I love Barcelona. I love it, love it, love it! The arts, the energy, the colours, cerveza, cops on scooters, the boys, the beaches, the bumble-bee taxis, tapas, the sunshine, the shopping, the street music, the dancing, the people, paella, pick & mix candy shops, live statues, the language, the list could go on.

Last time I visited I wanted to live there, and this time I had the same feeling.

“Dos noches es muy pochito. Barcelona es mas grande. Minimum tres noches,” insisted the passionate cleaner of our guesthouse-like hostel.

She was right. Two nights is not enough. I knew that when I booked it, but with plans to spend a couple of nights in Nice, Rome and hopes to spend a week on a Greek Island, two nights was all we had.

Paella:

Street music:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrdTaR0oVv0[/youtube]

A city tour on one of those open air buses gave us glimpse into Gaudi’s fine works & other architecture points of interest around the city.

 

Shopping around town, through small and big cobblestone streets, I came across Desigual – hippyish clothes full of positive affirmations, bright colours and quirky shapes. I went nuts, suffering the consequences when it came to closing my backpack the next morning. I also found a camera shop and bout a 18-200mm Tamron lens to replace the one that broke in Paris. Undecided as to whether its as good as my 18-105 Nikon, it would do the trick.

By the time I got to the beach it was 6pm. The sun was still strong. I had one hour to bake before meeting Lisa for more food, drinks, shops and to watch Midnight in Paris from 10:20pm till well after midnight in Barcelona. You don’t get movies that late in Oz. And at 5 Euros a ticket, the cinema is another thing to add to my list.

Of all the cities I’ve visited in Europe, Barcelona is easily my favourite. In every city I go I try to get a magnet. For the second time I forgot to get a magnet in Barcelona. A sign I will return? I hope so.