A Sensational Weekend

Fedde Le Grand Get This Feeling [Radio Edit]

Dear Barcelona,

You are a lot to handle. Too much for one weekend. From beginning to end and the second end, you were an adventure, and I look forward to continuing our relationship on my next visit soon. 

After the eight hour bus to get to your bus station, my friends Leah and Conner, and I began the quest to our hostel. It was quite the trek involving every form of transportation I didn't know existed, but no maps allowed. We walked, took a metro, a bus, a tram up a mountain, and a taxi. An hour later, we arrived at your very own Inout Hostel. Although quaint and adorable, perfect for a hiking weekend in the mountains, this was not the purpose of our stay in your majestic city. This is where I insert my first pronunciation of gratification to you Barcelona. Thank you for introducing me to my first Hostel experience. It was affordable, friendly, clean, and accomodating. The free breakfast and kitchen privileges was wonderful also. Your welcome for my donation of our tubaware and cooked mac'n'cheese and chicken that I left in the fridge. I hope you enjoyed it, Barcelona.

The next day we ventured to a more centrally located part of the city. Some friends who live in one of your most bustling areas near Plaza de les Glories, hosted us the next day. At noon, we woke the apartment up with our doorbell, and were greeted by a familiar face who looked very surprised to see us. The reaction: long pause and look of confusion, followed by "Paige? Oh, I thought we were getting evicted." Excellent, we were in the right place.

Leah and I set our bags down and decided to explore more of what you have to offer, Barca. I think we're familiar enough now with each other where nicknames are acceptable, yes? Excellent. We started with the must-see Sagrada Familia. This Gaudi cathedral is unlike any cathedral I've ever seen. I would describe it as a modern twist on Gothic architecture. Resembling other classic cathedrals, yours is an artistic display proving that classic is not the equivalent of traditional. Your take is inspired and full of life. The structures and features, if I were to describe them would sound like any ordinary place of worship, but I applaud you once again, Barca. You put a remarkable twist on an assumed piece of architecture and beauty. 

Following this endeavor, we moved farther out from the center to see Park Guell. Also designed by Gaudi, this area of your city had a Dr. Seuss feel. This Whoville-esque realm was just missing a few lovable characters. Had I seen Horton, a lorax, or a red and blue fish, I would have been altogether convinced. We took escalators to the top and enjoyed a nice view of your city overlooking the beach. In addition, we enjoyed a walk by a Didgeridoo-player. If anyone was wondering, playing the Didgeridoo reduces snoring and sleep apnea. I would expect, however, that it would only increase sleep apnea to those close by. 

At this juncture in time, we needed to head back to meet everyone for the evening's festivities. We all helped make a pasta and salad for dinner, and soon it was time. 

Barca oh Barca, you introduced me to something else wonderful also: my first all-nighter. The concert we attended is called Sensation White, which is generally speaking a rave that lasts from 10pm till 5am, featuring six different DJ's, and all attendees wear white. What a night, what a night. You hosted by far the most incredible show I have ever seen. From glowing orbs bouncing from the ceiling, to shieks in the air twirling glowsticks, to a rotating stage as a petal inside several other petals resembling a flower in the middle of the dancefloor, to a giant ring of water drops in the middle of everything, lighting up to depict images and messages, to lasers and fire bursting at random moments, I was in constant awe. That's without even mentioning the music, which complimented the atmosphere impeccably. This music was the only music that I could dance to for seven hours straight without tiring. Well, maybe tiring a little, but powering through. So thanks for everything concerning this night- I will always remember it, and measure every show in the future to this one.

Exhaustion draped over the apartment, unquestionably. All nine residents and guests that evening hibernated the next day. I apologize for forfeiting my tourist dedication this day; I was weak; please forgive me, my dearest Barca. I will make it up to you, however, when I return to discover all the wonders out on which I missed. You are a place that can be called a city of tourism, art, and integrity. So I raise my glass to you, Barca my love; I can only say wonderful things.

Sincerely, 

Me

Real Madrid & Mallorca

Loona Vamos a La Playa

Real Madrid & Mallorca

Not long after we returned from our Alps adventure, we were in a new environment experiencing more new things- this time more close to home, aka Madrid.

