Saturday Feb 26
- 4:30 walk to Victoria station
- Gatwick express 5 a.m.-ish to Gatwick airport - 1 hour
- Through security....flight at 6:55
- 2 hour flight....1 hour time change.
- cried on the plane at the sight of snow-capped mountains out the window. legit tears
- Landed 9:55
- Ran to hug Mandy and met with my other Spain friends.
- Mandy, Nancy, Renee, and Katie
- Bus
- metro
- found the hostel - Yellow Nest Barcelona
- couldn't check in until 2:00....so we went wandering
- saw the football (soccer) stadium and went grocery shopping (btw...those grocery stores are huge and have everything...rather cheap too! This one even had a downstairs with a belt you could stand on if you had a push cart)
- back to the hostel...sat around waiting. Ate grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup and noodle soup with chips (feast! lol)
- finally were able to check into our room (with like 8 beds, so we weren't alone, but it was fine...no problems)
Slept like a rock for at least 2 hours...it was wonderful. :)
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| our hostel waiting area |
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| the stadium |
After we were all rested up we went out on the town. Everyone was much more talkative....not sleepless grumps anymore. lol. I really had no idea what we were doing for the weekend, I just followed them around. It was actually kind of nice not having to plan everything.... much more laid back.
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| the art museum with crowds just starting to form |
We took the metro to a giant art museum on a hill with a large fountain at the foot of it. A large crowd was starting to gather by the fountain (which wasn't running yet)...so we expected that it was going to be a show when if finally came on. No idea what to expect really...so we sat and waiting on some steps as it got darker outside.
When it finally started it was SO AWESOME!! First, small fountains to the sides of us came on and then the large one erupted with water and color and sound! :) It kind of reminded me of Disney world/land (?) because they played music sounding much like Fantasia. The colors and the water changed forms along to the music...expressing the different moods of the melodies. The water spouted incredibly high... We took tons of pictures and Ooed and Ahhed. So cool! and it lasted for a long time too! :) When it eventually stopped we started to walk up the hill to the art museum and see a view over the city...but apparently the fountain was not finished and started up again with Disney movie music!!! We sang along and just had a ball! :)
We climbed to the top (sometimes with the help of escalators....oh yes, they have outdoor escalators in Barcy) and saw the view over the city with the fountain still playing at the bottom. There were fountains at different points all the way up this hill...everywhere you looked...water, music, and beauty. "Oh no you didn't Barcelona!!" - Mandy
We walked around at the top of the hill and randomly discovered the diving area where the Olympics were held in Barcelona years ago....AWEsome!! We also just saw many different view points over the city of Barcelona all lit up at night...so pretty. So so pretty! After getting our fill of wonderful sights...we headed down the steep (emphasis on steep) hill to get some tapas....calves and feet burning...no helpful escalators this time.
Our adorable lady waiter bustled around to get us our pizza tapas (lol) and sangria....even though we were like like the only ones in the place. The pizzas were pretty good and the sangria wasn't bad, I had never had it before. We decided to also order paella so I could have at least one traditional Spanish meal while I was there. Paella is a mixture of vegetables, rice, and seafood...and deliciousness! When we split it between us, the price was super cheap too...always a plus. :)
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| paella |
Sunday Feb 27
Went to the Sangrada Familia, a church designed by Antoni Gaudi that has been (since the 1800's) and is still in construction. They have estimated that it will be completed around 2030.
The architecture was pretty cool and unique....soaring spires and "blocky" figure statues.
The gals wanted to wait in the long line and pay to get inside...but Mandy and I decided not to, so we sat in a nearby park and had a lifechat whilst waiting for them. It was nice. :) Also...the weather was superbly sunny all weekend for us!!
The girls were gone for quite awhile but when they came back they said they never actually went in and couldn't find us which is why they took so long...lol, even though we were in the same park they left us in. Hmm, lol.
After that we went up the steepest hill yet! Holy crow!
Even with escalators our legs were killing!
It was all worth it though when we got to a stone lookout place with a cross at the top. (And all the cacti with names carved in them...how romantic. lol).
