Well, here I am at work on my last day..! Don't really know what to say, but felt I should mark the occasion with something. In hindsight I can't believe how quickly the past months have gone, time really is flying these days. I've lived in and explored a beautiful city and still only got to know half of it, Barcelona is such a fascinating place and I think it really would take years to get to know it intimately, but I do feel like I have a really good feel for the place now. :)
Things I Will Miss About Barcelona:
- the amazing tapas and how cheap they are!
- the way the grannies and grandads dance along to the buskers in the Plaza Catalunya Metro station
- the very cheap wine :p
- the way everyone greets you with 'Hola' when you walk past them in your flat/see them in a lift, even if they've never seen you before
- the amazing laid back, bohemian culture, especially around the Raval and in all the little hidden streets with beautiful unique bars and cafés
- the tortilla available everywhere, the patatas bravas, the fuet, the croquetas... (I know, a lot of this seems to be about food..!)
- the GORGEOUS hot chocolate and pan con tomate at Café Zurich
- just...Café Zurich!
- walking down the Ramblas and feeling like you're in this cultural centre of the world, a meeting place where everyone from anywhere comes together
- Bracafé and DiBarCafé
- the Metro (I'm sorry but it's so handy!)
- The Gaudiiiii especially Parc Guell and being able to go there whenever I want..ahhh
- el botellón and partying til the next day
- how anything goes, you can dress how you like, be how you like and everyone just accepts that that's who you are
- my roof terrace!
- the amazing little bakeries (I'm sorry but the food is gorgeous here!!)
- The Balañes cinema and being able to watch the latest releases in Spanish (very good practice!)
- the communal flat dinners where everyone comes together and relaxes and has a great laugh
- the paella!!
So there's a little reminisce for you.. well, and for me.. I've had a fantastic time here, it's been hard at times, but the times I've had going out with friends and things have been awesome. I've met some wicked people and got some stunning memories (and photos which will go up soon, honest!) Can't say I'll really miss the job, though it's not that bad...for an office job...which I won't be getting myself into again any time soon hopefully! I feel like I've grown so much as a person from being here. I can't wait to get back to my home comforts but it's been great to get out there and experience life from another perspective.
See you all tomorrow night!!! :D I can't wait!!
Love you all so much, besoooos xxxxxxxxxxxx
Thursday 18 December 2008
Monday 1 December 2008
Decemberrr...
Today I'm at work, don't have much to do but yay it's the 1st December :)! So can start looking at events for January to write about, so at least that's something to do. Tis still very cold in here; I still need to buy some gloves, my hands get freezing from typing all day! Steph left on Saturday so have been trying to avoid realisation that she's not here any more, which was very effective thanks to Ru coming to visit!! :D Had an AMAZING weekend, was soo busy and did soo much sightseeing and things, was Ace :D but barely had any sleep lol, we kept having naps at random times of the day just to generate more energy to go out and do more stuff later! We went to all the Gaudi places - Sagrada Familia, then had a Menu del Dia for 10 euros which consisted of fideua (paella but with noodly pasta stuff instead of rice - am absolutely loving paella now!! Can't believe how much I like seafood now considering a couple of years ago I would not have TOUCHED it..is mad! :)) and then squid rings which were sooo good at this place..then had a fruit salad for pudding, plus bread and a drink. What a bargain! Then went on to Casa Batllo (I refused to do the audio tour again lol - Ruth did some but found it too funny/ridiculous so gave up) then wandered down Passeig de Gracia and looked around at pretty lights and stuff, then went home for a nap I think lol..got up quite late, went for pizza eventually at Calero's in Sants (soo good! Got sangria too :D), then went back to flat, got ready to go out and drank whiskey neat (was about 6 euros, was like lighter fluid lol, but oh well, was only alcohol we had!!) then went to Jamboree :D I used my card and got in free!! But split entry with Ru as was 10 