Breezing through Barcelona - European Exploits

"Our summer vacay has officially begun!" hollered Raina as we squeezed each other’s hands in delight outside the Barcelona El-Prat Airport. After withstanding the inclement weather in Amsterdam and Paris, we were ecstatic at finally being able to whip out our bikinis and breathe in the crisp Spanish summer air.

YG Travel tip: This one’s more of a life tip. ALWAYS check the weather conditions before packing for your vacation or even before simply heading out for the day! It will, quite literally, save your life.

As I’ve repeatedly mentioned in my earlier blogs, no single city from our 2016 Euro-trip was spared an adventure with “The Umbrella,” as we fondly refer to it. No sooner had we gotten off the airplane in Barcelona than we realized that we had (once again) forgotten our precious umbrella in the aircraft’s overhead compartment. So determined were we to make good on our promise of not losing our loyal travel companion that we rushed back to the airport authorities. Boarding for the next flight had begun, but we implored them to retrieve our precious cargo from the plane. They graciously obliged and were decidedly shocked to learn that they had halted all proceedings for a “mere” umbrella. Pshh! We had safely recovered it once again and smugly set out on our week-long Barca adventure.

Our Airbnb apartment was in Gran Via, a vital business district of Barcelona. We spent our Spanish summer in a beautiful home with Gaby, our adorable host, who had provided us with spacious lodgings fitted with a balcony, gorgeous view, living area and kitchen. After shopping for a month’s worth of groceries, we settled in for a languid, leisurely staycation. The first aspect of Spaniards that we instantly fell in love with was their contento demeanour and sing-song intonation. Gaby was the archetype of Español affability and helped me learn the 1-10 count in Spanish in precisely three minutes. Although some leagues away from the bustling city center, our humble abode was across the street from all transit like the city bus stand and metro. Major win in our books!

YG Travel tip: With longer trips, we recommend taking up accommodation in the outskirts (especially if the city is a small one) but well connected to the hotspots, for an uncut experience! The only exception to this rule is a beach-side residence.

A 20-minute train ride from our condo would take us to the most illustrious street of Barcelona¬¬- La Rambla. It is where all the action happens, and everyone, local or alien, invariably ends up here. You could lose yourself in this tree-lined, mile-long pedestrian mall dotted with a legion of trinket shops, pavement cafes, paella serving restaurants, gelato outlets, prêt-à-porter stores, designer showrooms, nightclubs, and so much more! The avenue eventually leads to Plaça de Catalunya - a colossal, prominent square considered the city center and where the old city (Gothic Quarter) and 19th century built Exiample meet.

Paella (pronounced - pie-ae-yeah) is a prominent staple food here, and your Spanish culinary journey would be incomplete without feasting on it at least once. Our afternoons usually began with sangrias in beach-side restaurants as we breathed in the spectacular sights until we had guzzled a pitcher between us. We were surprised to learn that most restaurant managers and stewards had hailed from India and Nepal, so conversing with them in Hindi invariably scored us plenty of discounts. ;)

Barcelona’s extensive coastline results in approximately four kilometres of sandy beaches. We frequented the ones in the South since they were so close to the old city. Our favourite was Barceloneta, but there were others that we patronized like Somorrostro, Sant Miquel and Sant Sebastia. There is something so primordial yet alluring about tranquil sunbathing and surfing in the Mediterranean; the experience enhanced by traditional tapas bars and alfresco seafood restaurants.

YG Appreciation note: We loved that there were ample provisions for well-kept public showers on all the beaches, which is surprisingly lacking in many others we’ve visited around the globe.

We had a blast paddle-boarding through the waves. I got washed up to the shore a couple of times and docked on some unsuspecting sunbathers. Raina tried to come to my rescue, but turbulent waves and one impish swimmer drifted her away. This scenario usually arises when you start gazing at the ethereal waters and forget to paddle. You best believe that the waves will carry you out to the shore if you get too lazy. Lesson learnt the hard way (by the beach loungers caught unawares). All in all, it was thrilling.

We met up with some buddies from home, made new ones, and even ran into a dear friend while strolling through La Rambla one afternoon. What ensued was a yacht party with endless rounds of bubbly, followed by a blurry night of partying in the city.

We allotted an entire day to scout around the Gothic Quarter—the abstract street art and graffiti in hidden medieval alleys, a melange of Catalan restaurants, juice stalls and street-food vendors, artisans exhibiting a plethora of mini-sculptures inspired by the local art and culture, and plenty more. Another landmark is the Gothic Church—an archetype of neo-Gothic additions done to buildings in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The highlight of our trip was the Fiesta De Barceloneta, a June summer event celebrating the individual city districts. You can always trust Barcelona to host festivals no matter what time of the year you choose to visit. It was a huge party with dancing devils, drummers, fireworks, and a parade of colourful people pouring out on the streets from every corner. It was as if all of Barcelona was out to party! The vibrant carnival mood was the perfect setting to uplift our holiday spirits before we set off on the final leg of our journey—to the serene south-western coast of France.