We ate our lunch up there with a view over beautiful sunny Barcelona. Now that's my kind of meal! :)
This is also where we discovered that Nancy has a very low tolerance for sour candy. lol...her distorted faces...she looked almost in pain and make whiny noises while trying to get it down. We just laughed at her...we're awesome friends. lol :)
The rest of us loved the Spaghetti fresas that we bought for like 80 euro cents....and there was so much in one bag!! I bought two before returning to London. :) I love sour candy!!
Next we went to an area with architecture that was designed by the same man who designed the Sangrada Familia.
Lots of pretty mosaics and bridges with awesome piers and architecture underneath!! (we know...we had to wait out a short rain shower under one).
It was like a city square...lots of people just socializing and hanging out.
There were street performers (my favorites being the guy playing violin that echoed around under one of the bridges...and the oh-so-joyful man with dreads and gypsy outfit dancing around and playing with a glass ball...haha! He was so smiley...it just made me happy to watch him!) and loads of guys with blankets spread out selling their souvenirs. I don't usually pay much attention to these...but there was a small mosaic owl that caught my eye. I thought the price was a little high, even after I bartered, so I didn't get it...but regretted it later. And by the time I decided I wanted it...all of the guys selling stuff were frantically picking up their blankets and high-tailing it out of there because the cops had showed up. lol. No worries though...I found one in a little shop later and was very happy. :) His name is Adam...after Adam Young from Owl City. haha! of course!
We went to the Barcelona Catedral next and actually thought it looked pretty lame. haha! It was neater on the inside though.
We wanted to go in the Picasso museum as well, but when we got there the line was really long...dang!
Then we went to a music performance hall? to see the architecture. It was closed though so we couldn't go inside.
Before going back to the hostel for supper and "chocolate and wine" (I tried red wine this time....yuck. lol...one of the thing I discovered in Europe...I do NOT like the taste of wine) we went to the giant "bullet building"...at least, that's what we called it because we didn't know the name.
From our nighttime view over the city, we had scene this building all lit up with different colors, so we wanted to see it up close.
When we got there though, even after dark, it wasn't lit up yet! Lame sauce!
So we walked around it and found a place to sit and wait on a skating park hill...haha! We were the only ones there though, so it was fine. To blow time and just out of boredom we started taking crazy pictures and listening to inspirational songs such as Bulletproof and Catch a Grenade...hoping it would encourage the building to light up. lol. We even sang the Central fight song!!! haha!
Finally we just sat/laid together on this hill and stared at it.
This is when I started singing like Buddy the Elf randomly...to which Nancy joined in.
"I'm singing...and I'm in Barcelona...on a hill...waiting for the lights to turn ON...." (at this point my arms were spread out wide motioning at the building....)
and BAM!!! The lights came on!! We died laughing...
how random is that??
Of all the songs for it to turn on...it was to a rendition of Elf. :)
The next day when it was cloudy Mandy suggested I start singing to bring the sun out. lol.
We proceeded to take silhouette pictures in front of the blue and red Bullet. Twas much fun. :D
The architecture was pretty cool and unique....soaring spires and "blocky" figure statues.
The gals wanted to wait in the long line and pay to get inside...but Mandy and I decided not to, so we sat in a nearby park and had a lifechat whilst waiting for them. It was nice. :) Also...the weather was superbly sunny all weekend for us!!
The girls were gone for quite awhile but when they came back they said they never actually went in and couldn't find us which is why they took so long...lol, even though we were in the same park they left us in. Hmm, lol.
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| Sangrada Familia |
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| the hill |
After that we went up the steepest hill yet! Holy crow!
Even with escalators our legs were killing!
It was all worth it though when we got to a stone lookout place with a cross at the top. (And all the cacti with names carved in them...how romantic. lol).
We ate our lunch up there with a view over beautiful sunny Barcelona. Now that's my kind of meal! :)
This is also where we discovered that Nancy has a very low tolerance for sour candy. lol...her distorted faces...she looked almost in pain and make whiny noises while trying to get it down. We just laughed at her...we're awesome friends. lol :)
The rest of us loved the Spaghetti fresas that we bought for like 80 euro cents....and there was so much in one bag!! I bought two before returning to London. :) I love sour candy!!
