As of current, I am sitting on the terrace of our first hostel Paraiso Travellers Hostel located on Ronda de Sant Pau 55-57, Ppal. 1°, Barcelona, 08015, Spain. Today is Tuesday, and the local time is 10 am, and this is our third day here. After our 26-hour bus ride from Amsterdam, we arrived Saturday morning at 11:30 am. Our bus took us through all of France with only two main stops of 30 minutes. The bus was practically empty when we started in Amsterdam, but by the time we arrived in Barcelona every seat was taken. It was actually a lot nicer of a ride than I anticipated. I was forced to sit in my thoughts and look out the window, while I watched the terrain change from the lush summer greens of The Netherlands to the more desert-style plants of Spain... I watched morning turn into darkness and back to dawn again.
When we arrived, the afternoon sun was blazing; any rain and coolness we passed along the way was long gone. We arrived at a train/bus station full of chaos, which made the claustrophobia I was beginning to feel on the long bus ride now seem a safe haven, a place of quiet and peace. The bus driver opened the bottom of the bus to display our luggage, and I placed my two backpacks upon my shoulders and set out to explore a new country, with a new language, and a new set of silent rules to learn to abide by. In Amsterdam, unlike Barcelona, everyone speaks Dutch, as well as English (possibly better than I do). In Barcelona, to find signage in English is a rare gift, and communication relies on hand gestures and simple words that you hope sound similar enough in English and Spanish .
We reached our hostel by using the metro and walking a few blocks; it is in an old Spanish building with gorgeous architecture. They have painted the walls with intense shades of orange and fuchsia and saturated blues. Each room contains three sets of bunk beds, six small beds in total. A private bathroom is in each room, and a small locker is provided to each guest. We spent about an hour in the room letting our minds rest and prepared to navigate the city to find the beach. After several days of roaming and thorough study of the map, we have discovered a route. It is slightly out of the way but is a direct route to the beach, lest us from entering the madness of the city centre. Before we determined said route, we spent each day lost for hours.
So here is an update on our first day... After finding the beach by two in the afternoon, we were determined to morph our pale bodies into beautiful shades of caramel and brown. Alas, upon evening's approach, we left with red, fried skin that was hot to the touch even after a cool shower. We have willed to stay in the shadows of the day until this burnt skin settles into a nice tan, at which point, we will return to beach life.
The beaches are filled with life and laughter that only the hot sun and waves can create. Nudity is allowed, but there are specific beaches designated for this option. These beaches are the most crowded of all; they are filled with anything from romantic couples sitting naked on beach towels while feeding each other, to families with young children completely nude frolicking in the sand, to middle-aged women who simply don't want tan lines. For those of you who know me, getting naked and sun-bathing on a nude beach is something that has been on my bucket list as long as anything has. The liberation you feel stripping completely bare in front of hundreds of people is not describable, but is something which must be experienced to understand. This is not a place full of hot models; these are normal people of all shapes, sizes, and ages. There is no reason to be insecure. Don't get me wrong, it's human nature to be curious enough to look around at all times, but when everyone is naked and vulnerable, confidence is less of a concern than in any other life situation. I walk through the crowds right into the water and allow the waves to wash over my body. After I have cooled off from the several-hour walk to this magical place, I disregard my beach towel, spread my wet body on to the beach, and move around until the sand is glued to every part of me. In my mind, I check a box on my bucket list.
In other news, everywhere at all times of day and night, Barcelona is filled with life and madness. Unlike Amsterdam, where fashion and appearance and organization is a focus, here people walk on the bike lane, ride bikes on the walking path, wear short shorts and tank tops, and there are many more people robust in body size. It is a strange blend of city and beach life: swim suits and a quick pace!
Well, Adios, much love from Barcelona. Matthew and I are madly in love and are reading great works of literature together and intensely analyzing them. We work on our vocabulary and dream up our next big adventures. We stretch and eat as healthy as we can (which is a challenge here, as pastries and sandwiches are so cheap). We are determined to have sharp minds and healthy bodies. We hope tobe winded as old age approaches, having a mind full of memories saturated in wild adventures and beautiful stories. Thanks again for tuning in. XOXOXOXOXO. MUAH MUAH MUAH!!!trav
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