Valentine's Day In Morella

Valentine’s Day found me on an enormous charter bus with 60 other ERASMUS students en route to Morella, a small city to the north of Castellón. The cost for the trip was only 15 euro, which included transportation, lunch, and a tour.
While it was one of the most beautiful cities in Spain, the bus ride there was absolutely terrible. I think that as I have gotten older, my ability to withstand somewhat nauseating situations has diminished to the point that an hour and a half bus ride up a small mountain caused me to feel sick to my stomach. In my defense, it was the worst bus ride I have ever experienced. The roads were so small and narrow, and since we were traveling to a small city in the mountains, the roads twisted and turned! Each curve was then accentuated by the effort the bus was exerting in order to successfully make it up the mountain without hitting an oncoming car.
But enough about the worthless ride there! Once we got out of the bus, the air was crisp and cold. I think it was the cold air that helped me start to feel better. Looking around, the entire city was surrounded by a wall. This wall had been built in the 14th century, and still remained in tact today. All of the old buildings were close together, built side by side along narrow, cobblestone streets. We were able to tour the cathedral. It was impressing to see the intricate statues and gold covered alter. After the tour of the cathedral, we made our way up to the top of the castle, which the city had been built around. It took about an hour to walk to the very top, but once I got there, the view was stunning.
By the time I made my way back down to the town, it was time to eat. Lunch was included in the cost of our trip. We ate at a traditional Spanish restaurant, one that the city was famous for. We were served a salad with different cheese and meats, followed by a hot bean soup. The main entrée was similar to a pot roast, served with sweet french-fries. I loved everything that was brought out to us, but perhaps it was because by the time we ate, it was nearly 3:00 p.m. and I was starving.
Maybe it was the combination of visiting my first Spanish castle on February 14th (which was my dad’s birthday), and eating beans (which were my dad’s favorite food), but he was literally in the back of my mind for the whole day. Climbing to the top of the castle, looking down at the town and surrounding land, I couldn’t help but think about how proud he would be of me, getting to do what he was never able to and see the world.