euros. Got drinks and sat drinking and listening to music/people watching then went and danced. Met random friendly Spanish people and danced with them, then randomly these Irish blokes came and danced with us (must've noticed we were English cause we were singing all the words!) for the rest of the night! Was an AWESOME night, the music was fantastic! Drinks 9 euros though, eeek! Had said we'd leave early because we wanted to get up on Sunday but that didn't really happen lol, was too fun!! Staggered home to bed at 6am and still managed to get up at 9/9.30 (have NO idea how!), made it out of the house by about 11.30 (took a while to get ready, were basically zombified at that point..) and headed for Pl. Espanya on metro to change for Paral.lel to go to Montjuic and cable cars :D stopped off at Espanya cause Ruth wanted to see the Art Gallery thing by the fountains; there was some kind of kids' marathon event going on..! Loads of advertising and people everywhere, think a radio station too. Took photos then went to get metro. Took funicular (funny train thing that goes up hill) to Montjuic, got cable cars which I'd never done before - sooo cool!! Views over whoole city, could see the sea and everything, amazing :) was gutted I hadn't got to take Quinny there tbh, he would've loved it. Got to top and went round Montjuic castle - again, spectacular panoramic views, soo cool. Took lots of photos and went to café in castle to get sandwich for lunch. Headed back on cable cars and made way to Parc Guell :D again, amazing views, as always! Quite busy yesterday; was about 3ish when went, so probs quite popular jaunt on Sunday afternoon. Looked round a few of the tacky tourist shops on way back hehe; really considering getting an I <3 BCN t shirt! Don't know if I'd actually wear it though lol; these things always seem like a good idea at the time..hmm maybe. After that went to La Pedrera (Casa Milà); haven't been since I've lived here, was really cool :) Love the roof. Again couldn't be arsed with audio tour lol, was so shattered, not in mood for learning! Had very cool but very expensive gift shop; bought a few cool postcards with things written on that remind me of Barcelona :) wandered back down Pg. de Gracia into the centre; have found way to Gothic Quarter that I can actually remember, yay! Saw some cool buskers and dance troupes in Portal de l'Angel on way to Cathedral. Walked around it; is sooo ornate in there. Amazing. Was a Christmas market in square outside; oh yeah, we went round the Christmas markets outside the Sagrada Familia too! Sooo many 'cagatios' everywhere hahaha - basically 'pooing logs' - will explain if you ask..! Had explained story behind them to Ru and she kept laughing when we saw them lol. Oh yeah we got churros when we went to Sagrada Familia too - soooo good! So fatty though lol. Had very unhealthy weekend! Anyway... speaking of which haha, got waffles after looking around cathedral, from the place on Portal de l'Angel where it always smells so good! Had toffee and cream again - good, but has to be said, not nearly as good as the one I got from Patagonia when Quinny came to visit (but that was INCREDIBLE, so yeah.). Will remember that..! Then were so tired that we headed home for another nap. Can't believe we'd managed to keep going til that point on 3 hours sleep! Slept til about 9.30pm, then went to town to walk round Port and down the Rambla. Didn't have long as metro shut at 12, but Ru wanted to see port while she was there. She loved the buildings down there, and tried to take picture of Columbus' column but was very dark - he should be better lit at night, I thought he was! Not good enough lol. Headed back to Sants to get tapas at El Bocata, which I'd been eagerly anticipating all day :D Was mercifully open; was scared I was going to be disappointed! But oh no hehe :D had pan con tomate, prawns, bombas, bravas, fuet (Catalan chorizo thing, they sell it everywhere here, is soooo good!), chicken croquetas and queso manchego, which I was a bit apprehensive about as am pretty hit and miss with cheeses, but was perfect! Still 1,99 a plate :D love them!! And 1,50 wine :D and 1,90 beer! My kinda place :D so bill was about 17 euro...amazing. And it's right next door to mine! A real find, that one :D After tapas went home and went pretty much straight to bed lol, was not as exhausted after nap in evening but still slept like a log. :) AWESOME weekend!!
