Our apartment is on a tiny street in the Gothic Quarter. The street wouldn’t be more than a couple of metres wide, lined with little shops and cafes, with tiny balconies above providing light and air, and letting the street life into the apartments. Rooftop terraces catch the sun and become social spaces… it’s a city that’s so well-designed for compact living.
This morning I noticed little tile paintings dotted along the walls that describe some of the history of the street. This is a city where there’s always more to see, and something else to find around the corner.
As I close my second trip to Barcelona it feels familiar, new, and ready for future exploration all at once.
A short flight from Barcelona to Granada somehow takes all day. The sea makes way for the mountains of the Sierra Nevada, and rows upon rows of olives.
Granada will always hold a piece of me, filled with memories of Rachel. After coming here to study Spanish for 6 months 20-something years ago, her beautiful friends Eric and Pascal became family. Once again, they welcomed us with open arms and ‘train station hugs’. We headed straight to Bodegas Castaneda, one of the oldest venues in town. It was the site of many afternoon escapes from Spanish lessons for Rachel and Eric, and is affectionately known as ‘The Bull Bar’ in our family thanks to the large bull that sits on the wall.
Dinner at Puerta del Carmen (another one of Rachel, Eric and Pascal’s favourite spots) was one of the best meals that we’ve had… cerviche, octopus, steak, artichokes and pistachio desserts that are well worth travelling the world and eating at 10pm for!
So special to be in Granada again…
Love M & Ax
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