Thyra Travels: Bella Ciao: Catalonia 2019

I was excited to finally arrive to Catalonia (Spain for those non-independents out there). Anxious above all else to see my friend Aida (we lived and volunteered together in South Korea) and meet her family, I was all chatty with excitement. When we touched down in Spain, I was off my seat ready to get moving. I can’t explain how amazing it was to, for the first time the whole trip, be in a country where I spoke and read the language. Every sign, I understood. Any problem I had, I would be able to communicate. Aida picked me up at the airport and took me to see Barcelona before going to her home up north by the coast. What did we do? Went and ate some Korean food…mmmmmm.

I spent the next three weeks at Aida’s house, meeting her friends and family. It was so nice to relax and we spent almost every morning soaking up the sun next to her personal pool (LUXURY, PEOPLE). Her family and friends were so nice and her parents welcomed me like a daughter, making sure I was alive and well-fed. We spent afternoons drinking claras at chiringuitos and nights eating pan amb tomaquete while watching Casa de Papel. It was true relaxation. We did manage to get out of the town to go touristeando. We went several times to Barcelona, once purely for a Korean ice cream place. I went alone one day to go full tourist, spending the whole time walking from sight to sight, seeing almost every Lonely Planet suggested attraction.

We also spent a lot of time touring Catalonia. One day we went to the Costa Brava, napped on the beach, and ate AMAZING seafood. Another day we went to Montserrat, the famous mountain with a monestary and picturesque mini town on the top. My personal favorite was when we went to Girona and Figueres to see the Salvador Dali museum. The museum was so cool and I love Dali so it was super interesting. I was also pleasantly suprised by Girona, it was by far my favorite place in Catalonia thus far. I liked the vibe and spirit of the town. I LOVED this random restaurant we ate in, owned by Chinese immigrants, unexpected but a fabulous time.

Above all else, I spent a lot of time with Aida, her family, and her friends. We had lunch almost every day with her parents and I got to learn about the history of Catalonia and eat tons of delicious food. After over a year of not having parents, it was kind of nice to have someone else take care of me. With her friends, we spent countless dinners out at restaurants or at their houses. Since it was August, a lot of people are on vacation, so everyone was in full relaxation mode. I reluctantly left but better for it, as everyone was starting to back to work! With a promise to return in November, I made my way to Portugal.

T