2023 was a weird year for yours truly. I guess you could say that my journey has been more a personal, spiritual one, having to deal with the death of a (very) loved one, as well as unexpected changes at work.
Still, there was travel, fun, and inspiration to be obtained.
Here goes this year’s list, in no particular order
1. Back to Barcelona
…..After 20 years. Yes – one of those ridiculous things. Great thing this time was, it was with my daughter, it involved love music, and tourist neighborhoods were avoided.
And so we enjoyed walking around Sants, discovering alternative Can Batlló on the way to Montjuic. The following day, a Sunday, we visited La Modelo prison, now turned museum. So many images of 70s and 80s Spanish crime movies, or cine quinqui. We then walked through bourgeois L’Eixample, and hit Raval with its collectors’ markets. Barcelona’s Lavapiés, if it weren’t for the hordes of Asians disembarking their buses.
2. Ibiza, so much of it.
K. and I finished our section hike of Ibiza’s coastline in April 2023. A very special project for me in more than one way. No less because it coincided with the terminal period of my dad’s sickness, between December 2021, and his death in April. Walking Ibiza’s coastline afforded all sorts of moments, from laughter and conversation with K., to lots of solo time reflecting and, you bet, listening to podcasts. I’ve written about it in several blog entries.
Ibiza also provided the best setting for my return to trail races after 7 years. In early December, I successfully (albeit not painlessly) managed to run the 41 km and 1800m vert of Ibiza’s three day trail days. You can read about it here.
3. Bilbao – A first
Another of those weird things – I had never visited Bilbao in my life. The occasion came up in February, for a conference. An intense couple of days with lots of work and little time to explore, but it was great to walk alongside the Ría, with views of Guggenheim museum.
4. Cavtat, Croacia
Our Balkan holiday finished with a 5 day leg around Dubrovnik, staying three nights in Cavtat and two in Stikovica, on the other side of town.
All was great, but I especially enjoyed our two slow days in beautiful Cavtat, which K and I spent the better part of the day engaging in R&R, lying on chaise longues in the shade offered by pine trees, reading or dozing off, only to get up for the occasional swim. A great way to wind down after our fast pace traveling in Montenegro.
5. Ohrid, North Macedonia
Most definitely, one of the travel highlights of my year. Beautiful, inexpensive, offering a plethora of activities involving both nature and culture. I’ve written about Ohrid here and here.
5. Balkan b-sides
As you might have expected, the Balkans are big in B-sides – if you’ll forgive my exaggerated alliteration.
I now think of three: a fun run in Tirana’s Grand Park, crossing vibrant Bloku neighborhood and running with views on a lake. A nice outing by bus and taxi from Ohrid to the mountain town of Vevcani, followed by an interesting stopover in Struga, aka Ohrid’s uninteresting neighbor and major bus hub. Oh and, no less b, Niksic in central Montenegro, offering some pleasant avenues filled with cafés, and where I visited Bedem Ottoman fortress early the following day.
7. Montenegro highlights: Bay of Kotor, Zalbjak
The Bay of Kotor was one of the scenic highlights of our days in Montenegro. Think Norwegian fjord, but in the Mediterranean. Pretty towns offering lots of stones, and easy access to the water.
Zalbjak was perhaps less surprising to me, used to mountain scenery. But it was still worth the trip. And it was definitely a welcome breal for us to be able to turn on the heating in our apartment after so many days of scorching heat! Read it about it here.
8. Hiking from Valbona to Theth (Albania)
An enjoyable hiking, really. A bit too much travel hype? Read about it here
9. Peloponnesian swims
Damn it was hot in the Peloponnese in late August. Still, it was a phenomenal family trip, with some of the best swimming ever – with the special prize going to Simos beach in Elaphonissos.
10. Images of Mani
Mani, the sothernmost point of the Peloponnese. Land of jagged mountains rising from an azure sea. And, what has most remained in my mind, images of stowers rising from a forest of olive trees.
10+1.Fundación San José (Madrid, Spain)
I can’t believe that this is the second time this place features in my travel blog. Sad drives from home to see my dying father. Stubborn walks pushing him on a wheelchair, from his room to the balcony. Let him see pinetrees, feel the sunshine and chilly air on his face.
Fuck that place, blessed its nurses and carers.
B-Side Travels 