Pasé Tres Días En Barcelona

Last Sunday I was up and awake earlier than I would normally have been for work and I was in my car headed for Belfast International airport with CoolFM keeping me company and more importantly, awake. I was on my way to Barcelona thanks to my parents who had bought me a city break trip for Christmas and my birthday (even though I had been extremely happy with my birthday makeup). Needless to say, I was very excited because I was going to be spending three days with one of my dearest friends, Emma. I haven't seen her for a year and I was beyond excited to spend some time with her. In this blog post I share what I did while in Barcelona and share a few of my favourite photos from my trip.

Upon landing, I found my suitcase and swapped out my New Look booties for my New Look converse because I knew that I was potentially going to be walking a fair bit. Once finding the necessities, a bathroom and my suitcase, I headed out of the arrivals terminal to find the Aerobús that would take me to Barcelona's city centre, Plaça de Catalunya. For only €5,90, the bus took me exactly where I needed to go. I was at the square last May with my former boyfriend and so I was comfortable with meeting there. The airport was really busy for a Sunday and so I had a wait a couple of buses before I could be under way.

I had my first ever taste of a subway in Barcelona. In Northern Ireland, we don't have an underground tube system. For public transport, I rely on Translink buses and I've never been on the train system. So, when Emma took me through their underground metro system, I was a little overwhelmed all whilst keeping my tiredness at bay...I hoped it looked that way. Anyway, after swapping trains we found my hotel, Las Glories. Then we train hopped to get lunch and got disoriented for a moment.

My hotel was lovely. I couldn't fault it at all. The people at the reception desk were lovely. They allowed me to drop my luggage off since check-in wasn't available for a little while and they let me leave an envelope behind the desk that contained important documents - by important documents, I mean autographs that Emma had got for me months previously. I'm talking Marina Sirtis and Denise Crosby important! (Look them up) My room was on the fifth floor, the top floor. It was a single room and by room standards, it was tiny but it served me perfectly since I was by myself. I was going to be out most of the day and it was a place for me to bathe and sleep. It was perfect. The view was amazing. Barcelona is a city that is beautiful from the first floor up and my view attested to that. The light came in beautifully through the windows and I sat in front of it, basking in the sunlight and did my makeup.

Naturally, we all check the television in other countries to see what English channels they have available. The only English channel that was available was CCTV News (I think that's what it was), but I kept the TV on Disney Channel Espana. I've seen most of the episodes of what was shown that even when in Spanish, I could understand it. I took Spanish for A-Level at school and I can understand it a lot better than I can speak it. Even with the TV in Spanish, I still had entertainment through the WIFI that was available so I could keep up to date with all my YouTube favourites. When I went on holiday last August, it took me about a week to catch up. 

On Sunday, Emma took me to lunch at Makamaka which is along the seafront near the Aquarium. She told me that their burgers were great and their cheesecake was really good too. I'm sold wherever food is concerned. Like me, Emma is a big dessert lover and so we shared the burger between us and took a mango cheesecake each and then shared a peanut butter concoction that in highsight, we would've loved a whole portion each. The desserts were served in the cutest kilner jars that I just wanted to keep. How delicious does that look?!

We explored a lot of the central area of Barcelona. I love to walk and I'm a sucker for narrow little alley ways that connect everything together. The architecture of these narrows streets are often under-appreciated as the most beautiful hidden gems are found there. I love them so much. On one narrow street there was a woman singing opera, she was just standing there singing for a gathered crowd. Her voice was beautiful. 

Monday was shopping day! As soon as I met up with Emma I had my eyes set on Sephora. Nothing else would do first - not even food. I wanted to go there. Had I been looking out the opposite side of the airport bus as it came into la Plaça de Catalunya, I would have done damage there whilst waiting for Emma. I would've said, "Meet me in Sephora!!!!!" instead of, "Hey, I'm by the fountain by the Apple Store".

Their Sephora is insane! It was about four times the size of the one that I found in Venice! We had to go down an escalator in a kind of Sephora foyer and then down a pink runway to get into the store. Side note and confession, I loooooved the carpeted runway. No lie. It made me feel awesome. Then I did some damage! I was like a kid in a candy store and thankfully I went in there with some things in mind. I knew that there were a few things that I wanted that were recommended by YouTubers and bloggers. But like always, a few things found their way into my basket. Not by accident, I might add.

