New Nirvana: Barcelona

After enjoying Beerfest despite my cancelled trip, I was at least looking forward to a visit from my dad and a short trip to Barcelona the following weekend.

Well, apparently, the icelandic volcano wasn't done messing with me yet.

Needless to say, plans had to change quickly. We had two roundtrip train

tickets to Barcelona but not two people. However, thanks to the generosity of my dad, I was able to invite my friend Jen to B

arcelona for the weekend so the trip wouldn't be completely bust.

The trip was indeed amazing, and started out with an adventure on the night train in our "Gran Butaca" seating (or, 'Grand Armchair') and seemed non-stop from there.

We had the fortune of coming to Barcelona during their Saint's day which meant that the streets were crowded with people, flower stands, and book vendors (on Barcelona's saint's day, the tradition is for people to exchange books and flowers and in massive quantities, apparently) We could hardly make it through La Rambla, Barcelona's main street and walkway, it was so full of people.

That first day we made it to the famous La Boqueria market in Barcelona which instantly became one of my favorite places in the world. Filled to the brim with fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, meats, nuts, cheeses, chocolates, spices, and anything else this girl could imagine. I wanted to set up camp and live my life sampling all the foods and flavors packed in under one roof. Almost immediately I decided that our beach day would have to be put off until Sunday so I could have one more day to spend at the market.

Later in the afternoon, we also made it to La Pedrera - Gaudi's famous apartment building - and then to Sagrada Familia - Gaudi's last project that is still unfinished (and according to most natives, will never be despite the 2030 promise). Not knowing much (or really anything) about Gaudi before coming to Barcelona, these spots were particularly fascinating. I loved seeing Sagrada Familia and being a visitor during its building process, and I'm more excited to come back when it's all finished and see the final product, because it's sure to be grand.

The next days in Barcelona included more exploring of the market,

walking of the pier, Park Guell (another Gaudi masterpiece), a day at the beach, and some of the best food I've had in Spain (although many in Barcelona would argue that we weren't in Spain but in Cataluna).

At the end, we made our way to our night train back to catch a few winks before having to be back at work the next morning. I was sad that the trip came to an end and that I wouldn't have more opportunities to return to Barcelona before leaving at the end of my post. But at least I know I have to get back eventually to see the completed Sagrada Familia.

Time Speeds Up

Once I returned from Italy, I knew life would move a bit more rapidly than before. Before leaving, I worked straight for a couple of weekends to ensure I had all my lesson planning done for the 6 weeks ahead.

After getting back on Sunday, my friend Lindsay - arriving all the way from my neighborhood in Tempe - was coming for a visit that next Wednesday. It was a fun-filled 7 days starting off with typical Cordobese foods (Salmorejo ended up being a favorite), leaving for Sevilla the next day, then two days in Granada, 2 more days in Córdoba, and 2 days in Madrid where we found some of the most excellent restaurants (Possibly the best sandwich/burger place globally? Modeled after an American diner, complete with ketchup & mustard bottles and Johnny Cash playing in the background).

Taking Lindsay to the airport that Thursday, I was meant to fly out to visit a friend in Edinburgh, Scotland a few hours later. Upon our arrival at the airport and after checking Linds in, I unhappily discovered (along with millions of others across Europe) that might flight had been canceled, the next available one not until Sunday (of course not knowing at the time that all flights would still be grounded on Sunday). I was bummed and made my way back to the bus station to catch the next ride back to Córdoba. Fortunately, all was not lost, and I gained a weekend back to myself to catch up on all that I had neglected and was even able to attend the most recent party in Córdoba - Beerfest, held in the Plaza del Torros. Complete with polka dancing, outdated Spanish pop, grilled bratwurst, and delicious beer, it hardly replaced Scotland, but it was good enough to take my mind off a silly volcano and have a good time with friends.

So Sorry...

I'm fully aware that I've neglected this for weeks now, but it's not for lack of my mental wheels spinning with things to say. Since spring break, life has felt non-stop and at times extremely overwhelming. Thus, I'm waiting for a calmer, more appropriate time to write, to give it the perspective it deserves.

Brief bullet list of everything that has gone down since Italy:

• My friend Lindsay coming for a visit (which included trips to Sevilla, Granada, and Madrid)
• A cancelled trip to Scotland because of now-infamous icelandic volcano.
• Oktoberfest in Cordoba, in April
• Spontaneous trip to Barcelona with friend Jen (originally supposed to be with Dad, but those plans also got volcano-derailed)
• Las Cruzes - a weekend full of exploring while drinking and eating tons of good stuff.
• Parents visited, which included pickups and drop offs in Madrid, a trip to Barcelona, and lots of Patio viewing.
• Los Patios - Córdoba´s reason for life. Seriously, they live for it. And so did I.
• Visit from friend Vanessa and her boyfriend. More Patios and good eating.
• Finally, premiering today, the Fería. The second most important thing Córdoba lives for. Seriously.
• End of year, school, moving out, roommates, everything.

Summary: Updates (many updates) coming soon.