I am obsessed with all things Barcelona. Really, I've told anyone that will listen how I dream of living 6 months of each year in this bold and beautiful city. Even when I am in the deepest and darkest funk, I will break into a smile at the mere sound of the word Barcelona.
MANY years ago, when I was an awkward yet eager 16 year old, I spent my junior year of high school studying in Barcelona. A young Catalan couple took me in and I immediately became a big sister to their 3 little kids. Although it's been a long time, many of those memories are as clear as yesterday: walking down Paseo de Gracia to school, getting lost in El Barrio Gotico, snacking on sugary xuxo pastries, and clumsily flirting with cute Catalan boys (still a favorite pastime when the opportunity presents itself).
My latest trip down memory lane was prompted by the slide show, A Beloved Corner of Barcelona, that recently appeared in the travel section of The New York Times. The images focus on the neighborhood of Gracia - "Visitors in Barcelona rarely cross the city's broad Avinguda Diagonal, sticking close to the harborside Gothic quarter. But Barcelona natives love — and many live in — the quirky residential neighborhood of Gràcia, which fills the urban grid on Diagonal's north side, between Passeig de Gràcia and Passeig de Sant Joan." If you've been to Barcelona, these images will make you miss it. If you've never been, they will spark your interest.
Do you love Barcelona? If not, what city is YOUR Barcelona?
Click on the following link to view the slide show www.nytimes.com