Alegria Abroad- Barcelona, Rome, and Morocco

Our first day in Barcelona is a complete blur of walking around the city waiting to check into our hotel at noon so we could sleep the afternoon away before venturing out for tapas and Spanish wine. We returned to our room afterward and went straight back to sleep. Traveling can take it out of you and so can good Spanish wine. We needed our rest to wake up early enough the next morning to take a day trip to Rome.

Upon arrival, we realized we were walking around in a dream. For breakfast, we stopped at an adorable little café in the city center for Italian coffee, bacon, and eggs. Then we began walking and thank goodness for my Alegrias because the final step count at the end of the day was well over 10 miles and my feet didn’t hurt at all!

Piazza Venezia in Rome

Some of the sights we visited included the breathtaking Colosseum, full of history, tourists, and beautiful morning light. We took a taxi to the Vatican where we did a full tour including the Sistine Chapel. After a full day of taking in the sights, we sat down for a delicious dinner of pizza and red wine followed by gelato. Because when in Rome you do as the Romans and that includes indulging in the classic cuisine of the country.

We flew back to Barcelona and spent the next two days walking, shopping, eating, and drinking more Spanish wine. La Rambla is where we wandered the most. It’s a big central strip housing more tapas and tourists than I’ve ever seen in my life. My favorite part of La Rambla was the street performers dressed up as everything from famous people to monsters sitting in character for hours at a time. 

Along the way, we stopped in a famous espadrille shop with walls lined full of shoes before we found the most delicious health food and cold-pressed juice shop- Flax and Kale. It’s not only one of my favorite restaurants in the world but also the best cold-pressed juice I’ve had to date. 

La Manual Alpargatera

We wrapped up our time in Barcelona at the beach as we prepared to head out to Morocco the following morning. 

No internet, no technology, no electrical outlet in sight. In Morroco we found heaven. I took my watch off
as soon as we arrived at Scarebo Camp, and didn’t put it back on. Sun and desert as far as the eye can see. It was an absolute dream. 

At the camp, we were greeted with Moroccan tea and told that our only responsibility was to lounge and take it all in until lunch and our tent were ready. We spent the day riding camels through the dunes, eating the most thoughtfully prepared Moroccan dishes, reading in the sun, and taking in the views.

Camels at Scarabeo Camp in Morroco

Our hosts set a new standard for service in my mind, and I'm not sure I'll ever be able to stay anywhere else without thinking of how wonderful they were. Every time I sat down on one of those fabulous leather poufs, they offered me tea, water, wine, olives, nuts, or some other form of deliciousness. 

Our night in Morocco finished up with a beautifully prepared traditional meal of perfectly flavored tanginess- soup and a deliciously crusty pastry pie with wine over candlelight. After sitting around the fire chatting with new friends from around the world and spending who knows how long gazing up at the millions of stars we finally settled into the enormous cushy bed in our huge desert tent and slept like babies. 

Now on to the next adventure.