Fall Break: Day 1: Barcelona

Friday, October 22nd

Our trip has begun! Last night we took a train from Florence to the Pisa, Italy airport (about an hour train ride) to catch our 10:10 pm flight to Barcelona. We flew on Ryanair, which is a very cheap flight company that is popular amongst travelers in Europe. When I say cheap, I mean dirt cheap. Our flight from Pisa to Barcelona was 15 Euro (less than 20 dollars!). My mom was a little skeptical about me flying with this airline: "What do they use to carry you? Some kind of a big bird with a rope or something?", but it ended up being a good flight. Lots of room and it lasted a little over an hour. So unbelievable how close everything is over here! After the plane, we took a bus into the city center of Barcelona (the airport we flew into was an hour outside the city. Much cheaper than flying into the main airport!). Then, took a taxi to the apartment where we're staying. We decided to stay with my roommates friends at their apartment, which is in SUCH a great location! So close to many attractions and to the night life. 

One of Gaudi's famous houses about one
block from the apartment we were staying at.
So cool looking! 

We were greeted by Katies friend, and his roommates, changed our clothes, and headed out for the night. Barcelona is known for their amazing nightlife so we of course had to check it out. We went to a huge club (we were kind of VIP! Our host for the weekend put our names on the official "list") and danced the night away. So different from anything I have ever seen! VERY CRAZY! 

This morning, we headed to the Picasso museum, which houses many of his original works. It was so amazing to see pieces of art work that I've been learning about my entire life. There was also another famous traveling exhibit set up that was connected to the Picasso museum. The artist, Edgar Degas, was a close friend of Picasso and actually inspired a lot of his work. He focused a lot on ballet and dancing, which was very cool to see. 

One of Picasso's paintings. 

After the museums, we shopped around a bit (what would a trip be without a little shopping?), and explored all the modern architecture that makes up Barcelona. After all this, we had tappas for dinner, which are small appetizer dishes usually costing about 3-4 Euro a piece. They were great because we could all order a couple dishes and taste test what everyone got. A great way to try many traditional spanish dishes! 

*side note: In Spain, everything happens a little different. They have "siesta" every afternoon from 2:00-4:00 where everything in the city shuts down and people go home to have lunch and take a little rest time. Definitely a different way of life than the United States. People typically will wait until 3:00 to have lunch, have a little snack at 7:00 or 8:00, and then have an actual dinner at 10:00 or 11:00.  Although things happen a little later in Italy as well, it was SO strange calling to make a dinner reservation for 10:30 AT NIGHT! 

After dinner, we took the metro back to the apartment we are staying at and partook in "siesta" (a little nap time in the afternoon. I love spanish tradition!) Then, we got ready and headed out for the night. We decided to eat at a restaurant down on the beach that was recommended to us by a friend. You get all dressed up and sit on a huge comfy bed to have your dinner. It was pretty fancy, but by far the best food I have had so far overseas. It was so amazing to be on the Mediterranean sea, sitting on a huge comfy bed, eating the most amazing dinner I have maybe ever had, with all my best friends from Florence. DEFINITELY a "soak it in moment". After dinner, we went to a couple different clubs that were also on the beach. Such a beautiful, and fun night!



*side note 2: I hadn´t relized how much Spanish I actually knew until we were in Barcelona. I took four years of Spanish in High School and have never really had the opportunity to test it out. It has helped to some degree with my Italian, because they are very similar, but it has been SO COOL to be actually speaking another language. So great I still remember as much as I do too! Thank you Señora Gordon! (notice I could do the little thing over the n because I am typing on a spanish keyboard in my Hostel! ha So cool!)