I love the sound of Barcelona in the early morning. Not very many people are up yet, the vehicle horns are not as loud and irritable, and the birds are conversing with each other. I have been here for almost a week and am sad to report that I haven’t been able to explore the city nearly as much as I would have liked because of a spat of epic food poisoning that struck on Wednesday, from which I am still recovering now, on Saturday. Vomiting, diarrhea, cramping, pelvic/back pain, exhaustion…you know, the fun stuff.
But there have been many pleasant moments too! The apartment rental from Airbnb is a little efficiency penthouse suite with a patio that is larger than the interior space. Between the sun-warmed terra-cotta tiles, the white washed walls, and the dried grass privacy liner secured to the railing, it really feels like a Mediterranean hideaway in the middle of the city. Every day it’s a pleasure to sit outside while working and eating breakfast in my pajamas. And there may or may not have been some nude sunbathing. Ahem.
Exploration so far has been limited to Montjuïc and the surround areas, Poblo Sec, the port, Passeig de Grácia, La Rambla, and a small part of the Gothic quarter. Bar far, my favorite area has been what I’ve seen of the Gothic quarter. Tourism has colored many of the other places I’ve visited with a feeling of commercialism, but the old part of the city exudes this plain, “I’ve been here for thousands of years before you came here and I will be here for many more after you’re gone,” manifesto. Which is super appealing! There are still remains of Roman aqueducts, bullet holes from the revolution, cathedrals that defy gravity, and tall narrow streets of a crooked nature that have seen more than you or I ever will in a lifetime.
Reials Drassanes is my second favorite place here so far. One, it’s a medieval shipyard/super cool building! And two, the Museu Marítim has a full sized reproduction of a proper galley. GEEKING OUT HERE.
If you find yourself craving an area with more greenery than stone buildings, definitely go to the Montjuïc area. It abuts a theatre and there are several museums, botanical gardens, Olympic buildings, and fountains (with light shows in the evening). You can walk for several enjoyable hours here. The gardens and surrounding areas really reminded me of California, which I hadn’t expected; some of the handouts mentioned that the climate and growing zones are similar to the US state, so the same thing has definitely been noted by others.
Passeig de Grácia has a lot of stores, tourists, and fancy hotels, but what really held my interest were the Gaudí buildings. I love that man. He plays with architecture and natural shape, melding them so that the product feels at once natural or organic and yet unfamiliar. When you’re visiting Passeig de Grácia, at least walk past Casa Batlló and Casa Milà “La Pedrera.” I hope to go back when I’m well again and go inside at least one of these buildings.
La Rambla is busy and very touristic. To be honest, I don’t really enjoy this area or the adjoining Plaza Catalonia. There are just too many people and pickpockets. But if you fancy visiting a market that has been taking place since the thirteenth century, do go see Mercat de la Boqueria. It’s bustling with colors and foods and smells that are experiences in and of themselves.
Future exploration includes La Sagrada Família, other Guadí awesomeness, more Gothic quarter explorations, an expedition to Sitges, perhaps Montserrat, and…more!
The culture here is quite different than that of northern Europe, and because of that, wholly unfamiliar to me. Iceland and Holland were not difficult to navigate or feel at home in, and perhaps spoiled from those experiences, I think I expected it to feel similar in Spain.
That’s certainly not the case. Especially because the little basic Spanish I learned before coming vanishes under the pressure of social interaction. In Holland, the language was familiar and understandable to a large degree. Many conversations were held in Dutch, and I made slow but determined attempts to respond with the correct accent and grammar usage. Spanish and Catalan are simply not in my toolbox and that’s lent itself to a feeling of alienation from their cultures as a whole. Many here do not speak English, Dutch, or French…and I don’t speak Spanish or Catalan…so there’s a divide. It’s certainly demonstrated that, for me, the ability to connect with a person or culture is intrinsically linked to the ability to communicate, be it through language, mime, art, or music. So exploring here takes on a whole new level of the “unknown.” Basically, it’s a different type of adventure from the other countries I’ve visited on this trip.
Let’s see, other differences:
Dinner starts at closer to 9PM/21:00, most shops don’t open early and they close midday for a siesta/loooong lunch sometimes.
There’s a sense of “what’s happening right now” that’s similar to New York’s vibe. Fashion, fad, and the next thing are focuses in Barcelona.
People here are very interested in where you come from to see if they’ve guessed right. Russian and French are the two favorite suggestions that folks have for me…maybe in part because bits of French, Dutch, German, Italian, and English slip out as I struggle to remember a word in Spanish. 😉
The subway system is amazingly simple and user friendly. Much better than Holland and NYC, in many ways.
You go to a fruit store to get fresh fruits and veggies, bakeries for bread and pastries, meat stores for traditional jamón, while a supermarket is left for things like razors and shampoo.
Conversations are to be had boisterously, emphatically, and preferably at bullet speed.
Walking right-of-way is alien here. I cannot tell you how many people continually bump into me and each other. They’ll see you coming, seemingly deliberately cut you off, and then slow down right in front of you, pause, and then continue on, all while giving YOU the “stink eye.” This is something I haven’t experienced in the US, Iceland, the Netherlands, Germany, or Italy. It’s as if no one is willing to mutually move over slightly. Men can be especially guilty of this—even on a mostly empty street—and will deliberately knock shoulders with you if you don’t get out of the way at the last second. Older women have done similar as well. As far as I can see, I haven’t been missing some kind of street etiquette, but it’s hard to tell. Maybe it’s a cultural precept to bump into each other and not care? Or perhaps their irritation has more to do with the fact that I’m tall and blond, and therefore clearly a tourist, than anything else.
On that note, being blond does pull unwanted attention here. I’ve lost count of how many people have told me that I have to be especially careful of pickpockets in Barcelona because my hair color marks me as a tourist/target. The few valuables I have with me on a given day are kept securely in my bag, which is slung diagonally across the front of my body, with a hand pressed against it at all times. Spanish and Catalonian men are also more amorously outspoken, and often seem to have a fascination for women with blond hair—likely because it is more unusual in the region. Super curious to see what would happen if I wore a dark wig.
That’s it for now!
Until next time,
Immanuela
