Gracia is the place to be! It is full of young people, yoga studios, health food stores, boutiques, coffee shops and fresh markets as well as outdoor benches to sit and enjoy the youthful atmosphere. The cobblestone streets are filled with bicycles and motorbikes and some small European cars parallel park themselves between the tall apartment buildings and narrow storefronts. The green line takes us right downtown to the heart of the action but its nice to come home to a more tranquil and QUIET neighborhood at night.
We're thankful that this move has been such a good fit. Our new señora, Montse, is a middle aged widow who is extremely outgoing. She has many friends who are always in and out of her house and she is a fantastic cook! Montse is caring, warm and friendly and loves to talk with us. She and her friends have a great sense of humor. Even after living with her for a half a week our Spanish is getting better! She helps us with our homework at night and makes us feel welcome. After only being here a few short hours she kissed us goodnight and told us she could feel a mutual connection was already established. We agree and we feel that this was meant to be.
After school on Wednesday we took a bike tour (from a company called "Fat Tire- they're also in London and Berlin) that guided us around the city for four hours! The tour guide showed us many popular landmarks, parks, neighborhoods and routes around the city. It really helped us get a greater picture of how streets/neighborhoods/areas connect here without fiddling with our map or being underground on the metro. One of many beautiful things about Barcelona is that if you are at the heart of the city you are never more than 10 minutes from the beach! Much like Chicago, the city overlooks water and we can tell this is going to be imperative when the weather heats up in mid-July! It was difficult to navigate the bikes in a big city though. Monjira came frightfully close to being hit by a bus and I accidentally grazed a pedestrian (or two) when trying to steer through the cobblestone streets.
Friday we had the pleasure of visiting Park Güell. We had heard from a few people that it was something we should go visit but we were SO glad when we arrived that no one had told us quite how breathtaking it was. The surprise knocked me off my feet. Güell was designed by Gaudí and his home is situated in the park. It is full of winding paths and beautiful gardens. As you climb the mountain higher and higher you get better and better views of all of Barcelona below. We hiked all the way to the top and when we sat down at a lookout spot there was a man playing classical guitar with his back to the city. Tears came to my eyes as I took in the city below with the music in the background. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my entire life.
Although some days are harder than others (to wake up at 7am after being up until 1 or because I just get frustrated with a language barrier) we are trying to enjoy every second. Our days are absolutely FULL and they go by faster than anything I have ever experienced. Even though we pack cultural activities, learning (and a lot of walking!!) into everyday, it still whirs by. There is never a dull moment. In fact, Monj still hasn't completely unpacked her suitcase in our new home even though we've been here for almost a week. We simply haven't had time. After class we always do an activity until dinner at 9pm, then we do our homework and talk with Montse or go out to a bar. By 1-2am we HAVE to sleep. It has become an ongoing joke that Monj hasn't fully unpacked yet simply because there hasn't been a moment to spare. This weekend we're hoping to relax on the beach and have a moment to breathe.
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