Tapas & Siestas

Barcelona, Spain

Por Nos Étapes

05 de August de 2014

08.05.14. - Eurotrip Day 6

We left our hotel in Paris at 4AM to catch our first train in Europe, to Barcelona. I.LOVE.TRAINS. But, once we got on the train at around 7ish, I just knocked out till we got there. It was way too early for me. We arrived at around noonish. The terminal was very hot and humid, but once we got inside the station, it was fine. Jared went to try the Spain's McDonald's, and got chicken wings and affogato... my taste buds were surprised! The wings were real with a specific spice of savory and heat, and the affogato is a gelato in an espresso <3 Conveniently, the metro was in the same station to go to Las Ramblas, Barcelona. It took us awhile to find the hotel, but as soon as we dropped our luggage off, we went exploring.

One word: TAPAS. All day, everyday...in Barcelona. They are small gourmet dishes, but you could have lots of it! We found a tapas bar for lunch, then we went shopping...around. Another word: HAM. Not your ordinary ham... jamón de bellota!!! I miss jamon... anyways, they serve samples like popcorn, but four pounds of it costs about $200 minimum!

We then went to the famous Spanish market, Mercado de La Boqueria. It was so colorful with fruits, vegetables, candies, meats, etc. It was closing by the time we arrived, but if it was that bright with so many does closing, I'd imagine it to be dazzling with everything open. It got dark quickly after, and we walked into a plaza with a cathedral and gypsy shops (they were closed though). In the plaza, there were a bunch of glowing toys that flew up in the air and danced back down... I could not resist, I bought some! I was playing with mine with one then when I thought I caught mine, I actually took the merchant's. Haha. He launched his, and it never came back to him...OOPS. I returned it though, it was a nice laugh with a stranger. Dinnertime... TAPAS, ROUND TWO! We stuffed ourselves with wine and TAPAs, what a feast. <3 Then we got back to our hotel, serenaded by the performers outside our window.

08.06.14. - Eurotrip Day 7

We didn't have much planned today, it was just an easy-going, day. The only real planned sight to visit was Sagrada Familia. First thing's first, breakfast! Afterwards, we went to find a bank to withdraw more Euros for shopping, then headed towards the metro to Sagrada Familia. To be honest, its first impression on me was that it was a cool-looking mud castle! I did not really have any expectations when I got inside, but it was impressive! The only thing I could really compare it to is the meeting room of Organization XIII in KH2, with the high chairs, except with rainbow Windows-sorry for my geekiness. Basically, it seemed I stepped into a completely new world. We stayed for about two hours, then got lunch. PAELLAAAAA! One of Spain's speciality, rice with seafood mix...mmmmmm.

We then went back to do laundry-yes, laundry :) it was quite nice though, we went to a self-service place, but the lady of the shop almost pampered us. My little Spanish I had, came to use. :3 The laundry shop was in an alleyway that reminded me of cleaner Aladdin street scene--where there were clothes hanging on clothes lines between buildings. It was pretty. While we waited, we got Nescafe Frappelatte...it was so good! It's like a Frappecino, but creamer because it had, I think, an ice cream in a cappuccino. After laundry, we just did more shopping, and found what seemed like a hole-in-the-wall food court, but a fancy gourmet food court-Mercat Princesa. And it was filled with people just getting off with work and other locals. The food, was alright though, I think we were just tired. Yeaaaa, we just went back to rest up for another early departure.