Correfocs, etc. (best night ever!)

The weekend was shaping up to be memorable and Saturday night did not disappoint.

Luckily my roommate Alex guilted me into going into Barcelona early on Saturday evening for Correfoc.  Thank God!!! It ended up being one of the most memorable experiences of my life.  The celebration from my eyes was a mix between Dia de Los Muertos and Lunar New Year.  Parade participants dress in red, some as demons,  and literally spray you with fireworks from a devil's pitchfork.  Let me repeat that.  Spray You With Fireworks!  The girls and I have decided that the Health and Safety Commission of Barcelona must have been on holiday this weekend.  The fireworks for the most part were harmless.  I did get a tiny hole or two in my sweater though. What a nice keepsake!  Aside from the demons spraying you from their pitchfork, there are also dragons.  Firework breathing dragons.  In fact one was lit right in front of us and I though I was going to die from sheer excitement.  I have never had such a natural rush of adrenaline, anticipation, fear, and utter happiness.  I'm surprised my face isn't sore from smiling the whole night.

After Correfoc, the girls and I rushed to the subway so that we could make the FREE Belle and Sebastian show.  While on the subway, we ran into this woman and her son that had just been to the fire-run.  We told her this was our first time at Correfoc. She said "That doesn't surprise me", with a wink.  We chatted some more, and before we left the subway she told us, "Goodbye girls, keep having fun!"  For some reason, this really resonated with me.  It made me remember that part of the reason I am here is to do just that, have uninhibited, joyous fun.  And that is exactly what I did for the rest of the evening. 

We made it to the show early, which was held in a large opening outside an old Damm Brewing Factory.  Damm is the local brewery, and we were able to get beer tickets for 1 Euro.  Yes that needs repeating.  That's $1.27 for a beer. At a free concert. Unheard of in the States.  So we loaded up on beer tickets and made into the middle of the crowd just in time for one of the most memorable concerts I've ever been too.  Belle and Sebastian is such a happy band that they played the perfect music to fit the evening.  Thousands of people showed up to enjoy this night, and everyone seemed in as good a mood as me.  The city was so alive this weekend with locals out and about, loving their city.  It was contageous, and I look forward to many more nights like this.  I can't describe the concert in words, since it was more of an unexplainable feeling of joy. So I figure I'll let the music speak for itself. Twice. Ok three times, they're so good I should be listening to them right now.

Friday night: Dinner, Magic Fountain, and everything in between

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 The picture above is of "gegants" which were either finishing or beginning a parade celebrating La Mercè. They are papier maché giants used in many Catalonia celebrations.  I happened to stumble upon them near the MACBA, and they were a wonderful surprise.

This weekend was quite eventful, starting with a whirlwind evening on Friday night.  I went into Barcelona early to meet up with a friend and happened upon a stage in Plaza Catalonia.  This weekend the BAM music festival had stages all over the city where residents and tourists alike could enjoy free music.  It seemed like around every corner, there was a massive stage set up in an open plaza.  It was so exciting to see the city transform into an outdoor venue.  Unforunately, the evening was supposed to start with a walk through of the museum, but it was closed for the holiday (La Mercè).

Next was gelato and pizza while trying to figure out the Metro, and then the Magic Fountain.  The Magic Fountain is a beautiful fountain that has choreographed water shows to music.  We got some great photos of the show... until Sunil's wallet got stolen :-( Then it was a trip to the police station and we said goodbye.  Despite the damper at the end of the evening, it was nice to hang out with an American and get to know the city better!

I then ventured to meet up with my roommates for some shisha which ended up getting me lost for over an hour.  I traipsed through a neighborhood called "the diagonal", trying to find the street that I now believe does not exist.  I was stressful, but ultimately helpful to get lost, and eventually find my way back.  I feel much more comfortable with the city, and luckily there are always plenty of people walking around.

Then it was back home on the bus to rest for the next day....