So...this week! Mulling through work today; then may or may not go to gym; have stuff with me but inexplicably came down with streaming cold over weekend, am slightly better now but still not feeling fab so we shall see. However if I go straight home I will probs just be bored; don't really feel like reading all night, may do later but not for whole evening. Have got loads of stuff to get on with though; MUST do some washing, room is a bin! Also still need to pick up this thing from the post office, but it's so out of the way and it's such a pain if it's not open when I get there (as it wasn't last time)...may do that on Wednesday, not sure. So yeah, oo think tonight I was gonna treat myself to settling down with one of Quinny's DVDs, so may do that. :) Early nights this week, methinks - am shattered and really want to be in tip top condition for Friday - am going to Manchester!!! :D:D:D Am sooo excited, miss Quinny sooo much and absolutely can't WAIT to see him :D So at least I have that to look forward to. Spoke to Maria on Friday; basically looks like we won't have internet before I leave :( they've been constantly ringing Telefonica to try and get a phone line installed but simply can't get through, and without that, we can't get internet :( GAAAYYY ARSES. Spanish Admin is SHOD; I shall never complain about English organisation again! Have dentist tomorrow after work; am even seeing that as a way to fill the time, if that gives you some idea of my boredom/loneliness lol. NO, positive thinking!! Will be nice to have healthy clean teeth for Christmas holidays :) haha. Then probably gym again; think I'm gonna be eating soup for pretty much the rest of the time I'm here - have 7 tins now after Mum and Quinny bringing me supplies when they came to visit! Am very grateful but have been rationing them and now have loads and only 2 1/2 weeks left lol! Lots of soup for Nikki...oh well, need to be healthier anyway! Then Wednesday was planning on treating myself to going to Starbucks in the evening to use Skype and WiFi in general as have none at home and nowhere to speak to people any more. (the Gayness of it all.) So may do that; really want to go to gym as much as possible before I leave though - will not have gym membership at home and is great to have it! Have Facebooked a couple of my mates here asking if they want to meet up for coffee/cinema/generally do stuff lol, hoping I can fill my time reasonably well. Read email from Uni today though saying about how proactive we should be being in our language learning, but it's so bloody hard to meet Spanish people!! Seriously, they're a lot more elusive than you'd think; going home to their parents every weekend, I dunno. GAH. So that's put me on a bit of a downer today; I'm trying to put in all this effort, I really am, but it's exhausting enough living out here in a foreign country and culture on your own with pretty much no friends, without adding to your plate all these extra activities which involve speaking in Spanish all the time, which is brain-frying enough. *sigh*..I swear hardly anyone else is really getting much Spanish either, though; from what I see on facebook, everyone is pretty much hanging out with the other English uni people in their city and just doing stuff with them all the time. So I don't feel quite so bad; but then from a personal point of view, I really want MY Spanish to improve, it doesn't matter what everyone else is doing...! SIIIGH. I think it's got better but I'm really disappointed in my job, tbh; I really thought I'd be a lot more submerged than I have been, and while it does mean it's nice and easy going, it's not exactly helping me improve as I'd hoped it would. Grrrr. Oh well, maybe I'll just go to the Spanish cinema like every night until I leave lol.
Also, CATHERINE'S COMING TO VISIT!!! On the 17th!! AND she's flying back with meee!!! So I will a) have someone to keep me company all the way home! and b) she's bringing a suitcase so I can put a load of my stuff in it and hopefully won't be over the weight limit!!! Which was looking like a major dilemma, so am Sooo pleased about that! And yaaay I'll have someone to go round all the Christmassy markets and things with :) I can't wait to see her!!
Having very mixed feelings about leaving now; I can't WAIT to be home, but I'm pretty aware it's probably gonna be an anticlimax, especially considering how much I've built it up lol. It'll still be nice though, and AWESOME to see everyone. Also, I really want to appreciate it here while I'm here, not least cause if I do that then the contrasts of home will be even more apparent (in a good way :)). Am reeally gonna miss the amazing food here though, and the atmosphere; the Gaudi things and being able to go to Parc Guell whenever I want; the way there's always a buzz in the city and something going on; the countless new places to explore...I love it here. The real shame is that I don't really have anyone to see it with. I really wish you guys were out here.
See you on the 19th!!!! I can't wait!!
