Go Your Own Way: Viva La Vida

Oh, Barcelona. There is so much to be said about this lively Spanish city. There is no rest for the weary in Barthelona (as it is pronounced by the locals) and I'm pretty sure you have to actually be nocturnal to lead the Spanish lifestyle. Visits here are marked by very late nights (or very early mornings, whichever phrase you prefer) and after a few days adjusting to the Spanish clock, it's hard to tell when the day ends and when it begins. Lunch is at five, dinner is at eleven, and breakfast is whenever you manage to open your tired eyes around noon. The Spaniards are no stranger to a good time and it's hard to escape their fun-loving values in Barca, but let's be honest, who would ever want to?

If life in Barcelona isn't enough alone, add on the fact that the city is amazing. I think Barcelona is somewhat of a microcosm of several things I love: language, the ocean, distinct architecture, the ocean, and stifling heat that makes it feel like home. I would mention the mojitos, but I think that falls under the "life in Barcelona" category. The vivacious Spaniards color their city with shades of liveliness as vibrant as the mosaics that paint every building and park and will have you desperately wanting to learn their feisty language as soon as you leave. And when you get tired of gazing at the unique sights that give the city its character, you can simply drool over all the beautiful people that inhabit España. You won't tire of seeing those sights, of this I am sure.

Brittany and I left Barcelona-bound from Munich for the weekend last Thursday and after a longgg day of traveling, arrived at our hostel just off of the well-known stretch, "Las Ramblas". We scurried to get ready for dinner, and after being warned several times by our waiter for ordering drinks at 8 pm, we learned that we were about four hours ahead of the city's schedule. Needless to say, we did not make it until 6 am that night like the resident club goers. After getting acclimated to the timetable, we spent the rest of the weekend exploring the city, visiting recommended restaurants and clubs, and relaxing on the beach. Our best investment of the trip was purchasing hop-on/hop-off bus passes, as we were able to see the city while taking the occasional siesta between stops. Intensive sight seeing is virtually impossible after keeping up with the nightlife in Barcelona. We did, however, manage to see the famous Sagrada Familia, the Olympic Stadium, Park Guell, Las Ramblas, and every American girl's favorite European tourist attraction: Zara. Gaudi's ever-present, and ever-eccentric work, also deserves mentioning as it is displayed proudly throughout the city. You can't help but marvel at the zany work and wonder how he was elected to construct such abstract architecture, but props to Barcelona for embracing the crazy. Major cool points. Last but certainly not least, my personal favorite sight (next to the Spanish men) was seeing the city from the top of Montjuic on our bus tour. It was a gorgeous view of the expansive city and a great ending to our last day.

After meeting a variety of international travelers, consuming countless cups of coffee, and soaking up all Barcelona has to offer in just a few shorts days (including the blazing sun), we boarded our flight back to Munich against our will with tired eyes and heavy hearts. Back to Zurich I go with yet a new adoration for yet another European country. Hasta más tarde. xx.