“Cafe con leche quando pueda” I ask the waiter, as I seat myself at a tiny round table outside. It is my final day in Madrid, the last full day of a short but fantastic backpacking trip through Spain. Emotions are flowing through me but at this moment, basking in the morning sun and listening to the noise of locals filling this cobble stone street, I am at peace.

I have waited over a year for this trip. I considered it a trip of a lifetime. As young as I may be, I knew coming to Spain would change my life, even if sounds cliché. And it couldn’t have happened at a more crucial time. With work dying down, a new Brooklyn residency, and contemplative career change, Spain was the perfect vacation I needed. Judgmental Jerry’s be damned – off I went!

First Stop: Barthelona

I was immediately greeted with a high sun beaming down on my shoulders, winding streets packed with pedestrians, bicyclists, taxis, and buses competing for space, and jaw-dropping architecture. Sure I was lost within an hour of my arrival in a foreign country, but hey – I was in Barcelona!

Luckily, thanks to the tourism info station, I found my way to Backpackers Casanova Hostel where I was able to quickly check in and saddle up for the next few days. Shortly after talking to the lovely hostel girl at the front desk, I threw out my travel itinerary. I wanted to experience Barcelona my way, with no set agenda, no time constraints, no required tours – just me and the city. And maybe some awesome new friends along the way.

I was shocked with how easy I found it to immediately connect with other people from around the world. Literally an hour after my arrival at BCN, I invited a girl from Atlanta to lunch. From there we instantly became best friends, and we bonded with another group of traveling Americans. We had our own little group for the next three days, it was wonderful. We drank, we ate, we walked, we laughed, we talked, we even survived a pickpocketing hassle! Oh it was great times. But I mostly have to thank Hira for being my partner in crime the entire time in Barcelona. Without her companionship I would not have enjoyed Barcelona as much as I did.

So, how did I spend my time in the super cool city of unfairly attractive people and massive architectural buildings known as Barcelona? Well, here’s a rundown of my day-to-day events:

Wed May 26 – Wake Up Call: I am not meant to be a backpacker

As I mentioned, a rough morning arrival due to not being able to distinguish the Barcelona Metro system did not exactly put me in the best of moods. “How do people do this for months on end?” I thought to myself as I struggled to keep my over packed backpack from breaking my limbs, leaving me to drag my bony body through Placa Catalunya in utter despair and heat exhaustion. “I’m never backpacking alone again. This is awful,” my Negative Nancy thoughts were kicking in.

Alas, I survived. My spirits quickly cheered up as I bonded with my new hostel mates and realized I could see all of what I wanted in Barcelona in these short three days. Off to walk the city I went!

We strolled through La Ramblas, Placa Catalunya, Placa de la Universitat, La Boqueria Market, Monumento a Colon, Port de Barcelona, Passeig de Gracia, and neighboring streets that night. Our heads always looking up at the buildings trying to figure out if this was a point of interest we marked down, or just a store front. Every building looked like it was significant of fame, history, or government. How would we know the difference?

Placa de Catalunya

Candy and Chocolates galore at La Boqueria

Monument to Columbus

Save for La Ramblas, which we were quickly put off by (I should point out I have no tolerance for tourist-filled spots, cheesy street performers, sketchy immigrants, and overpriced food), we enjoyed our downtown visit. Inside La Boqueria we ran wild tasting and smelling every little market stand, constantly impressed by the kindness of the merchants and the flavors in our mouths. Down at the Port we admired the giant statues and monuments lining the waterfront, taking tons of pictures at every angle possible. While walking back on our way to the hostel, we stopped at Placa de Catalunya and La Universitat to check out the amateur skate boarders, fashionable pedestrians, and red bicycles swishing by. Everything was new and exciting, yet somewhat familiar. I felt Barcelona to be like a European version of my New York City.  But I still craved more.

Thurs May 27 – I want to see the real Barcelona!

My first evening in Barcelona was nice, but not stellar. I had not eaten an authentic meal, and I had not yet gone off the beaten path. So today was the day to be a Travel Geek. First things first: a traditional Spanish breakfast. I was determined to eat like the locals and do major sight-seeing as I’d been recommended. So Hira and I got up early and hit the streets to kickoff our day with cafe con leche. Thankfully we didn’t have to venture far – a cute little pastry shop around the corner from the hostel hit the spot. One of the best cafe con leches I had and a fruit-filled pastry left me quite frankly, satisfied and smiling. This is what I was craving for. With that meal, I knew today would be a good day.

morning ritual: cafe con leche

Next stop: Parc de Guell to see the Gaudi structures. An easy and short Barcelona Metro ride, we arrived in the northern section of Barcelona. Quiet, sunny, and desert-like, Hira and I immediately fell in love.

“Hey are those escalators in the middle of the street?!” Yep! Giddy like school kids, we hiked up the San Francisco high road to the top of the entrance for Parc de Guell. A beautiful trail comprised of cactus plants, shrubbery, and panoramic views of the district, Parc de Guell amazed us. Too bad there were so many tourists! But what can you expect when you’re visiting an unbelievable landmark like this? The colorful tiles shining against the pristine rocks were beautiful and puzzling. How could one possess the skills to create something so intricate and complex, and resonate such a peaceful and magical place? We were dumbfounded, but in a good way.

view from Parc Guell overlooking La Sagrada Familia

tourist invasion of Gaudi’s Parc Guell

On to the next architectural masterpiece by Gaudi – La Sagrada Familia.

