It's been 3 weeks in #TheNetherlands, so for mental health reasons I'm flying to #Madrid next week. 🥳

Now dear #fediverse friends, after Madrid what should the next destination be? 🚄🚢✈️

Obv I'll take the train if it's anywhere in Spain, I'm aware that flying isn't great for the environment.

@Gina I've been thinking of going to Malaga again to do the most Dutch thing ever and rent a bicycle to go into the mountains, but it's more fun with friends. What are your plans?

@nvsr I 10/10 would not want to cycle, but a hike along the Caminito del Rey would be pretty awesome 👌

@Gina Montenach, France.

@Gina
Madrid?
Don't do that? Come to Lisbon instead. Marvelous place with lots of culture. Warm people. 20 minutes from the beach. Yes with a proper sunny day you go to the beach in March.
Enjoy.

@john3voltas Honestly I've been considering giving Lisbon a shot.

Obv I don't want to contribute to the gentrification problem, but on the other hand I'd just be switching places with a Portugese friend who just moved here so eh? 🤷‍♀️

@cedric Waaaay too north and close to Germany for me 😅

@Gina

If you haven't been to Granada and Córdoba yet I can definitely recommend both for a visit (and both are doable from Málaga via public transport in under 2 hours).

@axwax The thing is, I don't necessarily want to play tourist. I'd like to see places that I'd consider moving to. So it needs to have a bit more than just tourist sites.

@Gina madrid-malaga is cool by train. Madrid-Bilbao is 5h or so (it's faster by car LOL) but it's not that bad. Flight is less than 1h, though.

Note: I live in Bilbao.

@ekaitz_zarraga How is it to live in Bilbao?

@Gina I wouldn't change it. It's near to the mountains so going out for a hike is just walking out the city. You can take the subway and go to the beach.
You can live a big-city life in a small city you where you can walk to places.
It's cool. It has bad things, like any other place, but I really like it.

@ekaitz_zarraga What are the downsides?

@Gina I wouldn't say it's the best city for tourism, for example, but we have more and more these days.
The weather is not great.
It's still not a huge city so there are not many tech companies to work for, most of them are classic consultancy-like places that have a very old mindset...

Housing market skyrocketed in the last 20 years because the city is inside of a valley and can't grow. A flat here is VERY expensive, almost to the level of Brussels or Amsterdam, but with Basque salaries.

@ekaitz_zarraga You lost me at 'the weather is not great.' 😂

@Gina If you have the housing thingie sorted out, most of the life here is just great. If you don't, you can struggle a little bit.

@Gina It rains a lot here. But that's why going for a hike is amazing. Since climate change is more intense, weather changed, but still it's not the Mediterranean.
It's more like Galicia and Asturias. Also, fantastic places to visit.

If you come to Bilbao you have to eat well. The Basque country is the second region of the world with more Michelin Stars, right after Paris. This is the place to come and eat. Weather is secondary. :)

@ekaitz_zarraga I'm allergic to rain though 😢

@nhripps I have! I've considered Mallorca and Ibiza, but a) I've already been there (and LOVED it), and b) I don't want to rent a car for this trip.

@Gina Mauritius, if I got to that side of the world from here, I’d keep heading south.

@Gina
My Dutch friend here says the rain thing is exaggerated.
@ekaitz_zarraga

@priryo @ekaitz_zarraga Tell your Dutch friend I AM made of sugar 😂

@trendoid If I could find a remote job, Mauritius would 100% be on my list to visit <3

@Gina Bora Bora

@Gina I admit lol
But still, it's the south compared to where you live ;-)

Malaga it is!!! 🥳🥳🥳

@Gina should we congratulate you ? I guess yes ;-)