So I have decided to tell you about our trip to Barcelona. It is not easy for me, as every time I get back to this and start remembering how AMAZING it was, it feels like my life is currently pointless, however I need to share this with you all.
It all started when me and Marie were browsing Ryanair website and found some really cheap flight tickets from Birmingham to Barcelona. It was ideal as Birmingham is just 40 minutes away from Worcester and Barcelona is BARCELONA. As we had no school that week we bought those tickets for 18th of November and were looking forward to it.
It all started when me and Marie were browsing Ryanair website and found some really cheap flight tickets from Birmingham to Barcelona. It was ideal as Birmingham is just 40 minutes away from Worcester and Barcelona is BARCELONA. As we had no school that week we bought those tickets for 18th of November and were looking forward to it.
On 18th of November a dream came true and after our morning lectures we left Worcester and were ready to go to Barcelona.
After "few" hours of waiting at the airport (as usual haha) we went through the security control. Funny thing happened there (now it seems funny to me but back then I was scared stiff). Before I tell you what happened I need you to know that I used to carry my pepper spray in my bag (because Havirov is not safe AT ALL-compared to Worcester) for 4 years and for those 4 years there hadn't been a single problem with it at the airport. However, I was not aware that carrying a pepper spray in the UK is forbidden and using it is against the law. Well back to the security control... After our luggage was scanned, I was told to sit down and my passport was carried away from me. So there I was confused, without my passport and in a relatively big trouble. Security showed me the pepper spray and I knew something was wrong. Uups.
After few minutes two policemen came and told me to sit down with them. I was still joking around cause I had no idea that I was in trouble. I overheard them talking about something and words that I caught were "illegal", "pepper spray", "against law", "arrest", "prohibited item" etc. My heart rate started to elevate. Marie was sitting about 5 metres away from us and I could see her laughing. But I was no longer smiling and joking around. Policemen came closer and I was like: "Hello, what is the problem? Are you going to arrest me? hah" and they said: "We don't know yet" (MEGA HEART ATTACK). So we sat down to write some kind of a police report down (it was probably-hopefully not official as they only had an old notebook with them). I would also like to mention that unexpectedly they thought I was from CZECHOSLOVAKIA, AGAIN! (Hello? Seriously? It's been 21 years!) but I remained quiet as my life was in danger (it can be said). Never mind. I was then supposed to write with my hand something like "I am guilty, I know I was carrying the spray and I am aware of the consequences..." Finally, they added "don't worry, we won't tell the University, this is just among us, we won't tell anyone" which was the cherry on the top of the cake. I was afraid we wouldn't catch our flight but we did!
I thought we couldn't have worse Karma than this, but we did. When the plane was about to land (2 metres above the ground), the plane suddenly started to go up again. In a second the pilot told us: "Everything is ok, there is just a lot of traffic at the Barcelona airport, we will now be in the air going around the airport for about 10 minutes. Don't worry!" Of course the first ones who started to use all of the interjections of fear (aaaah!) were us. After all this we safely landed and were out of the airport.
When we were supposed to meet Jordi (our friends knew him from Couchsurfing and introduced us), who was going to pick us up at the airport and show us a bit of a night Barcelona!
We found Jordi outside the airport and went on a small trip around the city. He took us by his car to the top of the mountain in order to have a nice view of the whole city, then we were just walking around in the centre through the streets of night Barcelona, enjoying the atmosphere till late night. It was amazing (thank you, Jordi).
Next day we woke up at this AMAZING apartment (Shefries Rooms), which was recommended to us by one of the Couchsurfers I've contacted. It was situated right next to the SAGRADA FAMILIA and it was just great. Martino, who was the owner of the apartment came back from Morocco later and he was friendly, funny and also enabled us to try Cava for the first time in our life! Cava served with lemon sorbet was delicious!
We paid 15 euros/per person per night and had the whole apartment almost for ourselves. It was huge, clean, greatly situated and with the nicest view. See for yourself!
We started our first day in Barcelona with the very best (also cheap) breakfast ever. Right next to our apartment there was a cute tiny coffee, where they were serving the best pastry. Firstly, we tried to find churros for breakfast, but we couldn't resist when we saw the pastry in the display of that small coffee. Finally, we combined it and had both churros and the delicious pastry along with the cafe in the 365 coffee next to our apartment. We always ate the breakfast on the street as it was sunny and warm (Yes! November everyone! We had just shirts and sweathers).
After we went to the city centre. It was about half an hour from our apartment to the Rambla street (Spanish Wenceslas square). We did some sightseeing, saw one of the Antonio Gaudí's Houses, which is spectacular. Unbelievable how someone could come up with something like that. We also visited La Boqueria Market, which is also situated at Rambla. It was full of fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, fruits cheeses, nuts, fruits, simply all the food you can imagine. We couldn't resist (vol.2) and had to buy fresh juices as they looked so tasty and refreshingly. Well so far we'd been only spending money. We also decided to buy a wine, which we were going to drink later on the beach. Oh Praise the Lord for cheap wine, alcohol and SANGRIA! It felt like home hah.
