Barcelona: Gaudí, beaches & tapas

This week, @hkjn and I moved from Sweden, having lived there for a little more than three years. We had a good life in Sweden, having owned a house on the High Coast of Sweden, hanging out with old friends and family, making new friends and growing professionally. Saying good bye to Stockholm was not particularly hard, at least for me, who felt somewhat deprived of the Sun during my stay there. We are starting our digital nomad lifestyle with the first stop in Barcelona. We are planning to be on the road for several months so we took all that we need in our backpacks. As usual, I packed too much despite my efforts to be minimalistic. @hkjn suggests getting a smaller backpack for me or the temptation to cram stuff is too great:).

When we arrived in Barcelona, it was warm and sunny, and we promptly switched from sweaters, jeans and boots, to T-shirts, shorts and sandals. The atmosphere in Barcelona was cheerful and positive. We saw Catalonian flags hanging from many balconies and a gathering of pro-independence people wearing flags and playing drums. There were some police cars but that did not seem to affect the locals much. Tourists, aromas of delicious food and pleasant chatter seemed to contrast the news coverage from other parts of the world.

The next day, I swam in the Sea and lounged on the beach while @hkjn worked on his projects at a nearby cafe. The sea was suprisingly warm and calm while the beach itself was at times a cacophony of voices selling sangria, mojito, massages and beach blankets.

We explored the meandering streets of the Gothic quarter and, of course, had delicious tapas and cava.

During our exploration, we encountered beautiful street art that represented the spirit of the city.

One particular chain of restaurants, El Glop, has been a truly amazing gustatory experience. We had two fantastic meals there during our first trip to Barcelona last September. Having had our first tapas at another restaurant, we decided to have our second dinner at El Glop Braseria. New surroundings & unusual city blocks with rounded corners added to the challenge of finding the place. Finally we found it an hour before its closing time, at midnight, and were properly rewarded with a feast.

Their dessert, the tropical paradise, is the best dessert I have had in my entire life!

It is so refreshing to see many restaurants and bars open late at night and people of all ages enjoying themselves on the warm September nights. One particular street, La Rambla De Catalunya, where El Glop Braseria is located, is full of great restaurants and bars situated in the middle of the street.

Apart from tapas and beaches, Barcelona is famous for its unique architecture. It is a creative playground for a famous architecht Antoni Gaudí who was the creative force behind La Sagrada Família, Casa Milà, Gaudí House Museum and other works that allure one with their flowing shapes.

Tomorrow, we are planning to travel to Alicante by train and stay there a few days. We will definitely be back in Barcelona in the near future and are looking forward to exploring this amazing city further!

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