tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64286174077487402142024-03-13T12:38:17.919-07:00My year in BarcelonaMonikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-12046143875679118722012-05-31T05:04:00.004-07:002012-05-31T05:04:28.500-07:00Andalusia for beginners: Cordoba<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Unlike in Malaga and Granada, in Cordoba we
weren’t going to stay with local friends – we organised couch surfing (which
was my first experience with this website ever). So I found a nice-sounding
Greek who offered the three of us a place to sleep for one night. When we
arrived in Cordoba in the early afternoon it turned out he is not in the town
at the moment and he texted me he would send a Greek housemate to pick us up.
We felt a bit discouraged and drowned our disappointment in Haribos gummy
bears. We decided to leave our stuff in the lockers at the bus station and book
the earliest bus to our last destination, Seville. It was at 5am so we figured
we can just go to some bar later and drink the time away. Eventually, when we
gave up on the entire couch surfing thing, an Italian friend (where’s the
Greek?!) of the Greek arrived and hosted us in his shared flat. After initial
awkwardness we went to see Cordoba with our host and his friends and by the end
of the afternoon we were basically best friends. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After dinner (delicious pasta made
by Italians) we were taken to <i>Feria de
Cordoba</i>, a huge crazy festival on the other side of the city. It was great
fun; there were thousands of people there. We drank sangria, danced and really
regretted we had booked this 5am bus… So all in all my first couch surfing
experience – although we did not actually sleep at all in the end – was very
positive. And Cordoba? I will probably remember it as the crazy day rather than
anything else!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-26549605026909488442012-05-25T04:08:00.003-07:002012-05-25T04:10:24.783-07:00Andalusia for beginners: Granada<br />
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Warmed up and a bit suntanned we headed to Granada. The bus
between Malaga and Granada was cheap and comfy, and the views on the way were
good as well: olive groves, hills, little villages. I even spotted The Bull! </div>
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I had quite big expectations as to this city because many people had told me
it’s the best of Andalusia – and it was, I definitely fell for Granada. <br />
The architecture is absolutely charming there. White houses, tiny narrow
streets, balconies decorated with flowers, little patios and sunny squares… It
was like a totally different world and I loved it. The influence of the Arabic
culture is immense and it fits in there perfectly. </div>
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What we were also looking forward to was the food. Granada offers loads of cheap
bars with yummy tapas. The first night we went for drinks (and free tapas,
something that kept startling me until the very last day) to a bar on the top
of a hotel which was followed by a great flamenco show and honey and almond
pancakes and shisha in one of the popular <i>teterias</i>.
The second night we hit the centre to enjoy the local nightlife. It was buzzy
and happy, loads of students around. We went from one bar to another drinking
and eating, finally ending up in a nice little bar where for 1€ you get a glass
of <i>tinto</i>. The bartender showed us
some magic tricks and it was a bliss.<br />
That’s another amazing aspect of Granada (and actually other cities of
Andalusia we visited) – the people. Very very different to Catalans and even
Madrilenos. People on the streets talked to us and smiled, cars always let us
cross over and there were no obscene <i>piropos</i>!
I will write a separate post on this phenomenon, for the moment let me just
explain that piropos are ‘flattering comments’ girls get from men, usually when
they walk past them on a street. Also in Granada the southern accent is very strong and I find it extremely cute!<o:p></o:p></div>
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We couldn’t say we have been to Granada if we didn’t see the
famous Alhambra. Unfortunately we could only get tickets to see the gardens –
it was still impressive. Massive massive
constructions and lots of green combined with breathtaking views – what’s not
to love? </div>
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I genuinely felt upset when we had to leave. Granada is so far my favourite
city in Spain!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-67050703723319052902012-05-25T03:36:00.002-07:002012-05-25T03:36:21.987-07:00Andalusia for beginners: Malaga<br />
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Following advices of more experienced friends we decided to
spend only one day in Malaga – from what we had investigated there wasn’t that
much to see there. So what we did first was discovering the Malagueta beach.
Maybe not the best one around but there was the sun, some sand and cool water
so we were happy. I absolutely loved the fact they have the sea AND the
mountains. It wasn’t as busy as the main beach in Barcelona and also there were
no ‘cerveza-beer’ guys. Also, the entire city smelt nice. I cannot explain it
but somehow the moment we left the airport the air just smelt very fresh and simply
pleasant. </div>
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Later we wandered around the old town which was lovely. The prices of food were
one of the first things to catch our attention – we could not believe it when
we were charged 1,50€ for a beer AND quite a decent tapa. <br />
Malaga is visually pleasant; the architecture of the old quarter is beautiful
and full of vivid colours. You don’t get such pink, blue or orange buildings in
Barcelona. Not that many in one place anyway.
We also walked through the amazing Parque de Malaga, a jungle-like park decorated
with sculptures. </div>
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Another surprising thing was the lack of the accent – or at least I did not
notice any big difference in Malaga. Maybe we didn’t talk to many locals but
those we spoke to had quite ‘normal’ accents and I could understand them
perfectly.<br />
In general though I can see myself getting a bit bored there if I stayed for
longer than a couple of months. Maybe it’s one of side effects of living in
such a buzzy city like Barcelona for a year… <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-2739485310765926422012-05-06T10:56:00.000-07:002012-05-06T10:56:16.356-07:00Fashionable Barcelona<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I know the word <i>fashion</i>
has been in happy marriage with <i>Paris</i>
for centuries now but there is definitely something going on between <i>fashion</i> and <i>Barcelona</i>. The latter is like a fluorescent adolescent in
comparison to chic Paris yet that’s what makes it interesting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Fashion in Barcelona seems more relaxed and
laid-back. Heels, women’s suits and little blacks are almost extinct here. The
seaside climate encourages hippie loose trousers, colourful patterned skirts,
cotton maxi dresses and all sorts of flats. Lots of dreadlocks, piercing and
tattoos give Barcelona kind of an alternative hint. You can easily spot
tourists when going out – they are usually overdressed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Still, you can successfully shop in Barcelona no
matter what your likings are. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For <b>posh</b>
and <b>expensive</b> stuff you’ll go to
Passeig de Gracia. Famous designers, expensive high street. Worthwhile just to
peek at shop windows, Replay’s jungle or Vuitton’s elephants are very plesant. If
Holly Golightly wanted her breakfast at Tiffany’s in Barcelona this is where
she would go. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Vintage,
cute</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
and <b>one</b> <b>of a kind</b> clothes can be found in little boutiques all over Gracia
and l’Eixample. </span><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD;">The ones
I particularly like are:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD;">Padam</span></u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD;"> (Gracia, metro Fontana, c/ Ros de Olano 4bis)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD;">Modart </span></u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD;">(Gracias, metro Fontana, c/Asturias 34)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD;">La
Coqueteria</span></u><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD;"> (L’eixample,
c/Girona 60)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When you’re <b>on
the budget</b>, outlets are your friends. Apparently there’re quite a few in
the town, especially around c/Girona. Mainly Spanish brands, such as Mango
(c/Girona 37).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The most <b>original</b>
things are to be found on street markets. You can spot there some reasonably
priced handmade goodies – particularly jewellery and accessories. There are
markets in Gracia, Raval, by the Museu d’Historia de Catalunya – to name just a
couple!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">An event to go to is <b>The Shopping Night</b>. Held in the centre (in December) it’s a great
opportunity to buy something on sales, get free samples and shop until
midnight. Streets full of people, music, stalls with local food and sangria to
warm you up – in the very heart of Barcelona (Passeig de Gracia).<o:p></o:p></span></div>Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-62576916840482627732012-04-28T09:54:00.001-07:002012-04-28T09:54:10.003-07:00Sant Jordi<br />
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There comes a day in Catalonia when all the streets are full
of roses and books, and you can’t help but join the common madness. Sant Jordi –
Saint George’s – is one of the most important holidays in the region, even
though it’s a labour day (unless you study at Pompeu Fabra who chose Jordi for
its patron and so the classes are cancelled). It’s celebrated on the 23<sup>rd</sup>
of April and it is compared to the tradition of St Valentine’s. ‘As if one
Valentine’s Day wasn’t torturous enough’, was my first thought when I heard
about Sant Jordi.<br />
Turned out, the Catalan celebration is not at all a lovey-dovey-sickishly-lovely-full-of-red-hearts
day to show how much you adore your loved one – this one day in a year. It’s a
days of books and roses, traditionally women would give books to men and get a rose
from them. Nowadays the tendency is a book AND a rose for girls and a book for
guys. Improvement, if you ask me! And it’s not an exclusively couples exchange –
you get books and roses from friends or even relatives. <br />
Why rose? There’s a legend about a dragon pestering Montblanc in medieval times.
