Spanish Friday : { Adiós Zaragoza }

For the past 10 months my husband and I have been living in Zaragoza, Spain, and it is sadly time to say goodbye. It has been such an amazing experience, and we will treasure the wonderful friendships made, the beautiful places we’ve seen and vibrant culture we’ve experienced.

During our stay here we’ve had some challenging times, especially adjusting to an environment where there’s very little to no English spoken. I’ve had some very embarrassing moments trying to explain myself, from telling a stranger I loved them, to using very creative hand gestures to communicate, not to mention the mortified blank stare when you have absolutely no idea what someone is trying to tell you. Looking back at these moments I can only laugh.

On the upside there have been so many things that have more than made up for these challenges, some of the things I will miss most about Zaraogoza is Amorino ice-cream, chocolate and churros, café con leche, the tapas bars in el Tubo, Rioja wine, the interesting alleys and street side cafés in the old town, shopping in Independencia, beautiful Spanish architecture, siesta, walking around a buzzing city at midnight and experiencing crazy festivals. Most importantly though, being able to share this with wonderful friends from all over the world. We will miss you dearly.

The Basílica del Pilar, Zaragoza, Spain.

Next, we are off to our home country South Africa before moving to Belgium, so watch this space for some awesome Belgian design.

Photos by Design Loving

Spanish Friday : { San Sebastian }

I’m dreaming of San Sebastian… With our journey in Spain almost at an end I’m reminiscing about all the beautiful places we’ve seen and San Sebastian is most definitely on top of my list. It has the most exquisite scenery, the most charming cobblestone alleys and the best tapas by far. So, if you ever find yourself in Spain, do yourself a favour and take a weekend trip up north to Basque country.

Photos by Design Loving

Spanish Friday : { Gaudí's Barcelona }

Barcelona has to be one of the most interesting and vibrant cities in the world. Owing to this fact is the genius work by modernist architect Antoni Gaudí, whose signature style can be seen throughout the city. It truly is Gaudí’s Barcelona, from ceramic tiles lining the Passeig de Gràcia to the renowned La Pedrera, Sagrada Família and Parc Güell to name a few. Gaudí’s work was greatly influenced by nature, which is clearly evident in his use of organic shapes, intricate ironwork and elaborate mosaic art. Visiting these sites are not only visual feasts but also breath-taking experiences. Have you seen any of Gaudí’s work? I’d love to hear what you thought of it?

La Pedrera: completed in 1910

Sagrada Família: 1883 –

Parc Güell: completed in 1914

Photos by Design Loving

Spanish Friday : { Wall to Wall }

My husband and I are currently living in Zaragoza, Spain and one of the things I love most about the city is that it's so walkable. I love wondering off and discovering new street art - here are a just few of my favourites.

P.S. I’m going on vacation…woohoo! So I won’t be posting for a while…boohoo!

Photos by Design Loving

Spanish Friday : { Mercat de La Boqueria }

La Boqueria is one of Barcelona’s most famous food markets. Located on La Rambla, this market is not only a very popular tourist attraction, but also a culinary emporium for locals, chefs and food lovers alike.

The Market has gone through several phases over the years and is said to date back to the early 1200’s when it was located near the old city gate. To this day, the market has continued to create a community of bustling vendors and shoppers who mingle, eat, gossip and enjoy the finest selection of fresh produce.

As a tourist, this is a great place to put together your own affordable lunch in an otherwise expensive city. From fresh fruit smoothies, to fruit salads, veggies and the finest selection of jamón and cheeses, La Boqueria is definitely the go-to place for not only a great lunch but also a great experience.

Photos by Design Loving

Spanish Friday : { Las Fallas }

Spain is known for their crazy fiestas, but Las Fallas in Valencia surely has to be one of the craziest. This fiesta is a celebration of the onset of spring, and what used to be a fiesta for St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters, has become a feast of fireworks, gunpowder, bonfires and satire.

This week long fiesta is filled with street party madness, spontaneous fireworks displays, earth-shaking firecrackers, paella and ninots.

Ninots are huge, larger than life sculptures made from polystyrene and wood, traditionally depicting something satirical. Over 350 ninots are displayed all over the city and it is a combined effort from each “falla” or neighbourhood to create their own ninot. This in itself is a project that the neighbourhoods work on for a whole year and is paid for through donations.

At midnight on the last day of the fiesta, all the ninots are set alight and Valencia literally becomes a city on fire. This is one of the most amazing sights I have ever seen, but I must admit, I was slightly terrified. To stand a few meters away from a 4-storey burning sculpture, is quite unnerving, but well worth it!

All in all it was a pretty spectacular event, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone planning to visit Spain in spring next year.

Photos by Design Loving