“Traveling with friends is a reminder of how beautiful the world is when shared with others.” Tina Fey
This post is going to confuse some of you but that is because I don’t always share my posts in real-time…mainly for safety purposes (I once had a follower, without the best of intentions, come and find me – safety first). This was written back in January when my friend Maja from Croatia came to hang out with me in Barcelona for a few days. We both were on the hunt for warmer weather.
The day she arrived was January 29th which happened to be the celebration of the Lunar New Year (aka: Chinese New Year). 2025 is the Year of the Snake. The Lunar New Year is one of my favorite celebrations of the year (if you’re curious about the differences between the solar and lunar calendars and why there are two different New Year’s, click here). When I lived in NYC, I would take the subway to Chinatown to watch the Parade (the dancing dragon was always my favorite) and eat some amazing authentic Chinese food. The few times I’ve celebrated the holiday in Kansas City, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art always puts on an amazing show with dancers and performers from the local Chinese community and they usually have fun art projects for the kids.
Since Maja has never celebrated the Lunar New Year, I figured we could explore it together in a different country. Nothing says welcome to Spain like a Chinese celebration with a Croatian and an American – I love how the world can come together for a party. So to ring in the New Year, we made our way to the Passeig de Lluís Companys park for the festivities. The place was packed! They had a stage with dancers and long rows of food vendors that seemed to never end!
We stuffed our faces with Goyza, noodles, wontons, mochis, candied fruit on a stick, and bubble tea. All of it was dim sum style and delicious!
Over the next few days, Maja and I packed in a ton of sights and enjoyed catching up over tapas and of course my favorite, coffee and chocolate croissants.
We joined a walking tour one morning that led us through the winding streets of the old town and we hopped a subway to the new(er) section of town to see the work of Antoni Gaudí.
We learned about the Cathedral of Barcelona (not to be confused with Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia which I will write about in a later post) built in 1298-1913. The neo-Gothic style is so intricate and mesmerizing.
We strolled by the famous “The World Begins With Every Kiss,” more commonly known as the Kiss mural or Kissing Wall, on the way. It is comprised of tiny photographs which each in some way represent “moments of freedom.”
We made a quick stop by the Barcelona School of Fine Arts, which Picasso attended in 1895 at the young age of 14. Unfortunately, construction was happening around the building so we couldn’t see it up close and personal.
The Church of Saint Philip Neri was built between 1721-1752. During the Spanish War in 1938, it was bombarded by Franco’s air force and the holes still are visible in the facade. Gaudí was known for attending church here regularly as well.
After taking in all the noise and chaos from the busy streets, we enjoyed the beautiful open space of the Plaza Reial (Royal Square), one of the most famous gathering places in the world.
Our guide asked us to play Where’s Waldo with an object designed by Gaudí. Turns out it was this interesting-looking lamp post.
Speaking of Gaudí, one of the buildings he designed is just off the most well-known street in Barcelona, La Rambla. Palau Güell is a mansion turned museum named Esuebi Güell, the man who provided funding for many of Gaudí’s works. The Gaudí design that stands out the most is the chimneys on top in the shape of trees. Unfortunately, I didn’t go inside this museum but the photos online look incredible.
Our last two stops required a subway ride up to the new part of town to see more of Antoni’s famous architecture.
First stop, UNESCO World Heritage Site, La Pedrera (Catalan) – Casa Milà (Spanish and more commonly referenced). All I could think when I saw it was that I was looking at something out of the Flintstones cartoon. This building was/is very controversial. Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia but I recommend reading more about it if you have time.
The building did not respect any rules of conventional style, for which Gaudí received much criticism. To begin with, the name “La Pedrera” is in fact a nickname assigned by the citizens who disapproved of its unusualness. The unique structure of the building and the relationship between the building’s architect and Pere Milà became the object of ridicule for the people of Barcelona and many humorous publications of the time.
Just a few blocks down the street is Casa Batlló – also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This building is less controversial but even more bizarre-looking to me. It’s beautiful and weird all at the same time – like an ocean wave with skulls floating in it. In addition to Sagrada Familia, this is considered one of his masterpieces.
Fun fact: Casa Batlló is currently privately owned by the Bernat family, the former owners of the Chupa Chups lollipop company. It is a museum but is not open to the public when they stay for vacation.
The roof has been compared to a sea dragon and the tile work is stunning.
I went back at night to see it lit up and it’s pretty cool. They also decorate it with flowers and lights for different holidays and occasions. It seems there is a gathering of people both day and night.
Maja and I spent one morning at the harbor having breakfast and watching the boats and a crew team row across the water.
We saw this guy on the walk there and I couldn’t help but laugh.
Barcelona is so amazing, I can’t wait to share more with you!
Good Things List
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Traveling with friends!
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Lunar New Year celebrations
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Authentic international cuisine
Much love & gratitude. Namaste 🙏
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Pimientos de Padrón is one of my favorite tapas in Spain. They are flavorful, healthy, and apparently, easy to make. Here is a recipe I found online to make your own!
Mercat de la Boqueria! The famous indoor public market and a must-see for any traveler.
Sadly, Spain is experiencing a significant drought so none of the fountains are currently being used in an effort to conserve water.
One of the more, um interesting shall we say, souvenirs in Barcelona is the Caganer. The Caganer is a figurine depicted in the act of defecation appearing in nativity scenes. Don’t shoot the messenger. Legend has it that farmers used to give this figurine to each other to wish them a good year of crops (you know, manure/poop is very good for growing fruits and veggies). Bizarre I know but it is actually a big deal here. They are even designed to depict famous people – politicians, artists, musicians, and even the Queen! So pick one up on your next visit and watch your garden grow!
The architecture and the doors around the city are incredible. Every little detail is so interesting.
