Author: Sarah Goupil

Hello! I am a twenty-something year old who loves travel and hates time changes. Don't ask how that works.

Seville and Granada, A Self-Excursion

October 12

Happy National Day of Spain! October 12th is the day that Christopher Columbus landed in the Americas which is significant since Spain is the country that funded his journey. It’s also Nuestra Señora del Pilar, another holiday in Spain that celebrates the Virgin Mary with a 9-day feast in Zaragoza.

Fiesta Nacional de España, Nuestra Señora del Pilar, Columbus Day…no matter the country, it seems like I’m not meant to have class today. And what is a girl to do with a four day weekend in a foreign country? Go to Seville and Granada, of course! Continue reading “Seville and Granada, A Self-Excursion”

The French-Basque Country

October 6

The school is taking us out of the country this time around; we’re taking a bus to France! It’s only two hours by bus, so we’re just going for the day to St. Juan de Luz and Biarritz, two towns on the coast of the Atlantic.

Quick geography lesson: the Basque Country that Bilbao resides in extends into France as well. There are three ‘provinces’ in France that have strong Basque influence, named Iparralde. Continue reading “The French-Basque Country”

Más Playas en Mi Vida: Off the Beaten Path

September 29

When traveling, I always try to see as many popular sites as possible. Places that always show up on the postcards, places that gained fame for a reason. But I think it’s also important to go off the beaten path …which is exactly what some friends and I did today. Literally: to get to this beach, you have to walk for forty minutes through a series of back roads and farms. Continue reading “Más Playas en Mi Vida: Off the Beaten Path”

Madrid (and More Importantly, Toledo!)

September 22

It takes five hours to get to Madrid from Bilbao. In Michigan, I can drive for five hours and still be in Michigan…the terrain, the weather, the overall climate is all the same. Flat, usually cold, but never ugly.

So I watch in amazement as the view outside goes from green and rainy to dry and arid in the span of a few short hours. Madrid, being in the center of the country, has none of the vibrant life that the coast blesses Bilbao with. Continue reading “Madrid (and More Importantly, Toledo!)”

What Makes Me a Solivagant, Part I

September 20 

Today reminded me why I call myself a solivagant. I spent most of the morning sitting in my room, bemoaning the fact that all of my friends were busy with homework or tutoring jobs before I realized that I don’t need them to enjoy the city. Why wait for someone else when there’s a whole wide world out there? Continue reading “What Makes Me a Solivagant, Part I”