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The solo weekend in Madrid in April 2005 was very illustrative of my experience in traveling while ill. It was my first in Spain. In retrospect it is certainly not my favorite city. But if I went back twice, it didn’t suck for me either, quite the contrary!

It was an impromptu getaway in a busy year. I had a few days around Easter. Later it would become a habit to fill calendar gaps with a little trip, but that was the first time.

Me watching in ecstasy in other, ironic photo
Traveling from sick with sadness okay but as in evidence always ready to mock me

The first time in Madrid

Relaxing, I became ill. Nothing serious, but I had a slight fever and a lot of sluggishness the whole time. I still managed to see the essentials, including the Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza and Reina Sofya museums. I even managed to pop into nearby Toledo, where unfortunately the Alcazar was closed.

It was a worthwhile trip to discover passions that I later deepened, including my favorite painter(Francisco Goya) and a type of evening that I love: going from place to place eating tapas! Of the Spanish painter in particular I appreciate the darker works, for those who think they are unfamiliar, here they are.

It may be because I have done a lot of traveling, but I have been sick several times, and in Spain, both in Madrid and Barcelona.

At that time I almost always slept in hostels, but fortunately I had booked a single. It was crucial because contrary to my usual practice, I spent enough time in bed there to recharge.

Ancient gateway to the city of Valencia with 2 tall hexagonal and crenellated towers
The few photos of Madrid are in the other article I was more inspired in Valencia

Even while out and about I took several breaks, but I discovered the pleasure of watching the comings and goings of people becomes a hoot under certain circumstances. I was on a bench in the small gardens in front of the royal palace. I noticed two boys snickering as they alternated between looking at their watches and at the people lying on the lawn. They seemed to be waiting for something funny. At one point the automatic watering started. Those lying down were drenched, got up and started running everywhere. The boys were bent over by that scene that I guessed was repeated daily at the same time.

antique mailboxes, made of metal depicting lions' heads, one for mail in Spain and one for abroad
Valencia Post Office

Traveling as a sick person with sadness

Because this blog started with the idea of being super true and sincere, I also want to tell about what it is like to travel when sick and especially when sad.

Breed in the Valencia aquarium, from below, looks like it is laughing
Even this breed from the Valencia Aquarium was laughing at me How much you happen to be traveling from sick with sadness everything backfires

I know of a friend who taking a trip after ending a story, in the company of her friend cried every night, and it was good for her. In the 3 days in Valencia I was alone, I did not cry and frankly I did not understand if it was good or bad for me. I certainly didn’t enjoy a city that is very interesting to the fullest, however, if nothing else I was able to distract myself every now and then by thinking about something else.

In August 2012, I chose a Spanish city specifically to look for cheerful situations but it all turned out to be quite vain. The city offers so much to see, both in the center and in the seaside district where there is also a very long beach as well as the very interesting oceanographic park. But in between distractions I was always thinking about my belle of whom I hadn’t heard from in weeks, not really knowing why and for whom I had been feeling terrible.

Valencia's white science museum looks like an astronaut's helmet
It looks like a helmet doesnt it

Any excuse was good to make me think of her, one afternoon while walking, I came across a florist who had just the flowers named after her in the window (not the other way around, eh). The store next door was probably the lastinternet point I entered in my life, of course I saw it as a sign of destiny. I set out to find news about her, who had also unsubscribed from Facebook, found some and continued with my delusions.

back of the Valencia Science Museum, you can also see the swimming pools and in the foreground a candy sculpture wrapped with the European Community flag
Still the science museum in Valencia seen from behind

In conclusion, traveling when you are sad is better than nothing

You always see what you want; it’s like car commercials. I generally find them terrible and my brain refuses to pay attention to them, but if you have to or have recently changed your car, you notice them all. It’s called selective attention.

If you travel serenely and with a clear mind, you notice more of the beauty of the world around you. However, one sign that I was on the road to recovery was that I at least really enjoyed tapas and various eats. Perhaps right there I began to regain weight since at the height of my crisis, I had lost 16 kg in a few months of fasting and insomnia. So in these cases it is important to go where food and alcohol are appreciable.

Interior of the Silk Lodge in Valencia, in arabesque style with tall columns and capitals
The Silk Lodge in Valencia particularly struck me partly because I had not yet seen much of the Arab style

Home set of travel Travel in Spain, and go to Barcelona

Previous stop Having fun in Spain, alone and in company

Me with helmet and goggles for 4 D vision at Valencia science museum
No I did not become a pilot here at the science museum in Valencia for the show in 4 D

Trips taken, travel stories divided by continent

Countries visited in my travel stories

Anecdotes, divided by type in travel narratives

newsletter strange things traveling

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author avatar
Fabio Viroli
Ho sempre avuto tante passioni, ma da sempre più o meno latenti, le principali sono viaggiare e scrivere. Tra le altre cose ho una laurea in psicologia; ho fatto per più di 30 anni l’allenatore di basket; leggo tanti libri; sono stato molto appassionato di sport e di musica rock; e faccio improvvisazione teatrale