Just when I thought I couldn’t be more amazed, La Sagrada Familia took the cake. It was massive. Unbelievably huge. Where do I look first? How is it still under construction? This was one of the most articulate, giant, one of a kind, long-lasting cathedral I had ever seen. I tried to squeeze in every element of the church onto my camera frame but was not succeeding. There was just no way I could really capture the essence of La Sagrada Familia. . . Unless you have a Polaroid! I took out my unused Polaroid camera, finding it a perfect call to snap a photo of this monument. Success!

my attempt to get the entire Sagrada Familia church in one shot

“Is it lunch time yet?” All this walking and gawking was making us hungry. I suggested finding a bar/restaurant away from the tourists and packed with old men. I figured if the local elderly like the place, then we would too. I was right. A ten minute walk away from tourist central we came across a bar featuring “Menu del Dia” specials. Chatting with the waiter as he gave us a run down of the menu I said to him “Just bring us your favorite dishes.” Surprised yet delighted, the waiter obliged. What we were served, I have no idea, but it was delicious. I believe there was white fish sauteed with onions, tortilla de patata, and vegetables, along with a variety of other small dishes. We didn’t care, we ate enthusiastically, and happily sipped our Estrellas, relaxing our feet in the outside. The waiter fancied our enthusiasm so much, he ended up giving us two of his favorite Catalonian desserts, and a sweet discount on our lunch bill. This, my friends, was dining.

drinking like Barcelonians

We hadn’t had enough of Gaudi architecture so we decided to go back downtown and sneak a peek at Casa Batlló near the shopping section. Though we didn’t enter the museum, it was still a nice building to see. We then continued our day of architectural viewing by going out to the Arc de Triomf across town. I’m a nerd when it comes to triumphal arches. I love the history behind them, the relief statues adorning them, their size and power, and the many subtle details that create such artful pleasures to the eye. So, needless to say I was excited. At the Arc de Triomf there is a grand walkway lined with decorative pillars and filled with bicyclists, runners, and skaters. On a sunny day like this, it was a pleasant sight-seeing adventure, as we followed the path from the Arc to Parc de la Ciutadella. The Parc was absolutely gorgeous and a perfect rest stop for sunbathers and bookworms, to which Hira and I joined for a writing break. I especially loved the palm trees and fountains around us hiding in front of museums and institutions like the Barcelona Zoo and Geology Museum.

standing at Arc de Triomf

That night we joined my friend from New Jersey, Jordana, for our first meal of tapas and sangria off La Ramblas. Despite her vegan diet and therefore limited food options, Jordana was more than happy to share our love for simple fresh food and alcohol. We settled in an outdoor bar and ordered up a few platters of bread, jamon, and cheese plus a few rounds of sangria and cava. Our night cap was filled with a walk through the Gothic Quarter people watching and observing Barcelona streets come alive.

Fri May 28 – Last Chance

Today was beach day. Hira and I planned a little early get away in Barceloneta to Port Olympic for a few hours of sun and sand. Despite the morning clouds, we were optimistic that the day would turn out beautiful. Thankfully, the weather was on our side. Barceloneta was peaceful and quiet, empty of crowds, with small waves rolling over the shore. Before we sat we were in desperate need of coffee and breakfast. Realizing the lack of authentic and cheap restaurants on the boardwalk, we decided to just grab a coffee and hold our stomachs for a big lunch later in the day. Then we hit the sand and found a spot to lay down and begin our tanning session. This was our siesta time, so we soaked in the relaxation as much as possible. A few hours later we headed out in search of lunch, which we luckily found at a nearby cafeteria stop. Full of panini sandwiches and coca cola we headed back to our hostel for a shower break.

looking back at Port Olympic beach

We decided since it was our last night in Barcelona we’d take some time out in the evening to do our own sight-seeing then get dressed up and hit the town for a nice meal one last time together. It’s amazing how well you can clean up even when living out of a backpack!

I decided to browse through the backstreets of downtown Barcelona, passing by the Picasso Museum, University of Barcelona, MACBA, and some of the Gothic Quarter. It brought a smile to my face to be amongst the locals shopping, eating, drinking, and walking around. Barcelona is a bubbling city full of life, and this night proved no different.

churros y chocolate

Hira and I met around 8pm at a German bar on Rambla Catalunya where we enjoyed croquettas de jamon, glasses of Stella, and those delicious German fries with mayo-ketchup. We conversed about life, college, love, and everything we had experienced in Spain and were looking forward to in the weeks ahead. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful first phase of my trip in Spain.

Barcelona was swell. I will miss its unfairly attractive people, gorgeous weather, fascinating architecture, and simple food. I made some amazing friendships, and was able to get a first glimpse into the Spanish culture. I’m glad I took that Travel Geek plunge afterall.

You can read my journal entries from Barcelona, Spain here. Next up: Read my piece on my favorite traditional dishes of Catalonia and my weekend stay with friends and locals in Tarragona.

Read more posts by Alisha

This entry was posted on Monday, June 21st, 2010 at 1:55 PM and is filed under Europe, Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.