Summer Travel Andorra & Spain!

Travel is one of my favorite things to do. It expands your horizon and changes your perspective on things. With the challenges of being a single mother of two, a solo entrepreneur and launching an online skincare business, I haven’t been able to travel as much over the past few years as I would have liked to but life is too short to not do what you love and I want my kids to experience the world! This summer took us to Spain.

While my son attended a soccer camp, my daughter and I embarked on a week of pure relaxation and wellness in a teeny tiny country called Andorra, located in the Pyrenees Mountains between Spain and France. Andorra’s official language is Catalan. Besides having the largest thermal hot springs in Southern Europe, it’s mostly known for being a ski haven in the winter and for duty free shopping so I didn’t know quite what to expect during the summertime; but let me just say, I loved it!

Our days were spent waking up and going to the plaza to have café con leche, going hiking in the mountains, soaking in the thermal waters, getting spa treatments, visiting the nature park – super fun activities for kids, eating jamon iberico, drinking amazing Spanish wine and watching live music every night in the square. We even caught Cirque du Soleil who performs all summer for free in Andorra.

Breathing in the fresh mountain air and hitting up the Caldea Hot Springs Spa felt so refreshing and invigorating; like a major reboot to the system. The people are so friendly and welcoming and speak multiple languages including English. Interestingly I found out that Andorra has the fifth highest mortality rate in the world. Is it the mountain air, the delicious food (very meat based but home-grown), the slower way of life, the happiness factor? I am not sure but a week there sure felt like a little slice of heaven.

I came back feeling inspired and was reminded that a slower way of life translates into a more mindful way of going through your day. Taking enough time to chew and digest your food, spending more quality time with friends and family, enjoying life, laughing, or taking a siesta in the middle of the day.. those are all the little details that we overlook in our busy schedules.

Although we are very focused on wellness and healthy eating here in the San Francisco Bay Area, what I love about the life-style in Spain is less about what you do and what you eat but much more about how you do it that’s important. How are you a mother, a friend, a neighbor, a citizen? Do you take time to eat your food, talk to those around you, care for your own well-being or is stress the dominating factor in your day to day life?