Dreaming in Spain

For a few years now, I’ve wanted to return to Spain. In particular, to Barcelona. It’s a place I had a chance to explore when I studied abroad in Bilbao on the northern side of Spain while I was in college. We took a weekend bus trip there and I fell in love with the city.

I believe that if you want to do something, you make the time for it and you make it happen. This year, I was thrilled to discover I was pregnant in April. I knew traveling would be a challenge as I got further along in the pregnancy. Even so, I remained determined to take the trip to Barcelona as soon as feasibly possible. I told Amar, and we began to plan to make the trip a reality.

The night before we left for our trip, we opened up Google Maps to plot out how we would best take advantage of our time there and what made the most sense to see each day. We had four full days in Barcelona – Thursday through Sunday. On August 15, we flew from Grand Rapids to Washington DC and then to Barcelona. I’m pleased to say I did really well during the flight.

From the moment we landed and collected our luggage, it was time to act like a local and begin speaking Spanish. I approached the information desk by the train and told them we needed to go to The Corner Hotel. He explained which lines we needed to take. We bought the tickets and we were off.

From our first breakfast on Thursday morning, to our last tapas meal on Sunday, we had incredible food while we were there.

A typical breakfast includes a sandwich with either ham, cheese or your preferred choice of meat. There are also usually pastries, fresh squeezed orange juice, and coffee involved. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and I really enjoyed the Spanish breakfast traditions.

Another major highlight of our trip was seeing and exploring the architecture of Gaudi. Gaudi’s work can be found and admired throughout the city. Gaudi’s Casa Mila and Casa Batllo are both within walking distance of The Corner Hotel. Casa Mila is like “a huge wave set in stone,” according to a brochure on the building. 

It was an amazing experience to walk on the roof and be in awe of the architecture all around you. According to legend, the pillars on the rooftop are guardians. The house is truly a masterpiece.

Gaudi’s Casa Batllo is another amazing site to see. The house is tucked in among dozens of buildings along Passeig de Gracia. Amar booked us an evening tour that ended with a rooftop party under the stars. The building was spectacular at night while lit up. 

Although I wasn’t drinking alcohol, finishing the evening with a cold beverage and watching the sunset on Barcelona was an unforgettable experience. 

During our trip, we explored Sagrada Familia, an unfinished masterpiece by Gaudi. I took the elevator up and then slowly made my way down 400 steps. I was proud of myself!

We also saw a flamenco show while on our trip and visited a park with a labyrinth. Thanks to the convenience of the train in Spain, you can get anywhere easily. Buying our five-day train pass at the airport was a great decision.

Our last big meal were Spanish tapas at El Nacional, a restaurant recommended by my sisters and brothers-in-law. We ended our time in Spain with ham and cheese croquettes and patatas bravas, complete with dipping aiolis and sauces. 

I’m so thankful we had the opportunity to go and managed to get the time off from work to take this trip. It was our last big trip overseas while we are still a family of two. I loved returning to Spain and getting to see Amar experience a brand new country. Until we return, I’ll be dreaming of Spain.