Kiki & Bug

No, but really, you’ll wish you had bought a one way flight to this amazing country after experiencing it too. I honestly have nothing but incredible things to say about our time in Spain. Everyone always says there’s this “vacation bubble” we are all in when we travel somewhere new and that may be true but I can truthfully say that out of all my travels Spain was definitely in the top three! The culture, the architecture, the people, and my god the tapas and wine! You’ll never experience anything better.

I swear I still have dreams about fresh Jamón ibérico sandwiched in between two pieces of french bread, drizzled with delicious Spanish olive oil. I debated joining a monthy Jamón ibérico club just so it could be shipped to my house monthly. A whole leg of dried meat on my doorstep, that’s how real the cravings were y’all and it would’ve been worth every damn penny.

Barcelona was our first stop. The city was so vibrant and beautiful. You immediately feel this sense of curiosity and need to explore every square mile of this gorgeous place. We wasted no time dropping our things off in our hotel–which was air conditioned and let me just say, thank God I made that choice because being their at the end of June right as the heat wave was rolling in I would’ve surely died. And I’m a Texan, so that’s saying something. That Spanish sun is no joke. Anyway, we spent the first day in Barcelona walking around the city and getting a feel for the little neighborhood we had now immersed ourselves in for the next few days. Our hotel was right next to the Arco de Triunfo so naturally that had to be our first stop. I’ve never seen the Arc de Triomphe in Paris but I can’t imagine it being any more beautiful than the one in Barcelona. It was magnificent. Tons of street performers gathered there in the evening time and during the day street vendors selling all kinds of goods crowd the walkways leading up to it.

As we continued our walk it seemed everywhere I looked people were laughing in jovial conversation with friends and family over a glass of wine or a beer. It later occurred to me after passing by so many of these same scenarios that it was the middle of the day on a week day! I thought to myself, “Wait a minute…Do any of these people work?” I wanted to go up to some of these people and ask them “Excuse me, what do you do for a living? Because whatever it is I want to work there too if you’re here at a restaurant enjoying a cold glass of beer at 3:00 in the afternoon!” I would’ve too, but my boyfriend convinced me not to. He said it’s their way of life. It’s different from ours. All I can say is, America, what are we doing?! But maybe that’s just me that finds drinking in the middle of the day to be a strong selling point for a career change haha.

“My only regret in life is that I did not drink more wine.” -Ernest Hemingway

We walked and walked and walked some more. A prerequisite for pretty much any European city. Finally, we stumbled upon the holy grail of market places, Mercado de La Boqueria. It was beyond anything I had ever seen. Fresh produce, fish, meat and so much more! I could go on and on through the list of things you’ll find in this market but all you need to know is just DO IT! You won’t be sorry. There are tons of restaurants scattered throughout and on the outskirts of the market serving up delectable tapas and fresh seafood. The aroma of Spanish cuisine lingered everywhere we walked. Another plus about Spain, once you are there, food and drinks are relatively inexpensive. Of course, if you want a high dollar meal you can always find one but for breakfasts and tapas you can definitely do it on the cheap.

Spain offers such an incredible lifestyle you often find yourself wondering what it would be like to live in a place like this. I’ve done it. I Googled the cost of living and how much I could make teaching English in Spain (not much by the way, in case you were wondering) because that’s what this place does to you. You can see yourself immersed in its culture everyday. It’s that seductive.

Barcelona To-Do List:

• Park Güell- They offer you spectacular views of the city. Word to the wise, if you go in the summer months bring water. You’re climbing a lot and the heat can be brutal.
• La Sagrada Familia- Book tickets if you’d like the tour inside at least a couple of months in advance. I waited too long and we were not able to get in since summer is their busiest tourist season.
• Mercado de la Boqueria– Try EVERYTHING! Eat till you drop!
• Bar Marsella- An old absinthe bar that used to be frequented by famous writers like Ernest Hemingway. I was an English major in school so this was extremely appealing to me to sit where some of the worlds’ greatest writers sat. The absinthe however…. let’s just say it didn’t agree with me. Salud!
• La Rambla- A famous street in Barcelona with endless amounts of shopping!
• Moniberic- My favorite place on earth. Get one of their sandwiches with fresh Jamón ibérico and go sit on a park bench. And under 5 Euros if I remember correctly!
• Terrace La Isabela- Grab a cocktail and some tapas at this stunning rooftop restaurant. The views are spectacular. We went at sunset and it was so romantic. Tip: make reservations ahead and try their potatas bravas!

---

Take Me To the Coast.

• 

• 

When we decided on a day trip outside of Barcelona we really didn’t know much about the surrounding areas and kind of just chose a place on a whim. But, holy crap did we find a gem. We ended up in Tossa de Mar after a short bus ride from Barcelona’s station. When we got there I felt like I stepped off that bus into Heaven. It is easily one of the most beautiful, quaint, friendly little towns I’ve ever been to. It transports you from this big metropolitan city to a quiet, relaxing paradise all within a couple of hours. The Mediterranean coast is a work of art. Its waters are unparalleled and also, quite cold, so I found it’s best to just commit to it and jump in full force. You look all around you and from every vantage point or angle you see beauty. From the architecture in the town itself and the winding small allies to the beach. It’s just breathtaking. As if I hadn’t been sold on Spain enough as it is, this sealed the deal for me. I was ready to pack my bags and move to this piece of paradise on the coast of Spain. My only wish is we could’ve stayed longer and made our stay in Tossa de Mar a two or three day experience. Although, I don’t know if my skin could handle that, seeing as I got quite sunburned after just one day in the sun there. But I’d do it a million times over again.

Spain is a magical place that everyone should have the opportunity to visit. I hope you do and you find our experiences helpful to you! Adios!

Till next time, y’all.

-Kristen Jean