La Rambla and Plaza Cataluna and the University of Barcelona....oh my!

Today, the second day in Barcelona, was just as amazing as the first. My roomate Claire and I slept in until right before our orientation at 11am. During the presentation we learned about living, safety, and the different barrios of Barcelona. Afterwards we met up with another group of University of Illinois students and did our best to figure out the metro system as we made it down to the port of Barcelona. The port is at the bottom of La Rambla and loaded with tourists. The weather was just as hot today, but walking by the sea there was some breeze.

We got lunch at a really touristy cafe right by the port, only because we had slept through breakfast and didn't have the energy to find anything a little more...authentic. I got a croissant and watched our pissed off waiter trying to deal with travelers refusing to speak Spanish. Although it was boiling hot I refrained from getting water because we have yet to find a place that will serve tap water, everywhere you have to buy it bottled, and for 3 or 4 euro at some places. After grabbing something to eat we walked down the Rambla, which is soooo cool!

It is packed full of vendors, tourists and very sneaky con artists. We saw several of the tricks taking place that our orientation leaders repeatedly warned us of. Most of the pick-pocketing guys all work together, and one scheme is they wave over the unsuspecting tourist to come play a betting game. First of all, the player will lose every time, but in the meantime, as they bend down to place there bet...there goes their wallet and anything else in their back pockets. I wanted to run over to the fools playing to warm them, but I guess they will learn soon enough. I probably looked like I was protecting a new born baby in my purse the way that I held it so tightly the whole way down La Rambla. Then we continued to La Plaza Cataluna, which is a large circle round-a-bout with a fountain and plaza in the center. From one of the side streets (pictured below) you can see the mountains of Tibidabo in the background.

From there we decided to walk to the University of Barcelona, and get an idea of the neighborhood. That's where our classes for the Intensive Language Program begin tomorrow. The University is smack-dab in the middle of everything. It looks so cool, just as I had pictured it. With a cute cafe right across the street too.

 

We just got back and now its a little after 6:30pm. After lots and lots of walking, coming back to our air-conditioned room and just relaxing is so nice. We will go to dinner downstairs at 8:30 and then probably go to bed early so we are ready to leave for class tomorrow at 8:00am! I am absolutely in love with Barcelona and I can't believe that I get an entire year here, every minute has been so fun with so many new things!