My birthday is inauguration day. At some point in the autumn, before November, I decided I wanted to be out of the country for my birthday. The day was also MLK Day, so I didn't have to work. I looked for direct flights from Philly, and Barcelona was the best option. I had wanted to return to Barcelona since my first visit in 2017. The weather in January isn't too bad, and it's far, far less touristy than any other time of year. A lovely long weekend seemed plausible.
We arrived on a Friday morning, somehow not jetlagged, and adventured out. The trick to avoiding jetlag is not to change time zones: we slept in and stayed up late. I've never had a trip so unaffected by the time change. That's not a sustainable plan for many trips, but it worked for a weekend.
I limited the museum visit plans to La Sagrada Família, Park Güell, and Fundación MAPFRE, a photography museum. I mainly wanted to see the light in Barcelona that I remembered: the warm golden hues, the perfect angle on every corner, the clarity of the sunshine. We managed to see it all.
After landing, we checked into our Airbnb in Eixample, stopped for coffee at Nomad Coffee Bar, and went to Mercat de Sant Antoni for some quintessential tapas at Bar Pinotxo. I had been to this restaurant in the market last time and wanted the razor clams. Then, we stopped for another coffee and a small pastry treat at Onis Coffee. Finally, though not impulsively, we found a 70mm showing of The Brutalist. After seeing Anora in San Francisco, I was excited to continue the weird idea of seeing a film in the theater on vacation. The theater was packed, and we were in the front row: no reserved seating or credit cards at Phenomena. I highly recommend the film for so many reasons.
On Saturday, after another stop at Onis Coffee, we walked the city, from La Rambla and El Born to the beach, dinner, and back. We stopped for churros at Granja M. Viader for the most memorable churros I've had in Spain, or elsewhere. They were tiny and delicate, and perfectly fried. Then we walked to Fundación MAPFRE for a Cartier-Bresson exhibit. I'd never seen so many Cartier-Bresson photos, in one place, in person. I say this every time I go to a photo museum, but the fun and delight of seeing photos as the only art form is rare and moving. I will forever wish that this experience was more available in the US.
After the museum, we walked along the beach as city dwellers enjoyed their warm, sunny, 60-degree winter Saturday. It was almost too idyllic for my Philadelphia, northeast self to handle. Then we took a recommendation and went to Bar Brutal near the Gothic Quarter. We sat for hours, drank organic wine, conversed with fellow travelers, and ate most of the menu (scallops, cured tuna, roasted carrots, bone marrow, everything). My drinking tolerance is so low at this point, but I will always love sitting at a dark bar with good company and conversation. Somehow, looking back at my iPhone photos, I didn't want the night to end, so we went to another bar, Bar Cugat, and had two classic tapas (and vermut): patatas bravas and pan con tomate.
The next day, understandably, we slept in. I wanted to venture somewhere outside the city and decided on San Cugat del Vallès for a Sunday vintage market: Mercantic. The regional rail train was incredibly easy to navigate. After a few great thrifting finds in Tokyo, I'm trying to find vintage items on trips outside the US. I picked up two key chains (and have since learned quite a bit about removing rust). After browsing and having a snack, we returned to Barcelona to visit La Sagrada Família.
I planned ahead for timed tickets at sunset. We had the last possible time before closing, which meant there was almost no one behind us on the trip up, across, and down. We lingered as long as we wanted and then enjoyed the western light and shadows on the interior. The way the red and orange stained glass reflected inside the cathedral was simply magic. Seeing the beauty of architecture and light come together was pure joy. Next, we went to a wine bar, Salvatge, for a bit. Then, we planned to watch the Eagles playoff game at a sports bar. Reddit led us to an entirely packed bar. While in line for that bar, a group of Eagles fans told us about another bar a few blocks away with seats. So, we followed other fans to a soccer bar and watched the game. As always, finding the Philly attitude, accent, and cursing ability outside the country is always entertaining and fascinating.
The next day was my birthday. I picked Park Güell and a nice spot for dinner. I also had to take my birthday self-portrait. The rules of this documentation are loose and simple: a document, on film, of myself, wherever I am. Last year was entirely composed and planned, while this year was open and unexpected. My travel partner went out to gather coffee and pastries while I shot a quick half-roll of portraits in various mirrors. Luckily, one worked out, as it usually does.
The first stop of the day was Park Güell. I had been to the park before but was looking forward to visiting with fewer tourists. Comparatively, the park was empty. We started at the Gaudí House Museum and then spent a while exploring until closing time, which was just about sunset. As in the cathedral, influencers were everywhere and rather annoying in a new, video-focused way. Then, we walked to dinner at Babula Bar 1937. I had wanted a nice birthday dinner, and this spot was excellent. As a restaurant/service industry worker, I'm used to the fast-paced expectations of a meal in the US. The idea that you have a table for a certain amount of time is normal. Here, we enjoyed a four-hour, slow dinner. Again, we ate most of the menu, and it was all awesome: creative, unique, and appropriately-cooked. It was a perfectly memorable birthday dinner and day. It was the distraction I wanted.
The next morning, we grabbed coffee and an Uber to the airport. At a certain age, you realize that you should plan your own birthday. You grow up, to a certain degree, and realize that no one can, or should have to, read your mind. With some privilege and calendar serendipity, you can organize your birthday, do precisely what you want, where you want, and see who accepts the invitation. And, none of it disappointed. The rest, though, is history.
