March Madness (not the basketball kind)

March has always been my favorite month of the year. Why, you ask? Well, for those of you who don't know me, my birthday is in March!! I'm turning 23 this year, which is kind of one of those 'meh' years that doesn't really matter, but still. I. Love. Birthdays.

However, March is going to be extra special this year, and I'll tell you why:

This weekend, I get to do something I've always wanted to do -- go horseback riding on the beach. It's supposed to be 75 and sunny, so it should make for a fantastic day at the beach!

Next weekend, I'm heading to Barcelona to be reunited with a friend I met 5 years ago the first time I came to Spain. I can't believe how fast time has gone by, and I'm extremely excited to visit her and the fascinating city of Barcelona.

Also, on a spur of the moment decision, I booked a plane ticket to Paris. It was super cheap, so I jumped on it right away! That's right, I'm going to Paris! It's always been a dream of mine to go there, and I can't wait to see the beautiful city, and more importantly, the Eiffel Tower.

I bought this plane ticket today as an early birthday present to myself, so I'll be heading there on March 23rd. It can't come soon enough!

Next comes my birthday on the 29th, and I'll be getting the best birthday present ever this year (besides the plane tickets to Paris...)... my FAMILY is coming to visit!! I honestly can't wait to see them! It's been almost six months since I've seen them, and let me tell you, it's been tough at times. After they arrive, we'll be heading off for a 10-day adventure that includes stops in Madrid, Segovia, Salamanca, Merida & Seville. It's going to be great! 

Ahh sibs, how I have missed you.

I'm so unbelievably happy right now when I look at all the great things I have to look forward to! Life has been full of ups and downs lately (mostly downs), but I've decided to take charge of my life and my happiness. I'm eating better, working out, job searching, and in general, just really looking forward to the rest of March!

Hasta luego!

Basking in Badajoz

This past Saturday, Patrick and I, along with a few of our friends, traveled to Badajoz.  Badajoz is the largest city in Extremadura, and only a short train ride away from where we live (not to mention the train station is right behind our piso...Score!). We spent the day wandering aimlessly around the city and happening upon many beautiful spots. The weather was perfect, and so was the company. 

While exploring Badajoz, we happened upon this beauty, Las Jardines de la Galera.

It's an enclosure around an old fortress surrounded by Arab gardens. Painters often come here for inspiration, and let me tell you, there is plenty of it to be found.

We also were able to visit the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist on Saturday, and being that it was the "Dia de los Catedrales" (who knew there was such a thing?), there was no fee for entry. We're budget travelers, so naturally, we took advantage of this. It's a very old cathedral, having been built in 1270, but not finished until the 16th century. It was beautiful in some parts, and pretty cryptic in others. We don't have much to compare it to at this point, but were slightly unimpressed. 

Some other highlights of the day were exploring the old Alcazaba, eating a solid breakfast of champions of churros and cafe con leche (serious craving right now!), and enjoying some  1 euro cervezas in the sunny Plaza de Espana.

King of the Castle

Something else we discovered on this trip...Contemporary Art is definitely NOT our thing. I mean, how are we supposed to interpret pictures of telephone poles and paint-by-number looking art? Seriously.