Hi, all!
I wanted to share a few highlights from my first few days in Barcelona! Also the whole "every couple of days" thing is probably too ambitious for me. I'm going to call once-a-week blogging a success :).
There's an enormous rooftop patio at the co-living space where I'm staying. It's been really bright and clear and sunny most days, making for lovely views, and great social media posts:
Rooftop views
The glamorous social media presence of a "digital nomad"
On my first night, I went out for tapas with a few people from the house. We went to a tapas bar called Quimet & Quimet, which ended up being quite the authentic tapas experience. Those of you who know me well know that, despite how much I want to be an adventurous eater (aren't they somehow superior?), I'm not the best at trying new things that I don't think I'll like ;). So you all should be VERY PROUD to know that when we ordered two platters of "assorted meats" and "assorted smoked fish", which arrived looking nothing like anything I've seen before and gave absolutely NO indication of what's-what, I tried *almost* everything in front of me! My least favorite was what we all agreed can only be described as "fishy cheese". I wish I took a picture but I forgot (also a classic Maggie move). But the moral of the story is I decided that I'm ok with not having the most sophisticated palette in the world. From now on I'm sticking to non-fishy cheese :).
I've been doing a lot of walking and exploring during my non-working hours. On Tuesday I explored the neighborhood of Gràcia. I loved its narrow streets that open up into charming little squares and parks, its art studios and outdoor cafes, and its lack of tourists! I stumbled upon a market, which was only half open but still bustling. I love the markets here - colorful displays of fresh fish and meats, and so lively! I didn't take a whole lot of pictures (didn't want to stand out as a tourist!) but I did snap this one of one of the fish vendors:
A facade in Gracia that I really liked :)
Yesterday I explored El Raval, which felt almost like I entering another world. It's more diverse than other neighborhoods I've seen, and feels edgier and more energetic. As I was walking down one of its side streets, I noticed a man dressed in butcher's clothes carrying not one, not two, but three whole pig carcasses, just casually slung over his shoulder. Watching him, it was as if in slow motion that I then nearly collided head-on with the carcasses as he weaved through traffic, cut directly in front of me, and then disappeared into a butcher shop. I had to laugh out loud at myself - it's moments like these that really color the experience of solo travel.
While visiting el Raval's famous market, La Boqueria, I had to spring for un cono - basically an ice cream cone but filled with ham and cheese. I later learned that locals never eat them, but I had to try it for the experience!
One thing I realized upon arriving in Barcelona is that I've really lost a lot of my Spanish :(. So I signed up for a two-week intensive Spanish course to help jump-start my getting back into it. Interestingly, the Spanish school is owned and operated by two women from Russia, so about half my classmates are Russian! The other half are from all over the world. Needless to say, we've had some very interesting discussions about the global political climate, and it's fascinating to hear their perspectives.
Part of visiting another country and trying to speak the language is learning to accept that sometimes I'm going to make a fool of myself. Yesterday was one of those times. After Spanish class, an Italian woman from my class and I were chatting on our way out the door. She said something to me in Spanish that just flew over my head. Not wanting to ask her to repeat herself, I figured it was a pretty safe bet to just say Sí to whatever it was that she said. Wrong. There was a super awkward pause, and she laughed. The teacher, overhearing us, asked what was funny (I had no clue), and the Italian woman explained that she had complimented me on my Spanish, to which I had simply replied "Yes". Yes, I AM great. Period. Enough said. I was pretty embarrassed, especially given the irony of the whole situation!
Here are some more pictures. As you'll see, I'm not the best at just taking regular pictures of the scenery, etc.. But below are some things that caught my eye. Miss you all!
Cono de jamón serrano y queso manchego
Stumbled upon some Gaudí on one of my walks!
Took me a second to figure out why I was served a mini hour glass with my meal - for knowing exactly how long to steep my tea!
You really can't escape it.