WOW! What a kick off to Spain! Barcelona is such an amazing, bustling city that never slows down. Couchs were impossible to find so I foudn myself at an amazing hostel. I joined the hostel the first night for tapas where I made a few friends, including Brent, my eating partner for the week! I explored Montjuic (mountain of the Jews) where there are great views of the city and sea. I met 2 other american women and we explored the Olympic area, castle an enjoyed sunset. I had a rainy day so I slept in...I am on vacation right?...and enjoyed the Picasso museum. It was really great. I didn´t realize how much different art he made prior to his cubist period...I especially liked his ceramic work. Super cool platers with cubist faces 3d.
I enjoyed a great day with my eating buddy...we went to Montserat for a day.
It was warm, sunny and spectacular. It is an important spiritual area in Spain, with a monestary and the oldest music school in Europe. We arrived just in time to listen to the boys choir...it was really moving, even though they were speaking Catalan. We hiked around the area...crazy rock formations and old setelment ruins. After a beautiful day at Montserat I had another day of chilly overcast weather so I again slept in, chilled in my hammock in the plaza by the hostel, encountered Spanish police (no hammocking allowed in plazas!) and went to the Miro museum. Another really cool modern artist.
Brent and I became pretty good buddies. Another american from Arizona, we enjoyed the cuisine of Barcelona together everynight. Using luck and lost-ness to find great hole-in-the-wall local tapas bars, we ate very well! Lots of sangria, rioja y cerveza, it was great. When Renee arrived Friday to have one last European adventure with me, Brent was still a fixture of Barcelona tapas!
Friday Renee arrived and we had so much fun. I did a bit of shopping and we saw most of the Gaudi buildings. Had lovely tapas for lunch and dinner and lots of great laughs! We visited the renound 2euro shot bar Chupitos and made some spanish friends. Continued on to a total local dive bar and returned home early...4am!
We spent out second day cruising the city on bikes, exploring the Gaudi park, enjoying a little more shopping and lots more tapas! Another crazy night of tapas with Brent, drinks with people we pick up at the hostel and loitering in the plaza at our hostel until the sun came up...that how we roll in Barcelona!
Sunday...needless to say was a late morning, and a great day to rest off a hangover on the beach! We ate amazing paellea and sangria, Renee had a beach massage and we had yet another fab night of tapas, wine and each others company. A sad day monday...Renee and I parted ways for good. She back to Switzerland and me off to Valencia!
More adventures to come!
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