Barcelona

     Due to an unfortunate storm throughout Europe, my flight from Lyon to Madrid was delayed for many hours and then finally cancelled altogether.  I was really disappointed because I was going to be able to see my friend Crisa who i haven't seen in 2 years and was finally going to see Madrid as well.  However, Easyjet informed us that the next flight available to Madrid wasn't until 3 days later.  By that time, I was already supposed to be wrapping up my stay in Madrid to go to Barcelona.  That said, I decided to stay in Lyon for a few nights and just make my way to Barcelona directly.  I ended up taking the train for about 8 hours from Lyon to Barcelona, passing through the Pyrenees.  The trains were miraculously all on time, and I made it into Barcelona a little early!
     It took me about 10 minutes to know that I LOVED Barcelona.  It may have been the joy of getting off of an 8-hour train, or the wandering down Las Ramblas full of colorful street performers and vendors, or the extremely high percentage of sexy Spanish men, but I knew immediately that this was a city I'd have to come back to again.  I only had plans to be in Barcelona for 3 nights before heading to Italy, so I needed to make the most of it.  Amazingly, my friend Joanna (with whom I was staying), lives RIGHT in the Gothic part of the city, on a narrow street lined with funky shops and bars that shoots off from the famous Las Ramblas.  It was a perfect place to have as a home base.  Barcelona is actually fairly walkable.  At least, that's how I decided to spend my days.  Since I didn't have any tourist plan, and Joanna was mostly working the whole time (she's an architect and had a huge project due the day I left), I spent my hours wandering aimlessly throughout the city and seeing whatever sights came along.  There are still parts of the city I didn't get to see that I would have wanted to.  Unluckily for me, it was raining most of the time I was there, and I managed to get bronchitis.  Retrospectively, the fact that I loved Barcelona so much while it was pouring rain and I felt like death really means something!  I really want to go back when it's warmer, sunny, and I'm not seriously ill.  Here are some pictures with descriptions to follow.  Enjoy!

Gaudi's Cathedral Sagrada Famiglia

The Sagrada Familia face up-close

More Gaudi architecture dispersed around the city

People lining up to tour one of the Gaudi houses

Checking out the Mediterranean from Barcelona

Fish sculpture by Frank Gehry along the seaside, put there for the 1992 olympics

Some Catalan along the beach, giant Sail building (a hotel) in the distance

Seaside coastline from the pier

A typical street in Barceloneta, a quaint and traditional seaside neighborhood of Barcelona

Las Ramblas at a quiet moment.  The Ramblas is usually too crowded to get a decent picture.  However, I took this right after it had stopped raining and just before sun set, so most of the street performers and people strolling had gone inside.

Strange things you can buy along Las Ramblas... roosters.

Typical snack food... CHURROS!  We dipped these in hot chocolate that was as thick as pudding.  Perfecto.