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Barcelona.
This city fully lives up to the hype.
For me, it was a nonstop, practically sleepless adventure that made me feel less like a solo traveler and more like one part of a larger community. Every single day here felt like a movie, and when I look back, it really feels like I spent way longer than just five days here.
I stayed in a 14-person room at the Black Swan hostel, just off of the Gothic Quarter. This hostel is in a great location, with good beds and amenities (and even free dinners and sangria), but it's the social life that is the real selling point. I met so many cool people from all over the world, and every day and every night the hostel would have something new planned; I can't recommend it enough. Sometimes, it even felt hard to find the time to go out alone during the day and shoot street photography, like I've been doing in other cities, because of the sheer amount of activities that kept popping up. Like on my first day, when I arrived and was instantly swept up in the night and party activities of the hostel, barely even having time to go to the laundromat.
Of course, I still did get some street photos. How could I not, with all the life this city has to offer?
Off Las Ramblas
Cracks in Society
Wanderer
You can't visit Barcelona and not go to the beach. On my first full day, I went with some friends from the hostel to Platja del Bogatell, and we spent the whole afternoon swimming, chatting, and tossing my frisbee. Even in mid September, the days were hot and the Mediterranean waters were warm. I even spent some time playing spikeball with these French dudes who needed a fourth player. I'm surprised spikeball is a thing outside of America!
I'd recommend Bogatell beach over Barceloneta, the main beach at the end of Las Ramblas, in the heart of the city. Even though it's a little bit further out from things, Bogatell is less busy and attracts less hawkers (at least in my experience). On a different afternoon, one of the rare afternoons where I actually went out to do street photography, I found myself at Barceloneta. I couldn't really go swimming, because in Barcelona you can't just leave your possessions on the sand while you go into the water, because they'll get stolen. That's why it's important to go with friends. Anyways, as I was lying there trying to read my book, I kept hearing the nonstop noise of peddlers yelling "fresh mojitos" and "cold sangria, very cheap price!" I couldn't stay for long.
Playa de la Barceloneta
Saturday evening, we went and got tapas at a small, authentic, hole-in-the-wall restaurant (a perk of making friends with a Barcelona local). This was at around 9:30pm, which is actually on the early side for the Spanish, but I was totally starving by that point, so the Patatas Bravas and Pescaito Frito hit the spot. As we were leaving to go get gelato, we heard some drums in the square across the street. From a distance, it looked like a protest of some sort, so naturally we had to go closer to check it out. That's when a massive bang, like a gunshot, rang out as a plume of sparks erupted into the night. These shots kept coming, and it turns out we'd stumbled upon the Correfoc de la Mercè. We were surrounded by locals and felt completely out of place, as dancers in devil costumes jumped and stomped to the beat of the drums, fireworks shooting out of their staffs. This night was so random, but so lucky, because not only did I feel thrust into something I didn't belong in, but it also led to some of my favorite photos I've ever taken. I'd get in close, snap some pictures, and then a whole new round of fireworks would go off and we'd have to run backwards to avoid getting hit by the sparks. I included a whole bunch of these images in this blog, because it was hard to narrow them down.
If you want to visit the inside of the Sagrada Familia, and you haven't booked your tickets a month in advance, you're out of luck. Unless, that is, you get yourself up early Sunday morning to attend mass. That's exactly what me and a friend from the hostel tried to do. After staying out way too late the night before, we accomplished the herculean feat of waking up at 7 am to get to the church by 7:50. We thought more than an hour would be plenty of time to get in line and make it inside. Boy were we wrong. We showed up, and the line for mass was already 3 quarters of the way around the building! We only needed to stand in line for 10 minutes before a security guard came around and told everyone it was full. What a bummer. But now I know: you need to show up at LEAST 2 hours early, and ideally closer to 6 am if you want any shot at getting in for free.
While I may not have seen the inside of the Sagrada Familia, the outside was still super striking, and I learned something interesting from a local. Apparently, it's been under construction since 1882, and now, after many delays, it is supposed to be completed in 2026, for the 100-year anniversary of Antoni Gaudi's death. Then, per the architect's instructions, it would become free to enter, like many other cathedrals around Europe. Except, naturally the people in charge of the monument enjoy having people pay 30 euros, months in advance for admission. So, they've been steadily delaying the "completion" date. What do you think, do you think the Sagrada Familia will actually open in 2026? Or will it perpetually remain under construction, so that people keep paying?
