You just never know what you're gonna get

I'm the type of girl who has always had at least 1 sport, a full load of classes, and a job (usually 1 but sometimes more) to juggle at once. It's the type of life that meant I could take a break from one thing by turning to another thing I loved to do. This also meant that I lived religiously according to my day-planner, if I didn't write it down, I would forget all about it.

I like to think that I have slowly relaxed out of that lifestyle (though I'm sure the second I get back to Stanford I will turn to my dear friend once again), which has also equipped me with some think-on-your-toes strategies that have come in handy while traveling, because honestly, you just never know what you're gonna get.

This is the bus I was supposed to take... but that wasn't really where I wanted to go....

Take my night in Bilbao, for example. After the unexpected rain of the day and feeling under the weather (no pun intended) for most of the night, I witnessed some of the strangest nighttime habits I have ever seen thanks to my hostel roommates.

I was staying in a 6-bed mixed room. This means that up to 6 people, men and/or women, can share a room, though sometimes during the travel off season it can be just 1 or 2 people per room. (My hostel room in San Sebastian was TINY and meant for 6 people as well, but thankfully I got the room to myself!). I also quickly realized that my hostel was not a youth hostel, which generally restricts occupants to be between 18-35 years old, but rather just a hostel for all ages. My room had 4 or 5 occupants- I'm not really sure- myself, a German woman older than myself, an older man, and a younger male around my age, and perhaps another unknown person around my age. I do know there were 5 people ASSIGNED to my room because 5 of the 6 beds had linens on them. The German woman, the older man, and I went to bed at around the same time and so got a chance to chat briefly about our travels.

This is when it gets weird. An hour or two after going to bed, another person enters the room and, I assume, goes to bed because not long after someone begins to snore. Since I have yet to have actually fallen asleep, I can hear them alternate between snoring and trying to strangely clear their throat over and over again (not conducive to sleep, in case you were wondering). The door opens again and someone gets into the shower. Soon after, I hear someone climbing into the top bunk of the bed opposite of mine. The snoring stops - or else I just fell asleep for a while - then I hear someone EXIT the room at about 4 or 5 in the morning. There is no snoring at this point, so I think it may have been the snorer who left, but in reality I have no idea. When I wake up at 7:30am (I had an early bus to catch), there are still only the 3 of us who went to bed around the same time in the room.

Who were those mystery people and why did they not sleep the entire night in the room? Who knows.

When I arrived to Zaragoza, I was eager to get the chance to stretch my legs from the bus ride. I wasn't really  paying attention to where I was walking, so I inadvertently walked for 30 minutes (instead of 10) to get to my hostel. The hostel is really great! Free wifi, free breakfast, very clean, with really awesome security, and literally 10 minutes away from all the things there are to see in Zaragoza.

I visited the Basilica of our Lady of Pilar - which is absolutely breathtaking on the inside. It was not just your ordinary basilica, slightly understated but beautiful at the same time. I loved it.

I also payed 4 euros to visit La Seo, which everyone says is a hidden gem just down the street from the basilica that people forget about. Well, I can see why. It was beautifully decorated inside, but honestly, it was just another fancy church. Much more elaborate than the basilica, but lacking all the charm that could make it truly beautiful. There was no need to pay 4 euros to see it. Oh, but you get to see a tapestry museum that's attached to it. I sure do love me some tapestries (read: sarcasm).

But then, I stumbled upon the real gem of the city- La Lonja. The building itself is so discrete, I didn't take a picture of it when I first saw it. I also giggle a little bit whenever I see or say this word because in Mexico "lonja" means gut. Like the roll of fat that appears at the front of your stomach when you sit down. But this place was far from the unappealing site that is a roll of fat, it is in fact an exhibition hall which, at this moment, houses photographs taken by Francesc Catalá-Roca, a Spanish photographer from the 20th century.

The photographs capture moments in daily life, both rural and urban, all throughout Spain. It's hard to articulate the magic this exhibition exuded, but it expressed all the charm and life that I have gotten to live in my stay in Spain. This was by far my favorite sight in Zaragoza- and this place was free!! Who says you get what you pay for? Oh wait, that was me (more on this later).

When I was planning this trip, one of the staff members at the institute asked me "pero mujer, ¿porque vas a Zaragoza? Si no hay nada que ver alli" -Translation: woman, why are you going to Zaragoza?? There's nothing to see there- but I am glad I was able to make it out here, you never know where the real charm of a city is hidden.

But my adventure continues- Valencia for the weekend!! Looking forward to paella, fresh fruit, and more beach time <3