It would be utterly impossible for me to write a blog about every single detail that was observed over the past few days in Barcelona without writing a 6 to 8 page essay. I am going to mark some ups and downs, the people I met and the laughable times that the audience could share in with.
First day in Barcelona I checked into my hostel and was greeted by a small German girl and a chap from India. I had forgotten how easy it is to start up conversation with a random stranger. After we asked each other the two main questions that all travelers ask each other we were officially friends. The first question is “where are you from?” then “What are you doing in _____(Fill in the blank to the city you are in)?”. Names are really a minor detail that doesn’t usually get discussed or even mentioned sometimes. Everyone knows that 80% of people forget the name as soon as it is said out loud, plus the gaggle of people that you will talk to that day will tell their names and no one can remember 15 names. Arizona peaked her interest due to the fact she knew someone in the hostel that too was from the desert state. With the excitement of a child in a candy store inside an ice cream store surrounded by Disneyland I furiously went searching for my native blood. Words were not even exchange when we embraced in a understanding that kin had united. Then I found out she went to ASU and then the glares and “accidental” tripping took place. Alyssa was really sweat and gave me a dose of Arizona that will hold me over well for quite a while.
Ramblas Boulevard is the main street on in Barcelona that is just flooded with tourists. You can see everyone from the backpacking traveler to the 18 year old student exchange gossip girls to the American family fumbling with the maps and the sun screen thick on the nose with a fisherman’s hat. When massive people are gathered, sprinkles of middle eastern men will be in the crowd selling what goods they can. Tis the season to sell whistles. Every 20 feet there is a man whistling at you with sounds that range from Donald duck to Donald duck blowing his nose. Every kid wants one, every parents is dreading it. The whistles were probably the worst part of the entire Barcelona experience. Considering that is minor in detail, I think I did alright.
My good friend Laura was meeting in Barcelona from Montpellier. She booked the hostel we stayed at just a bit away from Ramblas. After checking into my new hostel with her we noticed about 200 high school kids running around the hostel. There was some kind of program that allowed them to travel in large packs, drink, go out and be supervised by only 2 adults. This hostel was fantastic because after we got our bags all unpacked and ready, we had made friends with all the people in our room. Lisa, Natalie, Brendan, 2 Englishmen, the Brits(9 of them), and a few Canadians. During the day Laura and I would go out in the city and observe everything we could (Gaudi was the main influence that caught our attention). During the day we always found a park that we could lay in and listen to music. At night though, things went to chaos. Now my drinking habits are to drink a beer or two maybe every couple months. Brian the lush is not a name I would rightfully receive. But here in Barcelona new people would come in and it was our job to taste the city. My taste was cavas. For those who are not familiar with the libation, it is a wonderful sparkling white wine. If you think it is champagne you are wrong. True champagne only comes from the region of France known as Champagne. But the similarities were uncanny. The bubbly and sangria were poured to keep our glasses full. When I would get back into the hostel it would be between 3 and 5 in the morning. As I am on my way to Montpellier I am happily exhausted.
More is to come about my trip from Barcelona.
Moral of the story, if a man thinks he looks good in long hair, make him put on a dress too.
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