I Want to Travel the World: A Day in Vitoria-Gasteiz!

This was my first day trip outside of Gorliz flying solo. My host father luckily had to go into Bilbao to buy some things so he dropped me off at the bus station. “Un ticket para Vitoria por favor!” (I had rehearsed that once or twice). I took a short 45 minute ride to the green capital of Europe 2012: Vitoria. What the bus ride lacked in culture (comparing it to my bus and combi riding days in Africa full of African music, chickens at my feet, and people trying to sell me things at every stop) it made up for in ease and comfort.

My only goals were to see the contemporary art museum, walk around, and take pictures; nothing too difficult. I had printed a map with a highlighted path of how to get to the tourist office for some real maps. I stepped off the bus and of course I was already lost. I ended up just walking until I found signs for “oficina de turismo”. Over an hour after getting maps and just wondering around trying to find the popular cathedrals, etc. I realized I had the map facing the wrong way and I wasn’t even looking at what I thought I was. But hey, I just wanted to see the city so it didn’t matter much to me.

After wondering around for a few hours, going to the Atrium: a contemporary art museum, going into a few little shops and a beautiful church, I wanted to try my Spanish and order some pinxtos at a bar! I walk in and see my fav: tortilla de patata but this one had cheese and ham inside! The guys that were talking at the bar all stare at me. I point saying, “Cuantos… cues….?” The bartender laughs, “Yeah, cuanto cuesta.” From then on he explained everything in English and I responded in English. “How much does this cost?” I had practiced that a million times! Oh well, I got an amazing tortilla de patata at Mallory’s and the guy even gave me a huge slice, I think he may have felt bad for me or something. With bread and a drink it only costs 3.50 Euros!

Right next door I was eyeing this ice cream place called HUMMM. It was empty… less people to embarrass myself in front of maybe? I went in and ordered this yummy gelato, one scoop of Oreo and one of dolce de leche. I used my little bit of Spanish and a lot of pointing. Me and the young girl working there ended up laughing as I said, “No hablo espanol muy bien” and she explained in Spanish that she doesn’t know any English. I liked that better than the bartender just automatically talking to me in English. I’d rather struggle with the Spanish. That night when I returned home I even tried looking to see if HUMMM has other locations near Gorliz… it doesn’t look like it, but I’ll be on the lookout. It was worth the calories for sure!