Our Travels...Barcelona

Hey everyone!
Sorry I haven't updated this thing in a while, the last two weeks have just been pretty hectic for us with starting 8 am classes and the construction that has been going on in the building! We didn't have water for almost 2 days!! That's Europe for you. We also had a creepy construction worker who kept asking us to go out with him. Thank goodness that's over lol. But it's not all bad - we took off to Barcelona to avoid the construction over the weekend -- lucky girls!

We saw so much of the city in just 3  short days - we arrived in the afternoon on Saturday so we went to see the beach and relax. 

But the next morning we were up bright and early, Spanish coffee's in hand ready to board our tour bus. We signed up for a hop-on-off tour so that we could see everything Barcelona had to offer in one day. Since its such a huge city it was easier to take transportation than try and walk the whole thing in one day. There were so many beautiful stops and monuments but the most famous include Park Guell, the architecture of Antonio Gaudi, and the Sagrada Famiglia. Other highlights of the trip were La Boqueria food market, the Olympic stadium, and our tram ride up the hills of Montjuic to see the castle at the peak. 

Catalunya Museum of National Art

The Famous Mosaic Lizard at Park Guell

The atmosphere in Barcelona really is amazing and I can see why so many people travel to this city. Everything is a little mid eccentric, and everyone has AMAZING design taste. I loved every single little shop, bookstore, and cafe that we came across. The people really have an eye for design and they harmonize the old architecture with retro and ecclectic styles that feel a bit vintage and homey yet have a modern day feel .  

La Sagrada Famiglia Church - still being completed 130 years after initial point of construction funded by anonymous donors 

Also, I was incredibly impressed by the food. Everything that we ate in Barcelona was fantastic, and way cheaper than in France. Apparently Tapas are a Spanish traditional dish so I gave them a try for the first time ever and they were DELICIOUS! I also had a fresh seafood paella for dinner one night with black squid ink and red wine sangria to accompany. 

All in alll Barcelona sent me home full and full-filled ;)!
  

A Specialty Meat Shop with Various types of Serrano Ham laid out for Sampling - YUM!

 From top left: Fried Potatoes with Fried Egg ontop and Spicy Sausage; Sundried Tomato/Eggplant/Stuffed Artichokes; Homdemade Hamburer with Fois Gras ontop; Delicious Tomato Bread (Simliar to Bruschetta)

  

Leaning over the Edge of the Castle at the top of Montjuic

Watching a Fashion Shoot at the Peak of the hill in Park Guell