It was still dark out when my plane landed at 7 am in Barcelona, Spain. I was buzzing with excitement, despite the jet-lag, about being in Barcelona for the first time, so excited to try out the millions of restaurants and visit the places my friends had recommended. The first thing on my list to visit was Mercado de La Boqueria, the famous open market with perfectly placed fresh produce and dozens of tapas restaurants.
To say this market is incredible is an understatement. In my first week I went back 5 times, sometimes to grocery shop and other times to simply stroll through and admire the beautiful presentation of candies, fruits, and bizarre meats.
In addition to La Boqueria, one of my favorite parts about Spain is the sunshine. The amazing weather has allowed me to pleasantly wander around the city and gain a better understanding of Barcelona more quickly than I would have imagined. Each day I walk on average 7 or 8 miles without even realizing it.
One weekend, needing an escape from the noise and occasional chaos of the city center, I took the metro up to Park Güell. This public park contains some of Antoni Gaudi’s most amazing works along with his old home. The views are unbelievable and as I walked through the winding shaded pathways of the park, I listened to the birds chirping in the trees without a car horn to interrupt them.
Today marks a month of my semester abroad in Barcelona. One out of four months complete and I still have so much left to explore. Stay tuned.
Emma Sims is a student at University of California, Berkeley and an ISA Featured Photo Blogger. She is studying with ISA in Barcelona, Spain.