¡AY! Apologies for my insane tardiness! No doubt you all have been waiting anxiously, staring at your computer screens waiting for an update! Here you go, part 1 of 2 because it appears as though I have two weeks worth to tell.
First, the weather has become obnoxiously beautiful and the streets have become full of fanny packs and cameras (I’m talking about tourists). I’ve never felt more Spanish than when I quietly growl as I weave through the maze of unfolded maps in the middle of the sidewalks. Everybody is wantin’ a piece of sunny Sevilla! However I don’t blend in too well as I’d like to, as I strut down the streets in shorts and a t-shirt in, what I find to be, delightful 75 degree weather. Apparently eggs must be frying on the sidewalks before Sevillanos change from leggings/tights/jackets/scarves into skimpier clothing. Oh well, for now I will tolerate the puzzled looks as passersby with a tolerable internal temperature.
I found at least one other person who shares my wardrobe philosophy during my second trip to Barcelona. While enjoying some nice Mediterranean sun on a considerably chillier beach, my friends and I were baffled by the appearance of a completely NUDE man strolling down the shore. I wasn’t sure whether to be more surprised that he was naked or to be impressed that he didn’t seem phased by the brisk breeze and left all other beach goers with their jackets fully zipped. Ultimately, I decided to admire the confidence this middle-aged man had with his body and accepted the experience as an example of my new motto, “No Shame Spain.” Not to say that anyone will see me lounging by the Guadalquivir river in my birthday suit anytime soon, but that I have adopted a less inhibited attitude while being here.
The rest of the Barcelona trip didn’t contain any other blush-worthy moments, but I did make sure to catch some other sights that I didn’t see the first time. We accompanied our fellow Muhlenbergers (who were visiting from Italy) on their first churro experience; I didn’t mind having to indulge again in these soul-soothing treats. We also explore the Chocolate Museum and saw some impressive chocolatey displays. Later that evening we hiked all the way out to Montjuic to view the special fountain light show. The 15 minute show was super cool and was complemented with the most random selection of music.
We intended to take another visit to Parc Güell on Sunday morning, but awoke to a dreary, drizzly day. We instead got a quick jolt from café con leche in a local cafe and took to wandering some streets. We stumbled upon a little shop that sells all types of olive oil, and were treated to a quick tasting. I hadn’t known how many different varieties of this precious little oil there were, but I definitely left with a better appreciation of the Spanish staple. The skies eventually cleared up to reveal a GORGEOUS day, but alas, we didn’t have time to make the trek to the park. We finished off the morning sitting by the charming harbor, people watching and enjoying the tunes blasting out of a little waffle stand.
Overall, this trip sucked a large quantity of money out of my bank account, but it was still fun to explore some of the aspects of the city that I missed the first time. I also just love passing the time sipping on a beverage, and munching on a tapa, just soaking in everything around me!
Coming up soon is the recap of this past week that I spent with my family here in Sevilla! Stick around!
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