Feeling like an Artist in Barcelona

by Kristen Bird (United States of America)

Making a local connection Spain

Barcelona is quite honestly the most beautiful city I have ever laid eyes on. After traveling to Paris for a few days, we were relieved to finally be at the Barcelona leg of our journey. Don't get me wrong, the city of Paris is a beautiful treasure, but our experiences there were less than ideal. I thought of it as the most romantic city in the world, until a few days later, when we took a quick flight to Barcelona. Very few cities I have visited, have what I call "the home factor" where you could actually picture yourself living and existing there. The city was fresh and alive, and it's people seemed vibrant and bright as we pulled up to our hostel. I have always had my nose in fantasy books about far away lands, and I didn't realize it until just that moment, but this scene is exactly what I was picturing in my head when I was reading about all those adventures. When we went out to dinner, and found ourselves in a breezy causeway filled with outdoor tables and bistro lights for dining. We sat down to a smorgasbord of delectable food, and when the waiter poured us a luscious glass of red sangria, I realized that I had been drinking piss all my life. Just as I thought it couldn't get much better than this, a guitarist came up and started picking a beautiful melody. It was at that moment, the combination of all of these things, it made me realize that this was far more romantic than Paris, and it may have even been one of the most savored moments of my life. From there, our experience was only enhanced by the euphoric days exploring the city of Barcelona. Seeing the nearly 4,000-year-old ruins made me realize that this city is an entirely other world. We were told that the people of Barcelona are fighting constantly to free themselves from Spain, and they take every opportunity to spit on the traditions of Spain. The Gemini in me does love a good group of rebels. But I think the quality that made the city most special to me, was the artwork. I am no artist by any means, although I have always admired from afar. I have always been quite jealous of what artists can do with their talents and you can find it at every corner you turn. But it's more than just the fact that art is everywhere you look in the city, it's that Barcelona itself, is made of art.