24. Chocolate Caliente

(La versión español está en los comentarios)

Well, the last time I wrote on this blog was about Valencia, and what an amazing weekend that was, but since then I have finished my exams and the University of Pompeu Fabra, had a little visit home to do some house hunting and started my work placement. How times flies. I have also found it the right time to distinguish the difference between hot chocolate in the UK and Spain (well, Barcelona), but before I ramble about this very important issue, here is what I have been up to for the past few weeks:

Firstly, I have finished the University of Pompeu Fabra of which I spent six months in the faculty of translation, and although I am ready for something new, I will miss the university and the routine I had got accustomed too. It will also be a shock when I return to the UK, with the strict university rules and regulations once again taking over my life. But anyway, once my final exams were done I headed back to Manchester in order to find a house in Newcastle for next year. House hunting for university is definitely more stressful in the UK, unlike when I came to Barcelona and I had a flat in less than a week. If only the UK had this mentality.  Luckily for me however, I managed to find a place for me and friends and therefore I can breathe easy for the next few months. Not only did I do some house hunting, but I also managed to see a few friends and squeeze in a night out. I also managed to stock up on all foods British, such as, ‘full English’ and a ‘roast’ which I do miss in Barcelona. One of my favourite things of my visit was that I went to one of my favourite places for hot chocolate, which Is something that everyone who knows me knows that I can’t live without in life. It is a chocolatier place called Slattery’s, and I cannot recommend it enough. The hot chocolates are simply delicious. 

Now back to the reasoning behind this post, hot chocolate. The one thing my journey to the UK meant is I am yet to decide whether I prefer the hot chocolate in the UK or Spain, and I am a firm lover of all things hot and chocolatey. But first let me distinguish between the two:

In the UK when we say hot chocolate we mean: Chocolate powder with hot milk or water.

In Spain when you say ‘chocolate caliente’ which is the literal translation for hot chocolate you get: a cup of actual melted chocolate.





The only way you can get some form of our version in the UK is saying-

Colacao: which is the chocolate powder you put with hot milk, similar to the UK.
Or
Cacaolat: Catalan chocolate milk which is usually heated up.

So, I am just saying beware when you come to Spain as you may think you’ve asked for hot chocolate and you just get a spoon and a cup of melted chocolate. However, I am not complaining, as it is delicious but slightly sickly after a whole cup.

Moreover, It is now April and a turning point in my year abroad as I start my second part, a work placement. I am interning in an online magazine of arts and events called Relevant BCN, so my blog may be full of gallery reviews and events in Barcelona, just the way I like it. I am excited to start something new. Below is a link to the website, so watch out for my articles.

http://www.relevantbcn.com/

 

 

23. Las Fallas en Valencia

(Versión español en los comentarios )
As promised, here is my next blog post on Valencia, another weekend away, but this time in Spain. However, I now feel like a coach, flight or bus journey has become the norm for me, whereas in the past I was even reluctant to catch a train. Well, how times evolve. Although the official 'Las Fallas' (The burning of the structures) doesn't happen until the 19th of March, there was a million things going on throughout the weekend.

Basically, my flatmates and I headed to Valencia on the Friday night and we managed to survive the four hour bus journey, thanks to various snacks and a quick break. Although, to be honest, in comparison to the coaches I have been on in the UK, it felt like luxury. There was legroom, comfy seats and even televisions, so I ended up watching despicable me 2, with no sound and Spanish subtitles, a definite new experience for me. Once in Valencia, we headed to my friends flat, not too far from the centre, but as we were so tired we just opted for some tapas nearby and a nice walk around the area.

We woke up early on Saturday, and headed straight into the centre of town. The sun was shining and we had a long day ahead of us. We had no map of the city but luckily snapshots of various routes helped us through the day, those and various fireworks going off in the distance to distinguish the popular spots. We went into the centre via the metro, to go and see ‘La Mascletà’, which is a tradition of 'Las Fallas', which involves a lot of fireworks. All I can say is that it was amazing to watch, however I would recommend some earplugs. We also wandered around the streets and on every corner there was a 'Falla', a big structure of characters and images (see my photos below). No one can deny how impressive 'Las Fallas' were, I can’t imagine all the work that went into creating them. Not only that, but the streets were full of music and food stalls and the atmosphere was uplifting.

After nearly having our ears blown off, we then decided one thing we all wanted to see is the city of arts and sciences (Ciudad De Las Artes Y Las Ciencias). It is a range of museums with a peculiar architectural style dedicated to the arts and sciences, and one place I always see on postcards for Valencia, therefore it was a must for us. Although, as previously mentioned we didn’t have a map, so it’s fair to say we definitely used our legs that day. But it was worth it as the building designs are so impressive and for me it felt like I was in a future world or something. Anyhow, as it was quite late afternoon, we only went to see one of the expositions, but as science isn’t my strong point, I was worried I wouldn’t really understand anything. However, it was all very interactive, that I could have spent all day there.

