July 15, 2014

Las Ramblas. Barcelona, Spain.

I arrived in Barcelona, at midnight on June 23rd, to find a city that was in full swing. Restaurants were jam-packed, kids roamed the streets with firecrackers, and the beaches swarmed with people. Truly a city that did not sleep- well except between the hours of 12p-4p (their daily siesta)- Barcelona, known for it’s late-night nightlife had an even more electric atmosphere on the night of my arrival. It was the Feast of Saint Jaun, their Summer Solstice, and the shortest, (but craziest party) night of the year. It’s a public holiday in Barcelona and attempting to sleep that night amongst the constant crack of fireworks outside the window was a bit of a challenge, but it certainly reminded me that I was far from home! We ran through the streets at 1:30 AM and grabbed a delicious ham & cheese sandwich (their ham is so fresh and delicious- I ate it for breakfast lunch and dinner), sipped Coronas on our balcony and marveled at the chaos that was all around us.

After my initial introduction to Spain, things settled down a bit and I went off and explored the beautiful architecture in the area, most notably the work of the great Gaudi. We toured the Segrada Familia and Park Guell, two very different parts of the city but both simply beautiful. I had never seen anything like Segrada, with ceilings that seemed to reach the heavens, I was taken aback a bit by the detail and beauty of this historical church, which has become a landmark of the city. We caught some of the best glimpses of the city, though, at Park Guell, sipping sangria and hiking up to the various lookout spots along the way.

Another favorite famous spot of ours was Las Ramblas. We caught a Flamanco dancing show, ate until we could eat no more, and drank a liter of sangria! The food in Barcelona was my favorite of all the recent stops on my epic vacation and it was because everything was just so fresh and really cheap too! The locals were friendly, always encouraging our attempts to speak the native tongue and overall this place is just a great place to enjoy the beaches, great food, and exciting nightlife!

Because a good portion of my stay in Barcelona was cut short due to travel, we packed a lot in to a couple days and so I never had lots of time to get ready. Therefore, this adorable little geo print dress from Forever21 was perfect for the afternoon/evening of exploring this exciting and humid city! I even decided to get real fancy and throw on my chocolate wedges from Marshalls. The crowded streets of Las Ramblas really don’t allow for much more of a heel than these! You'll notice that I wore another blue paisley airy dress from Forever21 on the other day I spent in Spain- when in Spain, you gotta get ready on the fly!

Oh take me back!