In the southeastern part of Spain, the Valencia region, there is a city called Alicante. Here, there are students from all over the world, Mediterranean beaches all across Costa Blanca and, most famously, El Castillo Santa Barbara. With a simple Google search it can be found as an icon of Alicante. In the center of town, the castle sits on Mount Benacantil, and if you run the same route I do each morning, it’s a grueling, steep .47 miles to the first gate. While it possesses an interesting wartime history due to its position 545 feet above sea level, I much prefer its modern day touristic aim. On my second day in Alicante back in January, I summited the castle and finally saw my city. Not from the narrow streets guarded by peach colored buildings and antique doors, but rather the view that the seagulls had been indulging in the whole time. A tetris array of tan, white and pale pink rectangular buildings scattered between the city walls of sea and mountain would be my new home for six months. I was smitten. It wasn’t until recently that I finally got around to documenting the monument in my traditional way – painting. I hope in the coming weeks I find more time to paint my memories of Spain, but until then, hasta luego!