On our way to the beach we stopped at the port and spend some time there. Sunbathing and absorbing the atmosphere of sunny November in Barcelona, where everyone seemed to be happy (including us). The port was beautiful. We saw the clear blue sea and after our stomachs started reminding us of its` hunger we went to a nearby restaurant to have a lunch. We had a pizza and drinks- Spanish beer Estrella (meaning star) and Sangria.
Full and already a bit tipsy (thank you sun) we moved from the restaurant to the beach. FINALLY. We laid down, opened the bottle of a fruit wine we had bought, opened nuts in caramel (couldn't resist vol.3) and enjoyed the moment. It was so hot, we actually burnt our faces haha. Seagulls were quite annoying but not as much as random sellers of alcohol and offerers of feet massages (dafaq). We successfully managed to keep them away by constantly saying "No, Merci" (Catalan for thank you) however, their picking techniques were way too perfect and they just must had known us because....
Seller: "Sangria, Mojitos!" "Sangria, Mojitos!"
Us: "NO! Merci"
Seller: "mucho cheap and very STRONG"
Us: :`------)))))))))))))
After this amazing day on the beach we were kinda tired (read exhausted and already hangovered) so we went back to our apartment, where we fell asleep (LOL it was 4`o clock). We woke up at about 6-ish and were hungry as hell. We went for a dinner and made some plans with Jordi for later. We were about to go to a party but Spanish lifestyle is a 'bit' different so we dressed up and waited (read laid in the bed with our make-up and clothes on) for about 3 hours to go to the party. It was funny as we wanted to go at about 10 or so, at least to pre-drink, but Jordi told us that in Spain they pre-drink at least at 12 and go to party at about 2`o clock in the morning. Alright then haha. It was wednesday so we (Me, Marie, Jordi and his friend Stefan) went (finally! at midnight!) to this cool student club. It was a great Russian-themed party! However I am not going to put any pictures there as they look horribly disgusting (you don't want to see that, trust me) :D.
Next morning we decided to go to the Park Guell, which was more than tiring as it was in the hills. Moreover, we had bad shoes (Marie had ballerinas shoes) and it was way far away for a trip by feet. No regrets after all. We did it and saw the whole city. The weather was also great. On our way back we got extremely hungry and later we managed to find a restaurant (cause we NEEDED to go back to the beach) after like 2 hours of looking. We hit the bottom. Bad Karma got us again and we had a really bad lunch/dinner (it was at 4 pm :D ). I had Paella - very very very bad one though. And Marie beef- she doesn't like beef. It was cloudy= no sun= no sunbathing on the beach= bad karma vol.2. On our way back we just briefly visited one of the parks, which was so beautiful! We couldn't even walk anymore so we just laid down on at the beach (again, even there was no sun and it was windy) and rested for a little while (3 hours). This evening we stayed at our apartment with Martino (the owner) and then went to bed (sweet Jesus).
Both next and last day we went to the city centre, visited the hipster barrio, where we had yummy gelato. We were just walking around and enjoying last moments in this amazing city. We had to go back to the beach (yes, again). Fortunately, it was sunny that day and we were able to sunbathe (next morning we were red). So we laid there for few hours till we were ready to go back, change and go out again with Jordi. We wanted to invite him to a dinner as a thank for everything he had done for us. As we wanted to try something strictly spanish, he took us to a nice restaurant in a very specific and cozy barrio. We had Tapas for dinner and finally tried octopus (weird) and had a great time.
After that we were ready to hit those clubs! It was friday so it was a definite YES. Jordi took us to his friends` house to have some drinks first. He warned us that they didn't speak much English, so we had a chance to finally use our seven years of spanish at school (bad idea). We couldn't say much, but profanities and some phrases from the text books always saved the situation and we had fun. And we did understood everything they said. We had some drinks and somehow we got into one of the most posh clubs I've ever been to, which was situated on the beach. Crazy. Jordi`s friends knew bodyguards and we got in like celebrities. However, we were dressed way too inappropriately! Everyone was wearing suits, cocktail dresses, heels, some really fancy clothes (apart from me and Marie). Then we moved to another club, which was right in the Rambla. It was big, really huge. We were on DJ's stage, again I don't even know how we got in and what happened. It was epic haha, we felt like VIPs.
The party was crazy. We danced till seven in the morning. When we got out (cause we kind of had to go to the airport haha) the sun was already rising! Well, we didn't feel great after that night and we definitely didn't feel good at the airport. No sleep and hangover got us badly. Jordi gave us a lift to the airport and we went back to the rainy and cold UK (we were pissed). Well as you can imagine, first week back home was tough (really tough). Fortunately, we had like 2 weeks to go home to Czech Republic for Christmas.
Last but not least I would like to say that we had an amazing time, really. And we (I definitely) will never forget! We were there only for four days, but those four days were filled with nothing but joy and happiness! Thank you Barcelona for having us and thank you Jordi for everything.
(There are almost all of the pictures I took below)
Encantado de conocerte!
Michaela