8 November 2012

An open letter home about Barcelona

{ High above Barcelona at Guell Park - amazing view, almost officially over my fear of heights ma! }


Dear Mum,

Where do I even begin about this amazing, amazing, amaz-inggg country? Firstly, you need to know, if Morgs & I didn't have a ticket booked to return I honestly don't know if we would come home after having visited Spain. Sure...we fell hard for Amsterdam, and Santorini? Well, that is still too beautiful to put in to words, but there is just something about Spain that speaks to my soul. 

You guys all made jokes about making sure we came home. That we didn't get tooo caught up in it all that we never returned and I always just thought, no way, not us...our home is Perth. And then...Barcelona came along & stole my heart & soul. I get it now. I get why people book one way tickets & end up finding new places to call home - & Spain would be mine.

It's ok though - I promise on 12th December, when you are waiting at Arrivals in Perth...Morgs & I will walk through those gates. 

Honestly though mum this place is amazing. I had never quite understood or lived the saying people constantly say "Time flies when you're having fun" until now. Even though we lived in every second of our experience and were out up to 17 hours a day before returning to collapse at our hostel, time just went too quick. Our last day we even set an alarm to get up as early as possible to spend the full day exploring some more, and soaking up the final sights & sounds that Barcelona had to offer. We were both sad to be boarding the train at 5pm leaving for Valencia, even after 4 full days, which is crazy considering we were still going to be in Spain. 

You'd love it though. I figure this connection I have to this place has to come from somewhere and it's got to be genetics through you right? The people here as so gorgeous and friendly and I don't even get laughed or looked sideways at when I literally sing and skip & dance down the street - which has happened every single day. 

We did as much as we could in Barcelona whilst trying to listen to our guts instinctively trying to get exactly what we wanted out of the time there. We did all the main attractions that we wanted to see like Guell Park (Gaudi's amazingly designed park high above Barca). We also got to see Gaudi's houses (well before his time mum, an architect from the late 1800's who's work was inspired by nature) and visited La Sagrada Familia ... Nanna would have LOVED it. 2 guesses for what it was? A church of course. But it is incomplete - work is still being done to finish it to Gaudis' design & vision and it's truly remarkable. Every single tiny inch of it has been well thought out & designed (right down to the plaster above the choir section so the sound is optimum when 1000 people sing). It was the most modern vs old piece of architecture I've seen on the whole trip & it was amazing to witness and share in the rich experience that is La Sagrada Familia. We walked La Rambla too many times to count (I couldn't stay away from the buzzing street!), strolled in awe along the beach front & spent hours in the La Boqueria Markets which would make me live in Spain for them alone. Just think rows & rows & rows of stores full of meat, wine, cheese, tapas & fresh fruit & vegetables everywhere you look. We even had a boozy night out with the crazy Spainards watching the Barcelona game (they won!!), and the atmosphere in the pubs is something I'll remember for a long time. 

Naturally we delved right in to the food & drink Barca had to offer - like every other town on the trip. Pretty sure I have grown a slight addiction to Sangria, Tapas & Paella, but hey we only live once right?

To be honest ma, I am going to have the hardest time in the world leaving but we have promised this beautiful country we will return. We have another 2 weeks in Spain so I just have to remember to soak it all in and be grateful I'm here now not regretful we don't have more time. 

Only 5 more weeks until I'm home & I see you and the fam again & I am bursting at the seams with excitement for that! This second half of the trip feels as though it's going much faster than the first half but the good news is Morgs & I have already planned our next trip - 2014 we'll be hitting U.S & South America for 3 months (you know once the goal is set it's happening so we are already excited for that!) 

I heard Perth weather has been amazing so be sure to soak up some rays of sun the beach for me. Give the boys & b hellos & bear hugs and delilah the biggest Auntie smooch possible. 

Love you millions & miss you more.

Your wanderlust daughter,

Anna xx

{ Guell Park }







{ La Sagrada Familia - The Sacred Family Church .. this was the nativity facade }

{ Running through the pigeons like a big kid }

{ Just a typical lunch - Tapas & Sangria }

8 comments:

  1. Barcelona is a must visit so you did the right thing! Tapas and Sangria all the way baby!! We stayed right on Las Rablas in a cheap hotel in the heart of all the action. Loved it. Id recommend a Segway ride its such a fun way to see the place as well, you go all the way through town and along the beach front in only a few hours on the segway :)

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    1. Ahhh staying on Las Rambles would have been ah-ma-zing. We were on Casa Gracia which is the same street that turns in to Las Ramblas except its about a 10 minute walk (which was great for burning off all that sangria & tapas but nottt so great after too many sangrias hahaha) .. We havent done a Segway tour yet but really really must! We've missed it in Barca now but I feel like Germany could be a fun country to do it in as well :) xx

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  2. Wow that's so sweet...an open letter to ur mom......Barcelona is indeed a grt place to visit....the pics looks grt and ur having fun! Yay

    Btw do check out my new post
    Stay in touch
    Xo

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    1. haha yes I love my mum!! Thanks so much for your lovely comment. I dont get time whilst travelling to get to visit every single persons blog but as soon as Im home Ill be back to checking your posts daily Antee :) Hope everything is well xx

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  3. I would love love love to visit Barca and Guell park and Sagrada família... So envious of you, in a good way of course as always ;)
    xx Eve.h

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    1. Oh Eve I always look forward to seeing your lovely and thoughtful comments on the blog!! You are so incredibly cultured so would have gotten so much more out of all of the places I visited than me so I hope to one day read all about how you went to Barcelona & visted them too. I am sorry I can't comment on your blog so much travelling!! Once I'm home ill be back to checking in often :) I just read you're stressed about school. Remember the saying that 'this too shall pass' - so any stresses or worries are things you will always overcome...keep the eye on the prize which is you finishing with a degree!!! xx

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  4. I most definitely agree with you Anna, Spain is one of the most beautiful countries I've ever been to as well, i wish I never had to leave either.

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    1. Sam we are kindred souls!! Spain has stolen my heart (& Morgans too) ... we've vowed to be back within 2 years..if not for a longggg Summer then to at least live for 3 - 6 months. Hopefully we can make it happen x

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