Barcelona is my new favourite city! The weather was great (or maybe because I have been deprived of sun all this time, I'm overrating the weather), the food was ok (nothing beats Asian food, sorry! Maybe except the desserts as I have a thing for dairy and insane amounts of sugar, be they in the form of molasses, honey or refined sugar!). It has a relaxed vibe I really like, but at the same time there's an electricity to the air. If there was one word to describe Barcelona, it would be 'Vibrant'!


No one comes to Barcelona and NOT get a shot of this. I have to say coming away from Barcelona I now am a Gaudi fan! Hey, did the term 'gaudy' come from 'Gaudi'? I can see that happenning, though I still maintain the guy's a genius. I don't particularly enjoy modern art, but the Modernist movement as exemplified by Gaudi that merges the modern functions with art derived from nature, is very much to my liking.


On the roof of Park Guell, and the ceilings of the market square.



The La Pedrera, inside is really cool. How lucky were the people that lived in those apartments back in the 1920s! Some bits of it reminded me of my grandmother's house, which again reminded me it wasn't so long ago... two generations before me perhaps?



The rooftop of La Pedrera resembled the landscape of Tatooine with Stormtrooper helmets from Star Wars dotting the roof! That massive thing behind the heads actually holds the building's water tank. Pretty nifty huh?

Palau de Musica Catalan, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The guided tours were booked out 7 days in advance!



Ahhhhhh, Catalan cream: super YUM! Not sure what the deal is fried milk, but it sounded like a milky pastry with custard cream filling. Sounded yum too! They love their milk & sugar.



Original paintings in the market square. Too expensive though, 160 euros anyone?

Even their street lamps on La Rambla are art deco! Cool or what?

 


Shopping in the Barri Gothic quarter was awesome. Even on day one I saw soo many things I wanted to buy. But only in that quarter! I wasn't too impressed by anything else in other areas, I think it all depends on your taste. I like quirky little things that you won't find in chain stores. I don't mind paying say 100 euros for it if I really love it, regardless if it's a brand or not.


At Tapa Madre restaurant on the way to Sagrada Familia, as recommended by the Lonely Planet. Quite exy but good food.



At Nou Camp, home of Barcelona FC (somewhere, a thousand boys cry in despair). My lucky brother now has the home jersey of the club. He was quite literally screaming 'BUY ME THE JERSEY!' when I told him I where I was. I am, of course, indifferent to the magic! Look how dark I am now!