I have been dreaming about visiting Spain for as long as I have had the travel bug. When the time came to commit to a “big trip” this year, after years of just missing the cut, Spain won out (sorry Ireland, maybe next year). Other trips over the past few years had materialized to push Spain one more year further out, but not this time. We finally found a reasonable airfare, something that had eluded us, and with Madrid as our arrival and departure location, we have planned a visit to the capital as well as south into Andalucía.

This trip will be at a slower pace than the last few European adventures my wife and I have been on. I’m in need of a couple of weeks lived like the Spanish – rise late and warm up to your day’s activities, take frequent breaks; set aside time for an afternoon nap; base your day around eating and drinking that will stretch late into the night.  That’s the kind of pace I’m looking for.  We have secured charming apartments in Madrid and Seville, the latter having a wonderful rooftop terrace for us to look out over the city while sharing a bottle (or two) of wine. The itinerary is just coming together now and I’m excited to take in a Real Betis football match alongside some of the most passionate fans in all of Europe, to do some food exploring in the historic markets of Madrid, to tour the Mezquita in Córdoba, to settle into cozy flamenco bars in the wee hours and to liberally and enthusiastically throw myself head first into Spanish tapas culture.

Here’s to two weeks in Spain.  I’ll be using all my willpower to not wish away the time until our flight.