Barcelona was one of the more chaotic cities I’ve visited, unsurprising considering its sprawl and size. Still, we stayed outside of its limits for two nights, opting instead to rent a house boat in Badalona Marina. I felt so at home there on the water, and just a short walk from a gorgeous beach. I woke each morning with the sunrise, running along the boardwalk and marveling that it was even warm enough that I could. This definitely put me in good spirits for the majority of the trip.
Our group of 5 had expanded to 8 without my knowledge, though prior experience told me that this would make decision-making exponentially more difficult. I wanted to make an effort to be part of the group though, so I went with the flow of things until I really felt that my short time in Barcelona was being wasted.
Still the highlights were of course the sunshine, the buildings by Gaudi, and of course, the food. The first few days were a blur– a lot wandering without any real plan structure, which was fine in small doses but anxiety inducing near the end of the trip. The Sagrada Familia was incredible– I could have stayed there all day. Park Guell was less impressive. It was a unique park, but at times it didn’t seem worth the trip it took to get all the way out there.
There were a lot of frustrations over the first three days, unfortunately. It was disappointing to realize that the people I traveled with cared far less for the culture and opportunities before them. This made sense, as Spain is part of my identity and not at all of theirs, so I had to respect that their desires for their time here are different from my own. But I really didn’t enjoy sitting around in parks and smoking weed, or drinking at the fountain with skateboarding vagrants (Americans! not even Spaniards!), or really anything else that could be found in Copenhagen, so I figured it was best to do my own thing.
My last day in Barcelona, though, I made completely my own. I started at the Mercado de Boqueria for breakfast to fuel my busy day. At the Barcelona Pavillon by Mies Van Der Rohe, I had the space completely to myself to fully appreciate. Its simplicity is stunning, but of course understatedly so. It made for a calm environment to read and sketch for a while before moving on to Parc de Joan Miró, which featured one of her statues, a really cool library, and a lot of dogs. I wandered around the area a bit more, stopping at a café for a chocolate and some pastries (no churros): and some time to relax before heading to Casa Batllo by Gaudi. That building was incredible as well, and the included audio guide explained in detail all of the reasoning behind his unique design choices, many of them demonstrating exactly why he is considered so innovative an architect.
I visited the Mercado de Bocaria for the second time that day for dinner, and went to bed totally satisfied with how much I had seen and loved that day.
THURSDAY// Lisbon
By this time, I’d learned I’m happiest to just do my own thing. It’s pretty evident that these people don’t like me very much, or we are just too different from one another. I like structure and planning my adventures so I am able to do and see things I wouldn’t in Copenhagen. I am more comfortable outside of my comfort zone. I also think I need less rest than the others.
But most of all, I am here for the place I am visiting, not so much for the people I am visiting with.
Today I went into the city early, before it was filled with tourists. I sketched in Rossio Plaza for about an hour, and on my way out I noticed a free walking tour.
I decided to join for a tour of the moorish quarter, and am really glad that I did. We also visited the highest point in the city, which is one of my favorite things to do while traveling!
After the tour I had lunch with my guide and a very nice man from Belgium. Now I am on a train to the beach in Cascais. I hope it will be a beautiful place to watch the sunset.
update: It was.
FRIDAY// Belém
Friday I woke up tired, but I willed myself to stick to my plan to go to Belem, a region of outer Lisbon. Asia and Joe were interested as well, so they joined me.
Belem was incredibly windy, but still incredibly beautiful. There is so much history packed into such a small space that you can see the next monument or historical site from standing at another.
The modern art museum was great as well. We took shelter here from the rain, and celebrated that so many incredible modern artists were showcased here, and free to the public! Amazing!! The museum covers all art from the 20th century, showing the variety of each period but moving effortlessly through them, creating a chronology that captures the sequences of development and inspiration.
We ended the day with a visit to the bakery where the original Pasteis de Natas were created. Once the progressive movement took hold of Portugal, the monks in Belem found themselves without a role in society. They decided to make their living from baking instead, developing the recipe for the Pasteis de Natas that the city of Lisbon is famous for. The name is literal, translating to “pastry with custard,” perfectly describing these miniature custard tarts. Wanting to experience Lisbon to the fullest, I was sure to try Pasteis de Natas from a variety of bakeries, but the ones in Belem were absolutely the best. They were flakey, fresh, sweet, but not too sweet– perfectly balanced. Every guide or blog or book will tell you this, and it definitely lives up to the hype. The bakery is massive, and the crowds can seem intimidating or unappealing, but it is worth it to wait a short while for a table, and sit down to enjoy lunch or coffee with the pastries (the quiches rival the pastries in taste and affordability– best meal I had in Lisbon by far.)
SATURDAY //
Saturday I awoke early once again, and set out for MUDA, the free fashion and design museum in the Lisbon city center.
Unfortunately, it was undergoing renovations at the time, but I had a nice walk along the beach and visit to the Cascais market instead while I waited for my travel-mates to get up and out to the city.
I met them at the bus stop to take us to LX Factory, a mysterious part of Lisbon that seemed to be filled with street art and galleries. I was excited to see some alternative Lisbon art, but I was a bit disappointed when we arrived– rather than artist galleries, the area seemed filled instead with overpriced cafes and design driven boutiques that carried American products… it was Art Lite, or as Garrett put it “A giant Urban Outfitters.”
There were some galleries where artist worked and lived, but nothing on display. It reminded me a lot of Wynwood, but smaller and with a lot less and lower quality art. I was glad I checked it out, but I wouldn’t go back, nor would I recommend it to someone with a limited time in Lisbon. We spent the rest of the afternoon at a park before splitting up. Joe and I walked through the city and hiked up to one of the Miradoras that provided a view of Lisbon.
I had a nice time, stopping to admire the natural art of the city streets, formed by the famous azulejos and numerous green spaces.
After visiting the Miradora, Joe and I went to the Eden Hotel to grab a drink at the rooftop bar. We had a really great view of the entire city, and it was another really great place to watch the sun go down.
SUNDAY //
I woke up early, anxious to get my final day in Lisbon started. As it was the first Sunday of the month, many Lisbon museums where free, including the Museu de Azulejos! My mother suggested this museum, and though her first two recommendations had fallen through, I had a lot of hope for this one. Thankfully, her strongest recommendation was the best one. The museum building itself was gorgeous– an old convent complete with a baroque church and chapel– and the tile art inside was even more so.