It would eat all the animals and so people had to sacrifice themselves to keep
the beast away. One day when they were drawing lots it was the princess’ turn
to be eaten. In the last moment a knight on a white horse saved her and killed
the dragon. In the paddle of the animal’s blood there grew a rosal. Jordi – the
knight – gave one of the flowers to the princess. Kinda cute, right?<br />
And why a book? In the 20<sup>th</sup>
century some book seller decided to commemorate deaths of Shakespeare and
Cervantes (both died on the 23<sup>rd</sup>
of April 1616) so he came up with a Book’s Day.<br />
Sant Jordi in Barcelona is quite impressive; there are books and roses stalls
behind every corner, lots of people on the streets and the atmosphere is
cheerful. The best spot is La Rambla. The prices of books might scare you off –
they do have some second-hand ones too though – but it’s so vivid there it’s
worth it to pop by just for a moment.<br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZV1c5ufmyGsYIjSpTvDl-73OxkNyicdli6oSmBm3P2O8dRCbg9_r3Ewsvg6UQOrIX7uzRi-mjVp93jUUSF0uegT-QjpXuprYBWLGVO8mUrj7LqC7nx62PHlEW1mgGap5E9ACvQAMzvA/s1600/DSCF2128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWZV1c5ufmyGsYIjSpTvDl-73OxkNyicdli6oSmBm3P2O8dRCbg9_r3Ewsvg6UQOrIX7uzRi-mjVp93jUUSF0uegT-QjpXuprYBWLGVO8mUrj7LqC7nx62PHlEW1mgGap5E9ACvQAMzvA/s320/DSCF2128.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-86625881117643454422012-04-05T06:26:00.000-07:002012-04-05T06:26:22.904-07:00The foreign identity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje5TgHWyorSOpMyjXRa6KSSVQMkhKeFhYuN5uLaiQF95QkqYlwgvhyphenhyphenShmeRDFayW1ANJ0gJky49M7o-lxiJPDpTSvz3nqYdoa0CSlf1ERt0Mgmk_XjCc0i2OAE4Ie98OOfIyW2HMjeW-k/s1600/DSCF1549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje5TgHWyorSOpMyjXRa6KSSVQMkhKeFhYuN5uLaiQF95QkqYlwgvhyphenhyphenShmeRDFayW1ANJ0gJky49M7o-lxiJPDpTSvz3nqYdoa0CSlf1ERt0Mgmk_XjCc0i2OAE4Ie98OOfIyW2HMjeW-k/s320/DSCF1549.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My perpetual research on Catalan identity made me think about my own position in the Catalan society and my conclusion is: I am not a part of it. I live here but I don’t live Catalonia. Firstly, and obviously, I am a foreigner. And it’s not just blue eyes, weird accent and wearing shorts in February. Being ‘Erasmus’ I don’t have much contact with the locals so I haven’t really immersed in the culture and the local lifestyle. I haven’t even changed my eating habits – I still have dinner the ‘English time’ - unless I go out. What comes next is something that for me, as a language student, is crucial – Catalan. I have never learnt it simply because I don’t want to confuse my brain any more – it’s enough hassle with Spanish and Italian, but also because I know I’m here just for a little while.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And I know it because, although I am aware that I’m very lucky to be living here for a year and I do think Barcelona is one of the most amazing cities in the world – I cannot quite imagine myself living here permanently. It’s not that there is something in particular that makes me wanna leave, it’s rather lack of things take make me wanna stay here. Still, being an alien here made me realise where I actually belong – at least at the moment – and this makes Barcelona special for me too.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The last element that constitutes my foreign identity is the Catalan legacy. It’s something you’re exposed to from the very beginning and is transmitted through the language, the traditions, the food, the mentality. I have noticed the same trait in – if not every, at least the most of – Catalans I have met and it’s this rich heritage, the local identity and pride. I can be aware of it, understand it and admire it but I will never be a part of it. And that’s what really makes me a foreigner here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-87554472549932623032012-03-26T14:09:00.000-07:002012-03-26T14:09:16.741-07:00The Catalan identity (part 1)<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Apart from sunbathing, drinking sangria and napping in the afternoon my activities while on year abroad in Spain include writing a so-called ‘year abroad research project’ on a chosen topic. Pick a topic, research it well, write 6000 words in Spanish. Easy peasy. So I chose what seemed to me like a fascinating issue that can be deeply investigated, did some basic research still in England and flew to Spain all happy and excited about it. I had my master plan plotted: go to museums, read newspapers, prepare questionnaires and do interviews, I’d be done way before the deadline in May and then I can just sunburn my happy face on the beach. Little did I know in reality my topic is a cheeky monkey. Not to mention I was being optimistic about the time: for Erasmus students it is a law of nature to do things as late as possible. Luckily I’m one of those who work better under the pressure, so that has been my excuse for the last couple of months too. The point is, somehow I managed to choose one of the most controversial and difficult topics – identity amongst young people in Barcelona. My job is to find out if they feel more Catalan, more Spanish, both – or none of those. I decided to focus mainly on the language as it’s a great part of one’s identity but also for pragmatic reasons – words limit won’t let me write about much more than that.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So, having in mind my dry theoretical research, I expected to obtain quite balanced results confirming my expectations that the target group would decide their identity is dual. So far only one person said so. It seems like patriotism as such does not really exist in Spain – or maybe it does but only in Madrid although I’m guessing even there people are more proud of being <i>madrileños</i> than of being Spanish. So – local identity seems to be a more popular concept in Spain. The problem with Catalonia is that it is more distinct than any other region – which is perfectly understandable considering its independent traditions in the past – and quite desperate to become a separated country. Up until now I haven’t met one Catalan person that wouldn’t agree – at least to some small extent – that Catalonia should be a rightful independent country. Yet, it doesn’t mean that my respondents describe their identity as totally ‘Catalan.’ And, as I expected, no one described it as ‘Spanish.’ Some said nationality is about where you were born, some said it’s about where you love to be, about the culture, about the background… So, at this stage of my work I can be nothing but well confused. Catalan, not Catalan, Spanish, not Spanish, both or neither? Investigation in progress. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgonSID8nITPLQk6JA26yS7qXdOcF3tXZWHk3kNWKOQk0iaJOnFw-Vhni3PuNiP3loKGTOmYmDScBh3EY_9TA-hsDPBflyjyJ2uk8YchKWUVM6Zt8jG6Mbm6B2u2CoRSwBTWfIHawcJyJU/s1600/DSCF1354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgonSID8nITPLQk6JA26yS7qXdOcF3tXZWHk3kNWKOQk0iaJOnFw-Vhni3PuNiP3loKGTOmYmDScBh3EY_9TA-hsDPBflyjyJ2uk8YchKWUVM6Zt8jG6Mbm6B2u2CoRSwBTWfIHawcJyJU/s320/DSCF1354.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div>Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-38694133411006274872012-03-18T11:52:00.000-07:002012-03-18T11:52:50.631-07:00Las Fallas in Valencia<div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Like a million other people on the 17</span><sup style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">th</sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> of March I headed to one of the biggest Catalan cities, Valencia, to participate in the annual festival – Las Fallas. It’s a celebration of fallas, massive dolls-constructions-kinda-thing which are later burnt.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4z7gemSZzbZNwJujEgMNYBRq1_cXnqQg1KT1CrbqhWLbrlIeO3QxO55uR98U47mTpDAORQRHxEzDMi6k1BtL7kPs6MKxiCVs6C_qXgCymirwiJ16noLBdZELtLTyZ-2RHZyImZNHM0qM/s1600/DSCF2057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4z7gemSZzbZNwJujEgMNYBRq1_cXnqQg1KT1CrbqhWLbrlIeO3QxO55uR98U47mTpDAORQRHxEzDMi6k1BtL7kPs6MKxiCVs6C_qXgCymirwiJ16noLBdZELtLTyZ-2RHZyImZNHM0qM/s320/DSCF2057.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">First we went to see La Mascleta which I can only describe as a LOT of noise. Responsible for it were firecrackers, fireworks and some crazy pyrotechnicians. Firecrackers followed us all day long and – against all the health and safety rules - even children played with them. I held my breath anytime I saw a child exploding one. The party went on all day. There were parades with musicians, girls wearing gorgeous dresses and children with flowers. What will never cease to impress me in Spanish festivals is enthusiastic participation of the citizens: the elderly, little kids, teenagers – everyone gets involved. I don’t think I’ve seen such sense of community in any other place so far. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW7_Xfjhn3Z2zVFBwTANXvDpcQS_0hNfZm1yiSzki-pn9H96qzwuLaXEiYiogi3QieJjYSm7mse6BtIO4N-cvZt1mqkflj_5XA91Tai2-uqJ8Fwxmxq1sdG9IK3QtaQMWMF2VB301X2YA/s1600/DSCF2049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW7_Xfjhn3Z2zVFBwTANXvDpcQS_0hNfZm1yiSzki-pn9H96qzwuLaXEiYiogi3QieJjYSm7mse6BtIO4N-cvZt1mqkflj_5XA91Tai2-uqJ8Fwxmxq1sdG9IK3QtaQMWMF2VB301X2YA/s320/DSCF2049.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
