The last few weekends have been absolutely wild between traveling and hosting, and the next few weekends are looking just as busy, so when I saw a few blank squares on the calendar sandwiched between the chaos, I forced myself to stay back in Barcelona. Just about everyone I know here was jet-setting this weekend, so I decided to hang back and enjoy the city on my own. Some call it lonely, some call it bold, I just call it a great opportunity to recharge and explore.
I kicked the weekend off at a hole-in-the-wall café that was hauntingly reminiscent of the Coffee House back at Duke. It was just what I needed to crank out a bit of work (YES, we do have work over here every now and then!). I biked around and grabbed a sandwich from our favorite sandwich stand. Later that night, I called up a few girls that I met in a language exchange. Loved the irony of meeting at a 50s-style American diner to practice my Spanish.
Saturday was my kitchen experiment day, and I had the time of my life. It was so relaxing [and filling] to mess around in the kitchen all day. Back in Sevilla, we had this delicious pear and gorgonzola pasta, so I decided to give homemade ravioli a whirl. It was amazingggg. I’ve also really missed the seasonal pumpkin goodies that always pop up this time of year in the States (you HAVE to try the Refectory’s pumpkin cookies!) so I decided to boldly go where no Spaniard has gone before – I made the fluffiest pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Definitely gained 20 pounds that day.
Sunday was my adventure day! I got up at the crack of dawn and biked to the beach for the sunrise. It was pretty entertaining seeing everyone stumbling out of the clubs at 7 a.m. I admire their stamina. After the sun rose, I biked around town for a bit, went back to my apartment to grab a few things, and hopped on a train to Montserrat. Montserrat is on the list of “day trips you have to take from Barcelona”, and since my free weekends in Barcelona are numbered, I figured now was as good a time as any to venture out there. It was absolutely breathtaking, I’m so glad I took the time to go!
I missed my roommates and friends quite a bit, but it’s always nice to treat yourself to weekend all about you. If you ever have a few blank squares, you should try it sometime!
Besos from Barca,
Ashley