Hello, Hola! And just a quick update from one of my favourite cities of all time: Barcelona!
Yes, it is so good to be back! The last time I came back to Barcelona was in 2009 when I moved here to Espana for a short time. I remember crying when I saw the city again, and the beautiful hills that surround it. It brought back so many memories, which, at that time, were mostly shared with my ex. This time though my eyes misted over for an entirely different reason. This time it was for the happiness and pride I felt at being back here on the Catalunyan coast. I was just so damn happy, I think the cabbie probably thought I was a very strange tourist, sitting in the back seat with an ear-to-ear grin on my face!
This two week trip back to the part of the world where my blood and heart always feel warm will start in Barcelona and end in Barcelona. In between will be Sevilla and Ibiza. But for now, this short post is all for Barcelona, for the ever-loving people who live there, for the Cuidad Vuela and El Borne, for Plaza Catalunya and Playa Mar Bella, and for my friend Jordi G (a right proper Catalan name) who, after two years, still greeted me as if we were neighbours.
It hardly felt like a day had passed since I'd been here. I took an apartment in El Borne which is an area of town right close to the port, the beaches, and central enough that you can still walk to Plaza Catalunya, Paseig de Gracia, Ramblas, etc etc. I actually couldn't have picked it better if I'd tried. It was a pretty inexpensive place to stay, a little studio on Espaseria Street, which reminded me that not everything in Barcelona is new. Infact, most apartments in Barcelona are dang old. Ghetto even really. But maybe that's why I liked it so much?
The weather of course was excellent. Mornings would start off cloudy but by noon the clouds would burn off and we'd have sunshine and a light breeze, and about 28 degrees celcius both days.
I captured the feeling of the city in this video - check it out! I think it's so cool!
For two days I walked all over the city, only taking the subway once. I remembered everything and knew exactly where I was going, just as if I was a regular local instead of a one time expat. My Spanish came back to me fairly quickly even though I forgot my little pocket dictionary at home (don't ask me how I could have possibly done that because Lord knows I was organized well in advance for this trip!). Thanks to Jordi who brought his Catalan/English dictionary out to the beach with us one day, I still learned and re-learned new words.
I would love to say that I got out and about and saw a whole bunch of things I'd never seen before, but alas: I can not. I mostly just roamed the streets and let myself feel confident again in my own abilities as a touristica sola, learned how to walk freely without that darn clock always ticking, adjusted to having to speak and hear Spanish everywhere, and recovered from a very long milk-run trip over to Europe.
Jordi G picked me up late on Tuesday afternoon after I allowed myself a bit of a siesta before we hit the beach. He and I quabbled in Spanish over things, talked about politics, the world, the people, as we layed in the warm sunshine on the nude section of Mar Bella beach (no, I did not take my bikini off - I was too shy this time!) (I know, I can't believe it either!) and drank cold Estrella's in a can bought from one of the illegal beach vendors. I went into the Mediterranean for the first time in two years and am very happy to report that it was super warm and clean, and lovely. Then Jordi, being the generous and enthusiastic Sagittarian that he is, drove me out of town and north along the scenic coast to the resort town of Sitges. I'm glad I finally got to go there, because now I know that, although it is a very pretty little town, I will never feel inclined to go back again. But if you are gay you might want to consider it.
My two days there went very quickly! I will have one more night there at the end of my trip, and that's about it! It tears me apart each time I say hello and goodbye to this city. How I would love to stay forever!
Love, Charleen xo
Passeig de Gracia
Yes, it is so good to be back! The last time I came back to Barcelona was in 2009 when I moved here to Espana for a short time. I remember crying when I saw the city again, and the beautiful hills that surround it. It brought back so many memories, which, at that time, were mostly shared with my ex. This time though my eyes misted over for an entirely different reason. This time it was for the happiness and pride I felt at being back here on the Catalunyan coast. I was just so damn happy, I think the cabbie probably thought I was a very strange tourist, sitting in the back seat with an ear-to-ear grin on my face!
Early morning stroll through the streets
This two week trip back to the part of the world where my blood and heart always feel warm will start in Barcelona and end in Barcelona. In between will be Sevilla and Ibiza. But for now, this short post is all for Barcelona, for the ever-loving people who live there, for the Cuidad Vuela and El Borne, for Plaza Catalunya and Playa Mar Bella, and for my friend Jordi G (a right proper Catalan name) who, after two years, still greeted me as if we were neighbours.
It hardly felt like a day had passed since I'd been here. I took an apartment in El Borne which is an area of town right close to the port, the beaches, and central enough that you can still walk to Plaza Catalunya, Paseig de Gracia, Ramblas, etc etc. I actually couldn't have picked it better if I'd tried. It was a pretty inexpensive place to stay, a little studio on Espaseria Street, which reminded me that not everything in Barcelona is new. Infact, most apartments in Barcelona are dang old. Ghetto even really. But maybe that's why I liked it so much?
El Borne
The weather of course was excellent. Mornings would start off cloudy but by noon the clouds would burn off and we'd have sunshine and a light breeze, and about 28 degrees celcius both days.
Barcelona is packed with tourists all year round
I captured the feeling of the city in this video - check it out! I think it's so cool!
For two days I walked all over the city, only taking the subway once. I remembered everything and knew exactly where I was going, just as if I was a regular local instead of a one time expat. My Spanish came back to me fairly quickly even though I forgot my little pocket dictionary at home (don't ask me how I could have possibly done that because Lord knows I was organized well in advance for this trip!). Thanks to Jordi who brought his Catalan/English dictionary out to the beach with us one day, I still learned and re-learned new words.
Getting on the subway at Jaume
I would love to say that I got out and about and saw a whole bunch of things I'd never seen before, but alas: I can not. I mostly just roamed the streets and let myself feel confident again in my own abilities as a touristica sola, learned how to walk freely without that darn clock always ticking, adjusted to having to speak and hear Spanish everywhere, and recovered from a very long milk-run trip over to Europe.
Playa Mar Bella in Barcelona
Jordi G picked me up late on Tuesday afternoon after I allowed myself a bit of a siesta before we hit the beach. He and I quabbled in Spanish over things, talked about politics, the world, the people, as we layed in the warm sunshine on the nude section of Mar Bella beach (no, I did not take my bikini off - I was too shy this time!) (I know, I can't believe it either!) and drank cold Estrella's in a can bought from one of the illegal beach vendors. I went into the Mediterranean for the first time in two years and am very happy to report that it was super warm and clean, and lovely. Then Jordi, being the generous and enthusiastic Sagittarian that he is, drove me out of town and north along the scenic coast to the resort town of Sitges. I'm glad I finally got to go there, because now I know that, although it is a very pretty little town, I will never feel inclined to go back again. But if you are gay you might want to consider it.
The resort town of Sitges
My amigo, Jordi
My two days there went very quickly! I will have one more night there at the end of my trip, and that's about it! It tears me apart each time I say hello and goodbye to this city. How I would love to stay forever!
Love, Charleen xo
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