Barcelona |

So after a few months of travelling I am finally back home and back to blogging! Although I'm still jet lagged after my 18+ hours flight, I can't wait to tell you all about the rest of my Topdeck trip and all the shenanigans we got up to for those amazing 28 days. Following on from the previous post where I took you all to Switzerland, our next stop was somewhere completely different in both language and culture. From the calmness of the Swiss Alps, we arrived in the chaos of Barcelona in Spain! 

After checking into our surprisingly nice hostel (equipped with ensuite bathroom and air conditioning!) we made our way to the Sagrada Familia, the basilica designed by Antoni Gaudi. It was a truly impressive sight to behold and the details, all of which carved in stone, were definitely worth craning our necks for.

The next day we had some free time to explore Las Ramblas, the busiest street in Barcelona where one can find rows of souvenir stores and tapas bars along the street. We also found a fresh food market around the middle of Las Ramblas, with colourful fruit smoothies, chillies hung on strings and the freshest looking seafood bar I have ever seen. We also did some shopping along Passeig de Gracia, a great place to find brands including ZARA, Mango and H&M. Other great stores such as Lefties and Bershka were also found in a shopping centre called Maremagnum, just next to the water.

That night, we saw a flamenco show in a cosy bar named Los Tarantos. Two dancers, both dressed in red, stomped their feet and swayed their hips on a dimly lit stage, accompanied by musicians dressed in black, their hands moving so fast on the guitar that it became a blur. It was amazing to see how much emotion that the dancers could show through their faces and particularly, their fingertips. 

 

Of course no trip in Spain is complete without some traditional paella and Sangria! I absolutely loved the seafood paella at Nuria, but I wish we had more time to try out other different places. Don't miss out on the tapas either, nothing like trying out 8-10 different dishes at once!

Street artist dressed as an alien                   Statues on the Columbus Monument 

My favourite piece of architecture in Barcelona: the Casa Battlo by Antoni Gaudi 

Travel tips: 

Barcelona has a lot of pickpockets. During the day they are hidden in the crowd in popular tourist areas but at night, they gather in groups around places such as Las Ramblas and watch you like hawks as you walk past. So girls, make sure there's always a guy (preferably a strong looking one) walking with you at night in Barcelona. 

Eat: Check out the main market on Las Ramblas or one of the many tapas bars around there.
Shop: Passeig de Gracia or see the trip advisor list here for more
Read: for fashion lovers, pick up a copy of HORSE magazine. It has some of the best editorials I have ever seen and it had only just started in July, 2012!

Next stop: French Riviera
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