The 22nd European Balloon Festival, held in Igualada (Spain) was easily one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. There is just something so fascinating about seeing huge man-made globes of air rise off the ground and begin to float away, hanging on the horizon as if it were magic. I have wanted to ride in a hot air balloon for a while. My grandma loved balloon rides, and I can imagine why. Watching the temporary inhabitants of the balloon baskets grin in helpless exhilaration as they watched us become ant-like below them made clear that the experience was worth any fear that it might entail. Did you…