Visiting Friends and Changing Countries Like Socks

Hello my dearest friends,

Since my last post I have been doing quite many different things.

I left my last volunteering project in Catalonia with another girl called Ieva and went for a small hitch-hiking trip towards Barcelona.

Two Lithuanian girls were damn lucky that day. We didn’t even need to put our thumbs up when we got into……… And now I just realized that I already told you this story, sorry! Haha

So Barcelona, do I have to start from there? Well what can I say about this magical city. Remember my first night and stolen coat? After that Barcelona was really trying to make me happier. It is true about those friendly Catalan people there, it is true about crazy parties, ending up in the most random places. It is true about colourful city which doesn’t sleep. It takes you all, takes you in it, brings many adventures and stories. Stories when you wake up and realize your nose piercing is gone, and who damn cares about the piercing when you are surrounded by music, LIVE music, music which gives you smile, lets you get into it, lets you experience the trance together with musicians. Oh, Barcelona, I really enjoyed you. And I drank from the font in the La Rambla, did I tell you that everybody who drinks from there IS coming back some day?

Then I was a bit lazy girl, so I shared a car with Spanish people and went to Andorra to see my beautiful friends from Mexico and Argentina. And it was magical again! To see your friends in another country is something really special, you always have something to share with, you don’t need to tell the same story, like you are telling to random people. Cooking together, laughing together, sliding on the snow, doing something which after you may be arrested, feeling the cold in the air, sleeping in the gypsy style, all together (nothing sexual, don’t worry;)). Yes Andorra was great!

And then I was too crazy. I have decided to hitch-hike 650 km in one day just to see my amazing friend Domi in Grenoble. Night before it I was really freaking out, freaking out because I was so scared not to make it. I was not scared to sleep outside, stay in another city or hitch-hike through the night. I was scared to loose opportunity to see my friend because you see she had just one day with me and after she was going away for Christmas. BUT, the strong desire to be with her again made the things go well. After 8 cars, my lucky truck stopped and told me that he is going straight to Grenoble. 450 km in only one truck! Driver could not speak any English or Spanish, forget about Lithuanian! 5 hours of body language, signs, smiles and we could understand what we wanted to say. I tell you, language is not always needed!

So now I am here, in Grenoble with a bottle of beer, happy because I saw my friend Domi and not only because of that, happy because it is so true that when you want something and you open your heart you always get it. I know I know sounds cheesy or whatever but it’s true. When you think positive all great things just come to you! And just a little hint I got accepted for something cool to stay 3 months in Sevilla! :)

Now, my little plan is to hitch-hike to another French city/town St Etienne, meet my friend Jessica there and hitch-hike to Paris. Christmas in Paris, yes I am going to celebrate it there.

If I don’t write anything before may you all have beautiful Christmas, I know everybody hates Christmas nowadays, but just think about spending the time with those you love and don’t forget to eat a lot, I promise I will!

Kisses and hugs,

Ligita

Happy and dizzy Jessica :) 

great band in the random house party

Sagrada Familia, have been living 5 min from there while staying in Barcelona

Who said Barcelona is not big, huh?

Random Peruvian performance in Barca

Beautiful Guell Park

Barcelona style

Plane Triangle, looks beautiful!

Barcelona in night

Pyrenees in Andorra

With Maxi and Luis

Andorra

Chocolate heaven in Andorra

While waiting for the car to stop...

With Domi

Grenoble

Happy us!

Love is everywhere...

Magical day and the stolen coat

Hello my dear friends,

Sometimes the days are passing by and you are stuck with your full-time job, you come back home and the only thing to do is go to sleep.

Sometimes the day is so long that all these weird and magical events which happen in one day create some sort of the movie and then you realize it is your life.

That is how I felt yesterday.

My trip started with ordinary job in the morning: feeding dogs, goats and chickens and then being chased by cock while changing the water in his yard.

And then me and Ieva said good-bye or see you later to our hosts and left with happy smiles ready for another interesting and magical day.

Martin drove us to the gas station where apparently would be the best place to hitch-hike towards Barcelona. While I was changing my contact lenses in the bathroom Ieva talked to two Moroccan guys who were going towards Barcelona with their big bus. So 5 minutes later we were sitting surrounded by like 20 or something Moroccan guys and few women sitting in the bus.

The feeling was amazing. We were a bit worried because they could easily rape us but it was something in those big brown eyes which let us feel we are safe. I call it traveller’s trust or just common sense. The main thing while hitch-hiking is always to trust your intuition.

So we arrived 20 km far from small little town called Sitges where we supposed to stay during the day. Another car picked up us in few minutes and we couldn’t believe how fast we arrived to our destination.

And then… Blue blue sky, sunshine, the sea, wine, food and us. Just sitting there and enjoying the moment. Being in the presence, not running somewhere but just appreciating everything we have in our lifes. It was perfect. I could not wish for something better.

It got darker so we caught a train and we went to one little town very close to Barcelona where a guy from Couchsurfing should meet us and host. Apparently it was a misunderstanding and he couldn't host us anymore so we went to Barcelona and stayed with Ieva's previous host Diego.

