It's the bessssttt daaaaayy evvvverrrr! (Spongebob song, look it up- totally applicable)

Well yesterday was exactly that: probably the best day I've had in Spain so far, and that's including trips to other cites AND my birthday. For starters, it was GORGEOUS. Here in Bil-bow everyone knows that not only winter is bleak, but the whole freaking year isn't too great (47 in./year, about 15 inches MORE than Pittsburgh and even Seattle!), so when a nice day comes along regardless of temperature, EVERYONE goes out and about to enjoy it. People walk their dogs, their kids, their parents, everyone is just outside, basque-ing (haha, small joke) in the sunshine. So that's what I did, I called up my friend Linden, we went to downtown Bilbao and just walked around, window-shopping and chit-chatting. We eventually made our way to Casco Viejo which was BUMPIN for such an old part of the city- there were families everywhere and everyone was celebrating the big basketball tournament that's going on in the city this weekend. There we went to the Plaza Nueva, which ironically is one of the oldest parts of Bilbao (aka NOT nueva), and there part two of the best day ever began: we found huge coffees! I'm talking venti-sized, to-go, mocha/frappe/whatever type coffees that are nearly nonexistent in Europe, let alone Spain. We did a little victory dance right in the store, bought some muffins (another luxury), and sat outside in the sun for about an hour. We were blatantly being touristy with huge to-go cups of coffee and no jackets on (everyone else was bundled up like it was blizzarding outside, wtf?) but it was sunny! I think some freckles may have peeked out already, too, so I cannot wait until Spring actually starts and I can go outside once again to enjoy sunny weather like yesterday. :)

After that, it was lunch/siesta time (at 3pm, weekends are uber late) so we parted ways to enjoy the rest of the afternoon eating/napping/hanging with the fam, and then the best-day-ever continued with a trip to Algorta for Carnivale. Now technically Carnivale ended on Tuesday when Mardi Gras ended and Ash Wednesday started up the Lenten train on Wednesday, but I guess in Spain it's pretty much a 10-day thing. So we walked around the beach town at sunset (remember, we could see the sun this time!), had a few drinks and people watched the locals who ALL dress up like it's Halloween. I have to give the Spaniards props, though, because their costumes put American Halloween costumes TO SHAME. They are creative, homemade, all-or-nothing and just all-around great costumes. And the one thing they love more than dressing in costume (or drag, as many of the men here dress like women for Carnivale?? No comprendo...), is drinking kalimotxos and dancing! Kalimotxos are those wine and coke combo mixed drinks that are pretty cheap and easy to make (buy: 1 liter of Coke, 1 liter of wine, mix in coke bottle then drink in public), and the music they love is all American old skool rap, hip-hop, 80s- it's all over the place, but all classics! Needless to say, between people watching the youts acting like fools while dressed like Mario and Luigi or cowboys (not sure how they actually interpret the concept of cowboys here), and enjoying the ocean breeze and view, it was the perfect end to a pretty perfect day.