only phone pics of Màlaga...
Màlaga
So our timing as explained in a previous post has been such that we needed a few weeks to kill as to not spend too much time in a small place before heading to South Africa when the good weather hits in September. We looked for the cheapest options and thanks to Ryanair, decided on Barcelona.
We showed up in Tarifa, heading to Málaga's airport (3 hr busride) to catch a late flight to Barc the next day. When we got off the bus in Málaga and walked to our chosen hostel for the one night, we immediately thought to ourselves "Should we have foregone the plane ride and camp here for 8 days instead?" - we instantly fell in love with the place. The hostel was welcoming, full of boisterous people and run by a sweet british guy who upon glance looked like he could be the lead singer for the latest deathcore band but once he opened his mouth, was the jolliest most adorable guy on the planet. Cheerio!
We head out to the town and explored our options on the map, becoming very happy that our flight was not until 10pm and we had all the next day to sightsee. We chose the Picasso Museum as our destination of choice, taking a long way to see other pleasant city sights. After a few hours not talking to eachother as we looked at some ridiculously famous pieces of art, Jake and I seemed to get along better.
After a good meal and fruit smoothie, we realized how tired we were and thought it best to get to the airport way earlier than planned so we could crash in the terminal before our flight and not worry about anything. We didn't get to sleep afterall, but that's because the Málaga Aeropuerto ended up being the best airport we've ever been too and we spent all our time walking, eating, laughing, and window-shopping!
So our timing as explained in a previous post has been such that we needed a few weeks to kill as to not spend too much time in a small place before heading to South Africa when the good weather hits in September. We looked for the cheapest options and thanks to Ryanair, decided on Barcelona.
We showed up in Tarifa, heading to Málaga's airport (3 hr busride) to catch a late flight to Barc the next day. When we got off the bus in Málaga and walked to our chosen hostel for the one night, we immediately thought to ourselves "Should we have foregone the plane ride and camp here for 8 days instead?" - we instantly fell in love with the place. The hostel was welcoming, full of boisterous people and run by a sweet british guy who upon glance looked like he could be the lead singer for the latest deathcore band but once he opened his mouth, was the jolliest most adorable guy on the planet. Cheerio!
We head out to the town and explored our options on the map, becoming very happy that our flight was not until 10pm and we had all the next day to sightsee. We chose the Picasso Museum as our destination of choice, taking a long way to see other pleasant city sights. After a few hours not talking to eachother as we looked at some ridiculously famous pieces of art, Jake and I seemed to get along better.
After a good meal and fruit smoothie, we realized how tired we were and thought it best to get to the airport way earlier than planned so we could crash in the terminal before our flight and not worry about anything. We didn't get to sleep afterall, but that's because the Málaga Aeropuerto ended up being the best airport we've ever been too and we spent all our time walking, eating, laughing, and window-shopping!
Barcelona
Highlights only because I could write a novel with how much I love it here:
Highlights only because I could write a novel with how much I love it here:
Pim Pam Burger
Food
I am fairly certain the burger joint we randomly found here is the best I've ever had. It's hard to compete with Fuddrucker's Elk Burger, or god-help-me, Jo's burgers in Austin (humina humina) but seriously, this burger. I had a love affair with this burger. Bacon, fried egg, all the veggies you can think, and arugula to top; on an airy delicious bun and made from veal and pork. I even burned my tongue because I refused to wait for it to cool before scarfing it down, scalding until the last bite. I'm not sure what they actually did to make this burger taste so ridiculous, but the tiny hole in the wall was packed to the brim and stayed that way the entire time we were there. The guy who took our order was a sweet guy but with a no nonsense "What you need, I will provide" look on his face. He was there to serve, and to serve the best fucking food you will dream about.
I wish I took more pictures of notable food we had (there was a lot) but below was all I could find on my camera and phone...
I am fairly certain the burger joint we randomly found here is the best I've ever had. It's hard to compete with Fuddrucker's Elk Burger, or god-help-me, Jo's burgers in Austin (humina humina) but seriously, this burger. I had a love affair with this burger. Bacon, fried egg, all the veggies you can think, and arugula to top; on an airy delicious bun and made from veal and pork. I even burned my tongue because I refused to wait for it to cool before scarfing it down, scalding until the last bite. I'm not sure what they actually did to make this burger taste so ridiculous, but the tiny hole in the wall was packed to the brim and stayed that way the entire time we were there. The guy who took our order was a sweet guy but with a no nonsense "What you need, I will provide" look on his face. He was there to serve, and to serve the best fucking food you will dream about.
I wish I took more pictures of notable food we had (there was a lot) but below was all I could find on my camera and phone...
