Summer Adventure
My mom was an adventurous spirit. Something I for certain have inherited from her. My childhood was adventurous. I grew up in NYC, Rio de Janeiro, and Bahia. I moved from Bahia to New York City at fifteen years old, with my daughter Jess in hand. Leaving my mom, at forty-nine, an empty nester. That was when she decided to return to her post as a Brazilian diplomat after years of absence. That career took her around the world to live in places like Brazil, Turkey, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Vienna, to name a few.
My daughter Jess called me to say that my nephew (her cousin) Bernardo was coming to visit her in Barcelona in about two weeks from Brazil. She wanted to know if I could come too, and I was all in. Until the moment I hesitated to make sure it truly was the right timing. I thought back to how the three of us, Bernardo, Jess, and I, had enjoyed our time together during our recent trip to Rio de Janeiro. This would be another opportunity to connect in Barcelona, Spain, and create lasting memories together.
Jess called again a few days before Bernardo was scheduled to arrive to check with me. I could sense that this meant a lot to her, and so together we looked into tickets and thankfully found something that would work.
Alex, my husband, was just getting back from a trip to Jamaica, where he was commissioned to paint fish sculptures that turned out beautifully. We met at the airport with just enough time for lunch, conversation, and kisses before my flight to Europe. I knew I would miss him as I’d be away for about eleven days. Excited for an adventure with family, I checked in my bag and headed to my gate.
Diary Entry:
I’m in Barcelona!!! Heading to see Jess and Bernardo. The lady at the desk allowed me to be the first to board with zone 1 last night, just because, and I had space to spread out and sleep as my row was empty! Made a friend, Mari, from Spain, and met grandparents from Colombia on vacation in Barcelona with their granddaughter.
Arriving in Barcelona, I hopped in a cab to Jess’s place, showered, drank an espresso, and got ready for a day of exploration. On these trips, I do my best to reconfigure my mind and forget about the time difference. I go with the flow and adapt to the new time zone as fast as possible.
Day One – Gothic Quarter & Gaudí’s Barcelona
Diary Entry:
Got to Jess’s place, and after we ate the lunch she made, we all decided that we’d go out to explore. We went to the Gothic District and hung out at a rooftop. The doorman there was super sweet and when we told him we were Brazilian, these are all the words he had to share with us — suco de caju, abacaxi, tapioca, maracujá.
We visited the Lamaro Hotel rooftop in the Gothic Quarter with views of the Sagrada Família, a large unfinished Roman Catholic minor basilica in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The Gothic streets and architecture were breathtaking, but the Gaudí buildings truly felt dreamlike — whimsical, colorful, and unlike anything else in the world.
As Gaudí once said, “There are no straight lines or sharp corners in nature. Therefore, buildings must have no straight lines or sharp corners.”
We walked through the Roman city wall in Barcelona, then headed to Soho House Barcelona in the Ciutat Vella district, near the Port Vell marina.
Diary Entry:
We met with Carta at the Soho House, had drinks, and some tapas. The resident chef cooking that day was Brazilian, so we also got to have the most delicious coxinhas. Downstairs, we sat in on a talk all about Bad Bunny and then headed back for dinner at Jess’s.
Day Two – Sitges Day Trip
We took the train to explore Sitges, a charming little beach town near Barcelona. We had pasta at El Racó, pastries at FORNS ENRICH, walked around, looked at different stores together, and took photos.
Back in Barcelona, we went to our favorite gelato spot, Holy Madre Gelateria Argentina.
Day Three – Montjuïc & Gelato Traditions
We went to Montjuïc by train, then hopped on the car rail to the castle. Even though it was a rainy day, we had so much fun together. We ate a late lunch at one of Jessica’s favorite places, Maldita Barra, where Bernardo’s scamosa burger was the five-star standout dish! Then met Gaby for a lovely dinner at a little Greek restaurant. Of course, we ended the night with gelato at Holy Madre.
With Bernardo heading off to explore with friends for the weekend, Jess and I debated—should we stay local or hop to another country? We contemplated Portugal, Greece, Italy … and by 1 a.m., we decided: Sicily. Jess’s Sicilian friend Carlo recommended San Vito as one of the best beaches, and the thought of warm weather and turquoise water sealed the deal.
Sicily, Palermo
When we arrived in Palermo — where part of White Lotus Season Two was filmed — Jess called the car company as noted in the reservation and spoke to Vito, who instructed us to keep an eye out for a white van. In the dry heat of Sicily, we waited in the shade and in a sea of white vans, we thankfully found the right one!