My first night in Barcelona

Our first evening in Barcelona was definitely memorable.  We arrived in the city at about 7pm and went to a Mexican restaurant that Lucy had suggested.  The veggie quesadilla and the kooky decorations made me feel like I was back in California.  They even had mirror frames made out of bike tires. 

Next we headed over to La Bosc de Les Fades, or the Fairy Bar.  It was one of the coolest bars I've ever been too.  Fake trees and pools of water cover most of the bar, making you feel like you're a part of a fairy tail.  A side room is set up similar to the Haunted Mansion, making for an interesting juxtaposition.

After the Fairy Bar, we headed to Sub Rosa, a very warm and dark bar in an alley way off of a main plaza (I'm still trying to figure out location).  It was a nice change and felt very cozy, as we were there during happy hour ( ends at 11pm here).  As the bar started to fill up we decided to try another place that Lucy had been to.

Our last stop was L'Ovella Negra, or the Black Sleep.  This was a tavern style bar with tons of college students and twenty somethings.  I believe it was close to a University, and attracted both international students and young travelers from all over.  We met some guys from Andalucía (Southern Spain) who practiced their English with us.  

Finally at around 2, we decided to head to the bus.  What we didn't know is that this bus would drop us off 40 minutes walking distance away from our apartment. We ended up getting back at 4 am.  Getting back to our place will be a bit of an adjustment.  Either we get on the last train at 10:30pm, or wait for the bus which starts at 1:15 am and runs once an hour.  Or we could always wait for the train to start up again at 5am..... :-)

Until next time, ciao!

Meg
 

Festival/Barcelona photos

Click on this link to see more photos I took in La Garriga and Barcelona!

National Day of Catalonia

Last Friday, the girls (my roommates) and I were invited by some staff members to attend a festival celebrating the National Day of Catalonia.  It is the biggest day in Catalonia, as it celebrates their success in gaining autonomy from Spain.  You can read a little about the holiday here. 

The festival was very pretty and hundreds of people were out dancing a traditional dance called the Sardana.  Here is a clip I found online.  It's a bit shaky but showcases the detailed footwork that the dance requires.

There were also traditional sausage sandwiches which the girls said were very tasty.  I had to settle for a few Estrella beers.  They are the local brewery in Barcelona and the beer is quite good.  It was wonderful to see the people of the town out celebrating.  On the weekdays when we go out to get food, La Garriga is usually very quiet.  But on Sunday evenings and during town festivals, everyone comes out to celebrate and be a part of their community.

The meaning behind "Vale Barca!"

I decided to name my blog Vale Barca, because 'vale' is one of the first words I learned here. It means 'okay' in Castilian, as well as in Catalán.  Barca is just a nickname for Barcelona.  I hope to visit Barcelona as much as I can and say 'okay' to the adventures that present themselves to me.  I know it will be scary at first, but I am excited to open myself up to all the possibilities that this wonderful country has to offer.

Hello Spain!

Catalonian Adventure...
And so begins this new and:
exciting, scary, crazy, challenging, ecstatic, terrifying, lonely, growing, learning, sharing, loving, and living part of my life.


I'm here, I actually made it happen. I wanted something so badly that I risked many things to to be here, and here I am. I am feeling quite a few things, that sometimes it's hard to decipher. I go through many emotions in a day, but each day is so wonderful. Each day is so wonderful because I am challenging myself in a way that I have never done before. In this last week I have learned new things about myself, and the things I think I cannot accomplish, I have been able to.


The idea of not seeing everyone for nearly a year seems so mind-boggling and scary that I try not to think about it.  For now and probably the rest of my trip, I will learn to take things one day at a time.  Because that's what I have.  Each day has offered a new gift or challenge.  The fact that I have people near and far that care so much about me gives me the courage to wake up and face each day with hope and happiness.  I take everyone with me as I embark on this new and exciting journey!


Much love,


Meg