Much like every other leg of the trip, we pulled back into Seville later in the day, probably around 8:30pm. The first thing we needed to do was drive back to the train station and return Ruby. Sure, she was a good car. Sporty, hip, equipped with a bunch of fun technological features, but most of all, she was symbolic. This was when it hit me full on. I had one day left before I had to pack up and not only leave Spain, but the person I had literally spent every waking moment with for the past two weeks. But I didn't let it linger for too long. It made no sense to dwell on something that was only going to bring me down.
The rest of the night was pretty mellow. We met some of Paige's friends out for a couple drinks at a few bars, had a minor health scare, and ate some shawarma before calling it a night. Tomorrow was going to be busy. I still had so much to see in Seville and Paige's Christmas gift was to be put to use.
When we awoke, we immediately went out into the city to one of Paige's favorite breakfast spots. I won't lie - for it being my last real breakfast in Spain, it couldn't have been any better. Tostada with humus, pureed tomatoes and the trifecta of peach, pear, and orange jam. Not only that, we both had cafe con leche and fresh squeezed jugo de naranja. Sitting there in the sun, with a wonderful spread of food, across from a great friend - it was the perfect breakfast. I could not have asked for more.
From there we walked across the city, taking in the sites, strolling along, just enjoying each other's company. The main goal of the expedition though was to make it to Plaza de España, this massive plaza that was built for a World's Fair event held in 1929. The space was absolutely breathtaking. Wide open, with hundreds of pillars, a moat, and numerous bridges that crossed the water. In the middle of all this was a fountain surrounded by the most complex stonework I've ever seen. I can't really put into words how amazing it all was. Outlining the plaza were fourteen murals depicting the different autonomous communities in Spain (essentially Spain's fourteen states), each hand painted with a phenomenal level of detail.
Did I also mention it was an absolutely stunning day? The sun was high in the clear blue sky, bathing the plaza in a perfect amount of light. Again, I'm not really sure how, but the day was just getting better and better when I didn't think it could.
After walking around and marveling the space, Paige let me know that we needed to continue onto her Christmas present, a few hours at Baños árabes, a decadent Moorish spa. Hidden amongst the older portion of the city, we eventually found it between the twisting and turning streets and made our way inside. Immediately we were transported back in time. The place was absolutely gorgeous - glowing from hundreds of candles and filled with the sweet smells of burning incense. I walked in not knowing what to expect and I was blown away. I was in for something special, if not just my first professional massage.
The place was beyond amazing. There were three types of thermals baths, hot, warm, and cold, along with an aroma therapy sauna and "pool of a thousand jets."
This hands down, was the most thoughtful thing someone has done for me in recent memory. I'm not one to be pampered, to just relax. Others always come first, but on that day, Paige made sure it was switched. And for that, I'm extremely thankful. I've never felt stress melt off like it did that day and I wouldn't want to spend those wonderful hours with anyone other than her.
But, to be honest, this is my memory. I'm going to be selfish and keep it to myself, nuzzled right up against my heart. The time I got to spend there, with the company I did, was nothing short of special and I'm not going to tarnish it by sharing it with the world.
It truly was the perfect activity for the last day.
From there, we went out and hoped from bar to bar, munching on numerous tapas, drinking some cañas, laughing, and just having a good time. We eventually met up with some of Paige's friends, one of which, Taylor, had just returned from spending the holidays in the states, so it was a nice little reunion. The group meandered around for a bit before eventually fizzling out, at which point we made our way back to the piso.
The rest of the night was exactly how you'd expect it. Just us, hanging out with each other. Eventually we fell asleep and woke up in the morning to begin the process of leaving. Of course I left the packing portion for last, so I was scrambling around, trying to make everything fit in my bag while also checking into my flight, which of course, wasn't working. Paige got a kick out of this and laughed at my appropriately titled "hissy fit." To which I'll defend because I was just miserable with having to leave. When I was ready, we caught the bus and off to the aeropuerto we went.
I thought last time we said goodbye was tough - my heart hurt and I may had shed some tears, but this time literally felt like someone punched me in the stomach. I wanted to ask if I could stay. Just ditch what I had in America. Make some new roots in Spain. Find my own place, learn the language. There had to be some film jobs in Seville. But I couldn't.
Standing there on the curb, looking at her, knowing it was going to be a long time before I saw her again just bore into me. I had no promises for the next time I'd see her. No "see you soon's." I just felt hollow and turning and walking away only made it worse. I felt like I was stuck in some horrible movie, looking over my shoulder as she made her way to the bus, smiling and waving, trying to hold back the emotion that was a split second from cascading down my face.
Fuck.
Goodbyes suck.
My heart is crying for yours.
ReplyDeleteieyu, ilys!