Happy Tears in Valencia

I'm continuously asked, why did I decide to move and teach English in Spain. I reply with the same answer, that honestly, I have no idea. I felt a tug in my chest about where I wanted to go to next; a physical pull that had no rational logic. I knew absolutely nothing about Spain; I even mispronounced "hola".

The square near to where my hostel was

Toesies in the sand!

When I reached Valencia on my two week trip across Spain before settling in Murcia, I realised why Spain was the right choice for me. That moment of realisation hit me once I saw the Mediterranean Sea for the first time. For no logical reason, I started to cry. This is why I came here! This feeling of accomplishment and growth; I'm just you're average South African girl and I made this dream, of seeing this view, come true. My decisions, my actions.






I asked the woman at the front desk of my hostel how I could get to the beach. She told me bus number 1 is one way of reaching it. Without a hint of Spanish, I put on my big girl panties and braved the local Spanish transport system. I had no idea which stop it was or how far I had to go. I just went on and trusted my instinct. If I got lost; well hey, it would be its own little adventure.

Luckily I did get off at the right bus stop and followed my nose on which way the beach would be and before I knew it, I was taking off my shoes and digging my toes into the sand. I couldn't swim because my new tattoo was healing, but I walked up and down the beach, dipping my toes into the warm water, wondering how in God's name did I actually manage to land up here.

I am so genuinely lucky and grateful for my parents. Without support from home, I would never be brave enough to even begin to think about traveling on my own. Thanks Mommy. Thanks Daddy. <3

I really liked this. It was above the entrance to my hostel.

By the time I landed in Valencia I was physically and mentally exhausted. My ridiculously heavy luggage and the constant traveling was getting to me, so I decided to just relax and enjoy the scenery I happened to come across; neither free walking tours, nor huge galavants. I did get lost a few times and that was a nice way of seeing things that I would never have normally seen.

Valencia is such a beautiful city. The vibe is quite different to the other Spanish cities I visited but in a way that makes you want to get to know the city a bit better. I will have to go back and learn more about the place.

The cute little alley that lead to my hostel

The view of Valencia from atop the cathedral

Zaragoza, the Eternal City

My view from my hostel window. 

After Barcelona, I headed off to Zaragoza; a city I had vaguely heard of but knew nothing about. I was in for a mild surprise as to what awaited me; two thousand years of history, all the way back to the Romans, leaving a legacy of monuments in its wake.

Evening strolls through the old town

My first impression was how radically different the city is to Barcelona. Barcelona hums with energy at all times whilst Zaragoza seemed a city that runs at a slower pace.

I arrived with over 40kg of luggage (my move to Spain made it necessary to lug my bags with me during my two week journey) and, even though it wasn't particularly far from the train station to my hostel, I was exhausted and collapsed on my bed in my temporary home.

Maritza and me

I met a Venezuelan girl and we instantly got on, like a house on fire. The next 24 hours saw our new friendship blossom with all the sightseeing we did. Without Maritza, I would've wandered the city without much direction. She became my non-Spanish, Spanish speaking guide without even visiting the city beforehand. This was the first time for both of us in the city; we popped our Zaragozan cherry together.


The city lies between Madrid and Barcelona in the north of the country, along the river Ebro. It is the perfect mid-journey stay.

The entrance to Aljaferia

Our first stop, and an absolute must-see, was the Aljaferia. This pleasure palace lies in the heart of the city. It was built for Zaragoza's Islamic rulers, roughly around the 11th century. When Christians took over the city in 1118, it became the royal residence of Christian kings. Nowadays, it holds Aragon's (the province in which the city resides) regional parliament. Guided tours are offered only in Spanish so I was quite happy for Maritza to be my own personal translator.

I went on a guided bus tour, mainly because I was too lazy to walk around but I found that it was interesting to see the difference in styles of sightseeing. I prefer walking tours but it's good to try different types to see which you prefer. I fell asleep during the ride; just soaking up the sun. Headphones in my ears, it becomes a bit like a monotonous background hum, I tended to stop listening.

The view of the city from the top
of the Basilica

My personal favourite moment of my stay in Zaragoza was taking the lift to the top of the basilica. The Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary where, according to ancient legend, Mary appeared to Saint James while he was in prayer. The view from the top of the building shows the city in all its historical glory.

Sunset captured on the Basilica and the Old Bridge

This city is beautifully memorable and definitely should be visited if you are travelling to/from Barcelona and Madrid. It is a place where history and folklore are still alive. When travelling abroad, it is a special experience to find a place that makes you believe that you are connected to a part of the world even though you have no real ties to it. I'm not quite sure why I felt this way to Zaragoza; it was just a great city to visit. It felt to me that Zaragoza draws you in like a child gazing at treasure in a stranger's outstretched hand.

"Because I dream, I'm not crazy"