The fiesta culminated in one of the best bonfires I have ever seen.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The fallas were actually really nice too, impressively creative. There were caricatures of politicians, an Elvis, lots of animals… <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9fWrxtpSsDQoJjjtmSDvnz_3HNr3IqQDgXjALZT6u0mjbt3_hyphenhypheno6F7R1hIAf1hwsZllLDl6hXErHdJoRrwcNTefhtnklzSXpm41odntDZyo6i3WmmY-qLJAuDygUvT6vZyaLwWMi1p0/s1600/DSCF2058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9fWrxtpSsDQoJjjtmSDvnz_3HNr3IqQDgXjALZT6u0mjbt3_hyphenhypheno6F7R1hIAf1hwsZllLDl6hXErHdJoRrwcNTefhtnklzSXpm41odntDZyo6i3WmmY-qLJAuDygUvT6vZyaLwWMi1p0/s320/DSCF2058.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvq9fNlJb-7TvAgW5fhsK42nnzUuOmP7XrbenlyYAvSf-AqTTpPnnUtikxnXpN787j6WspaNDEJ9PC6Uloe4VPrE6OFAD6-ZGzpG_aeezR5BKlk7oQM176Pbh53XjnNiu2HZd3hWOQzA/s1600/DSCF2060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvq9fNlJb-7TvAgW5fhsK42nnzUuOmP7XrbenlyYAvSf-AqTTpPnnUtikxnXpN787j6WspaNDEJ9PC6Uloe4VPrE6OFAD6-ZGzpG_aeezR5BKlk7oQM176Pbh53XjnNiu2HZd3hWOQzA/s320/DSCF2060.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAA4sa4-9cQePCEdOFaFRgCaUkdm5xXygCMvt9SdIbTs20BCF5gd7lrTG5WtJ2wlu0pcqpLXgGwaR9GPca-ZzR-sHtvK27UoX6kSlBiOLsf5AhO51_zHxvG1hm1ZV2-_8GCL_aEVKYJU0/s1600/DSCF2100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAA4sa4-9cQePCEdOFaFRgCaUkdm5xXygCMvt9SdIbTs20BCF5gd7lrTG5WtJ2wlu0pcqpLXgGwaR9GPca-ZzR-sHtvK27UoX6kSlBiOLsf5AhO51_zHxvG1hm1ZV2-_8GCL_aEVKYJU0/s320/DSCF2100.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And the city itself, at least the bit we managed to see, is pretty, spatial and palmy, just to my liking. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJt6nZ3CDntQYOPtQgSJ9JXZroPelzjZEddeChzLSJOFKFR-PKcDXkPJ4VkwsGTRTU8aj2JPWdF3etxry19f7QSsF8bwvuLEUOVVsKtLdx0xUw0p36cO7V4We73p6HVCqrnqiShMFzkck/s1600/DSCF2088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJt6nZ3CDntQYOPtQgSJ9JXZroPelzjZEddeChzLSJOFKFR-PKcDXkPJ4VkwsGTRTU8aj2JPWdF3etxry19f7QSsF8bwvuLEUOVVsKtLdx0xUw0p36cO7V4We73p6HVCqrnqiShMFzkck/s320/DSCF2088.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5vqQOusP2YtQQ-B4T_WvWGoy47Z4MMdxSbxnq6nzrUKyCkSAYZK2XZ5vfLMFFcBHjXptuIuAZUgmIR6bEpAr0wklhiL4X6VyWvQJh4HqDJDyeUtUv_iPpanMy45FFZI4nAOM6LGb-DI/s1600/DSCF2093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK5vqQOusP2YtQQ-B4T_WvWGoy47Z4MMdxSbxnq6nzrUKyCkSAYZK2XZ5vfLMFFcBHjXptuIuAZUgmIR6bEpAr0wklhiL4X6VyWvQJh4HqDJDyeUtUv_iPpanMy45FFZI4nAOM6LGb-DI/s320/DSCF2093.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is definitely worth going there again to discover some more of this city – and to enjoy the beach which is supposed to be fantastic.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div>Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-84748581412504223402012-03-05T10:23:00.000-08:002012-03-05T10:23:50.245-08:00Gràcia<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Although it is never included in the top 10 things to see in Barcelona, the district of Gràcia is definitely worth visiting. The moment you sidetrack from Passeig de Gràcia you enter a totally different world. Gorgeous buildings and tens of squares, loads of trees and narrow streets distinguish this <i>barrio</i> from all the others. Although there is no Sagrada Familia, no beach, nothing to make tourists come here in – or maybe for this reason exactly – I would probably choose this place to live, if I was to live in Barcelona.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihPAX0f4_BH32ycPqz5L6aOeV6x8p-imFwfr7gb4mqWDvfhyphenhyphenogpMTC1AgGsj3PY1KELfAp6f6X2d9ax06fTC38yro7yAamX4o4FXXvF2rnK-XtIe8bwZOL4twXg5o4kyrKKjPlULH9vyw/s1600/302030_2132523246947_1662009071_2101118_1170238_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihPAX0f4_BH32ycPqz5L6aOeV6x8p-imFwfr7gb4mqWDvfhyphenhyphenogpMTC1AgGsj3PY1KELfAp6f6X2d9ax06fTC38yro7yAamX4o4FXXvF2rnK-XtIe8bwZOL4twXg5o4kyrKKjPlULH9vyw/s320/302030_2132523246947_1662009071_2101118_1170238_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Gràcia used to be an independent village until late 19<sup>th</sup> century and some people, especially those whose families have lived there for generations, still do not consider it a part of Barcelona. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eflTOdNvopltPU13NNMrdPqVswv-JqiV9onSgovvxF82sDu9gazTMKwP1NbSlUfl7B4ik8ijrpEJw-xNheFdIqDvO3PmHNYxm40GbtdxjgyLDtbNCi4yuBYF1bKuK7SWllsxqH4WUM4/s1600/DSCF1954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eflTOdNvopltPU13NNMrdPqVswv-JqiV9onSgovvxF82sDu9gazTMKwP1NbSlUfl7B4ik8ijrpEJw-xNheFdIqDvO3PmHNYxm40GbtdxjgyLDtbNCi4yuBYF1bKuK7SWllsxqH4WUM4/s320/DSCF1954.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The atmosphere in Gràcia is truly unique. Rather quiet, rural, decadent. It’s full of cafes, bars, bakeries and shops. What particularly caught my attention were obviously candy shops. Dangerously for my waist and wallet I have to pass one of those every week. It’s cheap and pretty well-stocked, and by now I have probably tried every kind of Haribo and fudge. Twice.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WLEeAUI_Sb6Vu970sWDYtRzZibpcS2Tw3I9WCtVyV9tC-NIqXAQKVrnglBv_3TP0CiBd-FZf_la3imKYvjcb5pFE-91Uh_unxEPRiQIqRh0J0JeisYaQ-mJjwK9F5H3dn-vey8-QDso/s1600/DSCF1949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WLEeAUI_Sb6Vu970sWDYtRzZibpcS2Tw3I9WCtVyV9tC-NIqXAQKVrnglBv_3TP0CiBd-FZf_la3imKYvjcb5pFE-91Uh_unxEPRiQIqRh0J0JeisYaQ-mJjwK9F5H3dn-vey8-QDso/s320/DSCF1949.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The second type of stores I cannot pass by indifferently are clothes shops. If you fancy enriching your wardrobe with something new and unique – this is where you should head. Spanish brands, such as Zara, Pull&Bear, Stradivarius or Mango are definitely amongst my favourites but I remember one morning when on my 15 minutes way to work I saw two girls wearing exactly the same jacket I had bought a couple of days earlier. Little boutiques in Gracia offer more original clothes, and although quite a lot of them promote casual hippie style, you can easily find elegant suits, cute skirts and slinky dresses. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sometimes you can bump into a real treasure island, like this shop me and Alicja (magnoliacelebrationinspain.tumblr.com) found the other day. The quality of their shoes probably leaves much to be desired but for Erasmus students what really matters is that the price consists of a single figure.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ60SODS_h5Q75zuXE2DZNPiwicM21Bsqah6pN4obiKAdHAK_jZzZASVUaUwVCNxaMzyPlrSTUro_ZsUXsk5VuFBAGmkxOrBIcDieW-6g67E-veHrNrGSbLofNonJUCNQ2Y5af1E-_6LU/s1600/DSCF1948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ60SODS_h5Q75zuXE2DZNPiwicM21Bsqah6pN4obiKAdHAK_jZzZASVUaUwVCNxaMzyPlrSTUro_ZsUXsk5VuFBAGmkxOrBIcDieW-6g67E-veHrNrGSbLofNonJUCNQ2Y5af1E-_6LU/s320/DSCF1948.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Another thing young financially-limited people love about Gràcia are its squares, particularly the most famous Plaza del Sol. It is the destination for summer <i>botellóns</i> – mass open-air drinking. It’s a more economical way to get merry and although technically not legal, <i>botellóns</i> are rarely disturbed by the police. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Finally, I have to mention Gràcia’s celebrations. The most important one is Fiesta de Gràcia, celebrated in September. Inhabitants decorate streets and then choose the most beautiful one. There are stalls with drinks and foods, concerts, games and general happiness. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZCnIenFpe8cHs1oZEqFfsd_Nf2I4bWskMfuVjEA1cce2eKGpyp0J38c7A_OOJ1wK5IntXoaqzZyBfNYA96BRJyLx_v2dkgNDvsmIh0wv58T92q-VGYCbe7Qkao_WY7-pAV8JRTpXe5o/s1600/293423_2132521406901_1662009071_2101111_3241777_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZCnIenFpe8cHs1oZEqFfsd_Nf2I4bWskMfuVjEA1cce2eKGpyp0J38c7A_OOJ1wK5IntXoaqzZyBfNYA96BRJyLx_v2dkgNDvsmIh0wv58T92q-VGYCbe7Qkao_WY7-pAV8JRTpXe5o/s320/293423_2132521406901_1662009071_2101111_3241777_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Another interesting festival took place on the 3<sup>rd</sup> of March, La Festa de Sant Medir, known as ‘the Sweetest Festival’ because of 100 tons of sweets given away during the parade. Unfortunately I arrived too late and all that was left were wrappers…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpcAgDUESwYtjKVgtDNmpEeJy-8HIyaw_G_qtfwrJ_7HXXEkzU5WVB0T9QN_UjzqRNhRPcWzBdUrlvoWXhyphenhyphen_14ETgErgSQFoIzbqs0M2cyMfMvv1b9i7wT3pkyIq6yE5xQC2cRZHFnHQ/s1600/DSCF1947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpcAgDUESwYtjKVgtDNmpEeJy-8HIyaw_G_qtfwrJ_7HXXEkzU5WVB0T9QN_UjzqRNhRPcWzBdUrlvoWXhyphenhyphen_14ETgErgSQFoIzbqs0M2cyMfMvv1b9i7wT3pkyIq6yE5xQC2cRZHFnHQ/s320/DSCF1947.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div>Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-81349313306499128002012-02-08T08:43:00.001-08:002012-03-04T14:28:03.102-08:00Madrid<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There are places you know you will love, places you fall in love with at first sight, places you get used to but Madrid wasn’t any of those. I went there without high expectations, for what I had known it was just another capital – a couple of average monuments, lots of museums and it takes ages to get from A to B – nothing particularly special. I don’t know when exactly I actually started to love the city; it happened in the meantime, unexpectedly and progressively, not a bold from the blue. There’s something about it, maybe the architecture, the atmosphere, nice bars and cafes, the people.