Barcelona Dream

Which is actually the name of the hostel we are staying in, which is located in Pep Ventura, about a 10 minute walk from the beach and a 20 minute metro ride from the city.
I love Barcelona!
Getting there was quite a trek. We took a bus from Aghia Marina to Aegina City, then a ferry to Piraeus Port, then a bus from there to the athens international airport, then we had a 9 hour layover, 5pm to 2am, until our plane landed. We arrived in Barcelona at 5am because of the 1 hour time difference, then grabbed a train to the metro and a metro to a bus, and a bus to our hostel. Whew!

Anyway, the first day we were so exhausted from the airport and flight that we siesta-ed in front of the hostel until 12 when we could check in, then immediately changed into bathing suits and hit the beach, which is amazing. It's not sand, it's all pebbles, so they don't stick to you, and the water's even clearer than in Aegina. It also wasn't crowded, although it WAS a topless beach, so there were quite a few older women baring all. Not too pleasant. But the beach itself was wonderful, and we are headed back there for a full day tomorrow.
Then today, we headed out around 12 to the famous Barcelonean street La Rambla, which is the famous one filled with living statues. It was awesome! i got a lot of pictures. Then after a couple hours we hopped on the metro and headed over to Lessepes to visit Park Guell. The Park itself is located at the top of this ginormous hill, which is so steep, there's actually about 4 escalators near the top to help you get there.
The park itself was amazing. It was designed by Antonio Gaudi, who is famous for his mosaics, and it was filled with gorgeous artwork, which I will be posting in an upcoming facebook album. We spent a long time sitting in the shade underneath a giant structure held up by columns, listening to a Spanish guitarist who was advertising his cd and walking around and looking at all the vendors who had set up under the columns. It was a gorgeous day, and we might go back to explore more of the park and the area around it.
Then we headed back to La Rambla for dinner and shopping and we reached our hostel around 11;30 at night. Altogether an amazing day.


Soooo....things I have learned as a traveler
1. Nutella is a staple around here. And I eat it every day.
2. Always ALWAYS carry around a little roll of toilet paper. Because somewhere, each week, there will be a toilet without any, and you will use it, and you will look down and notice too late.
3. Cold showers actually aren't that bad.
4. Having a member of our group who is fluent in Spanish has helped us more than I could possibly have imagined. Asking directions, menu items, and transportation information becomes infinitely easier.
5. Service charges suck. Make sure before you sit down in a restaurant that they don't charge extra just to sit down. Unfortunately, most do.
6. The lighter you pack, the easier it will be to lug it up the inevitable millions of stairs you will encounter.

I'm trying not to think about counting down and about the fact that I only have 8 days left in Europe. It will be a very bittersweet ride home, but I have already made so many amazing memories. I am gonna put together quite a picture album when I get back. Miss you all and love you all!