We got a ride to the airport, picked up the rental car and were on our way by 9:30am. Madrid was still sleeping in and it was a stark difference from the day before. The city quickly turns to countryside…there really aren’t suburbs like in North America. There was minimal traffic and Peter put the cruise control on for our 500-mile drive.

The scenery was beautiful, though I don’t think the photos were great coming from inside the car. We all commented it was like driving through SW America – think New Mexico and perhaps Arizona. We enjoyed seeing the Osborne Bulls; large, black silhouettes of a bull originally placed as billboards for Osborne’s Veterano Brandy. Though originally placed as advertising, public outcry led to them being declared a part of the landscape and protected as a cultural symbol of Spain. While many have been removed, around 90 of these towering, nearly 46-foot-high structures remain scattered across the country, a beloved and recognizable feature of the Spanish landscape. We were surprised by how many old castles and fortresses there were.

The final stretch of our journey took us through a small mountain range with a winding two lane road. By 5:30pm, we had arrived to Tossa de Mar. We had a little difficulty finding our AirB&B rental but eventually Marsh found it and we met our host, Carmen. She spoke no English but we managed to learn about the doors and locks, the elevator to the 4th floor and the layout of the apartment. To say we were pleasantly surprised by the view we had, would be a massive understatement.

We unpacked a bit, sat on our patio, then walked to a quaint and open-air Italian restaurant, Da Giovanni, for some pasta.

Tomorrow: Tossa de Mar