Claudia, who rented us the car, was super sweet and upgraded us to a bigger, brand-new SUV. Having heard stories of car rental misfortunes, I opted for the insurance that covers everything. We shared with her that we’d be traveling to San Vito, and she cautioned us about the wildfires that were happening in that area at this time.
As we drove toward San Vito, we began to see smoke and the wildfires Caludia had mentioned making their way toward the road. We stopped for pastries and water, and eventually decided it wasn’t going to work to continue. It was both scary and sad to see the fires consume the beautiful landscape. We turned back to Palermo, saying a prayer for Sicily and those impacted.
Jess found Seven Restaurant Palermo, a rooftop restaurant for dinner, with beautiful views of Palermo, delicious bread and pasta dishes, and by 10 p.m., we had booked an Airbnb.
Navigating Palermo’s tiny alleyways with our upgraded SUV to reach this Airbnb was an adventure in itself. Complete with a new friend, Giovanna, who insisted, at ten o’clock at night, that we would have to reverse out, which we did. Only to meet Pietro, our Airbnb host, at the top of the alley (who had driven an hour to meet us), and instructed us to drive back down the alley once again.
The New Yorker and Brazilian in me did not love the idea of staying in an apartment down a dark alley; however, I was incredibly thankful Jess and I were together and that Pietro was very friendly. I soon realized that the more friends we made in the community, the safer we felt. Thankfully, the Airbnb ended up being perfect and met our weekend needs for a clean, safe, and quiet place to stay in Palermo.
Driving in Palermo was its own adventure — every car seemed to create its own lane, there were very few stoplights and even fewer stop signs, pedestrians crossed at will, and motorcyclists zipped through the smallest gaps. Roundabouts felt like improvised choreography. Our travels were all about moving in flow and being in the present moment, and Palermo driving fit right in.
Day One in Sicily – Cefalù
We spent the day exploring the streets of Cefalù, a coastal city in northern Sicily known for its Norman Cathedral with elaborate Byzantine mosaics and soaring twin towers. The Mandralisca Museum holds archaeological treasures and a portrait by Antonello da Messina. We walked the beautiful beaches and narrow cobblestoned streets, stopping to peruse local shops, take photos and take in the views of the Mediterranean Sea.
Day Two in Sicily – Scopello & the Zingaro Coast
We headed to Scopello, a small, picturesque fishing village in the province of Trapani, known for its stunning coastal scenery. Arriving just in time for lunch at Isonzo Cinque. Followed by a delicious caffè shakerato at the local café before heading back to Palermo.
Early that evening, we were back in Palermo and had dinner at Ostaria Norma. Jess and I shared a plate of meatballs and a white cheese pasta dish so we could try both without wasting food. We finished with an incredible homemade tiramisu.
We ended our trip soaking in Mediterranean Sea views. Enjoying the beauty of historic buildings and winding alleyways, meeting new friends, and laughing about everything.
Diary Entry:
Each morning, we walked to Bar Touring for coffee and cannoli. Maria, Carmen, and Andrea welcomed us like family, and every morning we ordered the same: “Un caffè shakerato con latte di mandorla, crema di caffè, e due cannoli piccolini, per favore”. To which Maria would reply “Bravissima”!
We spent our days driving along the coast, exploring beach towns, and meeting new friends. We spoke a little Italian, laughed a lot, and savored every moment.
Sicilians are warm and friendly. From the café workers who remembered us to strangers helping us find our way. Each new friend truly made our stay incredible.
It wasn’t a White Lotus-style drama; it was better. It was about family, connection, and the joy of creating new memories together. I went to bed laughing about Italian words I was learning, like shakerato. I loved watching Jess fully present with her friends and in the community. We both loved having Bernardo along for the ride, and we loved how travel keeps weaving us all closer together.
“You can look at a picture for a week and never think of it again. You can also look at a picture for a second and think of it all your life.”
– Spanish artist Joan Miró
This trip was like that second kind of picture — unforgettable in every way.
Diary Entry:
Going on this adventure was truly otherworldly. It reminded me of the magic of life. Ending my travels in NYC only deepened my belief in being more magical than we think.
Thirty-one years ago, my daughter and I arrived in New York City from Bahia. I didn’t know what to expect from life. I was scared, unsure, and as vulnerable as a fifteen-year-old single mother can be. And now, here I was, exploring Europe with my grown daughter, making new memories together. How could I not believe in the beauty of life?
I once read that our odds of being born are one in a trillion. We have greater odds of winning the Mega Millions or being struck by lightning. This is why I believe we are magic beyond measure. Our thoughts and beliefs shape the way we journey through life.
May we all live our best-case scenarios, today and always!!!
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