I realized how blatantly american I was before I left, but it became even more obvious to me once I got here. Boarding my plane in Madrid to Barcelona the flight attendant greeted everyone that walked on the flight by saying "hola, buenos dias" but when I walked by he said "hello good morning." Even if I didn't speak Spanish I think I would be able to understand the basics if I'm traveling within Spain. I got off the plane in Barcelona and was feeling a little delusional but right when I walked out of baggage claim Susie and Ella were there to greet me. It was almost too easy. Susie's mom picked us up and we were right on our way back. Susie had a whole day planned for us and I had slept on the plane and didn't want to skip a beat so after lugging all my suitcases up 4 stories we went right out to Barcelona (I showered first though guys aren't you proud?)
Susie, Ella, and I went to a coffee shop in her town of Sant Boi and then Susie showed us how to get around on the train to get to Barcelona (Sant Boi is a little town maybe 20 minutes outside Barcelona by train but incredibly easy to navigate). We did a lot of walking and started by seeing some of Gaudi's buildings like Casa Batllo and La Perdera. I had learned about these in my Spanish culture class but it was crazy to see them in real life. We walked down La Rambla and went to the Sant Josep market as well as seeing the Plaza de Catalunya and la Barcaloneta.
Casa Batllo by Gaudi
After that we were starving and stopped at this all you can eat sushi place which literally had a conveyer belt of asian food (actually my dream come true I was in heaven). it was 10,50 euro each and I would say we definitely ate our moneys worth. After that I had a growing concern about being able to go to the bathroom in Spain. At this point I had eaten burger king, two airline meals, some coffee, and a heaping amount of Asian food and not gone to the bathroom. Also toilets are different here so that was concern in the small apartment were staying in. This is a little graphic if you're uncomfortable with poop talk I won't give you the details but I figured it out (thanks random shop bathroom at la sagrada familia), we'll see how it works out in the homestay though that could be a different story.
After the sushi place we went to the beach for a little and walked around the ports a little more but at that point we were reaching late afternoon and Ella and I were becoming pretty delusional. Susie took us home and we were literally the walking dead through Sant Boi until we reached her bed and we siesta-ed like we never have before. We woke up again around 8:30 and both showered again cause we were super sweaty from walking around all afternoon (that's two showers in one day, count it go jdr). Susie's mom Doris (Ella's Dad's college friend who he actually went abroad with, thats the connection here) made us a lovely dinner that she called "pica pica" which is a cold dinner because it was too hot to actually cook a big meal. We had cheese, bread, salad, olives, carrots, and tortilla de patatas accompanied by a delicious bubbly rose wine. We ate out on the terrace with Doris and Susie's brother Alex and it was very nice. They are such an incredibly friendly family we're so lucky to have stayed with them.
After dinner, which was from around 9:30-11 we got ready to go out "clubbing." I liked eating so late and going out late, there was no rush or anything and it was so relaxed. Only intimidating part was that trains in Barcelona stop running at midnight and don't start again til 5:30 am so we knew we were gearing up for a big night. It was nice to have locals showing us around cause had Ella and I tried to brace a Barcelona club solo it would have been a joke. Susie's boyfriend Josep picked us up at Susie's and actually drove us in to Barcelona so we didn't have to take the train. It was so nice we got a nice little driving tour and got to see the Olympic stadium, the FC Barcelona stadium, Susie's university and the theatre street. It was a great little ride but even the radio was filled with American music. Once we got to the club we met up with Susie's brother and his friends and Susie got us all in for free and got us free drinks, the benefits of being with real life barcelonites. There weren't a lot of people there at first and it was literally a real live discoteca with strobe lights and I was far too sober to be eurojill. Luckily if Lee Anglin and I learned anything this summer, as long as there is a place to dance I really do not care about being drunk and this place was playing music straight off a Now 11 CD and I was digging it. Ella and I jammed to tunes ranging from Gold digger, to the black eyed peas, to big poppa. After a little while they took us to this club called Apolo that is apparently very big on Mondays. We walked there and talked about the boys impressions of Americans, which of course was that they're all fat. They also said that I scream American where at least Ella could pass for Australian or something. So basically no one will address us in Spanish as long as Ella's with me, sorry el.
We got to the club and from the minute we got in the line it felt like the boys were our protectors to weird Spanish men lurking around. This club was awesome it was all rock n roll music and just fun dancing and atmosphere, not what I expected out of clubbing but once again the benefits of going out with locals. We stayed out real late and danced our little butts off. It was so fun and I was so glad to go out with people who could show us around our first night. By the time we made it back to bed it was 6:30 am and Susie was actually going to leave for the airport to go to California in an hour. Ella and I went straight to bed and slept til 2 in the afternoon.
eurojill and susie hit da club, like some linebockaaaahs (disclaimer: who is that man?)
Today Ella and I obviously woke up super late, but it was no big thing cause this is Spain and they aren't go go going all the time. We ate lunch for breakfast and socialized with Susie's parents. Susie's Dad, Diego, is from Spain and gave us some nice tips and history lessons over breakfast/lunch whatever it was. He really injured his back and is in a lot of pain I feel bad, but even after all that he was so pleasant and willing to tell us all about Spain. We had a glass of this delicious red wine (I don't drink red wine and I loved it, when in Spain ay?) and ate cheese cause Diego said we had to try it and they went together. It was a balanced breakfast. After about an hour and a half or so Ella and I motivated to explore the city all on our own. I kept saying Ella Jill Barcelona (pronounced elja hill barcelona) to channel the Woody Allen movie Vicky Christina Barcelona cause we're just that cultured (jk not me). We showered again and I used my iPhone and a map of the metro that Susie left us to plan out places we wanted to see with the rest of our day.
Our first stop was Parc Guell, another Gaudi sight. Also another place I have seen a million times in pictures and studied and analyzed so much it was awesome to see it in person. We climbed uphill a ways to get there and explored for a little bit before we needed to someone to photograph us obviously. We found these other two girls who also wanted their picture taken to it was a nice exchange. They were 19 and best friends from home traveling from Vienna, Austria. They were so cool and friendly and interested in what we were doing and our story, the four of us traveled the rest of the park together and hung out for a little while. It's cool because doing these touristy things I know we're gonna meet a ton of people and these girls made me excited because they were such friendly young Europeans. After Parc Guell we left our new friends for an ice cream and our next Gaudi stop, La Sagrada Familia. We basically just went around and and didn't pay the fee to go inside but took some nice pictures outside and went to little shops nearby. By that time it was close to 8 and we were planning on going to the Picasso Museum but it closed at that time so we just wandered around that area. Ella said it reminded her of a SoHo in New York, me being the Boston townie I am agreed without having any idea what she was talking about. She called me out cause I kept using the adjective "swanky" but that's really what it was. We went into a couple cool shops and walked around the area before settling for a bottle of wine and dinner. We finished and made it home for the midnight train. All around I think Ella and I will be very good at traveling together, not too stressful and instead of going 100 mph trying to do it all we really took it all in. Also she carries a St. Christopher medal for good luck which we all know I need so that will help.
I know we'll be back to Barcelona with other Tulanians at some point this semester because everyone will want to visit here and it's obvious why. It's a beautiful city that is so fun and so laid back. Of course next time around we'll show everyone around like we're the locals and also hit up spots like Chupitos and the Dow Jones. Tomorrow we ship out to Granada and finally get to get settled! We're both very much over living out of our 5 suitcases and ready to meet our new family and dog as well as see other Tulane kids. Adios for now chicitas. Manana el espanol real empieza ay ay ay
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