If you are reading SIN PRISA for the first time, welcome. If you are returning, welcome back. Mil gracias (a thousand thank yous) for being here.
In case you missed it, check out last month's newsletter, Two amigas in Singapore 🇸🇬, on celebrating 10 years of friendship and why everyone needs a travelmate. I hope you enjoy :)
To know me is to know the special place España holds in my heart.
España gave me more than a second language and place to call home. España was my first introduction to slow living and the importance of siestas (naps). It’s where I discovered my love for travel and learning languages.
I moved to España at the tender age of twenty. If I am keeping it 100, I did not know much about the country before I moved there. In fact, España marked the first stamp in my passport.
I was inspired to move abroad after hearing students share their experience in my uni’s international program.
A common theme among all of the students was reduced stress and better life balance as a result of living in a foreign country. They raved about the low cost of living (compared to American standards), laxed lifestyle, and ability to travel on a whim.
This was all my 20 year-old self needed to hear. Back then, I was a hyper-independent college student with two jobs and taking twenty units (bless young E). So the idea of moving to a new country sounded like the intervention I needed.
I took a leap of faith, unsure of what awaited me on the other side, and joined the small percentage of Americans who studied abroad.
Had I not taken the chance, SIN PRISA would not exist today. España changed me in ways my younger self would not believe. Each time I return, I find another reason to move back.
When I visit España I typically flock to the south for warm Mediterranean beaches or northwest for time in nature. This time I challenged myself to visit somewhere new. I settled on País Vasco, an underrated autonomous region in north-central España.
The 4.5 hour train ride from Madrid was the perfect start and pace for my slow traveler style. We passed through rural mountainous towns, green lush landscapes, and beautiful brick homes – scenery I would have missed had I taken a quick 30 minute flight.
My trip commenced in Bilbao, one of the largest cities in País Vasco. Unlike Madrid and Barcelona, Bilbao is not crowded or overrun by tourists. The city is home to a vibrant and highly visible global community hailing from South America to West Africa to East Asia.
To my surprise, the region is also home to warm beaches and naturistic sites off the northern Atlantic coast. Santander and San Sebastian are certainly the go-to beach destinations in País Vasco and for good reason.
Yet I found Sopelana, a small town and 30-minute train ride from Bilbao, to be calmer in comparison. Sopelana is a stretch of three beaches surrounded by large cliffs and a backdrop of beautiful mountains.
One of the beaches La Salvaje (Barinatxe) is a certified nudista beach. If you raise an eyebrow at the thought of nude beaches don’t fret, they are 1000% normal in España.
On the surface, being au naturel at the beach may sound daunting or inappropriate but from experience it is one of the most liberating acts of my lifetime.
I don’t have many photos or “ah-ha” moments from this trip and it is not because I spent the majority of my time being nude on the beach :)).
Truthfully, I did not pressure myself to experience or feel anything magical. More than anything I prioritized being present and experiencing España in a new way. Simply immersing myself in a region I was unfamiliar with was the best experience I could have asked for.
In a way, this trip mirrored the first time I traveled to España. I arrived with no expectations and left with a heart full of memories.
My decision to move to España is the reason I can live without rush or hurry today and why I’ll move back in the future. The lessons I learned almost 10 years ago on slow living, still ring true today.
Mil gracias España, ¡Hasta pronto!
A thousand thank you Spain, see you soon!
Until next time, take it slow 🦥
E
PS: ¡Feliz día del padre! Happy Fathers Day!
Next month, we’ll journey to my place of birth, the unconquerable golden state of California. I’ll share openly about my love/hate relationship returning to the U.S. and why living SIN PRISA is the hardest in my home country.
Questions? Send me a note sinprisatravel@gmail.com.
Need support or want to chat? Book time with me here. I’ve curated 20+ trips for solo, couple, and small group travelers across the globe. I’d love to hear about your trip dreams!
I love it! I’m looking forward to going sometime soon.
You got me at the sound of a warm Mediterranean beach.🏝️España looks amazing.