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZBAb7Gowxxf0-irLjclywxhMpTk11CJvGliZVKSp5rUWD7eWwkSccrTKmTRblji7o7f3E6TNs3R-JRewEndRG9LPbb2o6ge4M70weougC-dP6fr_BkM1Gfm9rY4DM9PYDaHWzw0NYKNk/s1600/DSCF1689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZBAb7Gowxxf0-irLjclywxhMpTk11CJvGliZVKSp5rUWD7eWwkSccrTKmTRblji7o7f3E6TNs3R-JRewEndRG9LPbb2o6ge4M70weougC-dP6fr_BkM1Gfm9rY4DM9PYDaHWzw0NYKNk/s320/DSCF1689.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBfwHgi14xCvDPZBo6BsWijRgBz_TUurUhNw4sETfvGUE4lzlBgbkY1rr-7uq9xETgF0ZpFqs-_4t2Hpl4pKpMhT9ujwkQ3auhzmKdqYo7UmW98GS2gbeJKJq4NkI9AW3oPjfptIRw08/s1600/DSCF1744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBfwHgi14xCvDPZBo6BsWijRgBz_TUurUhNw4sETfvGUE4lzlBgbkY1rr-7uq9xETgF0ZpFqs-_4t2Hpl4pKpMhT9ujwkQ3auhzmKdqYo7UmW98GS2gbeJKJq4NkI9AW3oPjfptIRw08/s320/DSCF1744.JPG" width="233" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_75g2IQ9i4VocYeIiZeKb_t02JHWigCg6Z_D9E2wRXZbN3vbodVoeB1QDVx3nTw4cGX7GV-DPKpXMg5tBdz44e_Zu-feIVEH2sg-IZVjuC4S6HJbtAik3QuVAV8iQkkMRd8AE1uEDOk/s1600/DSCF1749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_75g2IQ9i4VocYeIiZeKb_t02JHWigCg6Z_D9E2wRXZbN3vbodVoeB1QDVx3nTw4cGX7GV-DPKpXMg5tBdz44e_Zu-feIVEH2sg-IZVjuC4S6HJbtAik3QuVAV8iQkkMRd8AE1uEDOk/s320/DSCF1749.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Although weird at first it felt great to be able to understand everything around – no Catalan, just the most Spanish castellano. Only Spanish flags.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzFaMSeKeTB2eD7OftUnpzF4SXtpDQAIbtAMEar-_qddqShqUTqNiamqIe0QxJ7JU_XlMDdNwO1SSccB4QelA0_ojLFnfpDRoNv1n3t_4nSXWCQBbuo_ekQJD_PUfLbZ3EgTFyIRjcck/s1600/DSCF1832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzFaMSeKeTB2eD7OftUnpzF4SXtpDQAIbtAMEar-_qddqShqUTqNiamqIe0QxJ7JU_XlMDdNwO1SSccB4QelA0_ojLFnfpDRoNv1n3t_4nSXWCQBbuo_ekQJD_PUfLbZ3EgTFyIRjcck/s320/DSCF1832.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In an inexplicable way people seemed different too. Somehow I thought they were more relaxed but maybe it’s just because I was carefree and on holiday. What is definitely different is Madrid’s sense of fashion. I saw high heels! People dress more elegant in comparison to ‘alternative’ and ‘arty’ citizens of Barcelona. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IZNGjW-nxlCsVEGFXLOjwIh_-NSUMoNs0Fa5_myGgheoIK_lmAb2vqpHoqmymgBvr6wqMR2Nl8RJfhRp-VgxxrQnOCUPPEsujQYXMa_vhmxi1WRH57JPTaJXZePwzLj79RUcNHezd20/s1600/DSCF1778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4IZNGjW-nxlCsVEGFXLOjwIh_-NSUMoNs0Fa5_myGgheoIK_lmAb2vqpHoqmymgBvr6wqMR2Nl8RJfhRp-VgxxrQnOCUPPEsujQYXMa_vhmxi1WRH57JPTaJXZePwzLj79RUcNHezd20/s320/DSCF1778.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Food isn’t much different from what we have here. They seem to like puddings more; churrerias and pastry shops are all around the place. Cakes in San Miguel market are heavenly. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwS-bKCz9oPUBUJ-5J_Xg5u0ZKRYHv5LEB_xXgQiI7hcN8bI0qctxOCuMvSTVWYvFtRrht5r5nWmeDfM1NiC-v8drkdG_ehizKUDeL_MYCRz8-yW4j1EWYWrcPn00JT_Zuqf0B6t-1lQ/s1600/DSCF1763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwS-bKCz9oPUBUJ-5J_Xg5u0ZKRYHv5LEB_xXgQiI7hcN8bI0qctxOCuMvSTVWYvFtRrht5r5nWmeDfM1NiC-v8drkdG_ehizKUDeL_MYCRz8-yW4j1EWYWrcPn00JT_Zuqf0B6t-1lQ/s320/DSCF1763.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We visited Retiro park twice, it’s a massive complex and must look fantastic in spring. Even in February though it is pretty impressive.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIIWuzld8V8agv7q-HdMNsdPu0KIzup5TDKRE_WdTB9ZHi6sv_4RdVh5DN3VjQ1y8j96VEGwHTTVYERg4Wv6CkqqGxLGZA7fL3DK_NFt1sPcfrl1HNyPTPuKV5lfvPEDPmnD2LBNcag0I/s1600/DSCF1793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIIWuzld8V8agv7q-HdMNsdPu0KIzup5TDKRE_WdTB9ZHi6sv_4RdVh5DN3VjQ1y8j96VEGwHTTVYERg4Wv6CkqqGxLGZA7fL3DK_NFt1sPcfrl1HNyPTPuKV5lfvPEDPmnD2LBNcag0I/s320/DSCF1793.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQ2tWWYCdpg5dlBhQiLj7Fplv5vdh7pRGEn9IbIJV-t50vOpFhMg5RNaOmg_8yiUOLTm1vyTaRwqgL1eRH-1zAOsBpATD_p7UICjd4G3zCnz25sO3pp5tPKDuwe55gvSs5XHjasSe74o/s1600/DSCF1792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQ2tWWYCdpg5dlBhQiLj7Fplv5vdh7pRGEn9IbIJV-t50vOpFhMg5RNaOmg_8yiUOLTm1vyTaRwqgL1eRH-1zAOsBpATD_p7UICjd4G3zCnz25sO3pp5tPKDuwe55gvSs5XHjasSe74o/s320/DSCF1792.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The museum are very impressive too. I visited Prado and Reina Sofia and it was a really really good dose of art. <br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-EbiJdL9SvboikaPfRLwp30B9Zw0wCi8BfC3VHEfAyUNmh0uarlCd5FmnVj3lT4yn0lrsrR-lIs8U4mu8S5DtmdRdzl_O42kFcpV-SGSZTEosjHon3zkwhLalF8MemVyHF5vk7sDBGI/s1600/DSCF1718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-EbiJdL9SvboikaPfRLwp30B9Zw0wCi8BfC3VHEfAyUNmh0uarlCd5FmnVj3lT4yn0lrsrR-lIs8U4mu8S5DtmdRdzl_O42kFcpV-SGSZTEosjHon3zkwhLalF8MemVyHF5vk7sDBGI/s320/DSCF1718.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Other random but amazing thing in Madrid was traffic lights. The sound they make is just like the sound of shooting in one of the good old Pegasus games. Purely beautiful.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnU-X0th49yERj8oSgeeOdlPrHU3rsB6GsKR_8nEX9zEVM2zFv8JrvHim6wY6-kyBHqI6oiLbUD2DJ3zgWxaIi0s490UD5j8ZxYQ_TeXhIL7LKUVRL8ZwqQBt8rkljo4-FvQWE7V52StU/s1600/DSCF1742.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnU-X0th49yERj8oSgeeOdlPrHU3rsB6GsKR_8nEX9zEVM2zFv8JrvHim6wY6-kyBHqI6oiLbUD2DJ3zgWxaIi0s490UD5j8ZxYQ_TeXhIL7LKUVRL8ZwqQBt8rkljo4-FvQWE7V52StU/s320/DSCF1742.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I can’t deny it, Madrid has seduced me. Many times I asked friends who had visited the capital: do you prefer Barcelona or Madrid? Now I see it’s impossible to say – the two cities are too different, too unique to be compared. It was not love at first sight but I know I want to go back. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvkztof1EERfrAM6LSxhxxFizVfJgv6lr9EnTefSwByy9ZIiKScLzlsIhvtNVvGOOHwlhLqmszHTT6bwGTYjNIfkQEWf2YH2O5ohloFoF5AlTCtbv3ERpM7KCaX7L8CHCO3PXlCZHaEM/s1600/DSCF1818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOvkztof1EERfrAM6LSxhxxFizVfJgv6lr9EnTefSwByy9ZIiKScLzlsIhvtNVvGOOHwlhLqmszHTT6bwGTYjNIfkQEWf2YH2O5ohloFoF5AlTCtbv3ERpM7KCaX7L8CHCO3PXlCZHaEM/s320/DSCF1818.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP4COd0bqY-HdEuZ_rkjlK8F2Mm9tLRBcw9scLFYfXMmQSQUK6C9yB6DC_KTZpE9jQkfY_3xo_yReqcVRZB_xMKQAXAfzUVyxGX-T0pqntQsgdK83IDi0xlDfdntYBO9FciOzVgbB5azc/s1600/DSCF1768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP4COd0bqY-HdEuZ_rkjlK8F2Mm9tLRBcw9scLFYfXMmQSQUK6C9yB6DC_KTZpE9jQkfY_3xo_yReqcVRZB_xMKQAXAfzUVyxGX-T0pqntQsgdK83IDi0xlDfdntYBO9FciOzVgbB5azc/s320/DSCF1768.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittRcDDVdxDbFtPmemOBAM1bkeAvJHqrmd1vxyoJam4n_GLPrfH_DkH0GLB6nRLDx6QvsTW263FsrxbFZCD7BKlDPzU30aGucMahyphenhyphenYLFNSeGdXWLxOP3PBzCp7cFKmlFGgAFUuulzzmZA/s1600/DSCF1750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEittRcDDVdxDbFtPmemOBAM1bkeAvJHqrmd1vxyoJam4n_GLPrfH_DkH0GLB6nRLDx6QvsTW263FsrxbFZCD7BKlDPzU30aGucMahyphenhyphenYLFNSeGdXWLxOP3PBzCp7cFKmlFGgAFUuulzzmZA/s320/DSCF1750.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-35547251427577314922012-02-02T05:14:00.001-08:002012-02-02T05:14:53.272-08:00The Catalan Stereotype<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">From our foreign point of view we all know – and probably cherish – the typical stereotype of the Spanish: loud, happy, carefree, party animals. There are even more of those inside Spain. And so people in Madrid are arrogant, those in Andalusia – traditional, happy and they dance flamenco all day long, the Basque Country is full of pig-head ignorants and Catalans… what are Catalans like? According to the local stereotype they are stingy and closed. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">During my 6-month stay in Catalonia I’ve come across all sorts of Catalans. And yes, some of them seemed closed, some were stingy, some were not as friendly as I would have wished. In total those made only a handful of people I met. Most of the them, especially the ones I got to know better, turned out to be absolutely great people and lovely friends.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On the top of it, I’ve experienced quite a few acts of friendliness coming from total strangers. Like this woman on the metro one summer night who reminded me of the main character of the Spanish show Aida: short, curvy and motherly. She must have noticed I was in pain after wearing heels for too long and, like a guardian angel, kindly offered me a sticking plaster to soothe the pain. Or like the guys who shared a cab with me at 3am on a Sunday night because I was not aware of the fact there are no other means of communication at this time of the night and in this area, and I was freaking far away from home. And like the numerous maintenance/construction/road workers with their ever creative <i>piropos</i>, varying from ‘hey beautiful’ to ‘sweetie, don’t walk in the sun or you’ll melt!’ (OK, I never actually heard this one myself but my Spanish teacher swore it’s a true story). Or like this guy who saw me walking down the beach and asked if he could be my friend. He was very determined to make friends so I eventually gave him my e-mail (the one I never check).