Olympics
Got to watch the Olympics opening ceremony at a sports bar across the street from our hostel, simply called Barcelona Sports Bar. Good atomosphere, tons of screens, and pretty standard food and drinks with not outrageous prices. I got to glimpse my cousin Amanda walking with the 'Mericans when they came out. I was really excited, even though it was just the top half of her face for half a second. When various countries were called, nationals from their home country would hoot and hollar and Jake and I began worrying we were the only Americans. But we decided we'd be loud anyway because fuck the haters. When the U.S. Was called, we shouldn't have worried because without fail, we had the largest bar audience with the resounding "U-S-A! U-S-A!" being chanted over and over.
Got to watch the Olympics opening ceremony at a sports bar across the street from our hostel, simply called Barcelona Sports Bar. Good atomosphere, tons of screens, and pretty standard food and drinks with not outrageous prices. I got to glimpse my cousin Amanda walking with the 'Mericans when they came out. I was really excited, even though it was just the top half of her face for half a second. When various countries were called, nationals from their home country would hoot and hollar and Jake and I began worrying we were the only Americans. But we decided we'd be loud anyway because fuck the haters. When the U.S. Was called, we shouldn't have worried because without fail, we had the largest bar audience with the resounding "U-S-A! U-S-A!" being chanted over and over.
While our first day here was absolutely picture perfect, our second day we decided on more art, and went to the museum of contemporary art not far from our hostel. Architecturally, the museum was nice, as CA museums tend to be, and I forgot how interactive they usually are as well, so I had fun watching, listening, and lounging in various rooms full of modern Spanish art.
We also got to meet up with a friend we met in Morocco who had been traveling about the same amount of time we had, but he was due back in the U.S. the next day, so we trekked the city together and showed him our favorite Pim Pam burger and some photography tips before parting ways.
We also got to meet up with a friend we met in Morocco who had been traveling about the same amount of time we had, but he was due back in the U.S. the next day, so we trekked the city together and showed him our favorite Pim Pam burger and some photography tips before parting ways.
Finally got to tan topless too. I haven't done that in a while. I wish Tunisia was not an Islamist country, hard to believe they'll have nude beaches there. I quite like Islam's modesty in people, but it's a pity that their religion is just as abused as Christianity or any other major religion. People adhere to what they feel like and use what they want to condemn who they want, all the while probably being hypocrites too. And though I quite enjoyed Morocco and their take on things (Islam's, that is), it was quite relieving to be back in a country where I'm not frowned upon for wearing shorts in public. Funny that because of the culture I grew up in, that I'm more comfortable with the boisterous Spaniards and Western tourists hanging out of their clothes, drinking loads of alcohol, and being loud and rowdy...
Our last day(s) here were much the same. Browsing food and hoping to satisfy our culinary desires while staying under a budget. Both and neither kind of happened. We searched online for "cheap food Barcelona" and "good food barcelona" and made a list of possible eat-ins (depending on prices if they were not posted online). We fulfilled most of them, though we went overboard on some Tapas (pronounced Tay-paz for my fellow I.T. Crowd friends) but we felt it well worth it (or at least we told ourselves that, fuck we love food way too much). Even after eating and being full, we browse cafes like gluttonous first-world heathens.
Today (the last day as I'm writing this, though who knows when I'll get to post it), as we were going to Pim Pam Burger for the third time this week, we noticed there was a Pim Pam Plats just around the corner. We entered to find out it was the original Pim Pam and the burgers became so popular they opened a second place dedicated to their godliness. The [LINK Plats] place has an assortment of take-out (or eat-in) food that all looked heavenly and my broken wallet and reminder that we only had that day left, saddened me that I could not eat one of everything. This time, we got their three cheese burger and their blue cheese, Roquefort, burger. I won't bother you with details, but I had yet another love affair with my food and I think I saw Jake's eyes glisten with every bite.
Today (the last day as I'm writing this, though who knows when I'll get to post it), as we were going to Pim Pam Burger for the third time this week, we noticed there was a Pim Pam Plats just around the corner. We entered to find out it was the original Pim Pam and the burgers became so popular they opened a second place dedicated to their godliness. The [LINK Plats] place has an assortment of take-out (or eat-in) food that all looked heavenly and my broken wallet and reminder that we only had that day left, saddened me that I could not eat one of everything. This time, we got their three cheese burger and their blue cheese, Roquefort, burger. I won't bother you with details, but I had yet another love affair with my food and I think I saw Jake's eyes glisten with every bite.
Afterward, it was my last chance to shop around for some better warm-weather clothes, so I scampered off and Jake and I agreed on a meeting place to gather ourselves before heading out. After walking the city one last time, for 5 hours (it goes by there!), we met up at Happy Pills, a candy store we were dying to take part in.
I felt like some street photography, so here are a bunch of random pictures I'm too lazy to edit =)
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