3 cities in 9 days: My diva days . . .
It’s not that I can’t do it anymore. It’s the fact that I don’t want to. Last year, when my gang of three (Bea Ledesma, Ivarluski Aceron, and I) traveled to Europe, we also hit three cities, but we had 15 days to do it. This time, three cities in nine days was just too much.
By the end of the trip, we had packed and unpacked a total of five times. Five! For the self-declared diva that I have become, that alone was exhausting. Then there were the different beds and pillows at every stop, which left my body wondering where on earth it was supposed to be comfortable.
By the last few days of our holiday, I had developed a mild stiff neck just to complete the adventure.
But let me start with my journey on Etihad
I’ve only flown Etihad three times in my entire life. The first two didn’t seem so bad, and with the good rates they were offering this time around, Bea and I decided to try the airline once again. Ivar was smart enough to book with Qatar.
What I failed to notice was that our Manila to Abu Dhabi leg would be operated by Hi Fly on behalf of Etihad. In fairness, this was stated when we booked, but since my previous trips with Etihad had actually been on an Etihad aircraft, I didn’t pay much attention to the fine print. So yes, I blame myself for not reading carefully.
Still, nothing prepared me for what was to come.
I was moved three times before they finally found me a seat that was both available and not broken. Then came another surprise: no movies! That was the moment I began to understand why the fare had been so attractive.
There are many things I can say about that eight-hour journey, but if I had to sum it up, I would say this: When an airline puts its name on a route, passengers naturally associate the entire journey with that airline. And for me, this particular leg did Etihad no favors.
Thankfully, our onward flight to Paris was on an actual Etihad aircraft. What a difference. For me, though, Qatar still wins.
Paris: Where luxury space meets luxury shopping
The angels above must have known I had just spent eight hours on a plane I wasn’t particularly happy with, because the minute we arrived in Paris, Heavens Portfolio and Le Bristol Paris made sure that Bea, Ivar, and I had the most wonderful three nights in town.
If you are traveling as a group of three, or even four, I highly recommend Suite Azure. It has the most beautiful balcony overlooking the courtyard. Sitting there on the comfortable lounge chairs, listening to the sound of the fountain and looking out at the perfectly manicured garden, I almost forgot my Hi Fly ordeal. Almost.
And then there was breakfast. Delicious enough to deserve its own Instagram account.
The two-bedroom suite has two full bathrooms, both with bathtubs, a dining room, two very spacious walk-in closets, and, of course, that gorgeous balcony overlooking the garden. When you’re traveling with your buddies, having that much space is a luxury you quickly learn to appreciate.
The location is also absolutely perfect if luxury shopping is part of your Paris itinerary, which, gleefully, it was for us.
We shopped the whole day and had every single purchase delivered directly to the hotel. This service was greatly appreciated because not having to carry our shopping bags somehow made us feel as though we hadn’t bought anything.
Which, of course, gave us more reason to shop. Dangerous, but YOLO!
The staff at Le Bristol were efficient, kind, and incredibly helpful. I’m honestly not sure I can return to Paris now without wanting Le Bristol to be my home away from home.
Madrid and San Sebastián: Where good food meets good company
After three blissful nights in Paris, reality returned. We packed everything up and flew to Madrid.
I won’t lie. Our hotel in Madrid was definitely not diva-approved, but its location right in the middle of the plaza made up for it. We met up with lovely friends and ate really great food every single day, so there was very little to complain about.
Two nights later, however, we were packing again. This time, for San Sebastián. By then, I was heading to my fifth airport in six days, including NAIA. I know. I can’t believe it either.
But San Sebastián did not disappoint. In fact, all of us fell in love with this quaint yet bustling seaside town famous for its incredible food. Every place we ate at was genuinely good and, surprisingly, very friendly to the pocket.
One of our most memorable meals was at La Cuchara de San Telmo. The line to get into this tiny place can stretch forever, so after failing on our first attempt, we became determined. On our second try, we arrived an hour and a half before it opened. Yes, we stood there for 90 minutes for food.
And strangely enough, it wasn’t as painful as it sounds because we ended up making friends with the people waiting in line with us. By the time the doors opened, we were third in line and very pleased with ourselves.
We chose to eat outside, which was much more comfortable than squeezing into the standing-room-only space inside.
So many friends who had been to San Sebastián had insisted that we eat at La Cuchara de San Telmo. Now I understand why. And now, I’m one of those people who will insist that you eat there too when you visit San Sebastián, a town that has very quickly made it onto my list of favorites.
Getaria: Museums and sightseeing galore
From San Sebastián, we took a short ride to Getaria, where our main mission was to visit the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museoa. I was shocked to find absolutely no line to get in. In fact, it felt as though we had the entire museum to ourselves, which was such a delight.
I guess mid-September is a wonderful time to visit this part of Spain. Not only was the museum nearly empty, but the weather was also absolutely perfect. No crowds, beautiful weather, and Balenciaga practically all to ourselves. After five airports and all that packing and unpacking, this was exactly my kind of sightseeing.
Before heading home to Manila, we even managed to sneak in a quick trip to the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. And when I say quick, I mean we were literally in and out. We had a bus back to Madrid to catch, so there was no time for lingering, no matter how much the museum deserved it.
What makes traveling interesting
After all the highs and lows of this trip, I’m no longer even sure I can declare myself a diva. One night, I’m lounging on a beautiful balcony at Le Bristol in Paris, and a few days later, I’m standing in line for 90 minutes for a meal and rushing through the Guggenheim because there’s a bus I cannot miss.
Perhaps that balancing act between luxury and a more practical lifestyle is exactly what keeps travel interesting. More importantly, it reminds me that I’m not quite ready to retire yet.
Nine days. Three cities. Five rounds of packing and unpacking. Planes, buses, museums, incredible meals, luxury hotels, not-so-luxury hotels, shopping bags, and one stiff neck.
Maybe I can still do it after all. I’d just prefer to do it in 15 days, with my Yaya Delfa right beside me.
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