I apologize for my current lack of presence in the blogasphyre. However, the last two weeks have been very busy with sharing our findings with my lovely parents who thought they would take a jaunt overseas for a visit. We have been showing them all of the marvels of Barcelona, and finding a few previously undiscovered hidden gems along the way. For example; we finally made it to the market located on the infamous La Rambla street which is described in all the guide books as... well.. not awesome for young blonde girls. Turns out... they lied.
La Boquaria market is definitely something that should not be missed. The one Euro fresh squeezed juices, literally in ever single imaginable flavor, are beyond description. There are little restaurants located throughout the market if you care to stop for a bite to eat. I have to admit that fish markets here are far more appealing here in Spain than they were in Greece. Mostly because they smell fresh and not overly fishy, but not being ogled at by every single man, women in Greece are not commonly found in the fish markets, doesn't hurt either. So if you're ever in Barcelona, don't let all the guide books and internet sites lead you astray from La Rambla. Yes, you need a heightened sense of self awareness and to walk with purpose with your belongings in front of you, but you'll manage just fine, and will miss out if you don't pony up to taking on new territory.
We spent three days on the Catalan island Mallorca, or Majorca. Staying in a quaint sea-side hotel at Puerto do Soller made for picturesque evenings, and sunny mornings. So sunny in fact that I even have a sun burn on my chest fully equipped with a stripe left behind by my bag. A day in Palma, the 'big' city on the island, made for an interesting walk, custom made street jewelry, music and dancing, and the best ice cream on the face of the earth. Cherrymania is everything and more you want out of an ice cream. With cherry cream circled with fresh, real cherry syrup, none of that maraschino crap, accompanied by chunks of dark chocolate and decorated with a generous amount of fresh juicy cherries, I don't think I will ever taste an ice cream as wonderful as Cherrymania.
While I thoroughly enjoy having a unique name, my childhood self was always disappointed by all those named artifacts found in gift shops. You know, magnets, water bottles, pens/pencils, bracelets, all with the most common English names already inscribed on them like they were just waiting there for you to find them. Yes, they were never waiting for me. On the odd occasion I would find one with 'Brynn' on it, but sadly not the way I spell my Bryn. So when a young Korean couple appeared to be making hand written custom silver wire necklaces I was overly thrilled.
This delicate beauty cost me 4 Euros, but I easily would have paid 20 for it for my childhood self.
Another perk, and sometimes disadvantage, of traveling with my marathon running mother is that she likes to walk.... A LOT. So naturally one of days was spent hiking and walking to several towns on Mallorca. She estimated that we walked 14-16 Km that day. But it was worth it to really see the island. The sunburn on my chest may bag to differ, but it's collateral damage bound to accompany the true discovery of a tropical place.
Back in Barcelona now for only two days of teaching. There is a general strike tomorrow that people of all backgrounds will attend. Even if we were to come to the school we would find virtually no teachers and very few students. However the lack of transportation workers would prevent us from making the trip. So tomorrow will be a walking/ relaxing day. I'm interested in what will transpire in Barcelona tomorrow, and while I understand the complications that could transpire, I wish I could be a fly on the wall in order to better understand what the Spanish people are fighting for.
My 24th birthday will be one spent flying to another new place this Saturday as we begin Easter break. Eleven days of adventure throughout Southern Spain and Portugal sounds like a nice way to begin a new year.
For now, I miss you...
xoxo
B
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