Post Barca

So I am back from Barcelona and have so much to write about but I will try to keep it short! I'll use numbers again since those seemed to be popular last time I had a lot to say.

1. Ryanair is the most absurd invention ever. The flights are cheap, but there are 9 million rules you need to follow otherwise you get charged up the butt. You're allowed one carryon. As in one suitcase. No purse or anything. Also, the one carryon you're allowed has smaller dimensions than literally every other airline. There are no assigned seats so everyone rushes to the queue to get first choice of seats. People are nuts and push and cut and...it's scary. Our flight to Barcelona was especially intense/frightening because everyone was incredibly rowdy because who wouldn't be excited to go to Barcelona? Edinburgh airport is really small so instead of having jetways for the cheap airlines, they bus you to the plane. Ryanair decided to torture us and leave us stopped in front of the plane on a claustrophobic bus for 5 minutes before releasing us. People literally ran to the plane. One lady pushed me out of the way. Seeing as this paragraph is already too long, I will sum up the rest of the flight by saying: the seats don't recline because they are closer together than on a normal plane; they sell smokeless cigarettes on board; everyone you wouldn't want to be on a plane with was on this plane. drunk.

2. Being in Spain and eating delicious food made me realize how terrible the food in Scotland really is. I don't understand. It's just horrible. We had paella for dinner both nights and delicious cured ham and chocolate and everything was so good and it made me sad that the food here is disgusting. However, Scotland is not the only country obsessed with sandwiches and potatoes. Christine and I decided we are most likely going to turn into either sandwiches or potato heads before the end of our semester.

Best paella ever.

chompin' and nomin' on some delicious chocolate

3. Returning to Barcelona made me remember how much I love Spain and how much I miss being able to speak another language. My biggest regret in college is not taking Spanish. I love the Spanish culture, which is surprising because I don't nap, I'm very prompt and always in a rush. I suppose that's why I like it--it's the exact opposite of my highly functional life, yet so many people live, function, and are successful in this (to me) alternate universe.

4. La Sagrada Familia (the giant cathedral Antoni Gaudi designed that is still in the process of being built) is unbelievable. The outside (that is completed) is humbling in itself, but the new inside is indescribable. It is hard to believe that this giant and colorful inside was under construction and completely in scaffolding a mere three years ago. Not only does the church itself make the viewer seem small, but I felt so unaccomplished knowing the speedy progress being made on this beautiful piece of art. It is also really cool to know that I have been able to see the making of history and one of the most famous cathedrals in the world. I will definitely be returning to Barcelona upon its completion.

Inside of Sagrada Familia 3 years ago

Inside of Sagrada Familia today

me looking incredibly small in the Sagrada Familia

5. It was cold in Barcelona. Scotland cold. The only difference was that you can actually feel the sun when it's out, which was something I have missed.

6. Today I spent some time walking around by myself while Christine was sleeping and her friend was with her dad. I have decided that I really want to travel alone for a weekend. I really enjoy doing things at my own pace and just being able to take in my surroundings and reflecting on them on my own. 

7. As much as I love Spain and people make Scotland seem like a cold and terrible place, I am so happy that I am studying in Edinburgh. I was really afraid I was going to get homesick when I got back to Edinburgh because I returned from vacation not to home, but to a place I'm relatively unfamiliar with and still seems weird to call it home. Arriving in the city center on the airport bus made me so happy that I live in this beautiful, magical city. I also thought, "It's good to be home." 

ok, sorry for the long post. To sum up: My trip to Barcelona was amazing and could not have been so great without the hospitality of Christine's friend Amanda who let us stay in her apartment, and her Dad, who was visiting for the weekend and took us out to delicious meals and even treated us to a flamenco show. There are a few more photos below...
Disfruta! Ciao!

in the center of Barcelona! (Jess--this is for you.)

couples photo

Amanda's (Christine's friend that we stayed with) dad took us out to dinner and a show--paella and flamenco dancing!