Spain is hot, hot, hot and even though I'm positively melting in the heat, I am loving the country.
Barcelona was my first stop and I recommend it highly to anyone who visits Spain. It is very touristic because it is just absolutely stunning. I love the fact that the city has so much character... it has many famous architectural gems (the most famous ones designed by Gaudi) and so much activity. There is also a lot of nationalism in the city - the locals consider themselves Catalan (Catalunya) and not Spanish. Thus a lot of the buildings have the Catalan flag or the cross of Sant Jordi (Saint George), the patron saint of Catalunya. The history is absolutely fascinating. I also learned it has the most Gothic style buildings per square mile. Many architects chose this style because the Medieval times represented the Golden ages for Catalonia so they wanted the buildings to reflect those good times. I love walking tours!
Madrid is, of course, the capital of Spain, though it is less distinguished than Barcelona, it is an equally wonderful city. My visit in Madrid is less touristic, and more about staying with my friend who is doing an internship in the city. It's been awesome hanging out with her and I've been eating all the best foods because she is such a foodie. I have been absolutely lazy because I haven't had to do any research - the wonders of staying with a "local". I love her.
We did a day trip today to Toledo, the former capital of Spain. Totally worth it to see at least once.
I wish you had more pics!
ReplyDelete