My first real trip! Cantabria & Basque Country

Obviusly I did travel before than this trip, however this one was different.
It opened my mind. I was travelling with a stranger and everything was plan just in few weeks.

Just few months before this trip I wrote a post on a group on facebook.
I was looking for a run mate and I met Alex. Italian guy with a huge passion for travelling and IronMan.
We run couple of times together and one day out of nowhere I asked him:

"Why don't we go somewhere?"

He looked at me and started to throw destinations like he was waiting for someone to ask him that question.

After few weeks we were at the airport flying to Norther Spain (Cantabria & Basque Country).

I don't have many details.. Because my passion for travelling started just after this trip.
At that time I was just taking photos to everthing looked nice to me. I was not taking down names, places, details... (Such a shame)

I understood the value that travelling brings you. It's such a beautiful way to enrich yourself.
It's unique and more you blend with the culture and the people and more you are allowing yourself to becoming someone new.
I wish I could have this passion earlier.
Eventually I could even skipped this post... But I will miss the beginning... And every beginning is never perfect.

It was middle April 2016 and it was raining almost all week, plus I had fever just few days before leaving London. I was not 100% sure if going was going to be a great idea. I did it, and I know can confirm that it was an amazing idea.

We flew to Santander and rent a car. The city centre was nice, however you could see the different between the old and new area.

Plaza Estaciones, Santander, Cantabria

After, we drove down to Santillana del Mar. Such a tiny but beautiful medieval village.
It's worth a visit, especially if you are into history as do I.

Santillana del Mar, Cantabria

After this very surprising stop we finally entered to the Basque Country: Bilbao !
I felt in love with the Guggenheim Museum building & also, here you can find the oldest transporter bridge in the world.
Food and wine were just absolutely yummy.

Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao

Bilbao by night

As a last stop, before to flew back to London, an another peaceful oasis of Spain: Gaztelugatxe

You have  between 45 mins and 1 hr of walk, but the view from there is outstanding!!!

Gaztelugatxe

I took the risk and I posed on the corner of the rock! The view was breathtaking 

Coffee Ceremony - La cerimonia del caffé

Roasted coffee beans at Zeret Kitchen

As I'm Italian, I have a thing for coffee!💓

Couple of year ago a friend of mine told me that we were going to an ethiopian restaurant for a coffee ceremony and since then I really love to go back at least once a month to enjoy this beautiful moment.

My friend took me to a family run restaurant called Zeret Kitchen .

The restaurant is fairly small. It's cozy and friendly.
When you order a coffee ceremony they will show you all they way through from raw coffee beans, the roasting process until your coffee pot is served.
The smell of coffee will be sublime.
What surprised me most is the fact that coffee is served with a big Mesob full of sweet popcorn.

Interesting is the meaning of Mesob(the symbol of Unity and Prosperity)

I hope that I have teach you something new.
If you will experience the coffee ceremony I would love to hear your feedback. :)