I've previously mentioned the curiosity itch, which prompts you to explore new ideas and try out new things. Turns out, this curiosity can be very much manifested in the desire to explore other countries and to seek reasonable adrenaline-filled activities beyond the mundane day-to-day. I've had quite a few amazing journeys already, and this post is about one recent road trip from Denmark to Spain which was full of exciting stuff.

First impressions from Copenhagen are pretty solid. The city carries a strong Northern vibe. The subway from the airport to the city center is probably the closest I've come to experiencing Half Life's on On a rail level in real life. The city center itself is vibrant with lots of people and things to see. It feels dense with historical significance and content. I wouldn't call the less-touristy areas sparse, but they do carry a palpable feeling of a lower number of attractions-per-square-kilometer. The city looks clean and modern. Restaurants in the center are many and varied. That first day I had probably the best Phở Bò I've ever eaten.

Denmark's capital has a lot of things to see. The Øresund Bridge connecting Copenhagen and Malmö ends abruptly in the middle of the strait and goes underground. Multiple art museums such as the Glyptoteket and the National Art Gallery highlight interesting paintings from all ages. The national museum houses varied artifacts related to Denmark's history, and people, and tells the stories of kings, merchants, wars, and plagues. Near the War Museum there is a beautiful green place called the Garden of the Royal Library, where one can find a statue of Soren Kierkegaard. Close to it is the overwhelming and massive Christiansborg Palace, housing the Danish parliament. One can ride an elevator to its tower to get a nice view of the city. Close by is the Nyhavn (the new harbour) - one of the most colorful and vibrant streets and a classic Danish icon. One can go on boat rides here or explore the docks. Further on is Amalienborg, the official residence of the Danish royal family, as well as Frederik's church.

There are in fact many more points of interest - the Rosenborg castle, the Rundetaarn, the entire Holmen neighborhood where one can visit an actual, though non-functioning, submarine. Additionally, Helsingør is just an hour away and offers an even more coastal vibe. In terms of city life, one has the opportunity to enjoy diverse restaurants and bars. For example, one of the days we were there, we were eating a nice tonkotsu ramen, while the place across the street was blasting electronic rave songs at full volume at 5 pm. You may, or may not, consider this last sentence sarcastic.

After two full days we flied to Malaga, Spain. A mini culture-shock was inevitable, owing to how different northern and southern European countries are. It is difficult to pinpoint the exact aspects which make up this ambiental difference, but you can feel them easily - the climate, the culture, people's worldviews and attitudes, and so on. Malaga, as a city, is like a oasis in a desert. Lush vegetation, palm trees, rich cathedrals, ornamented buildings, lots of tourists and locals buzzing around and contributing to an overall chaotic and vibrant environment. Attractions include the Alcazaba, the Museum of Malaga, Picasso's museum, and others. Probably one of the best adrenaline-packed activities around, that one can do, is to walk Caminito del Rey - a long walkway across a big gorge. At one point in the walk, there is a suspension bridge over the huge chasm so be sure to always look down in order to maximize the adventure effect. It was a great walk. On our way back we almost missed the bus.

Caminito del Rey
Figure 1: Caminito del Rey. You walk along the narrow path following the contour of the cliffs.

After Malaga, our trip continued with a full day at Gibraltar. There's so much to say about this crazy place. It is recommended to park your car outside of Gibraltar, in Spain, and cross the border on foot. Then, on your way to the city center you have to cross an actual airport runway... Gibraltar is very space-constrained and the single runway extends into the sea in a very curious and funny way. Lots of people cross it on their way to the center, often with shopping bags or suitcases. It's certainly an achievement to cross a border and a runway on foot.

The main attraction in Gibraltar is the rock - a large mountain-like formation home to the famous Barbary macaques. It's totally worth it to spend the day hiking here. Our route was to go up to the highest point using the cable car and then walk down. But it's a long walk down, as one can see a lot of things. The skywalk offers marvelous views of Africa, Spain, and the Bay of Gibraltar. Subsequently, one can reach, among other things, O'Hara's Battery containing refurbished engine room, control room, tunnel and a huge gun from WW2. Further down are various caves, a 70-metre suspension bridge, and the Apes Den - a place where macaques hang out. Rooke's battery offers the unsettling feeling of exploring the dilapidated dark rooms of actual abandoned battery. Other cool attractions include the Great Siege tunnels and the WW2 tunnels. Honestly, Gibraltar is filled with tunnels, even the water supply comes from large reservoirs dug up under the rock. Needless to say, walking in actual WW2 tunnels, where soldiers were holed up, is a memorable experience.

We left Gibraltar in the late afternoon and reached Seville, our destination for that day. Unlike Malaga, Seville is a big urban city where lots of people live and work. Yet, it has a ton of tourist attractions - lush green parks, Islamic palaces, massive cathedrals, good restaurants, beautiful streets and buildings. Of course, you can't go to Seville without seeing Plaza de España, truly a place to behold. You can see flamenco dances accompanied by dramatic intense guitar-playing there, along with many decorated tiled alcoves highlighting each of the provinces.

After Seville, the next target was Granada, located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Honestly, the events here are likely unforgettable. By sheer chance, we had planned to arrive in Granada on precisely May 3rd, at what turned out to be the Festival of the crosses, a huge holiday. Locals and tourists from the whole country had come for that day. The city was packed to the brim. Men were wearing suits and shirts, women - dresses and roses. There were dances in the streets. Music playing on every corner. Everybody was out celebrating. As if Spain had won the world cup or as if the country had been fighting for independence and had finally achieved it. It was crazy. There were huge red crosses surrounded by gifts and offerings, placed in various places all around the city. This was for sure one of the most vibrant events I have ever witnessed. Everyone seemed so cheerful and happy. A massive hypnosis of celebration and joy. We ate Iberian steak and had a huge bowl of gelato that night.

The next day we went out to explore the city. Obviously, the glorious Alhambra is the place to see. Apart from it, it was very interesting to explore the cathedrals, plazas, the busy streets where you can smell tea, coffee, and spices. The Albaicín neighborhood was also very colorful - crooked cobbled streets, Moorish architectures, Islamic tea houses, street musicians playing dragged-out melancholic blues? Yes, these were all things we saw. The festival was still to continue that day, too bad we had to leave to catch our flight. Overall, a very nice holiday, packed with adventures and novel sights. It was meticulously planned and well executed - definitely a success.