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And now who said Catalans are not friendly?<o:p></o:p></span></div>Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-40546789956874257132012-01-31T01:05:00.000-08:002012-01-31T01:07:18.582-08:00Tarragona<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Tarragona is a lovely small Catalan town just over an hour away from Barcelona. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s famous for being one of the cities with the best conserved and most beautiful remains of Roman architecture in Spain. The ruins have been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVDh_PoFqDUpboVo87HIV_sdFHfjiYYpnDyvJiO64RIj8QA9X-2UfzokKNpO34hdXkChbNcxWICTJvgXVUgFEVYybVWo1kkQGXWJNifXSp6bDgYlgxpJD0uUVb3nScKcuSrGptuu-pTiw/s1600/DSCF1668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVDh_PoFqDUpboVo87HIV_sdFHfjiYYpnDyvJiO64RIj8QA9X-2UfzokKNpO34hdXkChbNcxWICTJvgXVUgFEVYybVWo1kkQGXWJNifXSp6bDgYlgxpJD0uUVb3nScKcuSrGptuu-pTiw/s320/DSCF1668.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfqrs9BR7VoDP3TNXL8v7lnyBZ81tkCyeL0M2iixia1028joaNtzYoWDbVjwwR6cQ8metRHB7tUTuayRRj7BlI8Oa3q1rkpL1HrYF0IBz1zPaUebuNIVisGPY9I_JKHyhjA-DcxSWiIs/s1600/DSCF1669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfqrs9BR7VoDP3TNXL8v7lnyBZ81tkCyeL0M2iixia1028joaNtzYoWDbVjwwR6cQ8metRHB7tUTuayRRj7BlI8Oa3q1rkpL1HrYF0IBz1zPaUebuNIVisGPY9I_JKHyhjA-DcxSWiIs/s320/DSCF1669.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><br />
</o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There’s also a beautiful Cathedral<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaKPVrQh1mUf-nnBVWMX_wPKxIkjsUt82TtFfcjOCf8aOJdJp_9cOPcv6mDrfDN_ATFvIMbGyJFw_HrfOO02nzMu8oIxJNBxiKg41ALly5qoStlY4ycldfb40XlePJzxs-ddkYAsDPZg/s1600/DSCF1675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaKPVrQh1mUf-nnBVWMX_wPKxIkjsUt82TtFfcjOCf8aOJdJp_9cOPcv6mDrfDN_ATFvIMbGyJFw_HrfOO02nzMu8oIxJNBxiKg41ALly5qoStlY4ycldfb40XlePJzxs-ddkYAsDPZg/s320/DSCF1675.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzM6aPojaab9bq3xrDhXSYSIYx8MNf45R4_kQh3A2hfFnYHg5jnieUFgmDZ3_Y-Tbo__8ILMHpvBJWefvb1d-xl_WSVhOwWlqMCCnGK-yMvIwtOzGDJw_K1N_KbWag7aYrQsW9ZfzPHc/s1600/DSCF1677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSzM6aPojaab9bq3xrDhXSYSIYx8MNf45R4_kQh3A2hfFnYHg5jnieUFgmDZ3_Y-Tbo__8ILMHpvBJWefvb1d-xl_WSVhOwWlqMCCnGK-yMvIwtOzGDJw_K1N_KbWag7aYrQsW9ZfzPHc/s320/DSCF1677.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And of course fantastic beach<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiay8mjpFfGEfG5WYdhYRri6XIw_HeUToJxaDGvy3nnnDXT1iXdQJ-lr_rO7VhojKWREiyx0tQnjM33zw8XMtu-Ivl5-NUhDaBKy4_DVCVio1JrY2iUFzteduY68b3y3nJ-cOeO5PQsMPo/s1600/DSCF1664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiay8mjpFfGEfG5WYdhYRri6XIw_HeUToJxaDGvy3nnnDXT1iXdQJ-lr_rO7VhojKWREiyx0tQnjM33zw8XMtu-Ivl5-NUhDaBKy4_DVCVio1JrY2iUFzteduY68b3y3nJ-cOeO5PQsMPo/s320/DSCF1664.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ-o_ScO39GwK2nEPhQ8MoXRGXNwWU16hM4z6r4pEPZDfGPGXRgYjcJL6XMfG1vm-IgF7Rg3RF0mC-Pu93eKedy6qVuDnKcXlElZiEdz896Uqg5nhZnWUL7Acoc7SrG4q0nC6JVK5pF0E/s1600/DSCF1670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ-o_ScO39GwK2nEPhQ8MoXRGXNwWU16hM4z6r4pEPZDfGPGXRgYjcJL6XMfG1vm-IgF7Rg3RF0mC-Pu93eKedy6qVuDnKcXlElZiEdz896Uqg5nhZnWUL7Acoc7SrG4q0nC6JVK5pF0E/s320/DSCF1670.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The town visited on a Sunday afternoon is very quiet which is refreshing after buzzy Barcelona. There are many narrow streets, little shops, bars.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJE4g8jC6FziYQh6w42h40F7nkp4n84TrnJ8OF98HvP3Ogl8wCFsSLdt7uunCt6V0kwGHDDvLjF-KqGJ_J7LSDufesyMhyphenhyphen8slkYx33OuyzlmXzV5Kpn__cUSKH22LrHtQS6xX3UGBRfo/s1600/DSCF1676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJE4g8jC6FziYQh6w42h40F7nkp4n84TrnJ8OF98HvP3Ogl8wCFsSLdt7uunCt6V0kwGHDDvLjF-KqGJ_J7LSDufesyMhyphenhyphen8slkYx33OuyzlmXzV5Kpn__cUSKH22LrHtQS6xX3UGBRfo/s320/DSCF1676.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Also, just before entering Tarragona it’s worth it to deviate from the course a little to see El Puente del Diablo - The Devil's Bridge. It’s an ancient aqueduct built in the 1<sup>st</sup> century to provide the developing Tarragona with water. The legend says that after it was built some natural disaster (probably earthquake) razed it to the ground. And then then devil came up to the architect of the aqueduct and offered him to rebuild the construction in one day and one night in exchange for the first soul that will drink the water coming through. The deal was made. The aqueduct was reconstructed and the first soul to drink the water belonged to… a donkey. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEJmlM1_HJ0EkBYD0ZUUT6QE4U9KtI2j4m9YcglKTcmeG5ojVklpwEUHw746b4RQ4fH_s8ROm0ljrbqz4hltKkN961kfsv0AAAi-XuPJ5mBOJI6HoYLVYadp_Mz7OiQafzbGmcyqGkVU/s1600/DSCF1658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyEJmlM1_HJ0EkBYD0ZUUT6QE4U9KtI2j4m9YcglKTcmeG5ojVklpwEUHw746b4RQ4fH_s8ROm0ljrbqz4hltKkN961kfsv0AAAi-XuPJ5mBOJI6HoYLVYadp_Mz7OiQafzbGmcyqGkVU/s320/DSCF1658.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div>Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-29182379092192796652012-01-30T01:14:00.000-08:002012-01-30T01:16:12.934-08:00Calçotada in Valls<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Yesterday I had an opportunity to participate in a highly interesting gastronomic event. In Valls, a tiny Catalan village, it is an annual tradition that people celebrate… onion. But not just any onion. Calçot is a kind of long green onion that looks like leak. They roast it in charcoal and eat with special sauce (deliiicious), bread, pieces of meat and wine. The right way to eat your calçot is to pull the ‘black’ part down, dip the onion in the sauce and place it in your mouth trying not to spread charcoal and the sauce all over your face. It’s a dirty business so they give you a cute bib. Fun tradition and the onions are tasty, I cannot imagine eating more than a couple of them at a time though and from what I understood (my Catalan needs much to be desired, to put it mildly) in competitions one can even eat over 250 calçots in 45 minutes. Insane and impressive.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigF2DvdTmUDrMs9Cti0ydETfmU1vwSAxYK_hmMSb3lJa1Ep4LH9ywasi8_fOP6EZDF42BAWNbB6dyPtDJgAfb_hVGTP_vAJ9ULNU-pU-JGB-i4TZStCJhjERdYoyJjQ7jdqtC2YVOCEA/s1600/DSCF1681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigF2DvdTmUDrMs9Cti0ydETfmU1vwSAxYK_hmMSb3lJa1Ep4LH9ywasi8_fOP6EZDF42BAWNbB6dyPtDJgAfb_hVGTP_vAJ9ULNU-pU-JGB-i4TZStCJhjERdYoyJjQ7jdqtC2YVOCEA/s320/DSCF1681.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Calçotada is accompanied by a parade (obviously)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg41Nsbuj0VUiVVQHjcmYzEISCYUMvtXTQwMXglA1N6OOWpiYG73UsMnflIYPBaIJozgswLRYONmooov6yzIdeynGqE4fAwtMP7XIZWXnzPAV5lWjyFmvcx4u1GxUCFeAEg4yhjNOji_60/s1600/DSCF1624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg41Nsbuj0VUiVVQHjcmYzEISCYUMvtXTQwMXglA1N6OOWpiYG73UsMnflIYPBaIJozgswLRYONmooov6yzIdeynGqE4fAwtMP7XIZWXnzPAV5lWjyFmvcx4u1GxUCFeAEg4yhjNOji_60/s320/DSCF1624.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpm64wYuYF3Kv9HNnthV6dW8lAu9OqCjDE0rkS_u7NUBN4kg64b93Gjhg_LiXj_HkXGsiobryNSYOElvr7ra1EowWA6Rox2-H6cgJPh2OjlAC6deJQHiztZne8EKNpMdujH37XEDp3FuQ/s1600/DSCF1634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpm64wYuYF3Kv9HNnthV6dW8lAu9OqCjDE0rkS_u7NUBN4kg64b93Gjhg_LiXj_HkXGsiobryNSYOElvr7ra1EowWA6Rox2-H6cgJPh2OjlAC6deJQHiztZne8EKNpMdujH37XEDp3FuQ/s320/DSCF1634.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8v7-pTraScRBVRjiywihMBB6iCwjOEGT7N3_jBnIkV1hP-7P9iGSsWheew7z4gk0umU8lC4Sbnqdp_YL3bilcqW5gHQ_IrVXxrhjCZqqbZNP7ZFCtmf6_WU1bXdW0GJaUENX6L5M-lkw/s1600/DSCF1639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8v7-pTraScRBVRjiywihMBB6iCwjOEGT7N3_jBnIkV1hP-7P9iGSsWheew7z4gk0umU8lC4Sbnqdp_YL3bilcqW5gHQ_IrVXxrhjCZqqbZNP7ZFCtmf6_WU1bXdW0GJaUENX6L5M-lkw/s320/DSCF1639.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Valls is quite a nice village, with tiny streets and bright-painted buildings<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjix95cEiHXGeOzGriwg9fusve6jo7EenIUVgvysGja4_xrduf9o-GMZN3Zygyxgm6b0En67w9V_O5tXPPAyii_uRbLcGAv7OPGnytnKHkcnflXDdlHEtzwQWUNFIkiims7WGO24Y0hySU/s1600/DSCF1655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjix95cEiHXGeOzGriwg9fusve6jo7EenIUVgvysGja4_xrduf9o-GMZN3Zygyxgm6b0En67w9V_O5tXPPAyii_uRbLcGAv7OPGnytnKHkcnflXDdlHEtzwQWUNFIkiims7WGO24Y0hySU/s320/DSCF1655.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuPZiSQIdd_FCEbjmX7cxNsLhtLZnhBPVsPrqIzmeOgoDpakISYsvfIFRz9d0-BIkVuHqQ2KPD4Rhd4-Xm5XAQu2Iujb2mHhymeCmrx6CvsnInlRjnTRG5Sjx5IZHieRcNhPZFBZqUVGU/s1600/DSCF1653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuPZiSQIdd_FCEbjmX7cxNsLhtLZnhBPVsPrqIzmeOgoDpakISYsvfIFRz9d0-BIkVuHqQ2KPD4Rhd4-Xm5XAQu2Iujb2mHhymeCmrx6CvsnInlRjnTRG5Sjx5IZHieRcNhPZFBZqUVGU/s320/DSCF1653.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com0Valls, Spain41.2874357 1.251661900000044641.237458700000005 1.2023529000000446 41.3374127 1.3009709000000447tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-8885302618622549542012-01-22T03:31:00.000-08:002012-01-22T03:31:35.116-08:00Museum of ChocolateMuseu de la Xocolata (Plaça Pons I Clerch) is a small private museum. Entry fee: 4,30€ (a small bar of dark chocolate serves as your ticket). The museum offers chocolate sculptures, some history of chocolate and workshop (need to arrange it beforehand).<br />
