The next weekend we were off to Barcelona! We were so excited for the sun and the beach after a rainy week in Rome, but we got to Barcelona and it was raining….
We stayed in an apartment right next to the Cathedral of Barcelona in the Born area. It was such a charming area. It was kind of like a mix between Paris, Rome, and New York CIty but with more COLOR. Our first day we got our Starbucks and headed to Bo De B which is this famous sandwich shop in Barcelona. We got there before it opened and there was already the longest line. We waited for about 45 mins but it was soooo worth it. The smell of the fresh bread baking filled the air and the colorful fresh ingredients lined the window. You could pick chicken or steak and they cooked it fresh for you, then you picked from some of their famous sauces like a tzatziki, cilantro vinaigrette, hot sauce, balsamic reduction etc… I picked all of them. Then they filled your sandwich with whatever you wanted. I picked everything again because it all looked so good : avocado, tomatoes, rice, corn, lentils, cucumbers, peppers, lettuce…. it was beyond delicious! No wonder the line was way out the door! 
Then we jumped on the metro and went to La Sacrada Familia the famous church designed by Gaudi. It looked like melting wax. I have never seen something quite like it! You had to pay 12 euros to go inside, so being broke college students, we passed on that. Its alright we still got some cool pictures though!
Next we made our way to Parc Guell, also designed by Gaudi. The park was a lot bigger than I imagined! We climbed to the top of this hill where there was some sort of cross mound, that had the most beautiful view from the top. Then we went to the more famous area with the colorful mosaic benches and sculptures. The place was so colorful and lively and was so beautiful even on an overcast day! There was a choir performing at the top and it just made for a wonderful experience. Then we explored the cavern walkway (Emma, Julia, and Maria: Americas next top model finale runway….). So of course, we had to do a little posing.
We were pretty tired after our long day of walking so we headed back to the apartment and some of the girls took a nap, but Danielle, Christine's sister, and I still wanted to explore our charming area. We window shopped and got a couple of presents for my sisters ( I have a lot of goodies for you girls) :)
Then we found a Tapas place for dinner called Taller de Tapas. We ordered a pitcher of Sangria and got so many different little plates to try because they were all so cheap around 5 euros per dish! We started with this tomato bread, Patatas Bravas (they have these everywhere in Barcelona, they are like steak fries with a spicy chili sauce and chipotle mayo), fried artichokes, steamed mussels, garlic and chili shrimp, and chicken skewers. My friend Alli came over to our apartment after dinner and we went to this place that reminded me of the Rainforest Cafe called El Bosc de les Fades. It was like an indoor forest that was famous for its pastries and Sangria.
The next morning we got our Starbucks once again and headed right back to Bo de B…. It was just so good we had to do it again!!! Then we walked in the harbor and down the boardwalk where there were street vendors and performers and made it to the beach. But then it started to rain on us :( So we rushed back to our apartment to take cover and look for a place for dinner. Katherine and I really wanted to have Paella (a seafood rice dish) while we were in Spain so we found a place with Tapas and Paella called Lonja de Tapas. We ordered artichokes with sun dried tomatoes, parmesan, and pine nuts, Patatas Bravas, and Paella. So delicious, and of course the owners and waiters wouldn't leave our table alone because we were a bunch of American girls so we got a couple of pictures with them…
Afterwards we went to L'Ovella Negra to watch the Barcelona soccer game. It was this huge place with the a huge screen that showed the game live. This place was also "famous" for its sangria so of course we had to try it! We all agreed in the end our favorite one was at El Bosc de les Fades. It was such a fun experience to be a part of Barcelona soccer which is such a big deal to them. I just pretended I knew what was going on… all I knew was the guy Messi. I have to admit it was a lot of fun though and all of the Barcelona soccer players were so attractive which always makes it easier to watch ;)
 |
| Really in to the game.. |
We had to go home and get to bed because our flight left at 6 AM. This was the first trip we booked when we got to Rome and we didn't quite understand the 24hr time yet so initially we though we booked a 6 pm flight…. Oh well i was tired and ready to get back to Rome!
That was actually my last trip abroad! It is so crazy to me how everything flew by so fast…. But I am excited to spend these last three weeks back in Rome so I can soak up every little last drop this city has to offer :)
Bacioni xxxx
Part of Barcelona looks like Hooville.
ReplyDelete