Plaça de Catalunya
Mercat de la Boqueria
Left around 5pm (sun still hot) and grabbed a bite to eat down the alley at a small sandwich place "Wrap It"; salads ciabattas and wraps running €5-7, so not too expensive. Water is also so much cheaper at any little convenience store, Liters only €0.45 (and normal bottles on the strand are €2). Snagged some wifi from a nearby cafe, and began to make our way to Jorge's a couple metro lines away in the more residential area. He wasn't home, but luckily the other surfer Nicky was kind enough to come and let us in. She's from Belgium, 26, and working in retail, and this was her ... third time in Barcelona? And first time couchsurfing. So down to earth and super nice, she showed us around the apt (not too much, it was only a one bedroom with a pull out couch). It was a really clean apartment, with a little french bulldog, Paco, running around like mad. We pulled out the couch and attempted to powernap before heading out at 1AM.
Went to a club called Sutton, a €10 cab ride for when the metro is closed weeknights by 1230. Emily had a promoterfriend who got us in without a cover, and walking in, the doorman just huffed "OH you're Americans". That was irritating, granted he then followed us inside and bought us drinks and took us into VIP, I found that annoying. Hah, I mean, what if I said that to customers that came into where I worked? OH you're spanish. They'd probably lose their shit. Anyhow, I digress. I people watched for a second, and Emily and I came to notice how young everyone looked, but then again this is Euro and everyone is in the clubs by 18, so I suppose by 23 it's noticeable. Or 'call me maybe' isn't my best jam hah. It wasn't too crowded, even by 130AM. Maybe because summer was 'over', but Em had hid a bottle outside earlier so we went off to finish that and ran into some French boys who were just kicked out for trying to bring a backpack into the club (really?). Hah, so that was amusing, and there was suddenly a grip of French/Brits lined up, coming from a hostel down the street I guess. Then the club filled up and champagne was lit on fire.
Sutton Club
Be it the champagne on fire, or that I only had a bag of chips for dinner, I got a tad sick, but it was a pretty fun night despite that. I apparently met the Swedish representative for Apple who gave me drink cards from the owner (how nice), Em had all the Brazillians falling in love with her (hehe), and no ankles broken. Thank goodness.
Paco the French Bulldog aka my alarm clock
Bed at 6AM, waking up around 11AM to go to Em's favorite sandwich spot when she was studying in Barcelona 2 years ago called Bó de B. Just off Jaume I station through some cool looking streets towards Barceloneta. It didn't open until 1PM - and there was already a line happening come 1230. Luckily we were the first, starving and delirious when we met an Aussie, Zoe vacationing in Barcelona also, but traveling since May (home for just 6 weeks before, so really since December I think). The sandwiches were amazing, with a flat price of €3-4.50 and as much filling as you wanted. Their bread was homemade right there, and the owners... er.. well ALL restaurant owners, strict on no phones and no outside drinks on the tables. Yes they will yell at you in front of everyone -_- Sorry, I just wanna take a picture of this awesome sandwich you made. #iphoneproblems.
Glorious
Zoe the Aussie
Beached it afterwards, lying in our food comas, when a group of Swedish guys sat up behind us offering some beer, so naturally we took one...okay, two. They were actually very nice, glad to get some heat I reckon afterall, even I complained about how cold Sweden could be. They were all law students, taking a weekend off by the beach. Barcelona is great for really meeting people, and by that I mean I've noticed here (at least compared to Ibiza and Madrid so far) Barcelona attracts a lot of Aussies, Sweds Brits and French. Oh yeah, and us Americans. More promoters walked by trying to talk ears off about how great their club is and this and that. Zoe straight told em "we don't want to go to whatever club you are promoting". haha She's officially my hero. Then went home around 5 again to grab some zzzzs and food. Jorge took us all to a small tapas rest around the corner from his apartment, where we indulged in some squid, patatas, and pork. Mmm.