There are sculptures of cartoon characters…<br />
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landmarks of Barcelona<br />
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stories (here: the Sant Jordi legend)<br />
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and other things<br />
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Also, you can read some interesting facts about chocolate…<br />
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And see the machines needed to make it<br />
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And then after all the tiring visit treat yourself with some chocolate in the museum's shop :)Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-22604653423759010242012-01-20T09:29:00.000-08:002012-01-20T09:42:17.140-08:00Pompeu Fabra for foreigners, i.e. how to survive at Spanish uni<div class="MsoNormal">One of the best universities in Spain, considered posh in Barcelona, the breeding ground for the future Spanish elite… and us, Erasmus guys. You can easily spot us in the crowd. We wear t-shirts in November and have confused looks on our faces. We all had something stolen during our stay. We go out on weeknights and never speak out loud in the class because we are busy trying to look invisible in the back of classroom so that no one asks us anything. <br />
My stay at UPF has been a series of ups, downs, surprised and faux-pas, some of them funny some of them not. I’ve survived the first term though and chances are I will go through the second one too!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYoXilBKIOGpIyM7UGsnn-dULE1h2vikr5i7fpCPRazGVO0838PVSAgxH4QF3S2frEtHtsTtK1qCvopRjA7srIK28g4qaJttAzdwt9I_PPc3MLynwSp5Ln1t51JvFET9OE2j4bqO4zdGU/s1600/arm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYoXilBKIOGpIyM7UGsnn-dULE1h2vikr5i7fpCPRazGVO0838PVSAgxH4QF3S2frEtHtsTtK1qCvopRjA7srIK28g4qaJttAzdwt9I_PPc3MLynwSp5Ln1t51JvFET9OE2j4bqO4zdGU/s200/arm.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">First of all you need to know UPF is a very Catalan place. I am lucky to be a languages student hence I attend Erasmus-oriented modules in Spanish, otherwise everything is in Catalan. Erasmus modules are a safe harbour; we are all on the same boat. If you are a bit masochistic like me and voluntarily choose to dive in and do a non-Erasmus module you have to keep in mind you’ll always feel like a spare prick at a wedding (especially when your German teacher changes the language in which he teaches just because you’re present in class. Which is absolutely lovely by the way!!). Also, it’s difficult to make Spanish friends and you might end up not practising much Spanish at all. And the ‘normal’ classes tend to be more difficult. Local students seem to study a lot (or at least they spend plenty of time in the library), they party (usually) only on weekends and only every third student in the library has their Facebook open. Impressive.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">So once you got over the fact you did not come to Spain but Catalonia, you have to face other obstacles. Like Spanish ways. Let’s take printing. I might not be an IT specialist but even I am able to print stuff out. At UPF, however, it took me over an hour and help of varied people to sort it out. You need a special card, you need to remember to send your file to a ‘factoria’, and then (when you manage to find a printing machine corresponding to the factoria you have chosen) don’t helplessly push all the buttons at once… Better ask some local to help you out, saves time and nerves.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">And then… Paperwork. Be ready to run between buildings, come back a couple of times per week (manana o’clock) and take three deep breaths first. Remember: no one replies to e-mails (not as soon as you’d wish) and the ‘big-blue-eyes-I’m-a-lost-silly-foreigner’ strategy does NOT always work. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">It might sounds a tiny little bit discouraging (not? intended) but in reality there are quite a few cool things about UPF too. Like… sitting in the sun between classes sipping beer. Cheap coffee. Free newspapers (always take one because you will definitely read it, umm - later!). People treat you a bit like a retard and tolerate your strange excesses like drinking tea with milk or using the staff’s elevator… <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">To conclude… However stressful and overwhelming at first, you get used to everything. Erasmus in Barcelona is definitely one of a kind experience. <o:p></o:p></div>Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-25074795073908650212012-01-18T02:09:00.000-08:002012-01-18T02:09:10.600-08:00El Pilar in Zaragoza<div class="MsoNormal">El Pilar is an annual celebration for la Virgen del Pilar – the patron of this town. It takes place on the 12<sup>th</sup> of October (in reality though – like most of Spanish fiestas – it starts before and finishes after the actual holiday) and it’s quite an event.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHakDG7x-a6A8PtHZwtZNkYmUJ9snCQqAl3xJBUm_J6wOMrGVJDYcxSpJDNWW3-by5mLn0NDXPaCgNW7jUPr6Q7_vKbsbfZx3F9Opzgx3kYSwAuO-tzErF0aSr55waNA8_0URPyXyCGpo/s1600/DSCF1239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHakDG7x-a6A8PtHZwtZNkYmUJ9snCQqAl3xJBUm_J6wOMrGVJDYcxSpJDNWW3-by5mLn0NDXPaCgNW7jUPr6Q7_vKbsbfZx3F9Opzgx3kYSwAuO-tzErF0aSr55waNA8_0URPyXyCGpo/s320/DSCF1239.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2nMgKyPHBFZxZv0QkzJevTL96bWkHtfFF_OS0kk72nbThZYgkzV8YtoiQNStiGnQoVPZnL87hI4Ez7K4Umn3sLr_YmLSXS-_aTcxR6Ej2hp75lqOLHU2JarTZ1Y2miFWx7c46byI4VRk/s1600/DSCF1247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2nMgKyPHBFZxZv0QkzJevTL96bWkHtfFF_OS0kk72nbThZYgkzV8YtoiQNStiGnQoVPZnL87hI4Ez7K4Umn3sLr_YmLSXS-_aTcxR6Ej2hp75lqOLHU2JarTZ1Y2miFWx7c46byI4VRk/s320/DSCF1247.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg82sIX8X_-ZSq3DFTR78v6USJADJUIhFF0JZ3waKh5oBtrh9N3YLkZKd-qo5rk_AHl8Vq4_D4qnUt8m0JAkiAurGBLau91uHVZT_vVLl8JQReRQSmqiPwbPPd3jd6DeMxKMxVu4EAIvD8/s1600/DSCF1236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg82sIX8X_-ZSq3DFTR78v6USJADJUIhFF0JZ3waKh5oBtrh9N3YLkZKd-qo5rk_AHl8Vq4_D4qnUt8m0JAkiAurGBLau91uHVZT_vVLl8JQReRQSmqiPwbPPd3jd6DeMxKMxVu4EAIvD8/s320/DSCF1236.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p>It is organized by the local government and citizens participate eagerly, there are also loads of tourists from other parts of Spain.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGW4lqHMBuAtissm3tVa1_ZiUd7OzfMjjXl2D5TVn3e7dNhi-QHDm22-LQ1i88-31uFWwrbMIq2hfblZRiljcA_egHCSYT5D9A9kVCJeFbB1tHduooZ6zNH2US-5hatw__zbN_WsG-BEM/s1600/DSCF1238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGW4lqHMBuAtissm3tVa1_ZiUd7OzfMjjXl2D5TVn3e7dNhi-QHDm22-LQ1i88-31uFWwrbMIq2hfblZRiljcA_egHCSYT5D9A9kVCJeFbB1tHduooZ6zNH2US-5hatw__zbN_WsG-BEM/s320/DSCF1238.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Other than that, Zaragoza is a lovely town, however, after half a year in Barcelona it just cannot knock you off your feet.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiinUlRo9Dim1sMpPnWX5yugwVnZEwc-0MaQgH_OqWsgY1OLQWlEoK9mYGilQFXsJq05fxUCKiXeNtyJgzpamHew78rZuQpH83WAlNtAeag8JGSRfJWC2uR0imBJo7lnSpZCb8IyP0-aI/s1600/DSCF1275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiinUlRo9Dim1sMpPnWX5yugwVnZEwc-0MaQgH_OqWsgY1OLQWlEoK9mYGilQFXsJq05fxUCKiXeNtyJgzpamHew78rZuQpH83WAlNtAeag8JGSRfJWC2uR0imBJo7lnSpZCb8IyP0-aI/s320/DSCF1275.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0TtuMaboO5eRqlEJf_efZMKSyag4n9WbyZ3xJ59LWPQBgyf0N_mpnlCJwShyE1RSHwIFv57De3-5HVUK2A6EH5bK9gjZwbWJz-3scvY3APV7z9QDKJAzLvnc7cF7j_9iY8_gsaqqpdcs/s1600/DSCF1265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0TtuMaboO5eRqlEJf_efZMKSyag4n9WbyZ3xJ59LWPQBgyf0N_mpnlCJwShyE1RSHwIFv57De3-5HVUK2A6EH5bK9gjZwbWJz-3scvY3APV7z9QDKJAzLvnc7cF7j_9iY8_gsaqqpdcs/s320/DSCF1265.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"> Expo 2008<o:p></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRhLgbXL2BgONldKO5S_oYn7KCBWGcoZeAiIMVZn9HKd-54SxlKMRzrITJ8X809IozmpqZxtY4kfscgBPOvdv4gKhHTUJ4BZgzU7nQQFq2vuBuNAzze8xcZS1j2gUVzNGRAJiUy4YuGX4/s1600/DSCF1280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRhLgbXL2BgONldKO5S_oYn7KCBWGcoZeAiIMVZn9HKd-54SxlKMRzrITJ8X809IozmpqZxtY4kfscgBPOvdv4gKhHTUJ4BZgzU7nQQFq2vuBuNAzze8xcZS1j2gUVzNGRAJiUy4YuGX4/s320/DSCF1280.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_UnrCN1gD5ZG9wRYVHAbiqzoY4WU-zjSzsm4skry-xn5MBNNoVYctkbGnJ0-AQz3WJvgV5yPl2nQMoPAa2u6iHNJ32S-ukgriL9eTNbjtbl66gedG_kNEPesoqmynlLyFUOjdeGHRXQ/s1600/DSCF1286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_UnrCN1gD5ZG9wRYVHAbiqzoY4WU-zjSzsm4skry-xn5MBNNoVYctkbGnJ0-AQz3WJvgV5yPl2nQMoPAa2u6iHNJ32S-ukgriL9eTNbjtbl66gedG_kNEPesoqmynlLyFUOjdeGHRXQ/s320/DSCF1286.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5RbwRCokua4KJMWJjr7h63HB0vMXSDWer10DAkn4gh1cJCy3gdjHigQX0CmP2ROFCjQnHFQcDJFaP15UEPdyRD_Hxt3LL_peUUj299ii2SvLdSBowdX27V9mDAR20Xa-qfam5myMkaU/s1600/DSCF1290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5RbwRCokua4KJMWJjr7h63HB0vMXSDWer10DAkn4gh1cJCy3gdjHigQX0CmP2ROFCjQnHFQcDJFaP15UEPdyRD_Hxt3LL_peUUj299ii2SvLdSBowdX27V9mDAR20Xa-qfam5myMkaU/s320/DSCF1290.