Leaving my little apartment in Barcelona today. I was in such a great location for
my week in Barcelona, minus the few days I found my self in the ghetto slums. But can't complain, I wanted to see the "real" Spain and maybe that little mistake showed it to me a little.

When I moved into town I found myself in a small hostel made up of two large rooms crammed with bunk beds, a small kitchen and a small bathroom. My room had a little balcony and I spent most of my time sitting reading or eating, soaking up the breeze on cooler afternoons. The room however was like a sweat box and I guess the money I saved by booking such a cheap hostel makes up the air conditioning for the more expensive places.

After my day bike riding and getting lost in the beautiful streets of Barcelona, I ventured out to meet some new friends. Through some of the busabout crew I met a few locals. They had lived there the past two summers working in promotions and had apartments dotted around Barcelona city. I love getting local knowledge to an area, it's then you really see what a city is like; instead of being stuck on the tourist trail. So my new friends and I headed for the local swimming pool, which had been built for the Olympics in 1996. The view from the pool was extraordinary, it's been built on the highest point of Barcelona over looking the city and coast line. It was pretty surreal hanging up there with such an amazing site. Most European cities are just as beautiful from above, with the orange peeked rooftops; Barcelona isn't as beautiful as most of the buildings are more modern, but seeing the old churches in amongst all those new buildings was pretty cool.

That night we all gathered at a bar in town, with all the little groups combined there was about twenty of us. We walked bar from bar drinking delicious cocktails and finding some pretty cool places to hang out. Our final stop the locals took us to their favorite bar, soon the five shots for five euro got the better of me and I cleverly took myself home to bed.

Next day was a shock, I woke up at 3pm in the afternoon and proceeded to snooze till the next day. Didn't get out of bed for about 24 hours! I think it was a combination of a late night and five months of travelling catching up with me, my body went on strike!

I woke up on my last day in Barcelona feeling fresh and well rested, I headed down to the famous barcelona market and bout myself some fresh juice and a fruit salad, along with another salad for lunch. In the afternoon I walked the coast line for a few hours stopping to swim and sunbake. I finished my book, that's two finished in just over a week! Then I walked back to the market to browse all the delicious food and headed back to make dinner. Sitting out on my tiny balcony I ate, read some more and watched the bustling street below. Tonight is an important soccer match; Barcelona versus madrid. Most of my friends have bought the expensive tickets and I headed there now. I'll just wander the streets and watch snipets in little bars.

While in Barcelona I've run into some friends both from home and that I've met on the way it's so weird to run into people in places like this. It's a surreal experience, when I came over it felt strange to think you'd never hear your name called in the street by an old friend. Turns out though that you do though, no matter where you are some one you know is usually close by! I love it!

Valencia next, I have a few days here by myself before I meet up with my friend Annie for La Tomatina and a bit of travelling together! I'm very excited to see her, and to finally have a travel partner. Wonder what'll be like to have someone their constantly for a while!