Spain: Madrid & Marbella
Marbella
Location: Marbella, Spain
Course: Real Club De Golf Guadalmina
Late last month I traveled to Spain for the Andalucia Costa Del Sol Open de Espana Femenino. This was my second tournament of the year in Spain and it was great to be back! Earlier this year I played the Estrella Damm Mediterranean Ladies Open in Sitges just outside Barcelona, which you can read about here. However, this time around we played in southern Spain, and it was awesome getting to explore a new part of the country!
Tournament recap:
The tournament was held at Real Club De Golf Guadalmina. The course was beautiful and the lay out was varied and challenging. The par 3, 10th hole was right along the water, and the views were stunning! See it which is pictured below. Guadalmina also had several reachable par 5s which fit my game really well. That being said, I struggled from 4-10 ft. in putting and failed to capitalize when I had a wedge in my hand. In the end, I made another made cut, but only finished T41. I finished one under for the tournament, and came out with a good sense of what I needed to work on. Click here to view the full leaderboard.
Me and my tour-mate Vic from Brazil
This tournament was another great learning experience and though it wasn’t quite the finish I wanted, it was extra memorable because my twin sister was on the bag! This was her first time ever caddying for me, and since we only got in one blowout fight on the course I’ll call it a success! Hopefully she'll be willing to be on the bag again sometime soon, because it really was a blast! I am so grateful that she and my mom were able to make it out to a tournament this year.
Puerto Banus
During our time in Marbella we also spent some time in Puerto Banus, which is a marina on the Costa De Sol. It is a beautiful area known for their entertainment. With lots of shopping and food Puerto Banus is prefect for a nice afternoon, evening, or night out!
Madrid
Before heading to Marbella for the tournament I also made a stop in Madrid. My mom, sister, and I spent the weekend exploring the country's central capital. A city rich in history, full of art, and lined with beautiful buildings. We had a packed couple days.
Sights & Scenes
Puerta de Sol
Plaza Mayor
Like I usually do in every new city, I went on a free walking tour! I typically do this as soon as I arrive so I can get familiarized with the area. The guide tells stories and gives us history lessons, and I typically get to meet some other travelers as well! Some of the places I explored while in Madrid included Plaza Mayor, Puerta de Sol, the Royal Palace and Retrio Park, just to name a few.
Royal Palace
Retrio Park
One of my favorite places in Madrid was Retrio Park. This park is located in the middle of the city, and is filled with different attractions and gardens. There was a lake with row boats, a glass palace, and beautiful greenery! Retrio is a fantastic place to take a walk, relax, or do an activity. I loved it so much that not only did we stroll through it in the morning, but we also went back again for an afternoon run through the park!
Taste of Spain
If you haven't caught on to it yet, I really love to eat! I think its a fantastic way to immerse in the culture and learn from locals. From cute cafes, small local tapas restaurants, to fine dining, we did it all in Spain! Some of the food highlights are below. Nothing like some Iberian Ham and Melon, Spanish chocolate and churros, and quality seafood. Our family likes food so much we even made an Instagram so you can keep up with our food adventures. Follow @full_ish here!
Thank you for being the place where I got to make my first international memories with my sister and mom Spain! Though there is nothing like shared experiences with family, the constant travel life is not meant for everyone. As you can see my sister was pooped after two weeks traveling France, Spain and caddying for me; she fell asleep in the car. I am definitely looking forward to our next trip together, but I can't say a trip with all of us its going to be anytime too soon.
Up next for me though --> Abu Dhabi
