Hola Barcelona

The moment my dad asked us “Do you want to go to Barcelona?”, I was already on the beach. Sun, sea, sand, it’s what we all want isn’t it? Although I was excited about our next journey on foreign land, I was equally nervous. After all, this was to be the first time flying abroad that I could remember.

It was a month, a week, and then finally a day till the trip and it dawned on me that we’re going to Barcelona! I still hadn’t packed, but the mantra of “Pack light, pack light” made it a simple task – albeit one I still left till the morning of our departure. I was all packed and ready to go, then we made our way to the airport ready to escape the English weather and head into sunny Spain. The two hour flight from Luton (LTN) to Barcelona (BCN) was swift. I blinked. We were in BARCA. The first thing that hit me was the heat when we arrived at the airport. An unusual 30 degrees greeted us in Barcelona at night. Unreal.

Our first night was chaotic, in terms of where we stayed but we had to make do for one night. For we knew that the next 6 nights would be bliss, living comfortably in a villa in the beautiful outskirts of Barcelona. When we arrived at the casa, it was as I imagined, swimming pools, balconies and the scenic views. It was then the fun started.

The next few days were spent visiting local landmarks, such as La Sagrada Familia, a quite stunning cathedral in the city centre. We took in the local cuisine in numerous Spanish restaurants and bars and did a bit of shopping in town. It was the shopping that was the weirdest thing for me, a funny memory was searching one supermarket for some custard, or as the Spanish say “la natilla”. I may have failed in my search for custard but I learnt a few Spanish words along the way, with help from my phrasebook.

Sunday was beach day. The best day. But before la playa (the beach), we ventured into La Rambla, a street very popular with tourists. Here, we found a plethora of high street shops and trendy bars and restaurants. I loved the place instantly. The place was rammed, the street rambled on and on, I see how it got it’s name now. From the all you can eat buffet to the food market tucked inside, La Rambla really is a special place for all. It was beach time. As I felt the warm Spanish sand under my feet and I saw the beautiful blue sea, I could only think I was dreaming. Even just with a cold bottle of Ice tea in hand, I was content for this is all I wanted: An exotic getaway.

Everything was surreal. The views of the W hotel overlooking the beach and going across the four main beaches in Barca by scooter. I was having the time of my life!

We were out for lunch again the next day, the taste of the lovely sangria was indescribable, one of those ‘you have to try it yourself’ feels. The day after, we toured the Camp Nou, the stadium of FC Barcelona. The inside was impressive and the views from the stands were spectacular. If you didn’t already know, Barca I’m in love with you!”

The next day was our last day in Barcelona. As we checked out of our beautiful casa in the valleys of Sant Quirze (An area 20 minutes outside of the city centre), we headed to Park Guell, a place with scenic views of the city and the sea on the horizon. The place had an outside escalator going up into the park. When in Barca. Only in Barca.

We were able to fit in one more lounge at La Playa de la Barceloneta before we headed to the airport. It was bliss, just like the other times. Sun, sea, sand, what more could you ask for?

For me, this was the holiday of a lifetime. From the simple things like discovering a new found love of Melocotón (Peaches in England) to the lovely señoritas I met on the beach. Barca, you were amazing and if anyone out there is looking for their next holiday destination I would fully recommend they try out Barcelona.

Adiós amigos con amor!

Ozzie

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