We decided to go to Barcelona because Ellen had a good friend from camp that she worked with that lives there now. She contacted her and she said she was more than happy to open up her apartment to us and show us around the city. It was so nice of her. Once again we didn't have any traveling problems this trip.......we are getting good at this. Ellen, Kassidy, Erin (Michigan girl) and myself, of course, are the girls that were on this adventure. Erin decided to go last minute so she stayed in a hostel and we stayed with Gabi.
Once we arrived, Erin checked into her hostel and then we found Gabi. We had already decided we loved Barcelona just from the night life. There were fountains on every corner and it was a beautifully lit town. We were excited because we were going to go out with Gabi and her friends for her friends birthday on a pub crawl. Our adrenalin fools us sometimes though. When we first get to new places we think we have all the energy in the world but once we start actually getting ready to go we realize we are still worn out from the previous 6 weeks of traveling. We toughened up though and went and strolled the streets until we found the pub we were looking for. It was crazy because we would be walking the empty streets and wouldn't see or hear many people at all and then Gabi would open up a random door down an ally way and there would be a pub full of people! We got to meet all of her friends, most of which were Americans. I had the best mojito I have ever had. I usually don't like drinks with leafs in them but these were amazing. Around about 2 o' clock we decided we better go considering we still had a full day of touristy stuff to do in the morning.
One thing that was cool about staying with Gabi is that we truly got the Spanish experience. Her apartment was cute and clean but it was your typical apartment in Spain......tiny. Also, there is no central heat and air. We just so happened to be in Spain during one of the coldest weeks they have had in a while. The temp was in the 60's and it gets cold at night. Gabi graduated from college and just up and moved to Barcelona with no job or anything. She has been there for 8 months now and teaches people English. So basically what I am trying to say is that she doesn't have much extra of anything. So that night Kassidy and I slept on her very small pull out couch with a sheet. Needless to say we cuddled all night. Also people in Spain don't go out until about midnight and stay out until 5 in the morning. We were on the 3rd floor and there was a bar across the street. We went to sleep listening to the buzzing of all the commotion going on in the bar. It was quite the night. Gabi said sorry she forgot to even warn us that it was going to be loud and cold because at this point it has just become white noise to her. We didn't mind though because it was free and it made me appreciate my dorm at Feltwell.
Saturday--
The next morning we woke up early and Gabi took us to the market. It was the best thing I have ever seen. Fresh fruit and veggies everywhere. Bread and cheese, wine and candy, and the best coffee I have had since I've been in Europe. We walked around and got stuff we wanted to eat for breakfast. Gabi speaks fluent Spanish so it was so helpful to have her with us. We had breakfast at the market and then Gabi went to dance practice. We were on our own for a couple hours so we decided to walk and just take in the city. We walked up and down the main street and saw a bunch of really cute stores. The fashion there is very fancy. I loved it!
Then we got on the metro and went to the ports. It was a little bit of a downer because it was beyond windy. The wind was so strong the sand was blowing in our eyes so we couldn't really enjoy the beach at all. So we got a picture and just said that we will be on the ocean next week for 7 days so we couldn't be that bummed. It was nice to see the fresh water though. It got me really excited for our Mediterranean cruise! After that we were on a search for the guys that sell fake Ray Bans. We couldn't find them anywhere so we sat down for some lunch. I had pizza of course, and some sangria. Spain is known for sangria. It didn't taste anything like the sangria at Fuzzy's in Stillwater but it was pretty good. After lunch we walked out of the restaurant and Kassidy says "Guys...there they are!" We were pumped! We went and bargained with them and I purchased 2 pairs of Ray Ban sunglasses. They are super fake but from far away you can't tell. It was fun to mess with them and try to get the best deal.
After we were efficiently equipped with sun protection for our eyes, we got back on the metro to meet up with Gabi again at the city center. It was nice to be back with our tour guide. She took us to Gaudi's gardens where the mosaic benches are located and then we all but sprinted to catch the short bus to take us up the hill to what they call the bunkers. It was a very high view of the city. It was still pretty windy and the sun had been behind the clouds all day so we were getting a little worn out but it was so pretty up there. If the weather would have been nicer, we could have spent hours up there.
After the bunkers we saw the Magic Fountain of Montjuic. It was so cool. By this time we were all getting hungry and we were bound and determined to eat Tapas. I had no idea what they were. I had no background of Spain going into it besides the fact that the Cheetah Girls with Raven Symone' made a movie there. So therefore I didn't realize that tapas were mainly a seafood appetizer. Yeah...if you all know me, you know I don't enjoy seafood. So this whole time I have wanted to make sure to eat tapas and then I find out that it is food that I hate. Come to find out, there were some that I didn't but I probably won't ever eat a tapa again. It wasn't my favorite.
We were wiped out after dinner. It had been a long day with a lot of wind. We were wind blown with chapped faces and our feet were killing us. Traveling is awesome but it really does take it out of you sometimes. You have to be careful and not run yourself into the ground. We had planned to go out again that night but once we got home at 9:30 we could hardly move. We decided to stay in for the night and it was the best decision I had made it a while. Plus I think I might have been feeling a little home sick. The Cowgirls were playing in the Sweet 16 and my sisters were getting ready for prom and I was exhausted. It was nice to stay in and communicate back home.
That night Kassidy and I layered up our clothes and used our jackets as covers and we slept much better, and the humming of the people downstairs was surprisingly calming.
Sunday--
Sunday morning we woke up fairly early because we had tickets to see Sagrada Familia at 9 in the morning. We were happy that we decided to see it this day because it was raining. Sagrada Familia is a Catholic church that was designed by a man named Gaudi. It is a church that has been under construction for over 100 years now. Gaudi first started designing it with a Gothic architecture with the views of his walk with Christ through nature's point of view. Then as his relationship with God started to grow he designed the architecture of the back side of the church to have a more traditional architecture. It was breathtaking. We did the audio tour and it was well worth the extra money. It was a very spiritual experience.
It was still raining after our Sagrada Familia tour. We were wet and tired and still needed to find a couple souvenirs. I didn't have my umbrella that I bought in Paris so I refused to buy another one. It was not cool. Our jackets and shoes were soaked. We were able to buy a couple survivors and we went into a cafe to take a little break before we had to get on the bus and head to the airport. It was then when Erin realized she didn't have her phone. Someone had pick pocketed her. :( I felt so bad for her. She handled it like a champ though. There was nothing we could have done. It was bound to happen to at least one of us. On the plane home, Kassidy was talking to a guy that said they were with a group and 5 people's phones got stolen. Just crazy!
We made it home safe and sound by 6 o' clock in the evening. We were pretty tired because it was daylight savings that Sunday and we lost an extra hour traveling back from Spain, so we were 2 hours behind on sleep. Just a couple more days of school and then we are heading to Italy for a Mediterranean cruise during our spring break. I cannot wait. I have been looking forward to that day since we booked it.
Cheers