Checked out the clubs down by the beach like Opium, where dress code is similar to Sutton. Met some Germans and another American who took us in, but not too long later we lost them. In a nutshell, everyone was just about stir crazy, stickin their hands up skirts, down shirts. Dancing with your friends will only last so long until someone beelines towards you and tries gettin all up in your business. Hah, well Emily's toe gushed blood after bein stabbed and while waiting for her by the bathroom I got asked multiple times "oh where you from whats your name? whatcha doin here?" No one understood me so it reached a point where I just said "Ya Hey! Oh you ask if I'm from Asia because I'm asian? You're such a detective! My name is Jenny and I'm from Nigeria, nannying children here in Barcelona!" Have a conversation in a club? aha yeah thats not happening. Around 430AM we left as someone was getting the crap slapped out of him then kicked out. The beach was lit up from the club lights, and there were drunk people lying everywhere or playing beach volleyball if they were coherent enough.
Opium
Waitin for that 5AM metro to open
Our last day we ventured to the Sagrada Familia. Getting a bit lost on the way, we caved into the hunger and stopped at a little restaurant hoping to get some paella - but they were 'too bussy' to make more! Ahhh the agony, so we settled on noodles with seafood, and a couple plates of tapas. Oh, and a pitcher of Sangria too. All delicious, and split three ways we paid €6 each. Finally found the famous church, and I can say with no hesitation, it was my favorite building so far in Europe. It was tall, lanky, creepy, and just straight beautiful. It cost €14-18 to go inside, and aint none of us had any of that, so we adored it from outside until the rain came... and not just a drizzle, like buckets being poured on you.
Spooks
We went down to meet Zoe and her mates at the flat she had rented out down on Las Ramblas. All down the street, the drugs and alcohol come TO you. Guys whispering in your ear as you walk by, or holding out cans of beer, and of course not too much later the promoters sniff you out too. Anyhow, at the flat we met another aussie, Oscar, and Linda, and Colombe, French. It was a sweet, with a small balcony and big living room.
Nicky and I took a quick stroll out, somehow went in a huge square shape getting lost down some narrow alleys, ending up in a drug dealers apartment. I was having a grand time buzzing the door when a huge guy came up from behind, opened it and pointed up the stairs. Silly drunk us, we went in not knowing where we were, but I must say, it was a tad dodgy. Dim lights, bits of the wall chipping off, echoing whispers, guys up the stairway arms crossed watching as people lined up to buy their partyfavours. Guys behind the desk, and the nicest gal complimenting my shirt:) Pretty ridiculous... anyhow there's some semifiltered observations for you. Was pretty glad to find our way back.
Then, unfortunately we all split up. Zoe, and her mates, and Emily went to Apollo (17), while Nicky and I went to City Hall. I wanted so badly to do both, but Nicky had me hooked on City Hall, and apparently it wasn't too far walking distance to Apollo so I planned on going there later to find everyone. Going back down Las Ramblas, the offers kept coming, but we did score free entrance to City Hall woo! (instead of €10) It was underground, and much more laid back than most the other clubs. It was "Happy Techno Night" but with a live saxophone player so that made it pretty fun. Upon walking in met a nice guy, Sergi who got us some drinks, and another really fun group of people sharing a smoke out in the back, and a lovely girl who fed us shots. It had a fun easy going atmosphere, and dare I say it? No hands trying to invade any space, no one getting into fights? Hah awesome.
Oscar and Zoe
Nicky and I at our finest
Colombe, Zoe, yours truly, Linda, Nicky, Emily
Thanks Barcelona! You took us on quite the ride, and most of all I'm stoked on all the people I met out there. Everything is like a magnet, if it's not your cup of rum, let it go and just find something else (or let it find you if you can't - like I said before everything comes TO you) and if something's lurin you in... just go in! It's definitely a city worth more exploring than just 3 days. Ciao!
KL
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