Casa Batlló, designed by Antoni Gaudí
We got back from our trip to Barcelona, Spain last week – and I’m still smiling over the gorgeous sights (including all things Gaudí!), the tasty food, the many glasses of sangria, and the laid-back, relaxed attitude the city had. (Except for its traffic, of course, but I’m blocking that memory. 
)
Going in to my conference. Work hard, play hard!
I was sent to Barcelona to cover the annual European College of Neuropsycho- pharmacology meeting being held there this year, in my other role as a medical journalist.
Like last year, when I covered the meeting when it was held in Vienna, Austria, I made sure to add in extra “fun days” so that I could really explore the area. And I’ll be posting many times over the next couple weeks about some of the wonderful treasures I stumbled upon.
For now, I’ll just post a few pictures to illustrate a little of the flavor of this unique European jewel:
Exterior of Casa Batlló
La Sagrada Família
Beauty in the sky
Going under the city at Museu d’Història de la Ciutat
Tapas and Sangria!
Side trip to majestic, magical Montserrat
Be sure to check back often as I share tips and reports on Beautiful Barcelona.
At Gaudí’s Park Güell
Beautiful city. Looking forward to seeing and reading more.
Thanks for the comment! I’m looking forward to writing more about this wonderful city.
Yes, what a magical city. So much to see that there wasn’t near enough time to see everything. But we did out best to see as much as possible.
It was even better than I expected. And sooo delicious!
Terrific pictures and yum-m-m-m-m-m tapas! I don’t understand why tapas hasn’t caught on in the USA. I can’t be the only person in this hemisphere who loves to graze on small tasty morsels for a meal rather than a one-dish McMegaMeal. Can’t wait to read about your adventures.
That’s a great point Sandy. I first had tapas in DC and then in New York City, but haven’t really seen them on menus anywhere else. (Of course the ones in Spain were the best!) But I loved the idea of tasting lots of little things and sharing. And agree that that’s a lot better than the McMegaMeals (love that word!)
I believe they have tapas at Table Mesa Bistro in Bentonville and Fayetteville
Often when we dine out with others, we order the “appetizer sampler” which seems the same idea. We love that as a small meal, leaving room to split a dessert. I know it’s a popular practice around us, so maybe the idea, if not the Spanish name, has caught on?
That makes sense. I’ve always been fond of having several people in a group each order different appetizers and we all share. Guess that’s sort of our version of “tapas style”!
I’m looking forward to reading about your adventures. Are you having any language issues? The food looks great.
Surprisingly I had less problems there than in Vienna last year. The people in Spain seemed a lot more willing to “act out” with me what we both wanted to get across than did the people in Austria. Must be that laid back attitude I saw from most. Oh, and the food was great!!
Interesting architecture! I’m curious about your career as a medical journalist.
Yep, I did a lot of looking up while I was there. So many interesting buildings! Here’s a link to my website and about my medical writing: http://www.DeborahBrauser.com/health.html
Oh, I did love these fairy castles! If we click on the photo and then click on it again, we get an amazing, scrollable view of almost unbelievable art in building design. Thanks so much for these fantasies, and I can see why you’d want to experience them in person.