July 7, 2008: Barcelona Part 2
During the past week and a half we’ve stayed at a really hip Hostel where they played good jazz and alt rock during the day, called Itaca, near Plaza Catalonia. At the hostel we met tons of cool people like the Cali girls Johanna and Chelsea. Dre fell in love with Johanna and plans to marry her. We also met–and I fell in love with–a German girl named Anissa Wolf, who we spent lots of time with, as well as an awesome German dude with a name we couldn’t pronounce, but called Harry.
Harry, Danny, Dre, and me.
We went clubbing with all of them as well as a bunch of the people in Dre’s program. On two different occasions we went to a huge and crazy two-floored nightclub called Otto Zutz. It’s a great club and we got free passes both times. We pregamed with people from Dre’s program so we never spent a cent at the club. We stayed out till 4 or 5 in the AM both times. Also, on the second Tuesday night, we went to a Jazz club/discothèque late with Anissa and the two Cali Girls called Jamboree, danced for hours and had a great time.
To make Barcelona that much cooler, during our stay, Spain was successfully making its bid for the Euro Cup Championship. We watched the final game against Germany from outside of a bar on an awesome strip called Las Ramblas. Las Ramblas is considered the tourist heart of the city, and is a cool place to see street performers (specifically the pantomimes which Dre loved…not). La Boqueria market on Las Ramblas is a really cool marketplace, voted “the world’s most important marketplace” by the International Association of City Markets. One of our last days, we ate a great fresh fish lunch with two girls from Texas from Dre’s program at one of the restaurants attached to the La Boqueria marketplace and walked around all of the venders.
Now, back to the Euro cup. On the night of June 29th, after Spain beat Germany 1-0, there were huge celebrations. We were videotaped by local news partaking in the victory chants (singing olay olay).
The view from Las Ramblas after the game.
Beer was sold on the street in Las Ramblas, fireworks went off everywhere, people were yelling “Viva Espana”, singing victory chants, and draping themselves in Spanish flags. Needless to say, it was an awesome experience and I felt great pride for my very temporary nation of residence.
Also, in Barcelona, we all developed our addictions to Schwarma kebabs. We ate this middle eastern delicacy almost every day for the week and a half because they satisfied all of our dietary needs. The food is inexpensive, filling, delicious and quick. By the end of our tour of the city, we were practically regulars at a few doner kabab joints and stands (and had many a stomach ache).
Some romantic/date-worthy tourist activities that Danny and me took part in while Dre was in school include: a trip to the chocolate factory. A trip to the aquarium that was noteworthy for the viewing tunnels to the shark tanks. We rented bikes and rode along the boardwalk on the coast at Barceloneta and through Cieutadella Park, befriending the alcoholic bike rental dude. This guy, after spending a full day of drinking wine and smoking in his shop (he was doing both when we rented bikes and when we came back several hours later), basically gave us a history lesson on state vs. national tensions in Spain, which was cool even though we didn’t ask for it.. We also swam out to and climbed onto a patch of rocks in the ocean and took long walks on the beach while holding hands (not exactly).
Checkin' out the fountain show.
Barcelona tourist activities that we shared with Dre (the third wheel) included: a walk through Park Guell, which I think I mentioned already. We went to the Sagrada Familia, which is the most famous spot in Barcelona, a huge, ridiculously ornate cathedral designed over a forty year period by Antoni Gaudi, which he was unable to finish in his lifetime. The Cathedral is still under construction 100 years later. You can climb or take elevator to the top for spectacular city views. We also toured the National Museum of Catalan Art, watched the night time fountain show from the steps of the Museum (overlooking the entire city) with some of the students from Dre’s program, and saw a modern European jazz performance (the group’s name is eluding me) at a venue at one of the highest points in the city, near the Olympic Stadium.
On the steps to the NMCA, overlooking the entire city, with people from Dre's program.
Additionally, we went to the Picasso Museum and took a guided tour of the Palau Musica Catalana. In sum: beautiful women, delicious kebabs (and tapas once or twice), great beaches, amazing public transportation, plus cool cultural events and nightlife, made for a most excellent time.
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