Going Places
Barcelona
Hey there!
I didn’t like Barcelona the first time I visited. I thought it was an overrated city. I found myself in La Rambla, a centrally located, tourist road with below-average restaurants and shops. You can walk this road but I do not see a reason to stop by. The issue is not as simple as calling this road a tourist spot. I am a tourist. There is no point in pretending like Christopher Columbus of the 21st century. It’s about what a spot offers and why it’s touristy. For example, I do not despise the Berlin Wall just because tourists visit this place, nor do I avoid La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s glorious unfinished Catholic church in Barcelona. Knowing it is a subjective test, two things might help: 1) Just because I am a tourist doesn’t mean I need to go after touristy spots with a to-do list on my hand; and 2) You need to know the reason behind the popularity of a spot – not everything popular deserves your attention and time.
Having revisited Barcelona almost ten years later, the city changed my mind. Perhaps I also changed in between. In either case, I enjoyed spending two days in this colorful Catalan city while celebrating my 34th birthday.
This trip’s motto was spontaneity and it took us to streets we’ve not discovered before. Our hotel was located in Barri Gòtic or Gothic Quarter, a medieval neighborhood with narrow streets and great restaurants. We pretty much spent our entire time in this part of town.
On our first day, we randomly walked into an art gallery, Galeria Maxo. While looking around, I spotted a painting of a semi-nude woman with a fish, added using a collage technique, emerging from her eye. The main color, among many colors, is blue. I was captivated by this piece. There were writings on the painting “Come un pesce fuor d”acqua volo“. A young woman approached me and asked if I liked it. I was already in love. A connection with an art piece is special. She translated the writing for me “Like a fish out of the water, I fly”. I loved it more. She then added that she painted it. I was happily surprised and wanted to buy it immediately. My husband is a deep thinker who likes to consider all possible scenarios and angles of a situation or decision. I like that about him – it complements me as I can decide as quick as a cat and without consulting anyone 🙂 We decided to sleep on it. My vote was clear. The next day, we shook hands and the painting was on its way to its new home in Berlin. The artist’s name is Virginia Vicardi. We are still in touch with her via social media.
Virginia recommended an art gallery nearby called Suite of Art, a hidden and large gallery on Carrer del Brosoli. I don’t remember the conversation topic with the owner, but I remember a good feeling after we left his gallery. We bought one of the tiny frames with a painting on a metro ticket. Now, enjoying its place on our wall where we collect tiny frames from our trips.
For lunch, we went to El Xampanyet, a popular tapas bar taking its name from their homemade sparkling wine. Waiting in the queue is part of the experience here. Yet, we weren’t sure if we wanted to do that. Just as we were about to leave, a couple from Turkey invited us to their table. There were only a few tables outside. An offer you cannot refuse. They left shortly after and we enjoyed some tapas and a great sparkling white wine.
I wanted to visit a rooftop in the afternoon before dinner. A local friend recommended a couple of places (Hotel Condes, Hotel Majestic, Ayre Hotel Rosellon, and Hotel 1898). However, this mission was not successful. One of the rooftops I called told me to book 2 months in advance for this season. Well… Next time.
I was in Barcelona a few months ago for work and the law firm partner strongly recommended me a restaurant named Cañete. I called the restaurant, and they said finding a table is a miracle but if we come in early, we might be able to find a spot at the bar. We sat at the end of a long bar on high chairs. The dining experience was a dream. On the other side of the bar, we watched the chefs prepare food. It was one of those lucky days.
We turned a corner and found Ale&Hop, a cozy craft beer pub. They offer a vast selection of beers. A nice option if you want to get some rest on a relatively less crowded but still lively street.
During the business trip, our colleagues from Barcelona took us to a restaurant, specializing in Spanish omelets. We tried several kinds and forms. They entered into a long debate about whether the real Spanish omelet should be liquidy, well-coooked, or with onion. I have a personal preference but don’t know how a real Spanish omelet should be cooked. It reminded me of the debates in Turkey about whether Menemen, scrambled eggs with tomatoes and green pepper, should include onion or not. I guess there is no definitive answer.
Cheers,
Deniz
(Based on the Barcelona trip in 23-25 April 2022)