Spain and Lots of Rain...

In late October, three of my friends from Ireland and I took our long weekend and visited Madrid, Toledo, and Barcelona. We spent a day in Toledo, two days in Barcelona and Madrid, and a night and a day on the bus travelling between them. We started out trip in Madrid and after checking into the hostel we wandered around Madrid. We found a cheap place with a deal for €1 tapas and ate dinner there. After dinner we found a bar to watch the soccer game (Real Madrid vs somewhere in Germany). Unfortunately Real Madrid lost, but it was still amazing to see a Real Madrid game while in Madrid! We enjoyed some sangria and a free little plate of paella while we watched the game.

 The next day was packed full of tourist-ing. We spent a day exploring Toledo, the former capital of Spain. Toledo was a really pretty town with skinny winding streets. The buildings all looked exactly what I had imagined Spain to look like and the city had so much history! 

After spending some time wandering around Madrid, we took a Night bus to Barcelona. The Bus was about 8 hours long, but felt much longer and was terribly uncomfortable. Luckily we were able to check into our hostel early, and had time for a little nap before heading out to explore the city. Barcelona was very different than Madrid. Madrid was more of a international city, where Barcelona was more of a tourist city. Barcelona was very pretty and I am sure it would be even better when it is warmer! The first night, we went to an ice bar which was freezing. The bar provided us with really warm coats and gloves, but the room with the ice bar was kept around -18C (which is about 0F). the glasses were even made of ice and it was fun to smash them when my drink was gone! there were also some cool ice sculptures we took pictures by whenever we weren't bouncing around and trying to stay warm!

The next day we visited the Sagrada Família, that really crazy looking cathedral  

It was cool, but so crowded! we stopped for just a short while before we headed off to the beach. Me and one of the other girls were determined to swim in the Mediterranean even though it was freezing out. After a hasty change in the smallest and most disgusting public bathroom, we sprinted into the Mediterranean, dunked our heads under water and booked it back to the disease of a bathroom to dry off and change. I was cold, but it was worth it!

We also made a trip to Park Güell which was so pretty. I remember looking at pictures of the mosaic bench in my Spanish book, but I was so much prettier in real life!

The park was so unique all around and was defiantly one my favourite things I visited in Barcelona! we caught a day bus back to Madrid which was painfully long. the one good thing about the bus was getting to see some of the more "countryside" like parts of Spain.