Catalonia

Arriving in Barcelona in the early afternoon, the city seemed almost too quiet. It took me until I was just about at my hostel to realise that it was siesta time, which explained why so many shops were closed. After checking in and a quick change of clothes I headed out to see the city. My Hostel was a 5 minute walk from the Sagrada Familia, so that was my first port of call. Possibly Barcelona’s most popular tourist attraction, I decided I’d rather see more of the city than wait in a huge line to see the church. After walking the city for several hours I decided to return to the hostel to get an early night (as I had been up since 3 a.m. to catch my flight), and then head out early and do as much as I could the following day. However, hostels being the social hotspots they are, I ended up staying up most of the night having some beers with an American and Korean girl, sharing stories, talking rubbish, and even going a midnight walk round the city in search of food. The following day, after sleeping later than I expected, I set out to see the city. After walking through the city, past the Arc de Triomf (yes it is a genuine sight in Barcelona), I realised I was beside the zoo….who doesn’t like a zoo? After the zoo I headed to Park Güell then to the gothic quarter. Stopping at cafes and bars to refuel on local beers and food, I felt I was able to absorb a bit of the local culture. Returning to the hostel to charge my phone/camera, I was able to go to the restaurant bellow the hostel and have Paella. I’m not a fan of rice, and a fairly strict vegetarian, however when in Barcelona do as the Catalonians do and eat fish paella. While at dinner I remembered a recommendation given to me by a co-worker, so I headed to Font Màgica de Montjuïc, without a doubt one of the best tourist attractions in Barcelona. I’m sure I only scratched the surface of this fantastic city, so I intend to return. I can honestly say everything about Barcelona was fantastic, the culture, the atmosphere, the people, food and drinks, and of course the sights.