I attended my first soccer, or should i say futbol, game! Real Madrid took on Ajax, the Amsterdam team. My group included three Ajax fans from Holland on one side, and Leah and myself the American-guess-we'll-cheer-for-the-home-team fans. As we are both very competitive, we decided to buy flags and scarves supporting our new team. Before the game, our noses were drawn to the smell of BBQ accompanied by liters of cerveza. Although Spanish style, it was good to see sporting events utilize the same methods of tailgating internationally. Differences, however, are seen during the game. Although there are still belligerent men swinging their shirts above their heads, whistling is the Spanish equivalent of Booing. Also, no one stands or does anything special for the opera-sounding national anthem. Needless to say, our team pulled out the W with ease: 3-0. Fans here take their futbol very seriously. Security guards were seen every five feet, and the Ajax fans were instructed to stay put until all the Real fans had left in order to avoid any violence. Luckily, our Dutch friends feared us and did not strike, though they sneakily photobombed our Real pride picture..

A few days later, I woke up and found myself on the beach in the island of Mallorca off the southeast coast of Spain near Ibiza. I looked around and saw Leah, the Dutch girls, and some of our other international friends. Warm sun, good company, and clear water- what more is there?

Also spelled Majorca, the island's tourism industry is its largest source of income, and has been growing since the 1950's. Mountains, on the northwest and eastern coasts frame the inner beaches. Mallorca's pride is a pastry called ensaimadas. Now popular throughout Spain and the Philippines, this snack tastes something like a crouissant with powdered sugar on top. There are also variations with different fillings and cremes. I would advise against believing the hype. Perhaps if fresh and warm, the powdery delight would be just that, but the two I had were subpar. 

All in all, however, the island proved to be a relaxing beach spot, which I enjoyed immensely. During the summer months, Mallorca is supposedly a crazy party island, but as we arrived after the popular seasons, we missed that train. Instead, we caught the remains of the mixture of Spanish, German, and Dutch cultures throughout the island. Every menu had at least 7 translations in it, and we were mistaken for every nationality, except American, which was a nice change of pace. If you're looking for a cheap getaway for a nap on the beach, I would highly recommend visiting this multi-cultured oasis. 

Casual Weekend Canyoning in the Alps

Harry Potter Soundtrack Fireworks

This blog should be dated for the weekend of Sept. 23-25, and is dedicated to Mont Blanc and the sport of canoyning. Meaning "White Mountain", Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in the Alps. Fun fact about the mountain: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley was based on this area! Eeeery.. 

First climbed in 1786, Mont Blanc is the site where modern mountain climbing was first established, and is therefore being considered as a World Heritage Cite. Other sports have become popular in the area as well, including skiing, snowboarding, hiking, white water rafting, paragliding, and of course, canyoning. Most of these sports take place in the summer months, because of the cold breath that the wind is constantly exhaling in the winter months, with the exception of skiing and snowboarding. We chose one of the last dates available for the activity, but even still, noticed snow not far from us. 

Just a short drive from the mountain is the town in which we stayed, Chamonix, France. The picturesque town is a vacation hotspot for wealthy British families looking for a quiet getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life or for adventurers to rest after a long day's hike-or-the-like. This means a few things for American tourists: lots of English-speakers, lots of high prices, and not very much of a nightlife. Our large group of eight, however, was more than entertained with each other and the sport to which we had to look forward. Even this ideal quaint town is not immune to the influence of commercialization, however, as corporate giant McDonald's has found its way even here.

Canyoning could be described as a combination of rock climbing (including harnesses, helmets, belaying, and more), waterfall jumping, and sliding. Basically, it's a natural version of a waterpark. Our wetsuits kept us from freezing to death from the bitterly cold water, and our helmets kept us safe from cracking our skulls. We had an instructor who took us through the area we would be exploring. Every turn was something new- and since I planned the trip, I was selected as the "fearless leader" who got to go first every time. Probably good to have the pressure on, or I might have chickened out. We climbed and jumped, climbed higher and jumped over each other. We slid through holes and belayed/slid/fell down waterfalls. We saw beautiful sites, and luckily one girl bought a twenty-euro waterproof disposable, so we were able to capture a few gold moments.  The mountain put up a fierce battle, but we walked away having conquered the Alps.