Barcelonalove

Before coming to Spain (excluding the time when I was nine when beauty of architecture i scovered with the knowing that THEREISACOOLASSPONYINTHESHOPRIGHTTHERE!!!) I have always thought that I would hate the cuture, the language and the people. But I just couldn't say no to my friend's very kind dad, who offered us a free flat five stations away from the centre of Barcelona. 

But I should say it took me about seven steps into the city to absolutely lose my mind. 

1. Fall out of the bed

2. Resist the temptation to fall back in

3. Fall on top of Dasha and sing something really really loud until she stands up to hide in the bathroom

4. Find something thhat's not out of date to eat

5. Listen to: "Yana OMG, I had a dream where I had a child!" or "Yana OMG, I had a dream where I had a chicken factory"

6. Spanish courses

Courses is another separate topic. We had an awesome teacher, he was chubby, wore red glasses and used to advise us to try nudic beaches because: "LIBERDAD" (freedom), mixing beer with schweppes and recoomend best clubs in the city.

If you have a day in Barcelna this is what I woud reccommend you do the following:
1. Go to the Passeig de Gracia metro station and have breakfast at Brunch and Cake (http://www.cupcakesbarcelona.com/es/index_bc.html)
2. If the queue is not too exausting visit Casa Batllo by Gaudi
3. Walk down to the pourt through Rambla (cos you have to be a typical tourist at least on the first day), grab some fruit from Boqueria, sit and peoplewatch-watch-people-people-mehhbreh;fvdcbhdh

Anyway
4. Go to either Gothic quarter if you want to buy unique...stuff, or if you like art you must visit National Museum of Catalan Art which is on the metro station Espana. Everyone and I mean it (!) will fing something he likes!

The dawn is always the second best part of the day for me after the morning, because that's when the nigh-the adventure, starts. 

5. When it comes closer to the night you have two choises:

• go to (again)  Gothic Quarter. Just turn left from Dressantes station and go down "the pub street", You will find a lot of good places like "Milk" bar (http://www.milkbarcelona.com/), where Dasha's hate to avocado magically turned into the deepest love or "La Clandestina" (http://barcelona.salir.com/la_clandestina) - the best tea room in Barcelona (try peach shisha).

• go to Gracia Barrio (Fontana metro station), especially if you are there around the 15th August - the time of the major festival (http://www.oh-barcelona.com/en/blog/2013/things-to-do/events-and-music/fiesta-de-gracia-1139). We went there on the first day, flopped around squeezed into crowds of bodies, sfound a quiet bar aaand the life suddenly became much better. We than stole a chocolate muffin, ran around singing for a while and went back home "before the police catches us"... Anyway there is an amazing tapas bar "Nou Candachu" (http://barcelona.salir.com/nou_candanchu) on one of the squares, where you can do what we did or just enjoy traditional spanish snacks (another whole discussion on the reasons why I don't call tapas proper food).

Things I really miss:

• the terrace where we used to eat watermelons (we could eat a whole one for dinner)
• hot german guy from courses, who used to smile aat everyone when he walked through our classroom, but I just liked thinking that others don't exist and IAMTHEONE
• Dasha's casual: "I'm thirsty", which normally meant: "Five tequillas, please"
• PEOPLE
• ...
• BARCELONAINGENERAL!!!!

What we did instead of Venice

I should probably start with explaining what kind of person my mum is. Every single time I come back from a morning run, when the whole house is still silent and asleep, she jumps out of her room and occupates the bathroom for a good 20 mins as soon as she hears my footsteps at the door. Because she obviously needs to put face lotion on before I die from being sweaty and smelly. 

There is a saying that there is no space in one house for two women. And I have never realise how true it is before I actually started to use the kitchen. Let me give you an example. On a day to day basis my fam goes to the beach in the morning as it was their job. I go really rare, and try to not stay for long. Today I left especially early, so that I can make a lemon pie. At 12:30 I was already boilind corn starch with powdered sugar, thinking I will definitely have enough time to finish as they normally come home at 2 pm and have showers. But particularly today mother's instinct told her to go back at 1 and she walked into the flat announcing that she-is-really-hungry-and-omg-yana-there-is-no-space-in-the-kitchen-how-am-i-gona-live-i-can't-microwave-salmon!!! 

On the morning when we were leavind to Italy I woke up after a two hour sleep thinking that I will be able to catch up with dreams in the car. But mum told everyone that she has a stomach ache and she that she is not going anywhere. So we had to cancel a four day trip and dad was grumpy next two days which is understandable. Especially considering that the cost of the hotel was not returned. 

In the afternoon of the day of the trip the stomach was perfectly fine and mum was moning that we should of gone at lunchtime. And after all of that she says that she doesn't do these things on purpose.

Anyway on Thursday we went to Plitvice Lakes which was magical but crowded. Not as crowded as Venice though.

The water in the lakes is rich with travertine which gives it a deep turquise colour. 

The stones are also made of this mineral and therefore are flaky and fragile. This explains an aweful amount of small waterfalls spread all over the national park.

We left at 6 am and I didn't mind at all, but to be honest I didn't thinkk it would make a big difference. The conclusion of the story is that I am majorly thankful to have such a considerative dad.

We were lucky enough to  be able to enjoy the view of the gorgeous lakes in the gentle morning rays and (!) take a half empty boat just before a two hour queue gathered at the harbour. 

The main waterfall felt like an antfarm but we have managed to kick two asians off the bench and take good pictures for memory.

But no matter how breathtaking the colour of the water is, travelling for three hours too see some lakes in the middle of the tourist season is not worth it. But I will never regret going, потому что я за любой кипиш.