After denting my bank balance in Sephora, we had lunch at Buenas Migas. Again, we had a small main course and double desserts. Their Pesto Pasta was delicious! I had never had pesto on anything but pizza up until that point and I absolutely loved the pasta. For my dessert I had a cookie and a yoghurt and muesli cup. I love having the best of both worlds and I broke up the cookie and mixed it with the yoghurt and muesli. Delicioso! 

El Corte Inglés, I felt like I was walking around a mix of House of Fraser and Debenhams. But my makeup lover heart skipped several dozen beats whilst walking around the ground floor because all the makeup was there. They had every name possible from high-end to drugstore and even some that we don't have here in Northern Ireland. We spent some time at the Bobbi Brown counter and I felt up the brushes. What I love about Emma is that she's my makeup-fangirl-in-arms as she knows what some of our favourite actresses wear. I talk to her about what Mary McDonnell wears and she told me that she has the Bobbi Brown lipstick that Kate Mulgrew used to wear. Kate Mulgrew wore Bobbi Brown?? Yup! I need to do more research, people. At the MAC counter I was basically trying to find anything that Jaclyn Hill uses...but I didn't buy anything. I find counters so intimidating, I did however find the largest collection of Essie nail varnishes that I have ever seen. It was like looking at a freaking rainbow! In the cube way it was displayed, it was like looking at the most colourful Borg Cube ever. Yes, I just compared a nail varnish display stand to a Borg Cube. What am I on?! Lo siento, el Corte Inglés. 

Of course, trust the Irish person to find the Irish bar in Barcelona! We're drawn to each other like a beacon. I'm drawn to Irish bars and Disney stores apparently because I found that too. Hearing 'Do You Wanna Build A Snowman' in Spanish is weird. I've heard Let It Go in Spanish and that was strange enough. 

Emma took me to the KIKO store there. I nearly freaked out. I had been hearing so much about KIKO from bloggers and I have wanted to try them out but didn't trust shopping online all that much. But with the little corner store that I was brought to, I feel in love and again, did some damage. With KIKO, I found myself lifting products that would push me further out of my comfort zone. I didn't buy a single neutral eyeshadow or lip colour. Everything was colourful. I even bought a foundation that had a pipette applicator! Whaaaat? Yup, I really pushed the boat out. Barcelona, what did you do to me?

Gelato was an almost daily occurrence whilst I was in Barcelona. Emma had taken me to Dino Gelats last year and I was excited to find myself back there this year. Though, this year my taste buds really shocked me because I picked out the Mango & Lemon flavours, not once but twice (we treated ourselves to more gelato after hitting the KIKO store). I've been loving more lemon flavoured things lately. I've been surprising myself with that. 

Much to my mother's horror, Emma and I gallivanted around Barcelona on her scooter. I loved it. It took a little getting used to, like, how to hold my head so that my helmet doesn't smash into Emma's when she brakes. It was an easy way to get around the grid layout of Barcelona. We explored the city until my butt was numb and I can honestly say that it was NUMB! 

Another shocking moment happened when in Barcelona. I went into my first Zara store. I've always walked past the one in Belfast with lustful eyes and dreams of one day stepping inside and buying something. Mostly I dreamt of shoes and accessories because I figured that those would be the only things that would fit. I'm not the slimmest of gals and my self-confidence is pals with worms - it's that low! I went in for a wee jook, not expecting to buy anything. Lo and behold, I found a top that I wasn't about to leave without buying. I even tried it on in my usual size and prayed against hope. I never ever try things on. I have a pathological fear of fitting rooms and their evil mirrors. To my shock, it fitted me perfectly and even complimented my shape beautifully. I had to have it. I'm talking holy grail top, people! I could hear the chorus and the gold lights shining down on this piece of fabric. It spoke to me! THIS IS IT!! My Mum even loves it! 

Tuve Barcelona a mis pies - I had Barcelona at my feet.

I had an absolutely amazing, if short, time in Barcelona. I experienced so many new things such as being on a Vespa scooter and going on a subway. It was so much fun. On my final morning in Barcelona before heading to the airport, Emma and I met for breakfast and naturally had Dunkin Donuts because what else would you eat for breakfast? I resisted the urge for a sneaky last minute Sephora pit stop on the walk to the bus because I passed it. However, I did pick up a miniature set of Chloé perfumes from the airport duty free shop. 

I cannot thank my parents and Emma enough for such a great trip. I'll be back in Barcelona in under two months time to jump on Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas ship for my Mum's birthday cruise. 

Hasta luego, Barcelona. Gracias por todo! No puedo esperar a verte una vez más.