back aches and sleeping on and off til 7pm.)

Yesterday? We walked past a sign for sangria and he asked if I wanted to have some with him. Sadly the stomach wasn't ready for the leap of wine quite yet and without missing a beat he slumped his shoulders Charlie Brown style and kept walking down the street. Not to make me feel guilty of course, just from the pure sadness of missing delicious sangria.

And tonight? "Let's grab a drink at this cool Florentine bar by the Duomo with beautiful furniture and cool music!" Sadly my stomach, once again ravished by my appetite, said no. He only replied, "We'll, maybe later," as we wandered back to our bed.

Perhaps I can try to shovel a couple less forkfuls in and lift a few more glasses by nightfall. 

All this on top of my lodging choices being pretty bad for social encounters and I'm starting to feel like a killjoy! I'm used to hostels being a place were one meets others and can maybe share a beer or two. Unfortunately I picked based on ratings this time and forgot to factor in fun = no drinking/hangout buddies for the S-Train and I.

In any case, it was a beautiful sunny day today, and though the forecast in Florence is for rain the next few days, we've sort of become accustomed to this perpetual bizarre weather (for Italy, at least.) 

Besides, I love the sound of the rain hitting my window pane, it's so calming and wonderful.