Later at night, we went to ‘El Puente de Aragón’ which is a giant bridge situated next to a big wheel, to watch the fireworks. There was millions of people huddled around this area, singing, playing music and just being happy. By this time, we were all dead to the world, but we managed to stay awake until the fireworks, despite the fact I had fully lost my voice. It was worth the wait though, as I have never seen fireworks like it. To be honest, I have never seen so many fireworks in the space of two days, so it is something I will not forget anytime soon.

On Sunday, due to exhaustion and so on, we headed to the beach. Although, once again there was no map in sight, so it was a guessing game for us, but we eventually made it. Once there, we just relaxed in the sun and had a bit of a rest before heading to get the coach.

What a lovely weekend I had in Valencia, and what a beautiful city it is, although on the coach home, I was excited to return back to Barcelona.

Anyway, here is a video of what ‘Las Fallas’ entails:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAbc5GEJJ5A

22. Un Fin de Semana en Lyon

Well, the title gives this blog away, but yes I went away for the weekend to Lyon, not only to see the amazing city but also to visit my lovely friend who was here in Barcelona last semester. However, as everyone knows, the French language is not my strongpoint, despite the fact I have once studied it, but I got into a routine of saying ‘oui’ and ‘s'il vous plaît’

It was a short but sweet weekend, but I definitely enjoyed it, and to make things better, the weather was quite warm, so the sunglasses were out. I only arrived there Friday night, but with only a one hour flight from Barcelona, I wasn’t tired at all. As it was my first night, we decided to stay in and catch up on our lives and eat a meal that my friend has once promised me: Raclette. Which is meats and cheese with potatoes, however you melt the cheese on a machine and there it is. But it was so nice, and I love French cheese, I definitely think we ate a block each.

On the Saturday, we got up nice and early and headed into central Lyon, where we wandered the streets and walked alongside the river. I don’t really know what my opinion on France was before, but it was never on the top of my ‘to visit’ list, However I went to Paris last November, and now Lyon and I feel like I want to explore it more. One in the centre, we went to the main high-street of shops of the Place Bellecour and it was all so pretty. One thing that stood out for me, was the buildings. I really liked the architecture and the design of the streets. We also decided to go to a Vietnamese restaurant for lunch, which was nice, as I haven’t eaten that style of food since I was back in the uk, so it was a nice change.

We then headed to a cute café, where I ate an amazing chocolate tart, it was delicious. Not long after, we went home, after lots of walking around and discovering new places. Then, after a cup of tea and an ‘aperitif’, we headed out again, into Sant Etienne, which is the city my friend lives in. We headed to a nice restaurant with all her friends, which was a bit overwhelming at first as nobody spoke English or Spanish, but after a while we managed to communicate in some way or another. I opted for a salad, which sounds healthy, however it was full of cheese, meats and vegetables, but it was nice.

After the meal, we all decided to go bowling, It was about 1am but apparently there it stays open to god knows what time. So, there we went. I can say that I had such a good time, and who knew late night bowling would be so much fun. I am not sure if it exists in the UK, but it is definitely something I would be in too, and makes a changed for the usual club night.

On Sunday, the sun was still shining so we went for a barbecue at my friend’s parents’ house, and the food was amazing.  I tried various cheeses, which I can’t remember the name of and also some lovely desserts, which I would love to get the recipe of.

So there it is, my weekend in Sant Etienne/Lyon and what a good one it was. I am currently writing this as I prepare to go to Valencia, so watch out for my next post. Only three months left in the best experience of my life, so I better make the most of it.

21. Ball de Bastons

What a busy week, and it´s not over. But one of my newest experiences is of the Catalan Dance, Ball de Bastons. Here is a link to a group in Barcelona that practice this dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH5X1SFEMaE

Before I came to Barcelona I had never heard of this tradition, however it is clearly a big part of the Catalan culture and apparently English and Welsh Morris dancers are well-known relatives to this tradition. I went last Wednesday with my Catalan class, and it was definitely a new experience to me, especially as it involves sticks made of oak. Firstly, we all watched the experts do a dance and then we got up to join in ourselves. At the beginning the rhythm was hard to keep up with, and the fact that I was scared I may hit someone with my stick. However after a few dances, we all started to get the hang of it. I definitely recommend this dance to let out anger, seen as my partner was telling me to hit my stick at his harder. After an hour of dancing around, we finished the session and I definitely enjoyed it and I think my classmates did too. Well, a short and sweet post, but a nice memory.  

20. Sitges Carnival

 

I know when everyone thinks of the word Carnival, they think of Brazil, or atleast I did.

However, Spain showed me otherwise, and to be honest wowed me and what a weekend it was. Me and my friends decided to head to Sitges Carnival, as everyone we had spoken too, ad said it was the best around, and it didn´t disapoint.

