Barcelona

¡Hola!

I went to the motherland this past week and it was amazing (though the weather could have been nicer 2/3 days we were there!) I once again traveled with Jessica and we had an incredible time. Like most of our trips, we let the city tell us what to do and like always, it didn't fail to make it an incredibly memorable experience.

Day 0: Wednesday.
We were supposed to fly out of Bologna at 18:50, but our flight was delayed until 23:00. Thank you, RyanAir. We arrived to Barcelona at about 1:30-2am and had to try to find our hostel. I became very thankful that I spoke Spanish.

Day 1: Thursday.
We awoke early and joined a free walking tour, provided by Travel Bound. Our tour guide Chris was really enthusiastic and really knew a lot about the city and its history. We got a 2.5 hour tour of the Old City (Ciutat Vella) and became better acquainted with it for our later adventures. I really loved learning about the Catalan culture and the current separatist movement. (It's possible I visited Barcelona the last year it would be a part of Spain).

Jessica and I found ourselves in the Travel Bar (owned by the touring company) and bought two tapas dishes: patatas bravas (potatoes with a spicy sauce) and tortilla española (Spanish omelette). These were fairly cheap and wonderfully delicious.  We then bought some groceries to cook at the hostel, in order to keep saving some money.

After relaxing, napping and cooking dinner, we decided to explore the city some more in the evening. We were aware that Barcelona nightlife can be very popular and expensive (15-20 euros cover), so we were grateful that we aren't big on clubbing. Instead, we strolled east toward the coast and walked along the Egyptian-sandy beaches and saw the clubs from the outside. The water was beautiful and the air was fresh. I love the coast and I loved seeing the Mediterranean sea for the first time.

Highlights from day 1 (pictures in order)

• Seeing the steps where Christopher Columbus presented his findings (after his famous 1492 voyage) to King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella I.
• The Cathedral of Sant Eulalia (Barcelona's co-patron saint)
• The art school where Picasso perfected his craft
• A beautiful archway in the ancient castle of Ferdinand and Isabella
• Gaudí's lamppost in Plaça Reial (he won a competition at his art school -- one of his first professional pieces)
• Standing in a plaça where a battle was fought during the Spanish Civil War (seeing the bullet holes on the wall near what is presently a school)

Day 2: Friday.
We spent this morning exploring the city ourselves. We set out to see every single Gaudí structure/building in the city. My favorite was Casa Battló, made to look like a dragon. But of course, the Sagrada Familia was breath-taking. It was definitely much larger than I imagined it would be -- also considering the sizes of his other buildings. The final Gaudí find would be in Ciutadella (a gorgeous park!) and it would be incredible. He made a fountain that, on its own, looks like an entire resort. I wanted to swim in it with the ducks, but refrained due to the weather. It was outstanding.

After finding every Gaudí, we ate lunch and then visited the Museu de la Xocolata (Chocolate Museum!). The ticket was 5 euros, but that is not the best part, it was a chocolate bar! The museum itself was fairly small and did not take much time to get through, but it was pretty cool to learn the history of it. Especially because I love bragging about where the beans come from (like Venezuela, of course!). There were also a number of different, incredibly impressive chocolate sculptures. Gosh, I love chocolate.

Later that afternoon, we made our way to La Boqueria market, where we drank freshly squeezed juices and took in the aromas of different fruits, vegetables, spices, meats and fish.

That evening, we went to a Flamenco show on Plaça Reial and later enjoyed a tapas dinner with unlimited sangria! This entire evening cost us 24 euros through Travel Bound. They provide many different services to visitors, including bar crawls, cooking classes, and bike tours. It was a wonderful evening and the sangria was delicious, to say the least.

Highlights from day 2 (again, in order)

• Gaudí, La Pedrera
• Gaudí, Casa Battló
• Gaudí, Sagrada Familia
• Gaudí Fountain at Ciutadella
• Chocolate Museum
• La Boqueria

Day 3: Saturday.
We would fly out that evening and we had already done everything we had wanted, so we spent a leisure morning and afternoon in the city. 

We ate fresh fruit for breakfast in Plaça Nova that we bought at La Boqueria, drank hot chocolate at La Granja (a very cute, alternative cafe) and watched an impromptu break-dance performance by very short, but talented Catalonians.

Overall, this trip was amazing and I loved every second of it. I spoke enough Spanish to be pleased and learned a lot about Barcelona's history, which is always a plus for me. I don't need to say this, but you should try to visit! Barcelona is a gorgeous city. There is just something about how metropolitan it is, while also keeping such strong ties to its ancient history with the preservation of the Old City that makes it so splendid. Visiting Barcelona is getting a taste of all of Europe in one -- modern, but also ancient.

I must say, I loved how Gaudí buildings stood out like sore thumbs next to the other buildings. For me, it was like seeing little pieces of Disney World around the city. It was like a fairy tale. Barcelona is beautiful.

Hasta luego, amigos <3