The reality is closing in on me. Over the last few weeks, I have been so caught up with school and studying hard for my tests that I barely noticed that I only have two weeks left in Spain. So after my last final on Friday, it finally hit me and hard! This is it! While it felt awesome to actually finish the semester, it was also very sad to know that my time in Spain is slowly coming to an end. It is a powerful and bittersweet feeling. Thank God, my good friend Yesenia and I had already planned a trip to Barcelona to celebrate the end of finals. Barcelona will serve as a very timely and enjoyable distraction.
We boarded a Vueling Airlines flight at 8 am from Barrajas airport the morning after my last exam. I was exhausted but excited.( BTW I highly recommend Vueling when you are flying in Europe. They allowed us to put our hand luggage through the checked baggage without a fee and the seats were large and comfy unlike Ryan Air.) Within the hour, we arrived in Barcelona safe and sound. From there we took the Aero Bus to the Plaza de Cataluña,then the metro for 2 stops to our hostel called the Generator. This would be my first experience at a hostel and I was excited. My friend and I wanted to try true European travel by "rooming with strangers" and opted for a 6 person all girls dorm. We got out at the right metro stop but somehow managed to get lost for about an hour before we finally found the hostel! This was probably due to finals fatigue. The hostel did not disappoint. It was absolutely awesome, a cross between retro and Greenwich hippie. The spotless lobby was decorated with these giant rattan swing seats instead of classic furniture.
We left our luggage at the front desk and set out immediately to the famous Las Ramblas for some sightseeing.
After a few hours of sightseeing, we were ready to grab lunch. Not sure why but for some reason we were very picky in selecting a place to eat but our finally decision was well worth the wait. We spent 3 leisurely hours enjoying our lunch. First Plato or dish was Spanish style macaroni, second dish was grilled shoulder of rabbit with potatoes and zucchini, lastly, dessert was a creamy flan de café. A large pitcher of Barcelona’s best sangria added to our utter culinary delight! This was by far the best restaurant meal I have had in Spain. ( I might have said this previously but food here is so good and unique!) Our waiter was also very funny and friendly which made the experience twice as fun.
Afterwards, we meandered down to Plaza de Colon and checked out a shopping mall along the port.
Next a much overdue siesta, then a local Galician restaurant to eat some fabulous bocadillos. Later that night we visited the cozy and crowded bar at our hostel. We had so much fun! We met so many people from all over the world from Venezuela to Kazakhstan.
The following day we woke up early (surprisingly) and continued our sightseeing. High on our list was Park Guell, the urban park famous for Gaudi’s artwork. It cost a hefty 8 euros to enter the conservatory building within the park where most of Gaudi's artwork is displayed but it is extremely worth it. Loved it all and took some amazingly unique pictures. (INSIDER TIP: after 8 pm the park is free which includes the conservatory.)
After the Parque Guell, we walk to the Sagrada Famila the most famous church in all of Spain. It is a Gaudi masterpiece and, believe it or not, it is still under construction!
Afterwards, we walked around a little Christmas village and purchased a few gifts. It was fun negotiating with the merchants. The following day was our last day in Barcelona. Luckily, we had an afternoon flight so we took advantage of the morning by going on a free walking tour with New European. What a way to end our visit! This 3 hour tour showed us everything we didn’t get to see on our own. It is definitely worthwhile. The tour staff was very knowledgeable and explained a lot about Barcelona's history.
We rushed back to make our 1pm flight completely exhausted from all the walking we did. My trip to Barcelona in the northwestern coastal region along the beautiful Mediterranean Sea was a great way to start off my last week in Spain. Its almost time to say my goodbyes and sadly I am not ready to leave the great Iberian Peninsula. The next few days will be difficult and go real fast so I'll just rest my eyes until I return to Madrid, my current home. So for now Chao!
