There seems to have been a lot of negative posting around here recently. Too much rain this, feral cats that. So now for a positive post: my favourite things about Barcelona so far.
1. The Parrots [See previous post for parrot related disclaimer] Ok ok, I mention them too often. I’ll stop, this is the last time, I promise. NO MORE PARROTS. But their chirping and their greenness do brighten up my day.
2. The palm trees. So exotic! They don’t even look forced and unhappy, like the palm trees you find along the ‘English Riviera‘ and down in Cornwall, eaking out a meagre existence in the drizzle. They are obviously at home here.
3. The food. Sobrasada and tins of squid-in-its-own-ink might not be ‘Barcelonian’ food, but nonetheless I enjoy consuming them (don’t worry, family. If you are reading this then I promise to bring home some tinned squid for the Christmas holidays. You’ll love it, I’m sure). Oh, and butifarra, and the fact that when you order a clara (shandy) they know you want it with lemonade, not soda water. I have been introduced to so much strange fruit since I arrived, which has been a delicious, repulsive but always entertaining experience. Have a look at these, for example. I mean, what. are. they?
This is without mentioning the apple on the outside/pear on the inside fruit I tried, or the one that looked like a tomato, but wasn’t. But anyway, all of this food adds up. They are all small things, dear readers, but they make a difference.
4. The strangeness of Catalan. It’s a weird language. Words shouldn’t end in a ‘c’, and it’s impossible to pronounce the ‘ll’ as a foreigner. But hey, it’s like the palm trees and the par…. birds that live in them. It’s exotic and it fits, and I enjoy the challenge of speaking it. Even if I still think it sounds like gobbledygook when spoken quickly, that’s still part of it’s charm.
5. The nightlife. My only complaint is that I haven’t seen enough of it. But just an example, last time I was out I came accross a US air marshall, a cuban guitar player called Mel, a lifesize replica of Barack Obama and two miniature italians wearing identical bow ties. What’s not to like about a city which provides such nocturnal delights?
So there you have it, my favourite things about Barcelona. Let’s see how long the happy posting lasts!
Barcelona Ramblings 