Bridget's Barcelona Birthday!

Hi everyone! I am finally posting again to tell you about how I spent my 20th Birthday while Abroad! Thank you all for the birthday wishes and cards....they were so thoughtful:)

Since I finish class on Wednesday afternoons, I had all of Thursday and Friday to get some necessary homework done. Many hours were spent at Starbucks during those 2 days. Then on Friday night myself, Casey, Kelsey, and Hannah decided to go get some nachos and margaritas at La Tierra (one of our new favorite spots) before Kelsey and Hannah came back to sleep at Maria's with us because we had an early morning ahead of us. But before we went to sleep we had to watch Cheetah Girls 2 because it took place in Barcelona. We had to learn how to "strut" down Barcelona's streets!
The next day was 5am on my Birthday and it was time to hail down a taxi. We did it! And after a quick 3 hour train ride we were standing in the beautiful streets of Barcelona! I instantly understood why Barcelona is on many people's list of their favorite places in the world! It was spacious, calm, and sunny! And those adjectives are not usually used to describe urban settings....but it was true! The wide streets welcomed us as we safely found our hostel, Amistat Beach Hostel! I recommend it to anyone traveling here. It is a new one so they have a bunch of new ideas about how to run a hostel that are different than ones I had been to before. The most important quality to me is cleanliness. But it doesn't hurt when they add a free breakfast:)

After we got settled we stopped for lunch on our way to check out the beach. And saw a HUGE dog!

After lunch we found our way to the beach. It felt so surreal to be on the coast! I was loving it X10

And so were my friends:

 I'd like to say we had a few bonding moments:

because Casey got to see how I really don't not enjoy getting my boots wet and sandy :/

But they survived:)

Then we found the famous "La Sagrada Familia" which is a huge cathedral that has been in construction since the 1800s and was designed by the architecture, Gaudi, who has a bunch of work in Barcelona. 

And basically the rest of the day was food related. Until we took a night trip to the beach, which was one of my favorite moments while abroad so far. We just sat and watched the shore, and it was so peaceful. Then broke out dancing to some Beyonce songs. Typical. 

 Our 2nd day started by visiting Parc de Guell,
which was absolutely beautiful! Some more Gaudi stuff!

 

                                        And here is our remake of the Cheetah girls photo!

Casa Batllo --> 

It was an awesome trip and a great break before the huge week of midterms I have been studying for. I have 5 midterms in a 3-day week of classes...how is that possible?? Wish me luck! Can't wait till they are over because by Friday I will be in Morocco...so ecstatic!