Barcelona!

We spent a full on 48 hours in Barcelona. It's the capital of Catalonia and they are currently fighting for their independence from Spain. This mean that all the locals were interested in Alex being Scottish, as they were all watching the Scottish vote keenly, and offered their condolences. At one point we found ourselves in the middle of an Independence rally in the pouring rain surrounded by a chant we couldn't understand.

Throughout the city there are people proudly hanging either Catalan Flags (the one in the middle) or Catalan Independence Flags (the ones either side)

Pardon the water blur - it was hammering down.

Spain had awesome food. As mentioned previously, I am in love with Tapas. We found a crazy market full of amazing meats (every part of the animal), fruits, chocolates, mushrooms and shakes. I finally had an empanada! (The gross thing I had in Mallorca doesn't count)

This was some real fancy ham that we tried upon recommendation. This pig was mostly just fed acorns. It's melt in your mouth ham. 

The architecture in Barcelona is amazing. It's full of beautiful apartments and Gaudi's creations, who was briefly mentioned in Mallorca. Antoni Gaudi is a famous Spanish architect who has designed some incredible buildings, most notably La Sagrada Familia (AKA Gaudi's Cathedral). La Sagrada Familia has been under construction since 1882 and I think they are planning to have it finished by 2030. The place is insane. You can tell what was first constructed on the cathedral due to the huge differences in colour. The thought and detail that have gone into it are amazing, the photos really don't capture it. I think the craziest thing is that it's already so huge and the tallest tower is still to be built. I hope that I'll be able to come visit it again when it's complete.

Just a typical street

This is one of Gaudi's other creations - Casa Batllo. I think the balconies are supposed to represent skulls and some of the pillars are supposed to represent bones. The hostel we stayed in was just up the street from here. 

La Sagrada Familia

Beautiful stained glass inside

Inside - these columns represent trees

We were told the other must see cathedral in Barcelona is the Gothic Cathedral. We visited it the same day we saw La Sagrada Familia which dwarfed it a bit in comparison, but it's impressive in it's own right. There's a lovely courtyard to one side of the church where 13 white geese live, something to do with a local legend.  

Barcelona also had some interesting night life to offer. We watched a Barcelona vs Paris soccer (football) match in a small bar filled with some very passionate locals nibbling at tapas as they watched. It was a pretty different vibe from watching a match back home (UK or Oz)!

Note the bar is named after La Masia.

I had absinthe in what we were told is the oldest bar in Barcelona (it really looks it). Apparently Hemingway would often hang out here drinking absinthe (that is the bar's specialty).  It's called Marsella if you ever want to give it a try. I'd say it's worth one drink in there, but only one. It looked to be mostly tourists in there on our visit.

I was a little bit excited when I was told there was a 90s Grunge bar called Nevermind in the city. Obviously we had to check it out. Good Music. Free Popcorn. Indoor Skate Ramp.

Barcelona might just be the coolest city I've been to. It has a really nice vibe and I very much hope to visit it again, fingers crossed I won't be staying in a hostel.