Music is one of the main components of what makes Barcelona truly unique. No matter the time of day I am amazed at the sounds and music coming from these city walls. I know that when walking down Avinguda Portal L’Angel I am guaranteed either an acoustic guitar, lute, or some strange string instrument playing in the crevices of the Cathedral walls.

     The occasional vocalists are present but always setting an appropriate mood as they are performing in front of a religious site. Keep on walking and among the storefronts of Zara, or Bershka and you will find street musicians with crowds of fans dancing, socializing, or just taking a break in their route. From Latin, to jazz, to salsa, the musicians flooding the streets seem to find success because they play a music genre according to their location in the city. The music played near the harbor is much more mellow than among the rapid-moving shoppers in Plaza Catalunya. Port Olympic attracts a younger crowd and the music reflects their taste. A soundtrack to your day cannot be avoided compliments of the musicians. This is one aspect of my experience here that makes these four months feel so much more enriching. It is truly a cultural eye-opener and embracing it is not only easy but coming all too natural.

My class schedule allows me a three hour break from 2-5 and like the rest of the city this is my time for lunch, too often a sandwich from “Conesa” the best sandwich shop located right in Sant Juame. It should be featured in every travel guide as a must-hit spot, I bring newcomers as often as I can. Regardless where lunch takes place I have found that this three hour break is best spent at the Port. Port Vell is my spot. The contents of my bag always include my sketchbook, pencils and some sort of candy. I could live off of these three items for one reason only. I could take pictures as every other tourist does and record my memories of what I saw however I’ve chosen to do differently. I choose to sit in different spots and sketch what I see that day.

There is no better way to record how your day went than recalling sitting on that bench gazing at a certain boat that caught my eye or a lighthouse that was hit by the sun in a most perfect manner. Just this week I found two business men sharing a bench on their lunch break in complete silence, with a freakishly perfect pose for a sketch they sat still until I was finished. Personally, I think one man saw what I was doing and remained in his relaxed position out of flattery but I will never know. It was a wonderful refection of what this day entailed. It was beautiful weather; a steady calm resonated among the Mediterranean and her surrounding company. A perfect day, only enhanced by the bulk gummies I purchased at a hidden candy store.

This week didn’t have too much new in the nightlife department but the rotation of bars and clubs as the week goes on is always bringing new people into my life. Be it a local to practice my Spanish on, or a new friend taking advantage of Europe’s encouragement of moving throughout from country to country. Some people are just passing through and others just picked up and left to see what Barcelona could offer. The independence of young people over here is incredible. Travel is seen as not a luxury but a right of passage or as a means to find where you belong and who you want to be. This outlook should definitely come back to the States with me.

please read on for more entries. - Entry #6

Filed under: Studying Abroad Journal