Day 3 - Bilbao

My last day in Bilbao was really chill. I got to sleep in until 10am, got up, packed my stuff, checked out, and went on my way to downtown to meet Austin. The plan was to go shopping or something just kill time before my flight and hang out a little bit more, but we didn't realize everything would be closed Sunday morning. Silly. So we found some breakfast, and then just started walking.



We found a small market:



I am in LOVE with the Spanish flower markets!!! If we had this many beautiful flowers for so inexpensive, I would have fresh flowers every week. And it's SO cool to just see all the different kinds of flowers. (I'll have to get a pic of the flower market that's apparently pretty well known in Madrid that's like 2 blocks from my house every day.)
But I wish I could pack a bunch of bouquets in my luggage and bring the home. So so so lovely.





Finally got a legit picture of the Gugg:



Me "backpacking" through Europe...only cuz I had to check out and didn't want to go back for my stuff. And being like the little green men on the walking signs. "The little green man makes me brave!"


More Bilbao pics...





Ok...this is seriously brilliant...we came across a park, and it had all these really basic exercise machines. Just out. No gym membership fees or anything. Basic strength and flexibility things. An older woman was using the bike pedal machine, you can kind of see her in the first pic.



Jesus Plaza:


My last pintxo before leaving Bilbao:


I had a glass of this at the airport...I took a picture so I could hunt it down and bring some back!!!!


I WISH I could have taken a better picture through the airport windows...this was like one of four or five. It turned rainy by about six pm and the mountains surrounding the airport were just so comfortable looking.


And here's my attempt at taking a picture of Madrid before we landed:


Overall, fantastic trip. So glad I did it. Like I said, it was nice to get out and see more of Spain, and to see a friend from back home.

It was extremely cool to be in a place where the language isn't my best, but still get around all by myself. Made me realize how much I still want to see in the US, and (besides the outrageous cost of plane tickets) why NOT just hop on a plane and go someplace? Like DC? Or San Fran? Or New England?

Seriously.

The weirdest thing I think was being away from my home away from home. I was very much looking forward to going back to Madrid to sleep in "my own" bed, and be "home", but it was still weird to think that going "home" wasn't actually home. Definitely kept getting hit by small waves of homesickness when I'd realize that, but this was the first time in a couple weeks it was happening so regularly.

I'm looking forward to being back home in the States in general for sure, and I'm glad I've only got 10 weeks left (I can't imagine being here a whole year), but I am definitely looking forward to the next couple months with all my trips and stuff!! (Although I must say I'm a little nervous for getting to and from the airport in Paris...) :-\

And I am now officially in love with Kinder Bars. American candy has nothing on European candy. Just saying. So everyone can expect Kinder Bars and Smarties in their stockings this year.