No, really, go listen to it.
Okay, now that you're caught up, let's do this. Yesterday was another beautiful sunny day in Barcelona. I woke up a bit later than I had been. I was quite tired from the last couple days. Marta also helped justify it for me by reminding me this is my holiday. So around ten-thirty, I left the house. Back on the train to Barcelona I went.
My plan was to walk to Rambla. For my Colorado readers, imagine Pearl Street but bigger. I guess everywhere has their own version of this. It's a street for vendors, shops, students to hang out and cause trouble and the like. It was very crowded, so I slowly meandered down the way. On one side is the old cathedral. I went inside after reading the sign on the door.
I talked to Marta about this later. She told me they won't let people in that are dressed in tank tops, shorts, or short dresses. Inside was dark with little windows. It was silent expect for a nun reading a few women in prayer. It honestly wasn't that spectacular. What made it amazing was the contrast from the Sagrada Família. Marta described it this way; the old cathedral was clutching to the past, while the Sagrada Família was grasping for the future. They were opposite in every manner of speaking. Very interesting!
After the cathedral, I went back to the Rambla. I looked up in a balcony and saw Marilyn Monroe. Or at least a women dressed as Marilyn Monroe. She had a fan underneath her to recreate the infamous shot of a billowing dress. I had no idea what this was until I went to the door underneath her. "Erotic Museum." Mmm... Not really sure what that means, but I didn't spend the time or money to find out either. But the Marilyn Monroe was fun to see!
As I wandered down the street more, I found a market Marta had told me about. It is a big market of every type of delicious food you could want. Fresh fish, chocolates, hams, tacos, ribs, fresh fruit stands, herbs, spices... Everything! It was spectacular.
Now here's where the Fins song comes into play. I guess I must have looked super American that day. Because I got hounded by people. It was honestly a bit intense. There was never the initial talking to me in Spanish only to realize I don't speak Spanish. They went straight for English looking for me to buy things. I had heard Spanish men can be forward, but I haven't experienced it till now. They would grab my hand and tell me a beautiful girl needs to try this. They would pepper me with questions about myself. And so forth. I would smile then just walk away. I finally bought some lunch then left to catch some fresh air. It was fun and I loved seeing the market. But it also a bit insane. I could only think of the Fins song. They must have smelt the American blood. "Now she swims down by the ocean, taking care to look for sharks... Fins to the left, fins to the right."
I finally left the market and went back to the Rambla. A little plaza down a street caught my eye. I went to investigate. It was called Plaza del Rey. Remember me saying I had an idea of Europe being me sitting in the sun drinking wine in plazas? Well, vision complete. I walked around the plaza of tourists and children laughing and playing. The sun was beating down. A man played American songs on a guitar. I couldn't help but be lured in. I sat with a glass of wine and hummed along with Bob Marley's "One Love" being covered. I listened to a British family next to me talk about how amazing this moment was. My thoughts exactly, but in a cool accent. I saw across the plaza a man in a tux spreading rose pedals on the ground. He then picked up a violin and started playing. As he played, a man and woman came out of a restaurant. The man knelt on the ground and asked the woman to marry him. The entire plaza cheered when she said yes. How fun to see that!
(Okay, look for the couple and the roses in this last picture. See them?)
My heart hurt from the happiness spreading over me as I left the plaza. As one of my best friends always says often, being the only phrase of Spanish he knows, VAMOS A LA PLAYA! So vamos I went. I got to the beach and made a little bed of a jacket and my backpack. As I was putting some music on to take a little nap, a man came up to me. People go up and down the beach often to sell food, drinks, and even massages. I had gotten used to just saying no and not giving into them. But this man was different. I had my eyes closed, laying down, when he came up to me. I kept them closed even though I knew he was there talking to me. I was hoping he'd just move along as the others had. But no. He stood in the sun blocking my face. I sighed knowing he wasn't going to leave. He initially started out saying he'd like to sell me a mohjito. I said no sternly. He tried again. I said no and went to lay back down. He said, "Okay, then can I keep you company? Can I sit and talk with you?" I hesitated. Then decided this was just to weird. Maybe I was being over cautious, but I just said, "Nope, you can't." And rolled over and went back to my nap. He laughed and left. Fins to the left... Fins to the right...
I finished my nap. Splashed around in the water for a big so I could say I've been in the Mediterranean. Then I left the beach one last time.
My final stop was the park. It's basically the Central Park of Barcelona. The grass was covered in groups of people. They were studying, taking naps, talking, playing music, working out, or whatever else they felt like on a sunny day. I walked around looking at the beautiful flowers and trees and occasional statue. Some guys desperately tried to get me to slack line with them. Looking at the bags of what appeared to be drugs I decided maybe not how I want to learn to slack line in a random city. But thanks! I found a British tour group and listened to some history of the park. Finally, I found the main water feature and design. Unbelievable. It was absolutely gorgeous. I loved the park of Barcelona.
This morning, I said goodbye to Marta and Josep. I packed up and left Barcelona. I'm now sitting on a train to Madrid. Sitting next to me is a man named Francis from Nigeria, who now lives in Madrid. He and I began talking, and what an interesting man! He bought me a cup of coffee as we discussed if California or New York is more worthwhile for him to visit. I did my best to advise.
When I arrive in Madrid, I'll be staying with one of Elisa's friends. I can't wait to see what the city has in store for me. As always... To be continued!
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Now! The exciting news! My blog has officially reached over 3,000 views! I cannot believe it! I'm so excited you are following my adventures and enjoying it. It's been a great experience for me to receive such great feedback and support. It went from being a journal for myself to helping inspire others. I've had girls email me and say I've helped them realize they too can travel in a safe, smart way. I'm so proud that I can inspire others by telling my stories. It means the world to me. I hope to continue this and many more on my future adventures. Thanks again for all the support!
Becca ❤️
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