Sunday, July 6, 2014

When getting lost is easier said than done...


Hello from Barcelona!

Yep, just over one year later, I'm back in Barcelona. I loved it so much I just couldn't stay away.  The vibrant culture, friendly people, and beautiful city made me completely fall in love with the city.  

Planning this trip didn't exactly go as planned.  I had originally planned to use Barcelona as a base and then travel down the coast of Spain, eventually ending up in Tangier, Morocco before flying out to Germany.  However, due to lack of time and resources (aka trying to make my money go as far as possible), I decided to stay in Barcelona and explore more of the city beyond just the touristy areas.  

So, after finding a (great) host through Airbnb in an area outside of central Barcelona, I set off. After being here for a few days, I'm starting to love the city even more.  There's a relaxed languid way in how people live their lives while still getting everything done that is so different from life in DC or New York where everything is go go go and so serious sometimes.  After living in DC for a few years and growing up near New York my whole life I admit that I have become accustomed to living life like that.  When I walk on the street, I'm practically racing the other people around me to get to where I need to be, the downside being that I forget to look around me and notice the little things - like flowers on the street, the uniqueness of certain buildings, or even what people are wearing (more on that later).  It's a common but oft forgotten idea that one has to look at old things (meaning: my town) through new eyes, and after noticing all the buildings, people, and other little nuances of Barcelona, I'm inspired to take a little more time walking around if I don't need to rush somewhere.

Now on another note, the fashion here is so different than what I'm used to.  It's something I noticed the first time last time I was here, but I really did some more looking around these past few days.  It's just so colorful.  It's the complete opposite of what I usually see in DC - I see a lot of color, drapey, and lively fashion.  I wish I had taken pictures, but I feel a little awkward taking photos of people on the street when there's nothing else around...  It may just be because it's summer time, but I love how fun all the clothes look. 

All the photos below were all taken in central "touristy" Barcelona by Las Ramblas and Barri Gotic.  Although I've been staying in a quieter area, I wanted to take some time wandering around some of the famous sights, specifically in Barri Gotic.  The seemingly endless streets and alley ways beg to explored with little shops hidden all over them.  I took on the day with the intention of wandering around the different streets, letting them take me wherever I ended up...

I was successful to some point, but after an afternoon and evening of walking, I found it suprisingly easy to get back where I started without the use of signs.  That's a great thing, since I never reached the point of needing to look for one, but I realized that getting lost in this area of Barcelona is easier said than done.  Even then, walking down random streets and finding different stores without a set schedule is one of the greatest feelings I have while traveling.  But instead of rambling on in the same way I wandered around, I'll let the photos do the talking...

















Until next time and more ramblings of a Barcelona adorer...

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