Back

The silent contrast: Finding peace in quit days | Day 313 of my 2023 Journal

Cecilie Conrad·Nov 10, 2023· 3 minutes

The silent contrast.

Some photos are great. Maybe this one will not go down in history, but it does - at least to me - very well represent the days we live here at Playa. On the rooftop terrace in the sunset, splashing in the cool water, just the five of us.

We are making peace with the facts of life here. This is not the Mexico we came to see; this is not a place where we will ever go back - yet somehow, it is the perfect frame for us as we try to find our feet, our souls, and our peace.

We lived about 15 months in the Mercedes before we flew to Cancun.

We traveled in Spain, France, and Scandinavia, back down to Holland, Belgium, France, and Spain again, then the trip over the Mediterranean to Civitavecchia, and drove to Sicily, where we had some pause in beautiful Vila Nina.

In February this year, we were on a road trip around Sicily before zigzagging all over Italy in March and (half of) April.

We lived for a month at a castle in Normandie, sleeping in the van and hanging out with many travelers, mostly Americans soon to become our new great friends.

Scandinavia again, before another road trip through Holland, Belgium, and France, before we spend six weeks in England, moving around like ants.

As a Grand Finale, we walked 270 km of the Camino de Santiago before we drove back to Catalunia to visit the grandparents, ship and let go of most of our stuff, sell the bus, and pack the backpacks.

We did, indeed, need a pause without having to plan for it.

Playa used to be a slow town by the waters, now it is a buzzing playground for gringos, and we find ourselves to be some of them.

We can laugh about it, and we can observe the little things that seem real - but we are facing our own music: We wanted to go somewhere NOT interesting so we could calm down and stay home and work on our private projects for mind and body.

We did not expect it to be this repelling, but it works.

We hide at the rooftop in the cool waters, ignoring the craziness out there.

And we are learning to appreciate it.

We needed a place where we didn’t want to go out.

And now we have it.

Perfect?

With love

Cecilie-Underskrift-300x133

Cecilie Conrad

Thank you for reading
I would love to hear from you. Listen to your thoughts and reflections - or praise :) It is often emotional to share our lives like this, and we get very happy when we get your feedback. So feel free to share a comment below 😋 

See more images on Facebook

Day 6 on the Camino Frances: A challenging ascent, road walking, and a heartwarming paella feast under a stunning sunset. Experience the sense of com…Read more
Day 5 on the Camino Frances: A sun-soaked journey with surprising encounters, a refreshing river dip, and an evening of laughter. Discover the divers…Read more
Waiting on the Camino Frances: A day of rest, rain, and meaningful conversations. Discover how this pause in the journey brings unexpected moments of…Read more
On the first day of waiting on the Camino Frances, delve into the unexpected experiences of language barriers, rural life, and the charm of an old mo…Read more
Join us on Day 4 of Camino Frances as Liv's knee prevails. Explore cities, share countryside conversations, find solace by the river, and rest in a c…Read more
Day 3 of Camino Frances as we descend into stunning landscapes, reflect on the journey's challenges, and enjoy a medieval fair in Ponferrada - an exi…Read more
We conquered peaks, endured rain, left our sins at the iron cross, and faced blisters. Amidst challenges, we savored a Camino-style lunch and marvele…Read more
We started the Camino Francés with a relaxed 13km walk, and found a place with tipis, and areas with hammocks, vegan paella, and hot showers. Nice! Read more
Meet the 'real people' who inspire us on our journey—those who find us 'completely bonkers' and like us anyway. Dive into our visit with Garry the Gu…Read more