BARCELONA NIGHT LIFE!

The Barcelona night life is the best! Every night is a night to go out and party. On Monday nights we go to Otto Zutz which is more of a teen club (I would say..) It is very fun, but it is a very crowded and small crammed space. It is a lot of fun when you are with all of your friends though. On Wednesday nights we go to either Bling! or Sutton. Both of these clubs are across the street from each other so it is very easy to go back and forth. When I first came to Barcelona, I was told that Monday nights and Wednesday nights are the biggest nights to go out. Well everyone proved me right! These two nights are with out a doubt the most fun! On thursday nights we go to my favorite club which is OPIUM. At OPIUM there are always these people that are dressed up in funny costumes that walk around the club. This club is down by the port olympic and is on the beach. This club is massive! Everything about this club is just amazing. On Friday nights we go to Shoko and Saturday nights are Up and Down. Each night is a night to get dressed up and party! I love going out after a long day of school work and hanging with my friends. Every night we do not arrive to the club until 1:30-2:00am! Back in the United States, this is when the clubs close. Everything in Barcelona is pushed back way farther. The night life here is something that I will always remember and it is something that everyone should take advantage of because back in the United States, it is nothing comparable!

Futbol Game - GO BARCA!

When my family visited me back in March all my father wanted to do was go to a Barcelona futbol game. So we got 4 tickets to the Barcelona Futbol Game on Tuesday, March 8th 2012. Who would have thought we were going to see history! Lionel Messi became the first player to score 5 goals in a champions league! On this day, when we arrived at the stadium I could not get over huge the stadium was. It hold about 100,000 people. Everyone in the stadium is wearing some sort of Barcelona Futbol gear such as a scarf, jersey, t-shirt or even holding a banner. Everyone in the stadium is basically bleeding red and blue! They are cheering for their heroes and absolutely love watching futbol games. I found it very interning that throughout the soccer game, you are sitting down unless some scores a goal. You are never standing up and chanting. Only when a goal is scored is when people sing songs and chant for their Barcelona. I am glad that I went to a futbol game during my abroad experience in Barcelona.

Stike! March 29th 2012

A 24 hour Strike occurred all over spain on Thursday, March 29th 2012. On this day everything was closed, including the airport, metro and cabs. There was so possible way to get through the city, but my friends and I decided to rent bikes for the day. So the night before we rented bikes at a store for only 16 euros each for the day. We woke up early that morning and headed down to the beach because there was a strike. The strike was to the government's pro-business labor reforms and funding cuts to educations and other services. On this day many families and groups got together all through out Barcelona on the streets. There were bombs and people writing graffiti all over the walls. This was something that I have never witnessed before in my life. On my way back from the beach this day, I could see the smoke from the bombs that they lit off by Catalunya's metro stop. I heard that the main streets were very busy and crowded. We were enforced to not go near this during the day. This was a day that I did not understand because how can you go on a general strike for 24 hours and then the next day just go back to a normal work day. Something like this would not happen in the United States. This was an event that I will never forget.

Barcelona Zoo!

In the beginning of the semester, my roommates and I decided to go on a walk since we had just arrived in Barcelona. We ended up by the Arc de Triumph and walked down through the park and ended up at the Barcelona Zoo! My two other roommates and I were so ecstatic that we just randomly found the zoo. Well of course we decided to go inside! This was one of the best days that I had in Barcelona with my two roommates. We walked inside and saw so many different animals that I have never seen before! We saw kangaroos, lions, monkeys, zebras, kangaroos etc. We ended up spending a full 3 hours at the zoo this day and explored everywhere! Who would have ever though that 3 young girls would have so much fun at a zoo for the day! All of the animals were so interesting especially the kangaroo. My roommates and I thought we were going to see a gorilla when we turned the corner, but instead we saw a Kangaroo that was posing for us! The three of us could not stop laughing! The day spent at the Barcelona Zoo is a day that I will always remember.

Sandwich and Friends

For a good sandwich or salad I would recommend coming to Sandwich and Friends only because it is one of the most Americanized restaurants that I can compare with to a restaurant in America. There is one Sandwich and Friends that is located right off the Catalunya metro stop, which is only 2 stops away from COACB. Sandwich and Friends has numerous sandwiches that are hot pressed or cold. They offer turkey, grilled chicken and vegetables on your sandwich. The salads are very similar to the ones that I have in America which is why I come to this restaurant a lot because if I am in the mood for a enjoyable lunch, I just hop on the subway and I am at Sandwich and Friends in just a few minutes. I would recommend this restaurant to all students that are traveling throughout Barcelona because it is very reasonable and a great meal!

Happy Pills - Candy Store

If you ask anyone, I have the biggest sweet tooth! Happy Pills is a little candy store that is located throughout Barcelona. It is very creative how they set up the candy store. You walk inside and you are able to pick a jar that ranges from 2 euros to 12 euros. In that jar you can fill up as much candy as you want. The 2 euros jars are small compared to the 12 euro jars. Once you pick your size jar you are able to pick the candy that you want. You put on a glove and pick the candy and you physically put the candy in whatever order you choose. The candy is organized by color which is every unique. Once you are done filling up your jar you are not done! You get to choose a sticker that says Happy Pills and then a saying on it to make your day. For an example, "To feel the magic of Barcelona". This was my recent Happy Pills candy jar. I have been collecting them ever since I have arrived here and I should not even tell you how many I have! This candy store is such a creative idea!

Organic Market

This food market/restaurant is by far my favorite place to go for lunch! I wish I had found this spot earlier in the school year, but now that I have discovered it I go all the time! It is called Organic Market and it is located right by the metro stop Catalunya, only 2 stops away from school. They have wok, to pasta, to burgers to even sushi! Everything in this market is organically grown and prepared fresh right in front of your eyes. I enjoy the chicken wok the most, it is one of my favorites! I recently just had the home made pear ravioli and I must say it is to die for! This is defiantly a place that I would recommend to future students coming to Barcelona. The atmosphere of the restaurant is very warming and welcoming. You can either eat at the restaurant or take it to go! Organic market is one of my favorite places to go have an enjoyable lunch with my friends.