The Sagrada Familia
Aside from the Sagrada Familia, the architect Antoni Gaudi also designed many other buildings around Barcelona, with Casa Batllò being another famous one. This house was actually recommended to me by a sculptor I met in Paris, and when I bought the ticket online, I totally thought it was going to be another tourist trap. I was wrong. The free audioguide kept hyping Gaudi up, basically calling him the most visionary and revolutionary architect of all time, and while I'm not sure if I fully believe that, the interior itself was actually super cool. It was one of the only real "toursity" things I went to see in Barcelona, and I'm glad I did. It felt like I was in a fairytale as I made my way up each distinct floor of the house, with all the cool windows and shaped woodwork and other things. I've never seen a house like it, that's for sure.
Casa Batllò
On Sunday night there was an FC Barcelona game. The best thing to have done would be to go see it live, but because the Camp Nou was having renovations (and it was way too expensive for a ticket anyways), we settled for going to a sports bar. Even though I prefer Real Madrid, I still celebrated each of Barca's 3 goals against Girona - though maybe not with as much passion as the dudes yelling in Catalan all around me. Among other things, that night I met 3 Indonesian guys and we had a long conversation about scuba diving. Also, me and my friends from the hostel got deemed honorary members of Wales by some very drunk Welsch lads. This was one of my more tame nights in the city, but I still really enjoyed it.
It also just so happened that for the time I was here, Barcelona happened to be having its annual week-long holiday La Mercè. That explains the cult firework show. One day, as I was out walking to a square to see some live music for the holiday, I passed by a barbershop and spontaneously decided to get a haircut. Normally, I wouldn't write about such a regular occurence here, but this one felt special. Back home, 30 bucks would get you a quick trim, with no extra frivolities. Here, I walked in and started chatting with the Italian barber, who quickly asked, "red or white?" Because of course you get a complementary glass of wine when you're getting a haircut! Plus a hair wash, and some restaurant recommendations for Rome, all for only 23 euros. What a good deal.
Wednesday the 24th was the peak of La Mercè, and the main event were the human towers, where people stack themselves on each others shoulders to reach crazy heights. There was also a huge parade, with these massive dolls being held up to look like they were dancing. Unfortunately, it was so crowded that we couldn't even get into the square where the action was happening. Luckily, with everyone out in the streets, the outdoor tapas restaurants actually had some free tables for once, so I'd still call it a successful outing.
This gap year was taken, in part, to feed my travel bug, and get it out of my system, but I've met so many people here who have offered to let me stay with them in their countries that it has only added fuel to the fire. I've heard all kinds of cool stories about places that would've totally flown under my radar, and hearing their stories, it all makes me realize how much more traveling I want to do. The world is a massive place, and in the grand scheme of things you really don't need that much money to pack your bags and travel the world. My time in Barcelona cemented that this gap year is really a "beginning." I want to travel so much more after this, I can't help but get excited thinking about future trips. That seems funny, given that I'm actively on a trip right now. I need to stay in the moment.
Beach portrait
A Fragment
Voleibol de playa
You may have noticed I refrained from using people's names in this entry. Unlike I may have done with people in previous entries, there were enough friends I made here that I didn't want to use their names.
Some friends I met lasted me throughout most of the trip, while others I only spent a day or a night with, depending on their travel schedules. It has all made me realize something:
There are a lot of goodbyes when you solo travel. Finding a little community and exploring a new place with someone will bond you, but then you all go your separate ways. This happens so frequently, and it's a strange experience that I'm not sure I'll ever get used to.
Leaving Barcelona yesterday marked the 1 month anniversary of the start of my gap year. I can't believe I'm already 1/3 of the way through the European leg of my trip, and I'm only getting more excited by the world every day. Right now, I'm taking a pit stop in the small French town of Aix-en-Provence (near Marseille) with some family friends for a few days to recuperate - I slept for 13 hours last night - and plan the next leg of my journey, which I'll keep a surprise for now.
Stay tuned!
Mark
P.S.
I should also mention - as you may have guessed - that there are a ton of highlights and details from my nights here that I've left out. Ones that I can't write here, but that I will remember for my whole life.
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