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For my 60th birthday, I really contemplated what I wanted to do. I debated about having a great big party to celebrate this major milestone but as memorable as that would have been, my daughter was going to be studying in Barcelona at the time of my birthday so I thought this might be a great opportunity to travel someplace I’ve always wanted to explore – Spain.

I’m so glad we did.

We landed in Barcelona and on the first weekend we were there, we took a 40 minute train ride to Girona. If you are a foodie, then Girona is the place for you. The province of Girona has the most Michelin stars per capita with 18 Michelin stars spread over 13 restaurants. The result of this focus has elevated the food quality across the whole area. I can honestly say I have never eaten so much amazing food in one place before.

Also, the scenery was so beautiful. Surrounding the city is an ancient wall that we walked atop and saw this gorgeous city from so many different vantage views. We ended our tour of the wall at the stunning Girona Cathedral (if you’re a Game of Thrones fan – this is where some shots were filmed).

The next day we took a 15 minute train ride to the city of Figueres where we visited the Dali Theatre-Museum. This museum was unlike anything I had seen before. As we walked through multiple rooms, the museum displayed and celebrated the life and art of Salvador Dalí. Everywhere you turned your eyes were feasting on unusual display and interpretation of life as the artist interpreted it.

Our tour of Spain then continued to the beautiful city of Valencia. There were literally orange trees all over the city. While there, we took a walking tour of the city and learned more about the history of the city.

The architecture in Valencia was gorgeous. Everywhere you looked you couldn’t help but admire and appreciate the beauty of the buildings all around you. We also visited a museum that housed an archeological discovery of ancient bath houses. It was amazing to see how advanced the construction was so many thousands of years ago.

We also enjoyed some amazing food – including the famous paella, which Valencia has been named as being the birthplace of this dish, along with enjoying the amazing Valencian drink – Agua de Valencia – a delicious concoction of fresh orange juice, cava (sparkling wine), vodka and gin.

We finished our tour of Spain in the beautiful city of Barcelona. In Barcelona, you can’t help but feel the culture, the beauty and the joy of life that Spain had to offer. I was amazed at all the different generations all living together so well. Older people, younger people all mingled together as they walked along the streets. I also noticed that in Spain, they took the time to make you a coffee – it was never just poured. Drinking coffee was viewed as a daily ritual that was meant to be savoured not gulped.

Maybe that is one of the secrets of life. It’s meant to be savoured.

Now that I’m back home, I think about my Spanish adventure and smile. As I enjoy my morning coffee, I think about the food, the history, the architecture and the culture and how grateful I was to have had this experience. I had wanted to take an epic trip to close out my 60 before 60 project and this certainly was an adventure that delivered.

This will forever be a trip that will be part of my memories for life.

My 60 Before 60 Life Lesson: Travel can not only expand your view of the world but also your perspective on life

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Susan Williams is the visionary founder of Booming Encore. With over 28 years of experience in corporate senior leadership and executive roles, she realized there was a significant gap in resources for those seeking a purposeful and healthy later life. Driven by her passion to make a difference, she decided that if she couldn't find it, she would create it and launched Booming Encore in 2013.

Since then, the Booming Encore has organically grown into a globally recognized authority on retirement, aging, and longevity. Susan’s commitment to empowering individuals is further reflected in her co-authorship of Retirement Heaven or Hell: Which Will You Choose? and her contributions to Longevity Lifestyle by Design.

An engaging speaker and advocate, Susan passionately shares the importance of all the aspects that can help people positively live, embrace and contribute in their later years. Today, she’s not just helping others create their own “booming encore”—she is actually living hers. Join her on this inspiring journey and also live your best booming encore!

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Founder, Booming Encore

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