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Palacio de la Aljaferia</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I do recommend spending one or two days in Zaragoza, for the historic monumets, for the nightlife and for the atmosphere which is totally different to that of Barcelona.<br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div>Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-68045483968807161402012-01-14T05:22:00.000-08:002012-01-14T05:26:20.381-08:00Figueres<div class="MsoNormal">Nice little town in the north of Catalonia famous for Dali Museum. There isn’t much to say about the town itself but the museum is by all means very impressive.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHeh3BQBOkbqKN7rfSJQlEitIxrQ6C5IrBYwiNbDcgZsv93wQuCcI2Zmq5HvkdCPFZjaRFwmHkhyphenhyphennZAr8UVFGQm_cAQQLD3hWakDJdesR2a2hYwnZ4RRUoJocHWnO4fy9vUHfXWx-ea5I/s1600/DSCF1413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHeh3BQBOkbqKN7rfSJQlEitIxrQ6C5IrBYwiNbDcgZsv93wQuCcI2Zmq5HvkdCPFZjaRFwmHkhyphenhyphennZAr8UVFGQm_cAQQLD3hWakDJdesR2a2hYwnZ4RRUoJocHWnO4fy9vUHfXWx-ea5I/s320/DSCF1413.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">First of all it's massive. Lots of open spaces, long corridors, upstairs, downstairs. Huge expositions.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAmJdJtmqJzTYDl-qRsHQIvXoawjMMYtVjj6oyLfyyNKgJsJXQw8ZsoX4jSvoQiXICDBfctunnZG2TSQR6ELhGAYSXYZnV6stuFF7qLEKf6aRnokBUBM7s1LlnbCfWB22skrSsVRKH28/s1600/DSCF1426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLAmJdJtmqJzTYDl-qRsHQIvXoawjMMYtVjj6oyLfyyNKgJsJXQw8ZsoX4jSvoQiXICDBfctunnZG2TSQR6ELhGAYSXYZnV6stuFF7qLEKf6aRnokBUBM7s1LlnbCfWB22skrSsVRKH28/s320/DSCF1426.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> Crazy ideas...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-YamhsSav4AV1fy8PWeG9QoibyWW6BoThljPKE6RW_FFlalKJUGWhNSXw-wnqbFcIQcdIsptJaQzz-PsQrtBHGTRe3SEoFsYTbbbf-ocgMXtVHLhPW_YWqKLUFOVVm-NHOn-mncnnBRM/s1600/DSCF1434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-YamhsSav4AV1fy8PWeG9QoibyWW6BoThljPKE6RW_FFlalKJUGWhNSXw-wnqbFcIQcdIsptJaQzz-PsQrtBHGTRe3SEoFsYTbbbf-ocgMXtVHLhPW_YWqKLUFOVVm-NHOn-mncnnBRM/s320/DSCF1434.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr9RgOWbn8CgO5K9zfynWtdT-TCMphCX2cz1xx1q6JdcoWOKy6j4oIVzh6jJSO2AVWFiGMDgQMPDTgMxPz9B5iPT36gUEOmuNNEfFoOGTBMEiqRRo-jkWMUsSRp-K1ar5W_7lXv10cMGM/s1600/DSCF1436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr9RgOWbn8CgO5K9zfynWtdT-TCMphCX2cz1xx1q6JdcoWOKy6j4oIVzh6jJSO2AVWFiGMDgQMPDTgMxPz9B5iPT36gUEOmuNNEfFoOGTBMEiqRRo-jkWMUsSRp-K1ar5W_7lXv10cMGM/s320/DSCF1436.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6XrwK8PO9AIVohomSi2XRQT1N07mbfu6sVD8E6uxs8fkBvedXakTtuqqX9TJbb_VGwmHYbDcBsg86hsxbTN8QMCIgOQbVdKTFPDQsznwjfe_Q8z0UnSPtZ5VirwUZp6a82FZQvWR1bnw/s1600/DSCF1433.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6XrwK8PO9AIVohomSi2XRQT1N07mbfu6sVD8E6uxs8fkBvedXakTtuqqX9TJbb_VGwmHYbDcBsg86hsxbTN8QMCIgOQbVdKTFPDQsznwjfe_Q8z0UnSPtZ5VirwUZp6a82FZQvWR1bnw/s320/DSCF1433.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Sometimes makes you think where his inspiration came from: mental illness, drugs, aliens?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUo1QVBCOLPJ9XKI-MLcRMipVVz0-klKF2et1rDKpUfPYKb5weg4V48dXf9ANUMWuBfHmcJ2BMZLiD6hYEhoky2Ccggwwd8nRCqdmW16icl94UqbNcLvKIJM424k3CZjnXtF7CAyU_vY/s1600/DSCF1440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirUo1QVBCOLPJ9XKI-MLcRMipVVz0-klKF2et1rDKpUfPYKb5weg4V48dXf9ANUMWuBfHmcJ2BMZLiD6hYEhoky2Ccggwwd8nRCqdmW16icl94UqbNcLvKIJM424k3CZjnXtF7CAyU_vY/s320/DSCF1440.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3-7js9Sg4boyMVM8xJjSgnG3xvtEqe9pZ3J-up1UfE-heLg8zMRveHHoO2WmE01DTSRxY2OaV47Y7kY7gZUIwKyZf-mWra5zorauP-6gVtT5CtvtUkpzsRBiq9t4y5M6jTJEtZv5fNA/s1600/DSCF1439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_3-7js9Sg4boyMVM8xJjSgnG3xvtEqe9pZ3J-up1UfE-heLg8zMRveHHoO2WmE01DTSRxY2OaV47Y7kY7gZUIwKyZf-mWra5zorauP-6gVtT5CtvtUkpzsRBiq9t4y5M6jTJEtZv5fNA/s320/DSCF1439.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Absolutely unique pieces.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWgb2fL34j2tDVOXRNdSxuNmKQMEsEcvQdfrm6tQ1V1qudhvGqxpJMJIT1JqaeEVRAsXNKuMeGBwMx_JG9URDzWN3K-2E_rViXnkW9cwJF9FQZahARU03mnnuA3-7NzBJUVqKVfaEiSbA/s1600/DSCF1442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWgb2fL34j2tDVOXRNdSxuNmKQMEsEcvQdfrm6tQ1V1qudhvGqxpJMJIT1JqaeEVRAsXNKuMeGBwMx_JG9URDzWN3K-2E_rViXnkW9cwJF9FQZahARU03mnnuA3-7NzBJUVqKVfaEiSbA/s320/DSCF1442.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The ticket (12 euros with students discount, otherwise 18 - if I remember right) includes entry to the Museu Dali Joyas where you can find fantastic jewellery and other masterpieces made with precious stones.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBXNJM8DsbnPmIx175KAEziLe_5Ho_lU-SDLwHA_6QQJlRfPaP2YXruLbRgzjYXXC9HUWgrWah_fWwxv3PihJn7WFKXZu6o542wb-L-bq7dSaQh7u_fSMNzuKtNIbg0qfLVvxMX8Gu3YQ/s1600/374367_2623354717427_1662009071_2409793_516027245_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBXNJM8DsbnPmIx175KAEziLe_5Ho_lU-SDLwHA_6QQJlRfPaP2YXruLbRgzjYXXC9HUWgrWah_fWwxv3PihJn7WFKXZu6o542wb-L-bq7dSaQh7u_fSMNzuKtNIbg0qfLVvxMX8Gu3YQ/s320/374367_2623354717427_1662009071_2409793_516027245_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>A trip from Barcelona is about two and a half hour long (train) but it's definitely worth visiting!</div>Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-32198870588983053332012-01-13T10:11:00.000-08:002012-01-13T10:11:17.243-08:00Hello, I'm from Europe<div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">The other day me and my friend Alicja (magnoliacelebrationinspain.tumblr.com) had to present ourselves to other students in a class and we felt quite puzzled by trying to find the best answer for a simple yet - at least for us – doubts-raising question: where are you from? <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">I never considered nationality problematic until I began my Erasmus year and heard this question a couple of times a day. So if you live all your life in one place there’s no room for dilemma but what if you’re spread out in two or – bloody hell! – three countries? Which one do you choose? Does ‘where from’ mean your nationality? Or where you’ve spent most of your life? Or where you live now? Or maybe where you feel most at home?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">I lived in Poland for 18 years, in England – 3 years and in Germany – only every now and then for short periods of time, mainly just visiting. So technically I’m from Poland. Neverthelesss…. now (when I’m not on Erasmus – from England - in Spain) I live in the UK and chances are I will stay there after I’m done with the uni. I consider it my home more than any other place. Germany is funny – I never lived there permanently and my German leaves MUCH to be desired but - because my closest family moved there (and because I love <i>Haribo</i>) it became a part of my identity too. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">So in the mentioned class we eventually decided to be from Poland and the moment I said it out loud a classmate turned round and gave me a very surprised look. He knew me as a student from British university - without the rest of the story.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">I wish I could say we came to some satisfactory conclusion but no. We are Polish-born but we feel strong connection with Britain and we are Erasmus students from the UK. I guess what me, Alicja and people in similar doubt have left is to tick ‘citizen of the world’ box and fly around happily making the most of such complicated yet advantageous situation <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidABS0a6O2Pjz5SXfWrq43Mao8uOZkaVvCMK1Xt5tz2kRi38M1jv9HRXZdbMyrqZ3epP8iODNU8LALwD41pnp_W22BUcytGEKNQSfSL5ShhJSrjF-OlweVqJhqPYlSbQcF6acrequfaOM/s1600/23816_1333490311623_1662009071_795019_3605386_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidABS0a6O2Pjz5SXfWrq43Mao8uOZkaVvCMK1Xt5tz2kRi38M1jv9HRXZdbMyrqZ3epP8iODNU8LALwD41pnp_W22BUcytGEKNQSfSL5ShhJSrjF-OlweVqJhqPYlSbQcF6acrequfaOM/s320/23816_1333490311623_1662009071_795019_3605386_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal">I know this post doesn’t have much to do with Barcelona but… it’s my blog so like it or piss off ;) <o:p></o:p></div>Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-76381498921925468772012-01-12T06:07:00.000-08:002013-12-29T08:30:13.708-08:00Tomorrow o’clock<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Time in Spain is a term more relative than anywhere else. My very observant Canadian friend noticed: ‘I never know what time it is here, there are no clocks, nowhere.’ And it's kinda true - no clocks in my flat, none on the bus, not many at the uni, not to mention shopping centres and tourists-focused places. But then again - who needs clocks in Spain? In the place where you have dinner at 10pm, start partying at 2am and it's socially acceptable to be 30 minutes late who needs a silly little machine to remind them what time of the day it is?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Another very Spanish (or rather mediterranean) and very common time-related occurrence is ‘mañana.’ It’s a lovely word that in any other language means tomorrow yet in Spanish the best translation would oscillate somewhere between ‘when I can be bothered’ and ‘never.’ Examples: when can I change my modules? Mañana. When are you going to send me a new bank card? Mañana. When will the bathroom get fixed? Mañana is the answer. Mañana, tranquila, everything tomorrow, don’t worry. As if tomorrow was some magical remedy. Well, in my case not only does it not work but in extreme situations it’s like a red rag to a bull. I dare not call ma</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;">ñ</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">ana-believers lazy - in fact it all makes sense: why would you do something unpleasant or effortful straight away if you can shuffle it off to the wonderland of mañana?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">And so eventually you come to the conclusion that ‘when in Rome, do as the Romans do.’ Some homework need to be done, some dishes should be washed up, some papers are to be filled in – well guess what? MANANA!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrbr0IOP_41HiuGOUSf9S5yUfcYvrD5GxV3YOiao3Rx7gRKCoZZD7d3XlcOmv8DoBhRtPfsgQJhQLt42CQyAgZ7nFyLn0bO5sx2hQLFUr54h2z5n7ivCPNFnMRU6lLX4wZYQCm6q33pg/s1600/402427_10150452275056571_501571570_8803185_1009665906_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzrbr0IOP_41HiuGOUSf9S5yUfcYvrD5GxV3YOiao3Rx7gRKCoZZD7d3XlcOmv8DoBhRtPfsgQJhQLt42CQyAgZ7nFyLn0bO5sx2hQLFUr54h2z5n7ivCPNFnMRU6lLX4wZYQCm6q33pg/s320/402427_10150452275056571_501571570_8803185_1009665906_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-54328568352370227452012-01-12T04:35:00.000-08:002012-01-12T04:35:28.461-08:00You have to love Barcelona for…<div class="MsoNormal">I could think of probably 100 things I love about this city, here’s a sample:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Sun<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Pretty much all year long. Blue sky, decent temperature and lack of - or very little - rain. Holidays all year long!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHTfV7Zuvy2S9Y7WsT799rZNmFrXrdMys8DJ_vme8NhYUCKfInnNsK7qVTeUfMuba44JGSFmw4HHw6G8fBaAcjTjwduwhQX3moLBPqgvHqZga2sJB4lgpKZEX1b2zDfP01Ggn8897T3Tk/s1600/IMG_2925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHTfV7Zuvy2S9Y7WsT799rZNmFrXrdMys8DJ_vme8NhYUCKfInnNsK7qVTeUfMuba44JGSFmw4HHw6G8fBaAcjTjwduwhQX3moLBPqgvHqZga2sJB4lgpKZEX1b2zDfP01Ggn8897T3Tk/s320/IMG_2925.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Bogatell beach on the 1<sup>st</sup> of January (I was told this year is different from previous ones and normally winter is NOT that warm)<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Architecture<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">And not only Gaudí…<o:p></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7FiVcCNlnvbhNUTPCYZa3IkeJLX7sk1Kt5w-_89teabC70DAV5m0OPdkfr2vM1pgSj-0aTvw1R2jaBCflcYr_2_eyUw25Zv9NA5DDj6AISP2eF5cLT6bNmsqblsgkGloat7S_AUsFnHc/s1600/263499_2036301761470_1662009071_1964984_5744276_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7FiVcCNlnvbhNUTPCYZa3IkeJLX7sk1Kt5w-_89teabC70DAV5m0OPdkfr2vM1pgSj-0aTvw1R2jaBCflcYr_2_eyUw25Zv9NA5DDj6AISP2eF5cLT6bNmsqblsgkGloat7S_AUsFnHc/s320/263499_2036301761470_1662009071_1964984_5744276_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Sb_hCDZtumxN2s1Eg0Ulopz053UFTn5L4IFjL8zzyVuVOkb006ocWgZIhl4Ge7nUTjVTwKZtxfLoYTfR0-AuWYYlKLez0bx_CXORgf09FQgktcQxxEnCUSms4ME1OEkDaSi8V61RK_8/s1600/321293_2132517726809_1662009071_2101102_4327170_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Sb_hCDZtumxN2s1Eg0Ulopz053UFTn5L4IFjL8zzyVuVOkb006ocWgZIhl4Ge7nUTjVTwKZtxfLoYTfR0-AuWYYlKLez0bx_CXORgf09FQgktcQxxEnCUSms4ME1OEkDaSi8V61RK_8/s320/321293_2132517726809_1662009071_2101102_4327170_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWQP-nV49o0ngeNjC4H9V1gJLykQWFoOtExsbkYNg_YA6rB9V7tKEFSLKxLsuwZDnPkeF-0Z1RzttWqSn3APd9PHd_S5lbWloMc4QIc05054grizk3QzwLcM9mSQkVX063k5ZxYUfBn4/s1600/IMG_2972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWQP-nV49o0ngeNjC4H9V1gJLykQWFoOtExsbkYNg_YA6rB9V7tKEFSLKxLsuwZDnPkeF-0Z1RzttWqSn3APd9PHd_S5lbWloMc4QIc05054grizk3QzwLcM9mSQkVX063k5ZxYUfBn4/s320/IMG_2972.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Nightlife<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Although I enjoyed my nights out in England as much as I do here I must admit that this city is THE place for pub crawls! Irish pubs, live music bars, tapas places, massive students bards (Ovella Negra), the famous Champagneria, cerveserias… Take your pick.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy450vjMO6jwecQQrvdCkvKZUPbm-teCUVV2uh2dfY1ZDWJbmAyr4H7m7uMQG2CqieJN-x45U-Ouu1zV8sWnhkn20wCuphAIphismUhMqwCQB6_t-XXCAfyKgv3ivWQCPG4CcRcpqU1ls/s1600/392113_10150452278456571_501571570_8803202_344586479_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy450vjMO6jwecQQrvdCkvKZUPbm-teCUVV2uh2dfY1ZDWJbmAyr4H7m7uMQG2CqieJN-x45U-Ouu1zV8sWnhkn20wCuphAIphismUhMqwCQB6_t-XXCAfyKgv3ivWQCPG4CcRcpqU1ls/s320/392113_10150452278456571_501571570_8803202_344586479_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Shopping<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Whether it’s posh Passeig de Gràcia, on-the-water Maremagnum, cute little boutiques in Gràcia or temporary stalls with handmade goodies – you can definitely spend a fortune on shopping here. I found myself rather fond of Spanish brands too: Blanco, Zara, Mango, Stradivarius, Pull&Bear... The only problem I encountered is the sizing. I’m often too tall for the clothes here. With my 5ft 5in I never considered myself a giant…</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIU_hlULSefUdxWZgs5Dej0C1a6zSaTmfiiSRUVqFdCJPe6GNvSJCQnIw7bF3zfJHaAAVIm4Ofhc4jSNQR9orTjilmz71Kxn4LRupoYbIm2Doi6s_Ko2hOvqTqFSPVJ4Amy64taCka0o/s1600/IMG_2778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIU_hlULSefUdxWZgs5Dej0C1a6zSaTmfiiSRUVqFdCJPe6GNvSJCQnIw7bF3zfJHaAAVIm4Ofhc4jSNQR9orTjilmz71Kxn4LRupoYbIm2Doi6s_Ko2hOvqTqFSPVJ4Amy64taCka0o/s320/IMG_2778.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Fiestas<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Traditional celebrations in Spain might not be listed in the top 10 things to see but they’re definitely worth recommending. Never before have I seen such frequent and great fiestas organized – to a big extent – by citizens and usually - voluntarily. The ones I have attended so far and absolutely loved:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"> La Merce, 24<sup>th</sup> of September but starts a couple of dyas before. Annual festival of Barcelona. Parades, concerts, dancing sardana, fireworks and much more.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Fiestas de barrios – especially in the district of Gràcia, around the 15th September. Streets are decorated by people living there and they do make an effort – later on there’s always a competition and the best looking street wins.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Los Reyes Magicos, parade on the 5<sup>th</sup> of January. Truly magical. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1dARn7kXhqynARLXLXR1G9oOqgHWMBdmf97WrGXD-dJYrINDVuSICn0IP2pwkPMXKH2G1BWx-L0URaIPU70q01dbcmi0OXuNcKOKnXAAlELHYDirAYapfcMrsgKqG2AVDtSfvoQdjKl4/s1600/301677_2132524166970_1662009071_2101120_5225918_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1dARn7kXhqynARLXLXR1G9oOqgHWMBdmf97WrGXD-dJYrINDVuSICn0IP2pwkPMXKH2G1BWx-L0URaIPU70q01dbcmi0OXuNcKOKnXAAlELHYDirAYapfcMrsgKqG2AVDtSfvoQdjKl4/s320/301677_2132524166970_1662009071_2101120_5225918_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">One of the streets in Gràcia</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcTrhOiazPk5ps_DrvqhuGSl78SXNLmYuRIhAkrFxm0srLKoIxiQPwc2_1y2N64qrY8UtVtOfvBtuhxBj483KTlC7NElEBR4xVJ1C6fVVy7jQMW_NKzDav-GJ_f88CCcT3_83vbNeKUqI/s1600/402133_10150452274276571_501571570_8803182_1506281819_n+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcTrhOiazPk5ps_DrvqhuGSl78SXNLmYuRIhAkrFxm0srLKoIxiQPwc2_1y2N64qrY8UtVtOfvBtuhxBj483KTlC7NElEBR4xVJ1C6fVVy7jQMW_NKzDav-GJ_f88CCcT3_83vbNeKUqI/s320/402133_10150452274276571_501571570_8803182_1506281819_n+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Reyes Magicos</div>Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6428617407748740214.post-14019610469771093722012-01-07T13:29:00.000-08:002012-01-08T03:22:28.812-08:006 months later I finally set up a blog!<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">My year here started 6 months ago but I was always too busy/lazy to start writing. But with the New Year here I am!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">From rainy England to the south of Europe for Erasmus - or if you prefer - gap year. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Catalonia-not-Spain, I was told. I love it and it gets on my nerves at the same time. Barcelona - I love her because she's beautiful, fun and weird in a cute way. She pisses me off for being disorganized and complicated. It's not always perfect but we make it work. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeXDAVkkwZXNwuYd5QA13jm0PjS8u9Q60npbGYETmS8-H7_N1wVxgAhpJOCQgQHB4K8-VbZ8IAtoHSQl7ox-BOgkHDQRNlHWET6w-X3tljgbFYgYRMzwOp6KPDbL5j2F4GiIPmammAUc/s1600/DSC01919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeXDAVkkwZXNwuYd5QA13jm0PjS8u9Q60npbGYETmS8-H7_N1wVxgAhpJOCQgQHB4K8-VbZ8IAtoHSQl7ox-BOgkHDQRNlHWET6w-X3tljgbFYgYRMzwOp6KPDbL5j2F4GiIPmammAUc/s320/DSC01919.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">My thoughts on life in Barcelona.</span>Monikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16003370576061764121noreply@blogger.com0