It was the best of times it was the worst of times..

Hmmm, Barcelona where do I begin?

Okay Friday was our last night in Florence, and everyone was really sad. And it was great to be hugging and loving everyone and seeing all the people you came to really be friends with, but it stunk because well...we're leaving. So Saturday was the day that everyone's planes were taking them back to the good ole u.s.a- but Devon and I had a flight that evening to none other than Barcelona! 

It was a weird day, we were all packed and the apartment was completely empty which was just so strange.

We make it to the airport with enough time to make sure we're not running around like crazy people, make it through checking bags and security la la la.

Our flight was going to Frankfurt and then we were to have another to take us to Barcelona- WELP the flight was delayed, which meant Devy and I were SPRINTING through the airport to make it to the next flight.

I had one hand on my backpack to make sure it didn't unzip on me, and the two of us were just flailing through the airport hoping to make it- good news, we did!

We get into Barcelona and it is POURING RAIN. Torrential downpour, nottttt looking promising for the week we planned to spend on the beach. By the time we got our bags and took the bus into the city center it was around 12:30-1 am. The directions the hostel gave us said to take the metro and go from there.

The plot thickens!

Barcelona is known for thieveys and mean people that steal your things! They're so stealth! So when one minute Devon had her wallet AND THE NEXT MINUTE SHE DID NOT...it was terrible.

We're in the metro and she realizes it is most definitely gone so she goes up to see if maybe it was dropped or something (usually the people that steal just want your cash and do not care about the cards etc.)

While she is doing that, I am standing guard  over our two rolly luggages, my backpack and her bag. This guy comes and sits down right next to her bag and immediately starts looking down at it and smiling and then waves his friends over. SERIOUSLY, we just got stolen from and now I am going to have to deal with this? (Naturally my first instinct was to pop out my umbrella so they would know I mean business, I was gonna hit them with it!) I had to grab the bag and then drag all our stuff away, meanwhile they were laughing. I hated it.

Devon came back THANK GOODNESS, sans wallet unfortunately and we got onto the metro. 

We get off the metro, and the rest of the directions from the hostel STINK. They were very vague and it was still pouring, goodness gracious it was the worst. We flag down a taxi and ask him to take us and he starts saying no because it is close and he doesn't want to take our money.

TAKE MY MONEY! IT IS RAINING LIKE I HAVE NEVER SEEN AND I AM LOST!

(while this exchange was going down my umbrella flipped inside out...awesome)

We made it to the hostel after all of that- took care of canceling Devon's cards and swore up and down that we were NEVER leaving the hostel ever.

Sunday after a whole nights sleep and a shower, we decided that we would in fact leave our hostel and see what else Barcelona had in store for us.

We walked La Rambla which is a street lined with trees and has all these vendors and little shops set up outside on the street. There were also some pretty cool street performers we spotted out there.

Flowers for sale!

THEY HAVE STARBUCKS IN BARCELONA! It went from being - 1000 points to +1000 in that moment! We were so happy...

After walking around there we went to Parc Guell. Parc Guell is a garden with realllllly cool architecture done by Antoni Gaudi. Coolest park I've ever been to! 

We spent a lot of time there, it was great/ very relaxing and exactly what we needed! 

Our hostel was more like a hotel, and we went back to check out the pool on the roof!

Mostly our agenda consisted of, exploring something in the city early in the morning and then hitting the beach for the rest of the day. It was a lovely agenda.

We went to La Boqueria- which is a large public market. It was a lot like the Central Market in Florence (sighhhh) but it had wayyyy more candy! And it was much more colorful!

We went to Bar Lobo for lunch and it was SOOOO good! Did things right and and got tapas- fried artichokes and patatas bravas, mmmmmmm! 

One of our favorite things about the beach was the restaurants and bars that were oh so conveniently close. We got this smoothie that was coconut, strawberry, banana and milk DELICIOUS! It was called the "barcelona beach" and we got one every day. I miss them, they were great. I wanted to swim in them or have a never-ending-always-refilling cup!

We were told that 1. if you are in Barcelona you have to go to Sagrada Familia or you are a terrible tourist and 2. when you go, go early to miss the line.

EVERY MORNING we set alarms for 8:30 so we could get up and go, and EVERY MORNING I was shocked when I didn't wake up until 10! However, on the last full day we had, we did it- got up at 8:30 and made it (and lo and behold there was no line!)

The architect Gaudi (responsible for Parc Guell and a lot of other really awesome buildings throughout Barcelona) started this church but died before it was finished. He left such specific instructions though that they can finish it, and are still in the process of doing so! This was on par for me with the Duomo or the Eiffel Tower, I REALLY liked it! And how cool that it is still being built?!

Me and Devy outside!

All around Barcelona were these signs for "Bicing" (pronounced bi-sthing with a little lisp) and they have all these bikes lined up at them and they are all around the city so you could go from one place and drop off the bike at another place! Devon and I decided that we should try it. So we're on these bikes still attached to the post trying to figure out how the heck they get off of there and this man walks up and puts his bike back. Devon calls out "WAIT how do you get them off?" And he asked us if we had our card

 ( har har Devon doesn't, her wallet got stolen!) SURPRISE he wasn't talking about a credit card, you need a residents card. Because only people that live in Barcelona are allowed to use the Bices (bikes)!

Pretty cool! Every time we saw someone Bicing after that we knew they were a native.

On our last night we went out to a nice tapas dinner and got some really great sangria!

I ordered more fried artichokes, patata bravas and a greek salad. Devon was getting the same and saw that they had cheeseburgers so she ordered that. Our waiter was like " Do you want one or two" and we were both kind of surprised like how in the heck does someone eat two cheeseburgers!

OH THAT'S HOW! They are bite size!

Despite its terrible beginning, Barcelona ended up being so much fun. And mostly I was just glad that Devon and I had extended our trip together (no way was I ready to leave her yet)

We safely and soundly made it back to Florence for one last great night!