Love you all loads xxxxxxxxx
So...this week! Mulling through work today; then may or may not go to gym; have stuff with me but inexplicably came down with streaming cold over weekend, am slightly better now but still not feeling fab so we shall see. However if I go straight home I will probs just be bored; don't really feel like reading all night, may do later but not for whole evening. Have got loads of stuff to get on with though; MUST do some washing, room is a bin! Also still need to pick up this thing from the post office, but it's so out of the way and it's such a pain if it's not open when I get there (as it wasn't last time)...may do that on Wednesday, not sure. So yeah, oo think tonight I was gonna treat myself to settling down with one of Quinny's DVDs, so may do that. :) Early nights this week, methinks - am shattered and really want to be in tip top condition for Friday - am going to Manchester!!! :D:D:D Am sooo excited, miss Quinny sooo much and absolutely can't WAIT to see him :D So at least I have that to look forward to. Spoke to Maria on Friday; basically looks like we won't have internet before I leave :( they've been constantly ringing Telefonica to try and get a phone line installed but simply can't get through, and without that, we can't get internet :( GAAAYYY ARSES. Spanish Admin is SHOD; I shall never complain about English organisation again! Have dentist tomorrow after work; am even seeing that as a way to fill the time, if that gives you some idea of my boredom/loneliness lol. NO, positive thinking!! Will be nice to have healthy clean teeth for Christmas holidays :) haha. Then probably gym again; think I'm gonna be eating soup for pretty much the rest of the time I'm here - have 7 tins now after Mum and Quinny bringing me supplies when they came to visit! Am very grateful but have been rationing them and now have loads and only 2 1/2 weeks left lol! Lots of soup for Nikki...oh well, need to be healthier anyway! Then Wednesday was planning on treating myself to going to Starbucks in the evening to use Skype and WiFi in general as have none at home and nowhere to speak to people any more. (the Gayness of it all.) So may do that; really want to go to gym as much as possible before I leave though - will not have gym membership at home and is great to have it! Have Facebooked a couple of my mates here asking if they want to meet up for coffee/cinema/generally do stuff lol, hoping I can fill my time reasonably well. Read email from Uni today though saying about how proactive we should be being in our language learning, but it's so bloody hard to meet Spanish people!! Seriously, they're a lot more elusive than you'd think; going home to their parents every weekend, I dunno. GAH. So that's put me on a bit of a downer today; I'm trying to put in all this effort, I really am, but it's exhausting enough living out here in a foreign country and culture on your own with pretty much no friends, without adding to your plate all these extra activities which involve speaking in Spanish all the time, which is brain-frying enough. *sigh*..I swear hardly anyone else is really getting much Spanish either, though; from what I see on facebook, everyone is pretty much hanging out with the other English uni people in their city and just doing stuff with them all the time. So I don't feel quite so bad; but then from a personal point of view, I really want MY Spanish to improve, it doesn't matter what everyone else is doing...! SIIIGH. I think it's got better but I'm really disappointed in my job, tbh; I really thought I'd be a lot more submerged than I have been, and while it does mean it's nice and easy going, it's not exactly helping me improve as I'd hoped it would. Grrrr. Oh well, maybe I'll just go to the Spanish cinema like every night until I leave lol.
Also, CATHERINE'S COMING TO VISIT!!! On the 17th!! AND she's flying back with meee!!! So I will a) have someone to keep me company all the way home! and b) she's bringing a suitcase so I can put a load of my stuff in it and hopefully won't be over the weight limit!!! Which was looking like a major dilemma, so am Sooo pleased about that! And yaaay I'll have someone to go round all the Christmassy markets and things with :) I can't wait to see her!!
Having very mixed feelings about leaving now; I can't WAIT to be home, but I'm pretty aware it's probably gonna be an anticlimax, especially considering how much I've built it up lol. It'll still be nice though, and AWESOME to see everyone. Also, I really want to appreciate it here while I'm here, not least cause if I do that then the contrasts of home will be even more apparent (in a good way :)). Am reeally gonna miss the amazing food here though, and the atmosphere; the Gaudi things and being able to go to Parc Guell whenever I want; the way there's always a buzz in the city and something going on; the countless new places to explore...I love it here. The real shame is that I don't really have anyone to see it with. I really wish you guys were out here.
See you on the 19th!!!! I can't wait!!
Love you all loads xxxxxxxxx
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