Travel: Barcelona

Travel: Barcelona

Thursday, October 23, 2014

A post about my trip to Barcelona is long overdue since it's been more than a month since I went. While not planned, the trip ended up being scheduled for my birthday weekend and it truly was the perfect birthday present I could have given myself. On the train heading to the city someone told me that the year you turn the age that is the day of your birth (aka turning 19 on the 19th of September like I did) will be the best birthday you ever have. After my weekend in Barcelona I have absolutely no doubt that they were correct. The two days had just the right mix of exploring, relaxation, and fiesta(ing?). I desperately want to go back to Barcelona since the two days I spent there was not nearly enough time to really experience the city. 

Strolling Barcelona streets with birthday Gelato in hand (plus there was paella and sangria later). The blue detailed buildings were my absolute favorite. 

Park Güell was absolutely incredible and even though it was about a million degrees in the sun I never wanted to leave. The beautiful landscape, view, and spanish guitar players are enough to make you fall in love. 

I'm a bit of a sucker for palm trees (cause if you didn't know, we don't have them in New England) so I took about a million pictures of the beautiful palm trees on the beach. I barely spent anytime on the beach this summer so got as much sand & salt time as possible. Plus, the water was the perfect shade of blue. 

Just another palm tree picture...and the ceiling of La Sagrada Familia. While visiting I learned that Gaudí actually designed the huge columns in the cathedral to look like tree trunks and the ceiling to look like the top of a forest. It was incredibly impressive. 

As we left the beach one day we stopped by the huge carnival and of course ate our way through it. Spanish candy is absolutely delicious and the sunset over the water as we walked was picture perfect. 

When Sunday came I really didn't want to leave Barcelona and have to go back to reality. I'm still hoping by some magic I get to go back to Barcelona soon and explore the city more, since there were so many areas I didn't get the chance to experience.