Travel days remind me that I’m “bougie broke” – bougie enough to explore Europe, but budget-conscious enough to rely on public transit. This choice, while cost-effective, often adds extra hours to my travel days.
Navigating public transit is still a learning curve for me. For instance, on my recent journey from Brixton (outside London) to London Stansted Airport, I ended up on the wrong train and had to backtrack to my starting point. Eventually, I boarded my “bus with wings” – Ryanair – to Barcelona. It may not be luxurious, but it’s affordable and gets me where I need to go!
Once in Barcelona, the adventure continued with a bus ride into the city, followed by a 30-minute train ride and a mile-long walk to my Airbnb. After 11 hours of travel, I finally arrived. I’m renting a room from a local whose mother, with limited English, greeted me. My Spanish is equally minimal, but thanks to Google Translate, we managed to sort out the details of my stay.
Days like this remind me of my resilience. Despite the challenges, the rollercoaster journey is worth every moment. Exploring new places and meeting new people makes the tough travel days an integral part of the adventure.
As usual, I spend my first day aimlessly wandering the streets of my new destination. This is my first stop in a country where English is not the primary language, and I quickly realize how “American” it feels to assume people will speak English. Nonetheless, I am resourceful and have modern technology to assist me. I stumble upon a charming local tapas restaurant, and after looking up the Castilian Spanish for vegetarian (vegetariano), I successfully order some delicious tapas with the help of a sweet waitress.
Want to know how to spot the foreigner? During dinner on the patio, I hear several bangs that sound like gunfire. Instinctively, I duck and search for the best course of action. While surveying the area, I notice no one else is moving. It turns out it’s just kids playing with firecrackers. Fun fact about Spain: the only firearms available to the public are hunting guns, such as shotguns. Once I learn this, I am immediately at ease. It was a tough first day, but I am thrilled to continue this adventure!
The next day starts on a high note: I figure out the city train! My first stop is the beautiful Basilica of the Sagrada Familia. The intricate details on the church are breathtaking! Although I can’t take the tour inside, I spend a while admiring its exterior beauty. The church is one of Barcelona’s most prominent attractions, started in 1882 and still unfinished today.
I spend the rest of my morning visiting the incredible architecture of the area, including Sant Pau Hospital, La Pedrera – Casa Milà, and the Catedral de Barcelona.
For lunch, I discover the Vegan Junk Food Bar. Can we please get one of these in Austin? The vibe and food are wonderful! After only a few weeks away, I already miss Mexican food. Although this is different, the nachos are mouthwatering goodness!
I spend the afternoon enjoying one of my favorite places, the beach. I’m excited to see what fun tomorrow brings!
Todays helpful tips
Google Translate
I like this app because you can take pictures of what you are trying to translate and it will find the language and translate the picture. I really enjoyed this at restaurants. Most places within the city have English menus if you ask, but the places furthest from tourist areas may not. I also liked that if I wasn’t sure of the language (Spanish or Castilian) it would try and decipher for me. This was helpful in places that are on borders where there is a chance it could be several languages.
If you want more suggestions on the best apps for navigating Europe check out my blog post!
Basilica of the Sagrada Familia
Pickpockets tend to frequent this area so be sure to keep your personal items safe!
Sant Pau Hospital
The architecture is incredible. I highly recommend taking the time to walk around this hospital.
Vegan Junk Food Bar
One of my favorite spots in Europe! They have several locations with excellent vegan choices!
