Hello Barcelona

We arrived in Barcelona days ago now. Back when we were younger, perhaps more naive (perhaps not). Back when the sunlight patted the top of our heads like a caring mother, and rain did not splatter our eyes our cloud our thoughts. It was smoother, perhaps easier back then.

Plus, Dave still had his bag.

I do not remember getting off the train. It seems, perhaps, I thought it never ended, but exists as a constant happiness in my mind. But surely it ended for there exists a formidable smell in my sub-conscience of the first breath of air I inhaled upon stepping foot into the sunshine of Barcelona.

Our Hostel was nice and flashy. helloBCN it called to us and a greeting we returned to it. We dropped off our bags, took a look around, and ventured outside. Our first feat was to scale a mountain.

We decided to have a look around what we thought was a nice park full of curious buildings and forts that was quite near our hostel. We started walking up an incline in the direction of our park and the sun beat down hard upon us--the (momentarily) happy travelers. We came to a set of steps that led up to the heavens, it seems, and could only think to scale them. As our faces got closer to the sky (for a kiss, perhaps), we felt the burn. Our legs were a bit weary from the endless train ride and thisexcursion awoke them sharply from their dreamless sleeps. But the soreness was worth it. The first view when we reached the first precipice was a panorama of ecstasy. We were completely content with ourselves and with sunny Barcelona. So, after breathing it in for a moment, there was only one thing to do.

Go higher.

Scott and I pointed upward, Dave pointed downward. "You'll hate us now but love us later," was the essence of our words to poor heavy-breathed David. He could only look at us in red-faced anger, slowly shaking his head in disgust as the incline continued in front of him. Scott and I had to stay at least two steps in front of him to prevent him fromm physically strangling us.

And so we climbed.

We climbed up. Up to the top. The top. It was worth it. Astounding views would be easily overtaken by stupendous views, which, in their turn, could only be followed by breath-taking views (especially in Dave's case (Heyo!)). And as the day waned, and our photos closed in on their own end, we began down the mountain toward the Contemporary art museum. It was closed, we would find out, but that did not keep us from it's beauty. The sun was orange in the sky and struck it in just such a way, just (put finger tips of fingers up to mouth, kiss, spread apart, and utter a satisfied sigh).

We left this perfection of beauty for a night of sub-par paella, a stock market bar, €3 liters of beer, late-night chess. a kebab of perfection, and a broken plant vase. Al stories in themselves, worth, perhaps, endless retellings, but no time now because the next day came (and of course, by now, has gone) and it was a magical one. (I'm not sure if magical is the word, but I didn't want and underappreciative understatment or, really, an overindulgent overstatment, so, I suppose you could say it surprised us with its subtle trickyness.)

Get ready, Senor Gaudi, Here we come!
(Cheesy awesomeness wins awards!)