M'agrades, Barcelona

Now, does that look like Spanish to you? No of course it doesn't, but technically it is. The Spanish you probably know as Spanish is actually called Castellano, a sect of the language that the people of North and South America and and the majority of people in Spain speak. However, there are three more types of Spanish: Basque (which is spoken in Northern Spain), Catalan (spoken in the Eastern strip of Spain) and Galician (spoken in the awkward Northwestern bubble of Spain). So what, right? Well, these other types of Spanish bear little resemblance to Castellano, what you learned if you ever took a Spanish class in the United States. Re: I could barely understand anything or anyone in Barcelona unless they went out of their way to talk Castellano Spanish. That did not affect the great affinity I developed towards 'Barça'. 

Natalie and I were so grateful that her friend studying in Barcelona invited us to stay with her from Thursday to Monday morning. It turns out there were 3 people from our program on our flight with us (Kellyn being one of them, course hahaha) so we were happy to have some people to wait and gossip with.  Natalie's friend Kim told us how to get from the airport to her apartment, but of course we got lost along the way. We finally make it to her metro stop at 11PM, gave her the Thank-you wine we bought, (which happened to be completely delicious) dropped our things off at her place and immediately starting preparing to go out. We headed out with Kim, her roommate, Kailey, and a few others to the metro and saw the gates as they were closing. FAIL. They took us around the corner and I was so excited when I read "Dow Jones"! 

Natalie and Kim at Dow Jones!

Natalie and I with Kim´s Josh Groban twin friend. We called him Josh Groban. I hope he liked it.

My housemates in Madrid had gone there when they were in Madrid and it sounded like such a fun place. The bar was built in 1995 and the concept is brilliant. The prices are displayed on a screen, which changes every minute, depending on the demand of the clients (it looks like this). Every so often, there is a "choque," or a crash, in the market (which the bar displays with sirens, bells, and flashing lights) and the price of all the drinks, beers, and shots go down 30-50%. We hung out at the bar for a few hours and enjoyed some cheap beers and irish car bombs. While we were leaving, we saw our friend whom we met on the train from Munich to the airport a month earlier who happened to be studying in Barcelona! Even though these chance encounters happen all the time, I get no less excited about them. 

Natalie and I painfully awoke at 11 AM the next day to go to La Sagrada Familia, the famous Roman Catholic church started by Antoni Gaudí in 1882. It was the famous architecture´s final project, but he never finished it before he died in 1926. Since then, the church has been under construction with a desired completion year of 2026, the centennial of Gaudí´s death. The church really is breathtaking. 

La Sagrada Familia!

I was so taken aback by the inside; I did not expect it to be so amazing!

Bringing Rick everywhere we go.

Stained Glass inside La Sagrada Familia

Natalie and I inside. Judging by the crowds, I guess this place is a big deal.

The Sagrada Familia you recognize

After that, we looked for Casa Miló, also called La Cadrera (meaning quarry), the famous apartment built by Gaudí that contains not even one straight line. We had some trouble finding it, but walked by a really cool looking apartment while we were lost. We finally asked someone how to get there, and they pointed us in the direction of that "cool apartment" we saw before. It turned out to be the famous house we were searching for. Woops. The coolest part of the apartment was the roof, of course, where Natalie and I took some ridiculous pictures.

We embarrass ourselves EVERYWHERE we go.

The roof of Casa Miló


The Roof of Casa Miló

After that, we went to Casa Batiló, which is more recognizable from the outside. This apartment was the first apartment Gaudí made and is more ornate from the outside, but is more conventional than Casa Miló. We observed from the outside as entering cost 16 Euros ($21), a price we were not willing to pay. The house was definitely satisfying to look at from the outside. 

You can imagine the photographer´s reaction when we posed.

We met up with Kim after that and she took us the famous Park Güell, built by Gaudí. It was incredible. Everything was twisted or lop sided; it was, without a doubt, the coolest park I have ever seen (with the Boston Gardens being a close second). 