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| our view |
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| Nancy's sour face |
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| Mandy's delighted face |
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| yes, this is where we sat for lunch! :) |
Next we went to an area with architecture that was designed by the same man who designed the Sangrada Familia.
Lots of pretty mosaics and bridges with awesome piers and architecture underneath!! (we know...we had to wait out a short rain shower under one).
It was like a city square...lots of people just socializing and hanging out.
There were street performers (my favorites being the guy playing violin that echoed around under one of the bridges...and the oh-so-joyful man with dreads and gypsy outfit dancing around and playing with a glass ball...haha! He was so smiley...it just made me happy to watch him!) and loads of guys with blankets spread out selling their souvenirs. I don't usually pay much attention to these...but there was a small mosaic owl that caught my eye. I thought the price was a little high, even after I bartered, so I didn't get it...but regretted it later. And by the time I decided I wanted it...all of the guys selling stuff were frantically picking up their blankets and high-tailing it out of there because the cops had showed up. lol. No worries though...I found one in a little shop later and was very happy. :) His name is Adam...after Adam Young from Owl City. haha! of course!
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| Mandy wanted to take the mosaics home with her |
We went to the Barcelona Catedral next and actually thought it looked pretty lame. haha! It was neater on the inside though.
We wanted to go in the Picasso museum as well, but when we got there the line was really long...dang!
Then we went to a music performance hall? to see the architecture. It was closed though so we couldn't go inside.
 |
| the music building |
Before going back to the hostel for supper and "chocolate and wine" (I tried red wine this time....yuck. lol...one of the thing I discovered in Europe...I do NOT like the taste of wine) we went to the giant "bullet building"...at least, that's what we called it because we didn't know the name.
From our nighttime view over the city, we had scene this building all lit up with different colors, so we wanted to see it up close.
When we got there though, even after dark, it wasn't lit up yet! Lame sauce!
So we walked around it and found a place to sit and wait on a skating park hill...haha! We were the only ones there though, so it was fine. To blow time and just out of boredom we started taking crazy pictures and listening to inspirational songs such as Bulletproof and Catch a Grenade...hoping it would encourage the building to light up. lol. We even sang the Central fight song!!! haha!
Finally we just sat/laid together on this hill and stared at it.
This is when I started singing like Buddy the Elf randomly...to which Nancy joined in.
"I'm singing...and I'm in Barcelona...on a hill...waiting for the lights to turn ON...." (at this point my arms were spread out wide motioning at the building....)
and BAM!!! The lights came on!! We died laughing...
how random is that??
Of all the songs for it to turn on...it was to a rendition of Elf. :)
The next day when it was cloudy Mandy suggested I start singing to bring the sun out. lol.
We proceeded to take silhouette pictures in front of the blue and red Bullet. Twas much fun. :D
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| like I said...crazy pictures |
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| Hug the bullet Renee |
Monday Feb 28
James let me have the day off my internship to spend with my friends in Barcelona.
:)
In the morning we went to the beach and saw the docks...Mediterranean Sea baby!!!
Even though it was a little cloudy and chilly, we still had patches of blue sky and the ocean is just always cool.
Poor Nancy found a wave though when she stood a little too close. lol!
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| Just before Nancy got attack by water |
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| poor girl. lol |
Before we all went our separate ways, we went and ate churros and chocolat at a popular local place away from the touristy areas. (When there are lots of locals eating there, you know it must be good!)
And it was good!
Churros kind of remind me of funnel cake and it came with a mug full of liquid chocolate that you dip them in. It was kind of bitter, like dark chocolate...but it was still yummy.
Then Mandy and I left the others to head to the airport. The street nearby was full of flower shops and street performers...fun to see.
Btw...Barcelona airport is much more difficult than it should be to get around. It took us forever to find where the easyjet terminal was.
Also...Spanish English accents are the worst I've heard yet. I know they were speaking English on the speakers...but couldn't understand a word. lol.
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| Leaving our hostel |
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| Churros con chocolat |
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| the churros shop |
But I made it back safely and after a little trouble finding a bus to take me back from Luton airport...I arrived at Victoria station and was in bed by midnight.
Awesome...finally finished writing about February...now I can get caught up on the three weeks of March that I am behind on. haha! whoops.
Cheers friends!
~Merely Mortal~
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