Half Spanish + Half French = Catalan

The language here in Barcelona is completely unlike the Spanish from Seville and Madrid that we thought it would be. Perhaps it is because we have migrated towards the border of France, but it appears that the “Spanish” here is a mixture of Spanish and French. Instead of using “en-yays” (the n with the squiggle over the top), they use “ny”—which, in my mind, makes more sense anyways. The also spell “chocolate” like “xocolat”. It’s quite interesting. We even heard a family ask for a menu in Spanish when we were at a local sandwich shop. There are also lots of “D’____ “ and “L’___ “ words.

This morning we strolled down La Rambla which is a HUGE bustling main street of Barcelona. When we first stepped foot into Plaza Catalunya last night from the Metro, which is centered on La Rambla, we had to just stand for a moment to catch our breath as we took in the immense swarm of people moving throughout the street. From peeking out of the Metro stop, La Rambla almost looked like the beginning of the L.A. Marathon. Crazy amounts of people, each with their own agenda, swimming through the streets simply overwhelmed us for a moment.

Once we joined the bustle this afternoon, the crowd became much less daunting. We snaked our way down La Rambla, admiring the multitude of street magicians and artists lining the center island of the street. We also discovered the most amazing, simple way to “research” the best sites of the city we are in. Find your way to a local souvenir shop. Find the postcards. Pick your favorite picture. Write down the name of the place on the back of your postcard in a handy little pocket journal. Then Google map your favorite destinations. Voila! So simple. :)

Tomorrow’s destinations hopefully include: Casa Batllo Gaudi, La Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, Torre Agbar, and the Magic Fountain. Hopefully we can also get some night shots of La Sagrada Familia.