AW - luna de miel en Espana!

theartistformerlyknownas · September 2014

Since I don't have pro pics yet for a proper wedding recap, I figured I might as well AW the honeymoon! We got home last night, and even though I had no voice the first 2 days and a death cough the rest of the time (seriously, who gives laryngitis as a wedding gift?!) it was AWESOME.

Thoughts on Spain...

I could eat Manchego cheese every day. Marinated in olive oil, baked into croissants, on a platter with chorizo and olives. Gimme all the cheese.

Environmentalism/conservation is ON POINT. Both hotels had motion activated lights in the hallways, and the electricity in the room only worked when you put your room key in a slot in the wall (so less leaving everything on when you leave). AC automatically shut off if you opened the window. Garbage plus 2-3 varieties of recycle bin on every corner, and then some.

People drink ALL. THE. TIME. Bars opened before even the bakeries and newsstands. (It wasn't just that they were still open from the night before; most closed at midnight.) Beer and wine were cheaper than water or soda.

All ham errything!

Such a weird obsession with mayo. Asparagus with mayonnaise? Sorry Spain, we cannot be friends over that.

I wish we had more/better trains in the US/MI.

Siesta time is really strange. As much as I'd like to be down with daily naps, is it really necessary for EVERY place in town to shut down from 2-5?! I just want to buy a coffee!

OMG the smoking. Definitely didn't help the cough. EVERYBODY smokes. If they're working, they just stand in the doorway and lean barely outside and let the smoke waft in. Zero fucks given to whose face the smoke blows into, because why would you when EVERYBODY smokes?

Topless beaches. DH was so funny... "It's weird babe, now that I've been to a topless beach it's just lost all appeal. You realize that they're just boobs and most of them don't look very good anyway so what's the point?" "Oh honey. You know what happened? You got married! You know you have boobs on lock and you don't need to see strangers' anymore."

And now picture tiiiiiime! Sorry if they're huge.

The beeeeach!

La Sagrada Familia

Montjuic Castle

Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya

Madrid from the rooftop of our hotel!

Royal Palace

Walled city of Avila

Ugh I don't want to go back to work tomorrow. Wah.

holyguacamole79 · September 2014

I miss Spain sooooo much! I see you went to Barcelona. Where else did you go?

ETA: I'm hopped up on cough syrup. Ooh, Madrid and Avila!!

JCbride2015 · September 2014

Looks like you guys had an amazing time! What great pics!

And Spain and I could never be friends over that mayo thing, either. Yuck. When there's so much good wine and cheese... why would you need mayo?

theartistformerlyknownas · September 2014

JCbride2015 said:

Looks like you guys had an amazing time! What great pics!

And Spain and I could never be friends over that mayo thing, either. Yuck. When there's so much good wine and cheese... why would you need mayo?

F'reals. We had the BEST patatas bravas the first night, thin slices of fried potatoes with this spicy mayo-containing concoction that I can handle. Ordered it again somewhere else... giant splooge of plain mayo plus a giant splooge of ketchup over barely cooked potato cubes. BARF.

esstee33 · September 2014

Gahhhh, I want to see Gaudi architecture! That's incredibly high on my bucket list. Your pictures look awesome!

beethery · September 2014

So I need to visit Spain.

Also, I feel like a Plebe for looking at that church and thinking, "Why church is melting? Why you do this Gaudí?"

theartistformerlyknownas · September 2014

beethery said:

So I need to visit Spain.

Also, I feel like a Plebe for looking at that church and thinking, "Why church is melting? Why you do this Gaudí?"

Haha my aunt said it looked like a sand castle.

The whole thing isn't like that. Although it's been worked on by so many people at this point... it's really incredible though. You need to go.

ETA oh and a lot of the parts that look sloppy and melty are actually really detailed ivy leaves close up.

NYCMercedes · September 2014

Thank you.

jdluvr06 · September 2014

Spain is one place I haven't made it to yet. I'm so jealous. Looks like you guys had an amazing time.

southernbelle0915 · September 2014

Great pictures!!! This brings back so many fun memories (I lived in Spain for a while). I'm SO glad you had a good time!!

pinkcow13 · September 2014

Omg amazing! I am dying to go to Spain! Looks and sounds like you guys had a blast-besides the being sick part, boo! I adore manchego cheese! It's one of my top faves. Oh and patatas bravas.....

