Told by at least a dozen people that Barcelona was their favorite city, I went there with high expectations, which were more than met. Two days was not enough. But, I think we did a pretty decent job with the time we had. After sleepy Sardinia, it was quite a thill to be in a city so full of life. And, lucky for us, we were greeted by a cloudless sky on our first day out and about. After some serious headscratching as we tried to figure out the map, Megan, Rob, Mike, and I made our way towards the beach, stopping to see two of Gaudi’s most famous pieces, Casa Mila and La Sagrada Familia. Needless to say, we were a happy bunch with smiles on our faces and Starbucks venti house drips in our hands. What a relief to finally replace our jackets with swimsuits and bake on the beach!
But, our umbrellas weren’t retired for long. We awoke the second day to wind and rain, berating us as we tried to finish our sightseeing, perhaps regretting not visiting Park Guell the day before instead. But, we made the best of it, spending half the day in a chaotic market packed with fruits, vegetables, meats, and cheeses in every color, size, price, and variety (mouthwatering, to say the least.)
And of course, I can’t go without mentioning the nightlife. I’ve always heard that Spaniards sleep less than other Europeans, and after our two nights out, I understand why. Though the first night’s attempt at going to a club was unsuccessful, the nice weather made for decent late night wandering. And anyway, we definitely made up for the first night’s shortcomings by going to a tapas bar, sangria bar, and two night clubs the following night, coming back to the hotel just in time to leave for the airport.
Barcelona will definitely need to be revisited. But, it’s safe to say that my whirlwind Barca experience was an enjoyable preview.
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