Barcelona I Love You

Well I've been in Barcelona for 3 weeks now and I don't know where the time has gone. The first week was a blur of jet lag, culture shock and hours of exploration by foot of this sprawling city and its amazing and ancient barrios. I've quickly adapted to the food and the idea of having wine or beer with every meal hasn't been at all difficult to acclimate to (especially since both are so cheap). I've made a few friends, thanks to Speed Dating and a couple of contacts from friends back home. My Spanish is improving quickly and I'm even starting to pick up the dreaded Spanish accent - Joder! Que coño es eso! I'm even learning some Catalan, this being the national language of Catalunya, and spoken by a large number of its residents both old and young a like.


My flat near Mercat Sant Antoni has been really cozy but I've quickly found that it's an overpriced tourist trap, despite being located in one of my favorite parts of the city (the photo above is a view from my balcony). At the moment I'm frantically looking for another place to live for March and beyond. There's quite a few resources, but it takes time and patience (especially if you're picky like me).



Here's a little Catalan grafitti ("A word to nobody. A word to everybody.") There's certainly a lot of talented grafitti artists here and this one kind of reflects my frustration with finding a place to live that I like and is affordable. Spain has gotten much more expensive to live in since the conversion to the Euro, and Barcelona real estate in particular has gotten very expensive. However, with some persistance I think that I can find my ideal place. Once I get settled into a new crib, I'll post again, with more photos...

Barcelona: City of Carthaginians, Romans and Catalan Eccentrics

I've just arrived in Barcelona, the major city in Spain's Catalunya region. An ancient city with a long and colorful history, Barcelona remains one of Europe's most dynamic and interesting cities to visit. A mecca for artists and non-conformists such as Salvador Dali (above), it's been calling me for a long time now and, YES, I finally made it! Well, actually it's my second time visiting, but this time I plan on making it an extended vacation...


I love cities with history and Barcelona is just dripping with it. In ancient times it was a major Roman outpost (Barcino), with much of the original Roman ruins still buried beneath the city's ancient quarter (Ciutat Vella). The Museu D'Historia de la Ciutat is a great place to find out about Barcelona's history and allows you to descend into the past and see some of the old Roman ruins, one of the best things to do while visiting.

Here's one of the many street performers you'll find along the Ramblas, a popular thoroughfare near the city's port. The temperature in Feb is pretty mild, but sometimes it gets chilly at night. Can't wait till the warm weather comes!