WinstonsGirl · September 2014

I'm so jealous. Spain is on our list, though DH has been there once already. It looks like you had an amazing trip

missdelilah · September 2014

I've been totally missing you! So pleased to hear that you guys had a great time, but that laryngitis is a completely legit reason for honeymoon do over in my book. I found that the English have a strange obsession with mayo too. Not my thing at all. Yay for the cheese and ham! I eat a lot of cheeses and ham imported from Spain. Still haven't made it there yet, but might show your post to FI and see what he thinks. No honeymoon for us next year, as he's using his holiday time for the wedding. Maybe 2016?

slothiegal · September 2014

Beautiful! I'm OBSESSED with La Sagrada Familia; I spent practically a whole day there when I was in Barcelona.

Sorry you have to return to the real world, but we're glad to have you back!!!

jenna8984 · September 2014

I went to Barcelona when I was 12 so I don't remember too much about it, except that it was fucking gorgeous and that I LOVED it. I will have to go back now, especially to this part! Looks like you had a blast for sure. I've been dying for you to get back so we can chat about our weddings haha.

Did you hear anything the officiant was saying? Because I was staring so intently at husband that I practically went deaf and didn't hear a word of the script I worked so hard to write! Even when I had to repeat the ring part, it went in one ear out the other and I said "um WHAT" and everyone laughed. I didn't care, I was in the zone and loved every minute

Congrats to you & Jake!!

raissyrais · September 2014

Looks gorgeous! Can't wait to go all over Europe too! You sure looked like you had lots of fun

LittlePeachBlossom · September 2014

Looks like it was an amazing time! I've only been to Barcelona and surrounding cities so I need to go back someday to explore Madrid. Which did you like best?

SmileDamnit · September 2014

Fan-freakin-TASTIC!! More pictures!!

flyingfoxes · September 2014

So gorgeous! I need to add Spain to my list of places to visit.

lc07 · September 2014

I knew I needed to go to Spain! Thank you for sharing. Sounds AMAZING. Pics are beautiful. Glad you had an awesome time!

theartistformerlyknownas · September 2014

LittlePeachBlossom said:

Looks like it was an amazing time! I've only been to Barcelona and surrounding cities so I need to go back someday to explore Madrid. Which did you like best?

I preferred Barcelona. It's way more laid back and old school, more the way I expected Spain to be, KWIM? Our hotel in Madrid was right on the main drag in the theater district, so it had a much more "big city" feel; not quite NYC but kind of Chicago-esque. Tourist stands and chain restaurants (Spanish and American) everywhere. In Barcelona, we walked to a bakery for ham and cheese croissants and cappuccino in the mornings, sitting with the locals who all knew each other and came in for bread every day. Much more my speed.

If you do go to Madrid, I highly recommend Las Tablas for a flamenco show! Just off Plaza de Espana, intimate little place that only seats about 40 people, and the best guitarist I've ever heard.

theartistformerlyknownas · September 2014

jenna8984 said:

I went to Barcelona when I was 12 so I don't remember too much about it, except that it was fucking gorgeous and that I LOVED it. I will have to go back now, especially to this part! Looks like you had a blast for sure. I've been dying for you to get back so we can chat about our weddings haha.

Did you hear anything the officiant was saying? Because I was staring so intently at husband that I practically went deaf and didn't hear a word of the script I worked so hard to write! Even when I had to repeat the ring part, it went in one ear out the other and I said "um WHAT" and everyone laughed. I didn't care, I was in the zone and loved every minute
Congrats to you & Jake!!

I actually did! It was a little hard over my inner monologue of "Take it all in. This is your wedding. This is not a drill. Crap, is this mascara waterproof? Keep it together Lolo. GOOD LAWD this hot man is about to be your husband. Oh man he's smiling again. Don't cry. OK don't look completely stone-faced. Just don't ugly cry."

jenna8984 · September 2014

Yay!! Same here I was so in my head like "omg it's happening, like right now, like this is my husband, look how handsome he is" lol.

Did you have anything go not quite as planned? Since we didn't have a DJ we planned to play our song on his phone for our dance. Well we are standing there, and the venue was kind of remote so he couldn't get cell service and we just laughed and sat down. And then as we were sitting we said "damn, we should have planned background music, this is quiet and weird" but once everyone started eating and talking it was totally fine hahah. We played the song on the drive home together so it will still be our wedding song

KatieinBkln · September 2014

Oh, this looks like it was such a great time! I just got back from Barca and yet I am feeling the need to go back...and my first Second Hometown, Madrid! I miss you so!