Barcelona

A weekend trip to Barcelona, something that my roommates and I booked at the very start of our study abroad experience.  Included on my trip was my first Ryan Air experience, first hostel experience and first time traveling to a different country with a group of friends.

We departed bright and early (flight was at 8 am) and arrived in Barcelona around 10 o'clock.  From the airport we had to navigate our way to the hostel.  Without a map in tow we had to depend solely on a screenshot from our iPhone.  Following a crowd of other study abroad students (as much as we try to fit in with the Europeans we stick out like sore thumbs) we found a bus that took us into the city center and then located a metro that was mentioned in the screenshot.  And then... we found the hostel! Woo!

After checking in and putting our belongings into our lockers we were starving for lunch.  My roommates and I are huge foodies (which I think is why we get along so well) and we wanted to find a place to eat for lunch so we asked the front desk for local recommendations.  WRONG thing to do.  I guess the people at the hostel are used to showing college kids who don't care what they eat places to go.  He pointed us to a street with restaurants I would have neeeever have thought I would eat in.  We stumbled across a place that looked decent with at woman sitting outside smoking a cigarette.  She gestured for us to come inside, turned on the lights to the kitchen and sat us down at a table.  We were the only people in this dive restaurant and did not know what to do next so, we ordered.  What could go wrong?

Turns out the place wasn't half bad and we were entertained by the owners son who was dressed as a clown for carnival.  I realized that this is what study abroad is about, not really having an agenda, trying things that you would not have thought you would ever try before and letting your feet be the guide.

I have never seen so many fries on a plate!

After getting some food in our stomach, we let the adventure begin!

The first day we went to:

 MACBA - Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art

Port of Barcelona

Las Ramblas

La Boqueria (my personal fav, I was literally in food heaven!)

and a wonderful dinner at a  cute contemporary restaurant.  The calamari was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Then danced the night away (the clubs don't open until 1:30 am)

After a few hours of rest - we were ready for Day 2!

We went to Park Guell - 

Here is a picture of me and my family a few years ago at the same park.

We ate traditional paella and had the best cheese sticks I have ever had in my life at Café Catalunya Restaurant!  They were brie and came with a strawberry jam dipping sauce.

The Barcelona Cathedral

Loved randomly running into Jen!

Picasso Museum - Also got free entrance because I was a student 

and finished with an amazing last dinner at Bar Lobo with tapas and sangria.

We ordered: Hummus with pita bread, Asparagus tempora, ceps, perol sausage and truffle on toast nachos with guac, tuna tataki with guac and a Spinach, blue cheese apple and bacon salad.  YUM! Also can't forget the sangria!

Sangria

Tuna Tataki

Nachos with Guac

Overall I had a great experience.  It was a whirlwind of a trip (our flight the next day was at 6 - so we had to leave for the airport at 3 in the morning) and it took me sometime to recover from the lack of sleep (hence why I am posting this now) but it taught me valuable lessons and created great memories.  

I have to also add that life in Barcelona is very different from Rome.  Not being biased, but leaving my second home in Rome made me realize that it really is my second home.  I missed its unique charm, cobblestone streets and yes, even paninis.  It made me realize that I chose the right city to study abroad in - for me.  

Until next time Spain, until next time.  

Vogue: T-Unit Edition