So here I am on Barcelona! Currently sitting on the steps to the Art Musuem in Montjuic being serenaded by a street performer on guitar. He is actually quite good! And a guy just rode by on horseback. No joke. But back to the street performers, they are everywhere in Glasgow, but more so here! They even come on the metro with you- accordians, singers, clarinets, guitars you name it, they play it.
I have been in Barcelona for four days so far and am on my fifth and final day here. Tomorrow I fly out to Milano, Italy! I'll be sad to leave Barcelona though, it's an absolutely gorgeous city. The architecture of nearly every building is beautiful, even the streetlamps and the tiles under your feet have been carefully designed with swirls and flowers. And one of my favorite things about this city: there are orange trees EVERYWHERE!! somehow orange trees just make the city feel extremely tropical and Mediterranean. Everywhere the trees are green and leafy, bright plump oranges hanging from most branches. There are plats and flowers everywhere, on the streets and hanging down from the extremely Spanish balconies that can be found on just about every building.
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| Bikes EVERYWHERE! |
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| This was a huge market with everytype of food imaginable, including fruit and delicious-looking smoothies. Still don't know how we managed to get out without buying anything... |
Coming from Glasgow, the weather here has been incredible! Warm, sunny and clear blue skies everyday getting into the low 70s though it feels warmer. I even proudly got sunburn on day one! I'm staying with my friend Autumn here who is studying Spanish in Barcelona. The city is actually bilingual in Spanish and Catalan, so she has picked up some Catalan vocabulary as well. It really helpful exploring a city with someone who knows it pretty well nd can speak the language (although I felt rather brave today when I ordered my tortilla Espana y cafe con leche in Spanish).
We've done so many things in the past 5 days! Explored some cool street markets, seen the sea, gone to the History of Barcelona and the Picasso Museums, visited La Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell and eaten a lot of food!
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| Orange Trees!!! |
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| Me in Park Guell with the adorable mosaic lizard |
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| Montjuic!! At the top is an Art Gallery, and if you keep going you will eventually find the Olympic Stadium and Botanical Gardens! |
The history of Barcelona museum was really interesting, going underneath the city to show the old Roman ruins Barcelona is built on. Ironically good timing for me because my archaeology class just covered museum presentations! The Picasso Museum was also really cool, showing how he developed his style over the years, spending a great deal of time in Barcelona. My favorite Picasso work is still his blue period, its really interesting to me how he can create entire portraits just using shades of one color.
Food! Barcelona has a lot of traditional Spanish food to offer, and I've tried a great deal so far! Paella, a rice and seafood dish was delicious- though it was odd seeing tentacles in my food... Xocolate con churros is also really good! Basically just fresh churros and a cup of really thick hot chocolate you dip them in! Cafe con leche, or coffee with milk is amazingly delicious here even though I've never been a huge coffee person. Tortillas Espana is delicious too, basically an omlette won potatoes in it on a baguette with tomato smeared on the bread. The last traditional dish that I can think of having was potatoes bravas which are fried potatoes with this reddish slightly spicy sauce on top!
The metro is how we have been getting around everywhere and is extremely easy to use, kind or like the DC metro for you Maryland people. Only be careful with your possessions- we met some other students here who got their bag with a passeport, cameras and iPods stolen.
Basically this city is amazing and I'm sad tolLeave! Can't wait for Italy though! Adios!
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