It’s been a while since I’ve had an “I love Chicago” moment. So long in fact that I was beginning to wonder if I’d made the right decision to move to this city. My mind was starting to imagine moving to a new city, a new country, a new place to call home. And then today happened. I spent 8.5 hours at a job I love. I was wearing a new cute skirt (thanks to my roommate). The weather was absolute perfection. I spent a mere, but beautiful, 20 minutes sitting in the sun on my lunch break. Tulips were in full bloom. My friends and I met up – the first time in months where all 4 of us could be in the same place at the same time. On my way to meet them, the goosebumps formed and I suddenly had the thought: damn, I love Chicago.
I wrote this one over a year ago and I’m a bit sad to say that I haven’t been so smitten since. Hopefully today was a turning point!
If Spain is on your bucket list, then place Barcelona straight at the top. While touristy in some places, there are nooks and crannies where you can hide away from the bustling crowds with a cheap beer, tasty treat, or amongst the trees at a beautiful park.
On a recent trip, Barcelona was the first stop on a whirlwind tour of gorgeous Spanish cities holding famous sightseeing locations. There is so much to do and see in Spain, that four days in Barcelona proved to be the perfect amount of time. Whether you’re tacking on more of Spain or are traversing around Europe, a long weekend is just right for fitting in amazing churches, delicious dishes, and quaint gardens.
Things to Do
*The #1 can’t-miss, must-do in Barcelona is La Sagrada Familia, the architect Antoni Gaudí’s masterpiece cathedral. I know what you’re thinking – another church in Europe? No big deal! But you would be very wrong. La Sagrada Familia is unlike any church I have ever seen. With columns formed like trees reaching over 150 feet, stunningly translucent stained glass windows, and a grander façade than I’ve seen before, you will be in awe. Best tip I can give you here – get your tickets online first! Lines circle around the building and can last hours. Second best tip: do the audio tour. It’s a few bucks extra, but the fun facts are totally worth it.
Continue reading Barcelona, La Bella →
On a vacation, everything doesn’t always go as you’d planned, and sometimes, you make a wrong plan. Shelley’s and my recent trip to Spain was spectacularly beautiful, but we ran into a few snags along the way. Luckily, though, these misfortunes always had a bright spot.
Snag #1: Shelley and I were meant to arrive at the Barcelona airport 5 minutes apart from each other – perfect timing to meet at the immigration desk…unless you’re at two different terminals…which we were. Once we’d both figured this out, we went on the search for each other. We had no way to communicate since we didn’t have data or wifi, so I crossed my fingers and hopped on an airport bus to Terminal 1.
Bring Spot: Fate stepped in and made Shelley’s flight about 15 minutes late, which gave me just enough time to get from T2 to T1. I hadn’t even made it to the arrivals hall, when there was Shelley searching for the bus to my terminal. Thank you fate for making that easy!!
Continue reading With Every Snag Comes a Bright Spot →
Taking Chicagoland by storm…one date, one yoga class, one salsa lesson, one blog post, one trip, one drink, one meal, one new friendship at a time.
New City Life Adventure 