Feeling at Home – Rut Rodriguez

The week began great, with a visit to an iconic Barcelona site, Parc Güell. It is a MUST on the list of pretty and historic and natural sites. I loved how the ceramic mosaics looked and how nature was incorporated into the entire design. To think this was possible due to Gaudí’s heartbreak! My favorite thing was hiking up to the cross statues on Carmel Hill. Only a few of us went up there, and I was surprised I made it because I was out of shape before this trip. Walking around with Cristina, our usual tour guide, has helped me to get in shape; she loves hiking up hills and though I suffer, I have liked feeling stronger! And once we got up there, it was amazing to be able to see the city and the mountains and the ocean. I honestly hadn’t even paid attention to how cool that was until my brother mentioned it from one of the pictures that I sent. I definitely do not have that view back at home.

Friday was a HOT day but it was still enjoyable because we visited the port. It was cool to see how much happens there and especially see it in action. The ocean was beautiful, but we saw a cargo ship leave and it seemed to have left something brown (waste, maybe?) and it made me a little sad, but I was glad I was able to see it. It made me contemplate whether the number of items being shipped was worth leaving some waste behind.
Upon finishing classes, we were able to fully relax at the beach. We found a used book store, Re-Read, which was super cheap even by U.S. standards- 1 book for 3 euros, 2 for 5 euros, 5 for 10 euros. We made our way to the beach and I settled in with a good, interesting book. It was an amazing evening.

The next day was a little more of a “chill” day. I went to explore some grocery stores in the morning to see if there was a significant difference in prices. I spent most of my morning walking around grocery stores and it was honestly exciting. Milk on the shelves or from the fridge? Jamon iberico or salami? Make the juice in the store machine or buy pre-bottled juice? So many options!
It was supposed to rain that afternoon, so I stayed home, cleaned the kitchen, swept and mopped a bit, and settled down to read more of that interesting book. I got a little annoyed because it really didn’t rain, but at about 9 it started raining so hard our bedroom window blew open (we hadn’t secured it correctly), so we decided to stay in and have a Twilight marathon with ice cream. It was fun and fulfilling to spend that time together. Though honestly all I could think about was the Tik Tok man that imitates Bella.

Today, Sunday, was my favorite day of the week. We had reservations for the Picasso museum (it’s free every first Sunday of the month, so make sure to plan ahead!) and I was excited. It did not disappoint. Picasso was a jeweler and ceramicist, something that I learned this week. His art was also not just abstract; my favorite collection was the one with all of his sketches. I really loved his jewelry; it was breathtaking. His ladies were lucky to have such beautiful gifts!

I am realizing that we only have one more weekend in Spain and I am getting quite sad. I do miss some things, like driving, one-story buildings, grass, Walmart, spacious elevators, and clothes dryers. But, I am loving the slow-paced atmosphere, long meals, walking, beautiful buildings, and interesting grocery store finds.

So, I will do my best to take it all in and enjoy what’s left of what has so far been a great experience.