Today was my very first full day in the fine city of Barcelona! As I fell asleep accidentally again the night before, I didn't set an alarm to wake up at a sensible hour. But I think half of why I keep falling asleep randomly is due to the fairly hectic schedule of the Contiki tour, so I was happy to have a sleep-in.
I spent what was left of the morning researching and booking some tours of the city. I've booked one that focuses on Gaudi's architecture throughout the city and surrounds, and one that is a walking tour of the city's Gothic quarter. I also have a walking tour app on my phone that I plan to do on my last day here.
So I got ready and dressed, and set out to go to the supermarket to get some things and have a look around the suburb where I'm staying. As with most of the things I do when I don't really know where I'm going, this ended up being an epic walking adventure. I'm glad it was a Sunday because the streets were fairly empty so it felt like I had my suburb to myself.
So I first went to the little supermarket and got some bottled water and breakfast food for my room (apples and croissants). Then I walked about 20m down the road and someone mistook me to be more proficient at speaking Spanish than I actually am. They asked me where the supermarket was and I answered something like, "Esta un supermercado... (points) that way." Awkward.
As I kept walking to have a look through my area, it became more apparent that I arrived in Gracia (my suburb) during their festival weekend. Many of the little laneways were decorated by theme. I found a chicken laneway, a plastic bottle/recycling theme laneway, and a Beatles theme laneway! I wish I'd gotten a picture of the Beatles one but I was too busy trying not too look like a tourist because it was near the main street.
Gracia is a special part of Barcelona because it used to be its own municipality until 1897 when it was assimilated into the main city. You can really tell where the suburb begins and ends because all the streets inside are small, one-way and winding, and outside they are big and two-way. There's a really nice artistic and relaxed vibe and I would compare it to Carlton or Northcote in Melbourne.
Anyway, I continued walking down to the Avenida Diagonal, and it was around that time that I stumbled across Gaudi's Casa Milà! I didn't go inside but it was a nice surprise to see it just sitting there amongst the comparatively normal buildings on the street. I plan to go inside at some point while I'm here, though.
Then I did something shameful that I have criticised other tourists for doing when there are so many amazing culinary options in a new city. I got a mocha frapuccino from Starbucks. I was successful in ordering my drink in full Spanish until I presented the barista with a 50 Euro note to pay, and then I think he hated me a little bit.
After finishing at Starbucks I decided to walk back to the hostel to do some more research on where to go in the city. Being by myself for the first time in a while was a bit tiring. I walked home a different way than I expected, and ended up right in front of another of Gaudi's creations: Casa Vicens! It really is true that you'll see something by Gaudi or something of the "modernisme"/art nouveau movement everywhere you look in Barcelona.
I got home, turned on the tv, and found the Spanish version of Sex & the City: Sexo en Nueva York. I was going to have a shower and wash my hair but then I realised my hostel didn't provide me with a hair dryer, and Jordi (the hostel manager) said he'd already lent all of theirs to rooms already. I decided to buy one for while I'm here and donate it to the hostel after I leave. So there came adventure number two: Trying to find an electronics shop that was open on a Sunday, at almost 5pm!
I walked so far through streets and streets of closed shops that I accidentally ended up at the entrance to Parc Guell, one of Gaudi's masterpieces and one of the city's landmarks. I toyed with the idea of going in, but I realised my tour visited it and I wanted to see it with a tour guide who could explain it all. Plus my legs were tired and I was really ready to have a shower and lie down, it was so hot.
So I walked back down to Gracia and ended up at one of the laneway's live music gigs! I was still really tired but spent a while there listening to the music and people-watching. Many parents had brought their little children and babies out to the gig which I thought was really nice, there was a strong sense of community in the atmosphere.
After that, I went home, too tired to think of going somewhere for dinner. I ended up having a shower and combing my hair dry which worked just as well as a hair dryer! Sexo en Nueva York was still on tv for some sort of marathon, so I watched it for ages. I knew all the dialogue already after seeing the show so many times, so I used it as a Spanish learning exercise.
I'm proud to say that I fell asleep after brushing my teeth and getting changed. Today was a fairly low-key day but I was still really tired and fell asleep instantly.
No comments:
Post a Comment