Sitges is situated just thirty minutes by train from Barcelona and therefore, it wasn´t hard to get to. It is a beautiful town on the coast, and I have been there a few times before, but I have never seen anything like this. Sitges is known to be quite a wild and free place and it was certainly that.

We headed there at about four in the afternoon on Sunday, which gave us time to get over our hangovers from the night before. Although we went on the Sunday, there were festivities taking place all weekend, we chose the Sunday as there was the parade going through the town and it was something we all wanted to see.

As soon as we got there, the streets were full of balloons, banners and people in fancy dress.
It was like walking into a fairytale, everywhere we looked there was something going on, and the weather didn´t let us down, and there was no rain in sight. We went for a coffee and some churros, and not long after claimed a place next to the parade route.

We waited about an hour, as we had no idea where the route began, but it was worth it. When we heard the blasting music and saw sight of flashing lights and feathers, we knew the Carnival had arrived.

The costumes were amazing, each float had a
completely different theme and each one was
original. I have never seen a Carnival parade, so
I have nothing to compare it to, but by the look on everyone´s faces, we weren´t the only ones suprised. I can´t imagine how much work went into it. It went on for hours, and each float was just as entertaining as the one before.

Unfortunately we were very tired from the night before. But from the majority of what I saw, I can say it was a Carnival to remember, and I would love to come back next year.

19. Any Excuse for Food.

This weekend my lovely mother came to visit me, and it was a nice opportunity to venture round the city like a tourist, taking in all the surroundings. We also had our fair share of meals out, and therefore It has inspired me to write a blog post on some of my favourite places to eat out in Barcelona so far.

1. Le coq & The Burg

Well, this little gem is situated just five minutes away from 'La Sagrada Familia' and is full of surprises. Not only do they sell delicious burgers, they also have a mini brunch menu, which includes eggs benedict, and for any English person, this means it is now my new favourite place. Me and mum went here only last week, as we noticed it whilst on a walk. My mum opted for the veggie burger whilst I ordered the 'Luciana' which included aubergines, lettuce, cheese and sun dried tomatoes all on my burger. It was delicious. This place also sells smoothies and various desserts, such as a chocolate brownie. Therefore, I will be returning.



2. Milk



















Full English. There we go, enough said. For any English person there is nothing better than a full English. Not only that, but the portions were amazing and I felt nothing but satisfied when I left. It is also a great hangover cure. The only thing is that it doesn't have hash browns, which for me is a vital part of my full English. Therefore I am now on the lookout for one that includes hash browns in Barcelona. But anyway, this is definitely worth visiting!



3.La Barca de Salamanca

Well, it was last September when I last went here. I went with all my family and with a 'menú del día'
 for ten euros, no one can complain. It is also a three course meal with drinks and bread included, and the options range from paella to sardine,  arroz negre to steak. The choice is endless. Also, this place is situated on the port, and therefore you are right next to the beach for a nice walk after you're meal.



4.Petite Comite










I love this place. I went here for my birthday with my boyfriend, and we opted for  a tasting menu and what an amazing choice that was. we had about six different courses, each with a different type of wine or cava. It is not the cheapest of places but it is definitely worth what you pay. the food is unique and the service is impeccable. What makes it a bit different is that it is Catalan cuisine, and therefore it is something different from the usual tapas. I would definitely recommend this place for a special occasion. the 'Crema Catalana' was divine. 


5.Wok triomf






 













What is a list of restaurants without one all you can eat buffet. I went here with a group of friends for something different and it definitely surprised me. the rang of Chinese food, sushi and bits on the side was amazing. All I can say is, we definitely kept going back for more. It is also right near the Arc de Triomf and therefore it is easy to get too.

18. España no es sólo paella y olé

Basically, I wrote an article in Spanish for one of my classes at university on the idea that 'Spain is not only Paella and ole', focusing in on stereotypes regarding the Spanish lifestyle and so on. Therefore I thought it would be interesting to post it on here. Also, in the comments section is my original article written in Spanish.

"You´re always eating paella aren't you?" or "enjoying the sun and sand?" these are the most frequent questions from my friends and family back home.  But it isn't only them that think like this, the rest of the world also have various stereotypes about life in Spain.  For example, that everyone is always partying, having siestas or watching a bullfight. Whereas, in reality it is the opposite and according to a study, Spaniards work more hours than the rest of Europe and I am certain that you wouldn't have considered Spanish people as hard workers, due to their stereotype.

However, throughout my six months here in Barcelona, my opinions have changed drastically. I have realised that Spain is full of culture and traditions that I never knew existed. For example 'Els Castellels' in Catalonia, 'Els Enfrainats' in Alicante and 'Las Hogueras de San Juan' in Galicia. But despite all these festivals and celebrations, Spain has serious problems just like other countries, especially in regards to the unemployment rate, which is the highest of percentage of young people unemployed in all of Europe.

It is clear that the sun, beach and parties were only commodities exploited to attract tourists and therefore it is essential that we forget the stereotypes and remember that Spanish isn't only paella and ole.