At the top of Park Güell


The entrance to the park

Natalie, Kim, and I on the benches of Park Güell

A teeny tiny part of the famous benches at Park Güell

After walking around the park, we headed to the grocery store, and cooked a delicious pasta dinner. So cheap. So lovely. We headed to Kim´s friend´s apartment after that to hang out with some of the people from her program. We took the metro to Shoko, a beachside club on the strip in Barcelona. Natalie and I ran out to frolic on the beach (something we would certainly not have the opportunity to do for a long time) and to club CDLC, a very swanky underground club, complete with beautiful dancers on stilts walking through the dance floor. In line, I saw a girl who looked VERY familiar, but wiped the thought from my mind that I could possible know her. As the waiting line ebbed and flowed, she got closer and I screamed when I realized it was my friend Kelsey from high school! It was such a nice surprise to see her and catch up. During the course of the night, we got covered in feathers at Shoko due to an impromptu pillow fight. I didn't mind. It was one of those nights that is so good you forget to take pictures.

At Kim's friend's apartment. Not American flag.

The next day, we went to the Cathedral of Barcelona. Construction of the cathedral was started in 1298 and it took about 150 years to complete. It was free on Saturday, so we were able to get around an entrance charge, however everyone was kicked out about ten minutes after we arrived. It may have had something to do with the Pope coming the next day, but we never found out (and we never got to see him, either. GOT MAD LOVE FOR YOU, BENEDICT!)

The sign is advertising for the visit of the Pope (Papa) to Barcelona the following day.

After that, we decided to walk to Las Ramblas, the most famous street in Barcelona. The street is filled with vendors, street performers, and tourists. We walked down the street to the Christopher Columbus monument and the pier. 

La Boqueria: a HUGE food market on Las Ramblas

Vegetarianism is not big in Spain, nor is keeping Kosher. Yes, those are pigs in hats.


Christopher Columbus monument


Petting the Christopher Columbus monument


At the pier in Barcelona


The most impressive street performer on Las Ramblas

We took a well deserved nap and then headed out for a night filled with drinking. We went to La Champanería to get some delicious cheap sandwiches and champagne, then headed to a bakery around the corner, where Natalie I shared the smallest empanada ever. Then it was off George Payne's for beer and rugby, and Chupitos (translation: shots) bar for some interesting shots, then a LITERAL 3 mile walk to finish the night at club Elephant. 

Itty bitty empanadita


Boy Scout shot at chupitos! They light the bar on fire, you roast a
marshmallow, take a shot of liquer and chase it with your roasted marshmallow.
There are over 500 types of shots at this bar. It was amazing.


So happy to have my Boy Scout shot ("OR GIRL SCOUT SHOT!" -Natalie)


They also had 1 liter tubs of alcohol to share. Kim and her
 friends seemed to enjoy theirs quite a lot


Besties with the bouncer


In the jungle of Club Elephant


Natalie on an elephant at Elephant

The next day, we finally got to wake up late. I was so pleased to wake up and find a KIWI in my purse! It made for a very delicious accompaniment to our breakfast. We walked to the Picasso Museum with Kim's roommate Paulo (he had never been), who is from Milan studying law, but is studying abroad in Barcelona. We waited in line for a half hour and finally got into the museum. It was your typical Picasso museum, I have to admit. My favorite part was the section of Picasso's interpretations of Velazquez's "Las Meninas." 

Las Meninas, Picasso brand

The three of us explored the area, got some gelato, and headed back to the apartment. Kim told us we HAD to have arroz negro (black rice) before we left Barcelona, so that night Natalie, Kim and I went to the beach-side restaurants in search of this magical dish. All the restaurants on the strip have food samples outside and people begging you to come in. When I stole a taste of some salchicha from "La Barca en Salamanca," the owner ran over to us and handed us menus. It was not having to make a decisions where to eat. When the arroz negro came out, I should have, but did NOT realize it was going to be black. Kim was definitely right, though; the seafood dish dyed with squid ink is a must-have. It was delicious and messy and a perfect last meal to have in Barcelona. 

Our waiter was hysterical and SO excited that we were from the States.

Clearly, we were in Barcelona for a very long time (4 nights) and it was so nice to have a tour-guide like Kim show us around and allow us to stay in her apartment. I am glad I did not study abroad in Barcelona, because I do not speak the language, but it is certainly a place everyone studying abroad in Europe MUST go. Until next time, Barca.