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3.19.2013

B A R C E L O N A

I am a huge fan of travelling and seeing the world. Over the past few year's I have had the privilege of travelling all over Europe and through several recommendations, I finally made it to another part of Spain that I had not yet seen, Barcelona. My first impression was that Barcelona was a lot more lively than the other Spanish city I visited the year before. In contrast to Madrid, Barcelona was a city that was bustling with activity, full of people that were out looking for a good time.



Amazing right? Most of these shots are from the inside because... well.. it was raining like cats and dogs outside.



T H E A C T I V I T I E S
Walking down La Rambla, you could tell that this city was going to be different. There were so many people along the strip. Shops and restaurants went down either side of the street, providing plenty of options for tourists to spend their money. Further down though, you'll find a place I loved, Boqueria market. This is a grocery market right in the midst of one of the busiest streets in Barcelona and they sell everything from fresh shell fish, to vibrantly colored veggies and fruit, and even cooked spanish specialties in the many stands around the market itself. Even if you're not a foodie, you would appreciate the color and the smell in this market. I came here one evening and then made a plan to get out there again early in the morning so I could eat breakfast here. It's like Granville Island's food market in Vancouver but with so much more personality. Oh and one thing, in Europe, don't touch the fruit or veggies unless you are buying it. They take offense to that.



Throughout the City, you can take in some of Antoni Gaudi's work. Though I don't know much about architecture, one of the best reasons for getting lost in the streets in Europe is to take in the old architecture. Europe is a very interesting place in that there are a lot of modern aspects to their architectural design, but then you would see patches of the old world that make you sit and stare in astonishment. Gaudi's Sagradi Familia is still not complete and may not be for the next century but it alone provides good reason to travel to Barcelona. You'll only understand when you see it. So go!

Finally, definitely make your way to see a flamenco show. The live music, the fast moving feet and the swaying hips are something you don't see all the time but you do in Spain. I saw it at a bar called the Jazz Si. It was a very small venue and we had to pack pretty tight in there but it was more of a locals spot which was great. Only 5 EURO for a ticket. I had a few beers and watched the show and had a great time. Definitely something anyone should do when they are in Spain.

O V E R A L L
I really only had about 3 days here in Barcelona. It was just barely enough to see the City and enjoy some of the sights. It was a lot of fun though. Barcelona is a place that I would certainly consider going back to, if anything just to take in the lively atmosphere. For anyone that is going, I would recommend 4 days at least if you want to see all of the sights and get a chance to just sit back, have some beer, sangria, tapas, and enjoy some flamenco shows.

2 comments:

  1. WOW great pics of BCN!!! Can you believe I haven't visit yet the new SF Chapel?! ;-)))
    Next time you guys hit the city tell me! I'll recommend you some places to sample real Barcelona and Catalan cuisine
    (No tapas, no sangria, no flamenco!)

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  2. So many awesome shots in this blog! Love to see more of them coming... :)

    ReplyDelete