We went to eat amaaaazing pinchos, which are like small little sandwiches with amazing spicies, vegetables and cheeses. We ate like crazy J Ieva decided to stay at home and me and Diego went to party in this crazy place called Barcelona. We danced like crazy, it was a great night and then I realized my coat, the only coat I have is gone, stolen or whatever. I felt very sad because now I don’t have anything warm and even if it sounds silly I really loved that coat but it was gone. Barcelona and it’s thieves J My first night and I was without a coat. Luckily all my stuff was in my small bag. So life is beautiful again.

The day was magical: the company, the places, smells, tastes, everything. Without my only coat but happy in the heart I am in this big city with many rushing people, cars, buildings, shops and civilization. How long I will stay here, I don’t know and actually I don’t need to know.

Safe journeys for you all,

With love,

Ligita

Main square in Xerta

Surroundings in Xerta

Sitges

Sitges

Hitch-hiking, sunshine and animals

Hello my lovely people who are still interested in my life,

So as the time is passing by I keep traveling, meeting people, changing environment and so on.

Last week I did 5 days hitch-hiking trip with 2 nice stops in Burgos and Zaragoza cities.

My hitch-hiking trip went good, although I was very sad leaving the Donkey Paradise and all great people there. I am still in my heart with all of them.

Most of the time I was picked up by a man in a car and I didn’t need even 20 minutes to wait for a car. However, most of the time people were going only for few kilometres so I got many cars in short distances. All of them were asking the same 2 questions, am I not afraid hitch-hiking alone and why I have decided to travel in Spain in the winter when temperature can fall down to 0, haha.

And then suddenly when I was leaving Zaragoza I have realised that I will need to hitch-hike on a highway, which I hate doing it because all the cars are going extremely fast and it is hard to stop them. So I was stuck for 2 hours, I was very cold even though it was a sunny day. At that moment you realise how precious is to have a travel partner and just chat while waiting for a car. In the end I got picked up and then my journey went even faster than I expected.

Now I am writing to you from one house, in the middle of nowhere surrounded by mountains and dry grass in Catalonia. I arrived to a new project, helping with animals (dogs, cats, ducks, geese, goats, pigs…) and olive trees where I will stay until next Tuesday.

The landscape is totally different than Asturias, much drier and there is no rain here. Temperature is around 15 during the days so I can enjoy precious sunshine. I live with another volunteer who is Lithuanian and she is so great that we decided to hitch-hike together next week to Barcelona.

So all is good, sun is shining and birds are singing.

I wish I could send to you all at least a bit of sunshine from where I am now,

With love,

Ligita

Mountains I passed by

street art in Zaragoza

Castle in Zaragoza

Zaragoza

Zaragoza

entering Catalonia

place I have been picking oranges

Add caption

Beautiful Toby

Skip is trying to drive a car :)

My room

Sally

The house I live in

Clementines for breakfast, lunch and dinner, haha!

 

The house seems like in the middle of nowhere

With lithuanian volunteer Ieva

Yes, we climbed up there!

Life Lessons and New Venture

Hello my dearly friends,

Time is flying since I finished my high school and here in Spain it flies even faster.

This Thursday is the day when I am leaving the Donkey Paradise and heading all way to Catalonia for my next project.

This place was special, it really left a footprint in my heart.

I learnt and experienced so many things. I learnt that helping to the one which needs help may change this world into a better place for everybody. Every morning, we have to lift up three or two donkeys and support them during whole day. Sometimes, the donkey may fall down and just stay lying while one of us would notice and come to help. I will never forget a day when Marleen and Steve were somewhere away and I had to take care of the donkeys. I was just walking around, everybody seemed happy and satisfied when I saw Norbert lying down on the grass. Straight away I went and tried to lift him up but I was too weak to do it on my own. He was looking with such sad eyes, trying all his best but I couldn’t make it. I tried few times but I still couldn’t make it.

Then Marleen and Steve came back and Norbert was happily chewing some wet grass and walking again like nothing happened.

At that time all alone I couldn’t help him but three of us could do it.

I learnt that animal is able to love and forgive. Forget about the wounds made by cruel people in the past.

My first day one of the dogs Lady was so scared of me that she couldn’t let me even to stroke her. I must admit she was very curious but very afraid because probably people in the past were beating her up. It took me 3 or maybe 4 days when I could touch her and now she gives all her love to me because she learnt how to trust again.

I learnt that life in every step is accompanied with death. One moment I was feeding donkey Katrina and letting her sniffing my hand and another moment she was lying down with cold eyes, dead body and flying soul somewhere far far away.

Donkey Paradise lets me believe that old and unwanted donkeys can be loved again. That old and ill can be treated well. I admire Marleen for her courage to fight against cruel people and rescue these beautiful animals who really are like one of us. Would you let somebody suffer when you now you can help them?

And now I am back on the road. In front of me is 5 days hitch-hiking venture. Wish me strong back, good shoes and good people on my way.

I miss you,

Ligita

Sweet cat Julie

My favourite Lady

Jolly

Funny Sammy

Brothers love :)

Happy me

And somebody lives here, haha!

Llanes

Llanes

Yes, it is Spain! Not that sunny, huh?

Colourful stone cubes

Llanes

Beach in Llanes

Spanish love everything and everybody :)