Winter Break: Barcelona

After a brief intermission, the characters are the same, but the setting has changed...

Hola Barca!

Act IV: Barcelona
Scene I
We arrived to our Barcelona hostel just in time for dinner. A hearty rice dish was served up by the staff, and guests hailing from around the globe ate eagerly. Not long after dinner, I stepped out into the Mediterranean air with my eye on the prize: Sangria. Team EKM joined up with three other travelers from our hostel (Argentinian brothers and a Philadelphian) and ended up at L'Ovella Negra or The Black Sheep. Long wooden tables and high ceilings gave the place a beer hall aesthetic, and the delicious pitchers of sangria ensured I got my five fruit servings for the day. People watching was prime here: the crowd was young and artsy. We tucked in early according to Barcalona's standards, though, and were in bed by three.

Scene II
Map in hand, we took to Barcelona's sunny streets. Our first destination was La Rambla, Barcelona's major boulevard. Barcelona's maze of streets are nice to wander, so wander we did. We also bought lots of gummy candies. Later we checked out the Chocolate Museum (small and cute) and the Picasso Museum (impressive, informational and most surprisingly FREE). I picked up a few postcard-sized reprints of Picasso's work to brighten up my living space in Afyon.

Street shot.

Our late lunch consisted of a variety of under the sea tapas. Landlocked Afyon doesn't offer much in the way of seafood, so I got my fill in this seaside Spanish city. Kara upped the adventurous ante by eating a fish head. Mary had previously eaten haggis in Edinburgh, and it was then I realized that I was dealing with some hardcore adventurous eaters. To save face, I downed an extra tentacle-y piece of fried calamari, but I knew, and they knew too, that I couldn't keep up with their adventurous eating habits.

Later, we walked on the beach. I've said it before and I'll say it again: You can't look cool on roller-blades or razor scooters. I'd like to make a PSA about this topic because, clearly, some people are under the (false) impression that these modes of transportation are both acceptable and cool. The fading sunlight provided a nice atmosphere for a leisurely walk back to the hostel.

Beach!

Photo by M.M.Spanarkel.

Happy Happy Joy Joy.

Scene III
I admit this with slight hesitation, but we began this new day with an all-American favorite: Dunkin' Donuts. I can hear the chorus of "But Emily! Why go to a generic American chain coffee shop when you're in Spain!?!" Here is my response: Because I have been utterly deprived of coffee for far too long. Turk kahve is delicious, but the tiny, strong cups of caffeine are meant to be sipped and finished quickly, not savored. My other option in Turkey is NesCafe. This instant mix serves its purpose, but falls VERY far from the coffee bean tree.

Fueled for the day, we first hit up the Boqueria Market. The bustling food stands assaulted our senses: neon candies of every flavor stood opposite a fruit seller's stacks of apples, oranges and pineapples. Other sections of the market hosted meat and cheese counters, fishmongers and baked goods. Our shopping list included sandwich-making material, fruit and more gummy candies. The game plan was to head to Park Guell, have a little picnic and then check out Barcelona's beautiful, modern and still unfinished basilica.

Ladies who lunch.

Dragon. Thanks Gaudi!

Mosaic park bench.

Park Guell. Super beautiful.

After our park lunch and walk, EKM headed for Barca's most famous landmark: Sagrada Familia. This church, designed by Gaudi, is still in progress. The intricate detailing of the church, both inside and out, are impressive. I was most interested in the exhibit which explained Gaudi's designs and how he drew inspiration from nature. This must-see site, will be all the more impressive when it's complete.

Sagrada Familia

Up close and personal.

Scene IV
This extra day in Barcelona was a result of an unexpected flight change. After so many days of traveling, EKM was worn out. We'd seen a lot of Barcelona, but as an adventurous eating squad, we knew there was one more thing that needed to be done on our last day: seafood paella. We checked that delicious item off our list and took a bus to Mountjuic. There, we read and ate gummy candies (are you sensing a theme...?) before we prepped for our next day's travels. We're coming for ya, Italy.

Adventurous Eating!