3 days in Barcelona

So, for the first time ever I went to mainland Spain. For the first time I went to Barcelona. A city I had read about in the unforgettable book The Shadow of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, (a book I wept dearly over when I was done reading it). And my urge to visit Barcelona was even more nurtured when I read the powerful Cathedral of the Sea by Ildefonso Falcones, a book set in the medieval Barcelona.

In One Word, my dearies: Amazing. Amazing Barcelona. The architecture, the food, the feeling... . Yup - this is a city I would go back to. But only 3 days, what to see, where to go? Not a chance that I am "done" with this city. Here are my top 3 days - 5 Barcelona moments:

1. Strolling at Mercat de la Boqueria. I do have a soft spot for market places like this: the whole atmosphere; strolling around in between stalls selling fruit, vegetables, nuts, dried fruit, sweets, oil, juice, ham etc. Yes, a bit touristy perhaps, located as it is just by Los Ramblas, but still a fun place to explore.

2. Exploring the churches and architecture in general. Oh yes, it was pretty amazing to see the breathtaking grandious churches from the books I had been reading. The gorgeous Santa Maria del Mar, and the one-of -a kind Sagrada Familia. I liked strolling around in the narrow alleyways of the area Barri Gotic, and to walklike a queen down the broad majestetic avenues.

3. A morning at Camp Nou. Yes, since one of my travel companions is a huuuge football fan, a visit to Camp Nou, the largest football stadium in Europe was a must. And it was fun! Together with almost 100.000 visitors you can watch Messi and his team.

4. A lazy afternoon at Barceloneta, the large beach located in the centre of the city. And what amazing combination: a sweathy morning in the city, and then a lazy afternoon on the beach, streched out, sipping a cold drink while watching the sun set over the sea. Beautiful.

5. Brunching at Rekons (Comte d'Urgell 32). The food in Barcelona deserves a chapter of its own really. In short: We Ate Well. Lots of Tapas: small dishes that just kept coming. Small grilled green peppers, ham, small pies, olives... Our favorites turned out to be the small places in the university areas. Places like Rekons, where they made our huge salad as we watched - all fresh, cheap and sooo tasty...

So long Barcelona. Hope to see you again:-)